Title III Technology Literacy Challenge Grant

Learning Unit

Overview | Content Knowledge | Essential Questions | Connection To Standards | Initiating Activity | Learning Experiences | Culminating Performance | Pre-Requisite Skills | Modifications | Schedule/Time Plan | Technology Use

OVERVIEW

 Students think they are immune to advertising because they do not "watch commercials." This unit is for children in grade 6. It involves learning the eight persuasive techniques, identifying them in all avenues of media including magazine, TV, Internet, and billboards, and making them aware of how advertising already influences them. The students will write a persuasive essay using at least one persuasive technique and turn it into a speech for the class. They will also create a "new product" using some persuasive techniques to produce a skit, slogan, jingle, or poster in order to sell it. The unit will take approximately three weeks using two class periods of 40 minutes per day. For term definitions, worksheets, rubrics, checklists, and tests see attachments at the end of the Learning Unit.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

1. What place or importance does advertisement have in our lives?
2. Should we believe everything we read in magazines, newspapers, and on the Internet and to what extent are our decisions made regarding products and what we purchase and why?
3. How do I decide what to spend my money on?
4. How easily do media and our peers influence us?
5. Why are people mislead by big companies and people with money to advertise?
6. Can we influence others opinions just by our own words and actions?

CONNECTIONS TO NYS LEARNING STANDARDS
List Standard # and Key Idea #: Write out related Performance Indicator(s) or Benchmark(s)

 ELA standard 3 key idea 1: students will read newspapers, magazines, advertisements and electronic resources to interpret, analyze, and evaluate information, ideas, and opinions.

ELA standard 3 key idea 2: students will write a persuasive essay and speech keeping in mind its audience using process writing.

ELA standard 4 key idea 1: students will listen attentively to interpret data, facts, and ideas in class discussions, multimedia presentations, and oral speeches given by classmates.

ELA standard 4 key idea 1: students will listen to, analyze, and evaluate information, ideas, and opinions.

Health standard 1 key idea 1: students will understand the influence of media and technology in making decisions about products. They will recognize influences, which affect health choices and behaviors.

Health, PE, HE standard 3: students will recognize how the media influences health choices.

Technology standard 5: students will create a PowerPoint presentation from a persuasive essay, be video taped presenting their speeches, new product and jingle, word processing, and participate in exploration of web sites that deal with advertisements and how technology has an impact in our daily life, use digital camera to catalog persuasive posters, listen to cassettes and watch video movies pertaining to advertisement.

Social Studies standard 4: students will understand how people in the United States and throughout the world are both producers and consumers of goods and products.

Art standard 1: students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts

INITIATING ACTIVITY

 Students will be presented with the 8 persuasive techniques and they will be discussed. Students will then play a slogan game where they will identify products advertised on TV to reinforce that we are already influenced by advertisements.

LEARNING EXPERIENCES

LE #1 Title: I Don’t Pay Attention to Advertisement

Estimated Time for this Experience: 11 class periods/40 min. each

Content Knowledge Covered:

Media influences all people, especially young teens

Advertising uses many different techniques (calculated propaganda) to sell to the intended audience

Connections to Standards:

H, PE, & HE: standard 1: students will recognize influences which affect health choices, and behaviors.

H, PE, & HE: standard 3: students will recognize how the media influences health choices.

Social Studies: Standard 4: students will understand how people in the United States and throughout the world are both producers and consumers of goods and products.

Resources: many current advertisements from magazines and/or newspapers

Current advertisements slogans/jingles on radio and TV

Made up product advertisements (found in reading/language arts texts)

Oak tag, glue, extra magazines

Video: Refuse to be Used

Buy me that 3

Cassette and posters from Nutrition Comes Alive

Target poster

Worksheets

Modifications: none

Activities:

1. Discussion of 8 persuasive techniques. "Identify the product" game using current slogans. Relate slogans to the 8 persuasive techniques.
2. Review of persuasive techniques using slogans for made up products. Listen to cassette of advertising techniques used in spoken advertisements and identify. Identify techniques used in large posters advertising nutrition products. (Audiotape and posters from the kit: Nutrition Comes Alive.
3. Have 8 large pieces of poster paper, magazines, and 1 "seed" ad per poster illustrating the 8 persuasive techniques. Divide the class into groups of 3-4 students. Using the carousel technique, have each group rotate to each of the posters, finding an ad from available magazines that illustrates the technique highlighted on that poster with the "seed" ad.
4. Review each of the posters and have each group of students explain to the class why they chose the ad that they did and how it exemplified the techniques.
5. Watch video: Refuse to be Used (re: alcohol and tobacco advertising)
6. Discuss intended audience using "target poster".
7. Worksheet: Fact vs. Opinion or True/False. Identify what facts are presented in selected ads. Discuss what opinions are presented in selected ads. Discuss the values and feelings these ads give one about oneself. Discuss what is "normal" according to these advertisements.
8. Explore subliminal techniques used in advertising to make the audience think a certain way, i.e. perfect white teeth on smokers, ice cubes in the shape of diamonds, show examples. Have students find their own examples.
9. Watch video: Buy Me That 3 (nutrition advertising) Discuss subliminal techniques shown in the product.
10. Cover up product in existing advertisement. Have students identify what the product is that is being sold. Discuss what, if anything, the pictures/slogans have to do with the product.
11. Distribute 1 advertisement per student and have each student evaluate the advertisement according to questions on a worksheet (intended audience, advertising techniques used, what does the ad want you to think about the product, what is the truth about the product) Discuss

12. Assessment: visual, written, question and answer, worksheet

     

    LE #2 title: Can You Be Convinced?

    Estimated Time for this Experience: 11 class periods, 40 min. each

    Content Knowledge Covered:

    Audience serves a purpose when persuading

    Persuading should identify pros as well as cons (positive and negative) and debate them

    Process of writing persuasive essay, including modeling and brainstorming, filling out graphic organizer, writing rough draft, editing, and writing final copy

    Process of PowerPoint in presentations, or turning essay into speech using 3 by 5 note cards and giving it to classmates

     

    Connections to standards:

    ELA standard 3: students will write a persuasive essay using process-writing technique and speeches keeping in mind its audience

    ELA standard 4: students will listen attentively to interpret data, facts, and ideas in class discussions, multimedia presentations, and oral speeches given by classmates

    ELA standard 4: students will listen to, analyze, and evaluate information and ideas

    Technology standard 5: students will create a PowerPoint presentation from a persuasive essay, be video taped presenting their speeches, listen to video about completing a speech

     

    Resources: computers, overhead projector, graphic organizers, writing checklist and rubric, podium

    Video titled: Oral Communication: Preparation and Delivery from Madison-Oneida BOCES

    Modifications: none

    Activities:

    1. Discuss positive and negative word connotations, and the importance of audience (who the essay is intended for) Review transition and sequence words when writing and make a list
    2. Brainstorm ideas to write about for persuasive essay, model graphic organizer and writing rough draft. Distribute checklist to students
    3. Write rough draft of persuasive essay, edit, and write final copy
    4. Watch video of how to do a proper speech
    5. Teacher models how to do this with essay examples and students create their own speech with at least one visual aid
    6. Students present speeches to class and hand in persuasive essay to be graded

    7. Assessment: visual, rubric for essay, rubric for speech, question and answer

        

        

LE # 3 title: What Happens if We Tell the Truth?

Estimated Time for this Experience: 3-4 class periods, 40 min. each

Content Knowledge Covered:

Advertisements contain calculated propaganda.

Advertisements sell products to selected audiences.

Successful advertisements only sell products, not give correct or truthful information

Connections to standards:

 H, PE, & HE: standard 3: students will use media techniques to influence health choices

Art: standard 1: students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts.

Resources:

Internet

Video of public service advertisements

Magazines to supply current advertisements

Modifications: none

Activities:

1. visit internet sites that try to put truth in advertising:

http://www.badvertising.com

http://www.adbusters.org

• watch a variety of public service announcements. Discuss the techniques used in these. Discuss how these differ from commercial advertisements.
• Have each student choose an existing printed advertisement and change it to tell the truth.
• Present the changed advertisement to the class. Discuss what changes were made to have the advertisement tell the truth. Compare the two ads. Discuss which advertisement "sells the product" and why.

