Real, pretend and dramatised media — Media, 7–10 years
A video can look realistic without showing a real event. You will learn to separate things that happened, things invented for a story and real events presented with acting or reconstruction.
Looking real is not the same as being real
Fiction is invented, like a dragon in a film. A documentary may show a real animal, while a dramatisation uses actors to recreate something that happened. All three can use costumes, music and cameras, so check what kind of thing you are watching.
Why do we need this difference?
If we mistake an invented scene for a real report, we may believe or repeat something untrue. If we reject a real event because actors present it, we may miss useful information. The difference helps us choose the right question: “Is this telling, imagining or showing?”
Sorting three clips
Clip 1 shows an astronaut meeting a talking moon: it is fiction because the event is invented. Clip 2 shows yesterday’s school race filmed as it happened: it is a record of a real event. Clip 3 uses actors to show how the race was won: it is a dramatisation. The labels tell us how to check each clip.
The trap: trusting realistic details
This mistake is reasonable because costumes, serious voices and shaky camera work can make a scene feel like proof. But realistic style is a choice, not evidence that the event happened. Look for labels, credits, dates or another reliable account before treating it as a record.
Where this appears outside school
You meet these forms in films, cartoons, history programmes, museum videos, game trailers and social posts. A historical drama can help you imagine a past event, but its dialogue may be invented. Enjoy it, then look for a source if you need to know what really happened.
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