Is Big Brother watching too much?
Task: Try to find useful multimedia stuff on http://news.bbc.co.uk and think about using it in class.
Although the TV show "Big Brother" isn't particularly popular anymore, I assume that everybody knows it or has at least heard of it. So in order to introduce the film "Is Big Brother watching too much?" which is about public surveillance, I suggest a brainstorming about the TV show "Big Brother". I'm sure that most of the students will be highly motivated to join the discussion as it is/was something that they watched in their spare time.
After some first ideas are collected (which will certainly deal with the candidates of the show, but that's ok...) I'd ask the pupils whether they would take part in the show themselves or not. Of course, I'd ask them to give reasons for their opinion (collection of comments).
Then I'd show the film to them: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_6610000/newsid_6610300?redirect=6610331.stm&news=1&bbram=1&nbram=1&nbwm=1&bbwm=1
Partner work: Where and when are we observed and/or controlled in our everyday life? Collect positive and negative aspects of public surveillance (film+own ideas).
Discussion in class: "Is Big Brother watching too much?" (possible inputs: Do you feel observed in your every day life? Do you want to be observed? Do we need public surveillance in our modern society or better said: Are there (moral?) limits to public surveillance?)
P.S.: Is Big Brother watching little Knut too much? *g* http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6600000/newsid_6605700/6605745.stm?bw=nb&mp=rm
nice entry about big brother!what strikes me most is the fact that the british doesn´t seem to have ANY problem at all with being observed 24/7!the big brother candidates are huge celebrities selling their dumb bathroom stories for loads of quit to the hungriest tabloids...how come?same goes for public surveillance!some day they wake up and find themselves in an orwellian nightmare...
see ya (Comment this)