Week 15 — The Spec Sheet
Intentional Production — Phase 1
This is the beginning of the final project. Over Weeks 15–18, students will create their own piece of media — a short video, a blog post, a poster, a podcast episode, or another format they choose. This week is all about planning. Before building anything, students write a "Spec Sheet" that defines their audience, their goal, their format, and the ethical standards they'll hold themselves to. Every lesson from Weeks 1–14 comes into play here.
Key Vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Spec Sheet | A planning document that describes what you're building, who it's for, what it's meant to do, and what standards you'll hold yourself to |
| Audience | The specific group of people your media is created for — their age, knowledge, and interests shape every choice |
| Key message | The single most important idea you want your audience to take away |
| Ethics checklist | A set of questions to make sure your media is honest, accurate, fairly framed, and free of manipulation |
"You've spent 14 weeks learning how media works. Now it's your turn to make something! But instead of just jumping in, you'll make a plan first — called a Spec Sheet. It's like a recipe for your project: who it's for, what you want to say, and how you're going to say it."
Connection
Units 1–4 taught students to analyze other people's media. This week they become creators themselves — and everything they've learned comes into play. Before building anything, they plan intentionally with a Spec Sheet. This is the beginning of the final project arc (Weeks 15–18). Next week they'll create their first draft.
From the entire course: This is where every earlier skill comes together. The Spec Sheet asks students to think about:
- Audience and purpose (Week 2)
- Construction choices (Week 3)
- Attention tactics — and whether to use them honestly (Weeks 5-6)
- Accuracy and sourcing (Weeks 9-11)
- Ethical responsibility (all units)
Encourage the student to flip through their Media Detective Notebook for inspiration.
Teacher Preparation
Prepare the following:
- A blank Spec Sheet template (or create one together in Session 2). Sections should include:
- Project Title
- Format (video, poster, blog post, podcast, slide deck, etc.)
- Audience (who is this for?)
- Goal (what do you want the audience to think, feel, or do?)
- Key Message (in one sentence)
- Construction Choices (what words, images, colors, sounds will you use?)
- Ethics Checklist (is it honestly sourced? Does it avoid clickbait? Is the emotion proportional?)
- Examples of student-appropriate media projects for inspiration (a short public service announcement, a one-page informational poster, a 60-second video)
- Art supplies, a device, or both — depending on the format the student chooses
All you need is paper and a pen for the Spec Sheet. If you don't have time to find example projects for inspiration, skip that step — the student can describe their idea verbally and then write the plan.
Encourage ownership and curiosity.
This project should belong to the student. Let them choose a topic they care about. The goal is not perfection — it is intentional creation: making something where every choice is deliberate and every claim is honest.
Guided Session 1
Choosing a Project Idea
Learning Goal
Students can select a topic, format, and audience for their final project, and explain why their choice matters to them.
Activities
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The Creator's Turn — Celebrate the transition: "For 14 weeks, you've been an analyst — asking who made this, why, how, and whether it's true. Now YOU become the creator. But you're not just any creator. You're a creator who knows how media works. That means you get to build something honest, valuable, and intentional."
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Brainstorm Topics — What does the student want to make media about? Guide them with questions:
- What's something you know a lot about that other kids might not?
- What's something you wish people understood better?
- What's a problem in your school or community that you could explain to others?
- What's something you learned in this course that you want to share?
Write all ideas down without judging. Aim for at least 5 options.
For inspiration, review the Project Exemplars page — it shows four sample projects across different formats. These are models, not scripts to copy. They show what a strong, honest project looks like.
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Choose a Format — What kind of media will it be? Options (adjust based on student's age and resources):
- A short video (60–120 seconds) — filmed on a phone or tablet
- A poster or infographic — hand-drawn or digital
- A blog post or article (300–500 words) — written and illustrated
- A podcast episode (2–3 minutes) — recorded audio
- A slide presentation (5–8 slides) — presented to family
- Something else entirely — encourage creative thinking
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Define the Audience — Ask: "Who is this for? Kids your age? Younger kids? Adults? Your family? Your class?" The audience shapes every other decision: "You wouldn't use the same words for a 5-year-old that you'd use for a teenager."
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Pick One — Narrow down to a specific topic + format + audience. Write it down as a working plan. It can change — but having a starting point matters.
Reflection Questions
- Why did you pick this topic? What makes it important to you?
- Why did you choose this format? What makes it the right fit for your message and audience?
- What's the one thing you want your audience to walk away thinking or feeling?
Guided Session 2
Building the Spec Sheet
Learning Goal
Students can complete a project Spec Sheet that documents their creative intent, audience, construction choices, and ethical commitments.
Activities
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The Spec Sheet — Introduce the concept: "In the professional world, before anyone builds anything — software, a building, a movie — they write a spec. It says what you're building, who it's for, and how you'll build it. We're going to write a spec for your project."