Assessment: visual, written questions and answer.

CULMINATING PERFORMANCE

LE #4 Title: Have I Got Something for You!

Estimated Time for this Experience: 3-4 class periods, 40 minutes each… students must work on their own time to prepare for presentation and study for test.

Content Knowledge Covered:

Advertisements contain calculated propaganda

Advertisements sell products to selected audiences

Successful advertisements only sell products, not give correct or truthful information

8 persuasive techniques reviewed

Connections to standards:

H, PE, & HE: standard 3: students will use media techniques to influence health choices

Art: standard 1: students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts

Social Studies: standard 4: students will become both producers and consumers of products

ELA standard 4: students will listen to, analyze, and evaluate information, ideas and opinions when listening to presentations and when taking the summative test

Resources:

Containers, poster paper, art supplies

Examples of an existing product and advertisements for it

Modifications: none

Activities:

1. Review what sells a product… words (slogans, jingles, and labels)

2. Have students work in-groups of 2-3 to create a new product including packaging and ways to sell it

1. When all products are ready, spend one day presenting products to the class. Discuss what advertising techniques were used and how effective they were.
2. Complete a summative test

Assessment: visual, written questions and answer.

Oral Speech Rubric for student and teacher use

Speaker’s name ________________________

Topic: _______________________________

Directions: Respond yes or no on the line.

Mind:

1. Did the speaker seem to know about the topic? _____

2. Did the speaker seem interested in the topic? __________

Voice:

3. Was the speaker’s voice loud enough? _________

4. Did the speaker talk too fast? _______________

5. Did the speaker speak clearly and not mumble? _________

6. Did the speaker have fillers? (And, uh, ok. yea know) _____

7. Was the speaker well practiced? ____________

Body Language:

8. Did the speaker have good posture? __________

9. Did the speaker have good eye contact with the audience ______?

10. Did the speaker fidget and move around a lot? ____________

Visual:

11. Did the speaker use an appropriate visual aid? ___________

Name _____________________ Summative Test:

A. Match the number technique with its letter definition.

1. ______Bandwagon A. a celebrity is selling a product

2. ______ Compare and Contrast B. words used to turn someone

against without giving facts

3. ______ Emotional Words C. say that most people do it

4. ______ Faulty Cause and Effect D. a celebrity does not directly say they

use product

5. ______ Name Calling E. when one product is similar to another

6. ______ Repetition F. persuades you to share feelings for product

7. ______ Testimonial G. name is repeated over and over

8. ______ Transfer H. tries to connect two facts in an illogical way

B. Choose from one of the 8 persuasive techniques to decide which is being used.

 ___________________1. Keep in touch by telephone and get that home-sweet- home feeling.

___________________2. As an administrator, the mayor has proved to be an incompetent bungler.

___________________3. Everybody enjoys delicious MUCHO MUNCHIES. Americans favorite natural food cereal.

__________________ 4. Do your friends leave you and go off on their own? Does your dog not want to play catch anymore? Then buy a Rubber Ducky, and you’ll have a friend for life.

___________________5. Party Princess Perfume- buy it to wear at all your friend’s parties. The beautiful teens on the hit TV show"01209" say that you’ll be the best looking life of the party.

___________________6. Here’s a tip from Jean Rodrigues, top basketball star, who says, "I always wear Marksman Shirts. They’re my brand."

___________________7. We tested Zest soap against a Dial, the leading brand, and we found that Zest has more suds than Dial, and leaves your skin feeling silky smooth, cleaner, and healthier.

C. Short Answers: Answer questions in complete sentences on the back of this paper.

1. Name 5 transition words used in writing essays that help to move along in thought?
2. Why is "the audience" important to remember when you write?
3. How can we keep propaganda and advertisements from effecting us?
4. What importance does advertisement have in your life? (give details and be specific)
5. Should you believe everything you read in magazines, the newspapers, and on the Internet? Why or why not. (Be specific and give examples)

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6^th grade persuasive essay rubric

PRE-REQUISITE SKILLS

• Students will need to know the process writing technique for writing
• Student will need to be able to edit own work as well as other student work.
• Students will need to know how to use ClarisWorks in order to type final copy of essay

MODIFICATIONS

• I would not expect all students to create a PowerPoint presentation, however, they all need to do the speech and have some kind of visual. I will also give students a checklist so they don’t leave anything out of their essay.
• I will modify the number of facts and rebuttal opinions necessary for success.
• I would not put a grade on their oral speech since many would be doing them for the first time. I will have a checklist of things to look for and a yes or no if they did it.
• I would not expect all students to use word processing in their final copies; I would accept a handwritten copy.
• All IEP (Individualized Educational Plans) will be followed.

