Geared to tween girls, www.mypopstudio.com engages girls in the mass media and entertainment industry decision-making process. They can create their own animated pop star in the site’s “Music Studio” and make decisions about what she wears, her hair style, body shape, and makeup, and the lyrics, instrumentation, and beat of the song she sings. Kids can also edit a TV program and compose a scene in the site’s “TV Studio,” design a multi-page magazine spread in the “Magazine Studio,” and test their multitasking abilities in the “Digital Studio.” The site also provides a link to downloadable lesson plans for parents to use in informal, home-based learning and for teachers to introduce in classrooms.
MyPopStudio.com challenges girls to think critically about the messages embedded in the pop-media culture in which they marinate, particularly those that influence their attitudes about beauty, nutrition, celebrity culture, and their own identity. Millions of girls spend a significant chunk of their time surfing the Internet, watching MTV, thumbing through teen and celebrity magazines, and listening to CDs by their newest favorite recording stars.
While they may view it as “entertainment,” the flood of imagery delivered via all this media is also subtly shaping young girls’ social and emotional development, along with their perceptions of body image and health
Parents need to know that this site will help their girls understand the pop culture forces that affect their senses of self, and it will do so while entertaining them. Created by one of the leading authorities on media literacy, it uses TV, music, magazines, and digital life to teach girls about the messages in today’s media — and about their own media use. Have Fun!