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Fill It Out Together — Walk through each section:
- Project Title: Give it a working title (it can change later).
- Format: What kind of media?
- Audience: Who will see/hear/read this?
- Goal: What do you want the audience to think, feel, or do after experiencing your media?
- Key Message: In ONE sentence, what's the core idea?
- Construction Choices: What variables will you use? (Refer back to Week 3 — words, colors, images, sounds, framing.) Be specific: "I'll use bright colors because my audience is young kids" or "I'll use simple language because I want everyone to understand."
- Ethics Checklist: Answer these honestly:
- Is every fact in my project accurate? How will I check?
- Am I using emotion honestly — or am I using it to manipulate?
- Am I giving my audience the full picture, or leaving out important context?
- Would I be proud if someone analyzed my project the way I've been analyzing media all semester?
- Run through The Media Checkpoint questions 1–7 as if you were the audience. Does your project hold up?
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Peer Preview — If another family member is available, have the student explain their Spec Sheet to them. Can the listener understand the plan? Do they have questions? This practice in explaining intent is valuable.
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Checkpoint — Confirm: the student has a topic, format, audience, goal, and key message. They know what construction choices they'll make and have thought about ethics. They're ready to build.
Reflection Questions
- How does having a plan change the way you approach creating something?
- Which part of the Ethics Checklist feels hardest to follow? Why?
- How is your project different from clickbait? What makes it "signal-heavy" instead of "engagement-bait"?
Independent Session
Gathering Materials
Instruction
Now that your Spec Sheet is complete, start gathering materials for your project.
Depending on your format:
- Video: Scout locations, test your camera, practice speaking on camera, write a rough script or outline of scenes
- Poster/Infographic: Sketch rough layouts, decide where text and images will go, gather art supplies
- Blog post: Write a rough outline of your main points, decide what images or examples you'll include
- Podcast: Write talking points, test your recording setup, practice speaking clearly
- Slides: Create a blank deck, plan what each slide will cover
You don't need to finish anything today. The goal is to prepare so that next week you can build efficiently.
Write down one thing you're excited about and one thing you're nervous about.
Skills Reinforced
- Translating a plan into concrete preparation steps
- Pre-production skills (outlining, material gathering, testing tools)
- Self-awareness about the creative process
Setup
Provide whatever materials match the student's chosen format: art supplies, a device with a camera or recording app, paper for sketching, or a computer for writing/slides. Set a timer for 25 minutes. Remind them: "Preparation today = easier building next week."
Quick Check
After this week's sessions, the student should be able to:
- Name the plan: Describe their topic, format, audience, and goal without looking at the Spec Sheet.
- Explain a choice: Pick one construction choice from their Spec Sheet and explain why they're making it.
- Pass the ethics check: Answer every question on the Ethics Checklist honestly.
Caregiver Look-Fors
- The student genuinely owns their topic choice (they're not just picking the easiest option)
- They can explain their audience and how it shapes their choices
- The Spec Sheet is specific, not vague ("kids my age" is fine; "everyone" is too broad)
- They take the Ethics Checklist seriously, not as a formality
- They're excited to start building
🎯 Takeaway
Big idea: A great media project starts with a clear plan — knowing who it's for, what you want to say, and what standards you'll hold yourself to.
Remember: You're not just any creator — you're a creator who understands how media works. That's your superpower.
Younger Learner Adaptation (Ages 6–8)
- Simplify the Spec Sheet: Three sections are enough — What am I making? Who is it for? What's my message? For a quick template, the student can fold a piece of paper into thirds and write one section in each panel. Draw a picture in each panel too. This visual approach works well for younger learners and reluctant writers.
- Narrow format options: A poster or short recorded video are most manageable at this age.
- Adult writes, student dictates: The student provides the ideas; the adult fills in the template.
- Topic help: Offer 3 specific options if brainstorming stalls: "something you know a lot about," "a problem you want to solve," "something that makes you happy."
Older Learner Extension (Ages 11–13)
- Professional Spec Sheet: Add sections for "Sources I'll use," "Counter-arguments I'll address," and "Tone and style."
- Audience research: How would they actually reach their intended audience? Where would they publish? What platform?
- Historical comparison: Show examples of professional spec documents (movie pitches, design briefs) to connect the exercise to real creative work.
Accessibility Options
- Verbal Spec Sheet: The student speaks their plan into a recording instead of writing.
- Visual Spec Sheet: Draw each section as an image — sketch the audience, draw the format, illustrate the key message.
- Checklist as conversation: Walk through the Ethics Checklist as a dialogue instead of a written exercise.
- Template with sentence starters: Pre-fill the Spec Sheet with prompts like "My project is about ___" and "I chose this format because ___."
- Photo-based planning: Take photos of materials, locations, or inspiration and arrange them as a visual plan.