UNIT SCHEDULE/TIME PLAN

 It will take 3 weeks to do all aspects of this unit if you are able to devote approximately 80 minutes a day. Students will probably need to use some time at home as well as extra time typing essay if they are not that good at it. Those students doing PowerPoint presentations would need extra time to create that. Also, time with the art teacher to create new product was built into the 3 weeks.

RESOURCES

Videos titled:

• "Oral Communication: Preparation and Delivery" from BOCES
• Refuse to be Used
• Buy Me That 3

Internet connection sites

www.badvertising.com

Adbusters@adbusters.com

www.madd.org

www.nat-sadd.org

www.sada.org

• Cassette and Posters from Nutrition Comes Alive Kit
• Video of Public Service Announcements obtained from CDC/Office on Smoking and Health

TECHNOLOGY USE

 Teacher:

• Used PowerPoint and the machine to project it onto the large screen.
• Used digital camera to take pictures of posters and product samples
• Used video machine to tape speeches
• Used VCR, TV, and cassette player
• Used computer to show students around web sites and do research

Students:

• Used computer for word processing and for browsing around web sites
• Used computer for creating and presenting PowerPoint presentation

REFLECTIONS

• We think the unit went very well. It was interesting to see the student response to the various activities and to gather information as to how much media influences them.
• The students who presented their speech as PowerPoint presentations were amazed at how much fun it was and even asked if they could do it again for another project.
• The students did an outstanding job writing their essays and liked the graphic organizer
• They also did an outstanding job giving their speeches
• We're not very good with the video camera or the digital camera.
• Next year we plan to have students create a new product, but to sell it honestly and show what it really is.

Attachment # 1 8 Persuasive Techniques

1. Bandwagon: do what everyone else is doing; suggests that "most people" are in favor of a product or idea and you’ll be left out if you don’t agree

2. Compare and contrast: promotes an idea or product by comparing it to another similar idea or product

3. Emotional words: uses words that arouse positive or negative emotions in an attempt to persuade the reader to share those emotions for the idea or product.

4. Faulty Cause and Effect: tries to show a cause and effect relationship where none exists by connecting two facts or ideas in an illogical way
5. Name-Calling: used words or names to turn the reader against someone, but without giving facts or supporting evidence.
6. Repetition: a word, phrase, or name is repeated over and over
7. Testimonial: an admired person, such as a celebrity, is used to endorse an idea or product
8. Transfer: a celebrity or admired person is shown, but this person does not directly endorse the product or idea; instead it is hoped that the readers’ good feelings about the celebrity will be transferred or shifted to the product or idea.

Attachment #2 Media Awareness Test (slogan game)

Ex. The breakfast of champions __________________

1. The copper-topped battery ____________________
2. The nighttime, sniffing, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever, so you can rest medicine ___________________________
3. It just keeps going, and going, and going ____________________
4. The softer side of ________________________________________
5. The best part of waking up is _______________ in your cup.
6. Good to the last drop ____________________________________
7. In the valley of the jolly (ho-ho-ho-) _________________________
8. Melts in your mouth, not in your hands ______________________
9. Best for you and al your 2000 parts __________________________

10. Just Do It ______________________________________________

11. Kid tested, Mother approved ______________________________

12. Must see TV ______________________________________
13. Always low prices, always _____________________________
14. Nothing runs like a ____________, John __________________
15. Be all that you can be, in the ___________________________
16. Yo Quiero? _________________________________________
17. Did somebody say? _________________________________
18. It’s got to be the ____________________________________
19. It’s the cheesiest ____________________________________
20. You look so natural, no one can tell ______________________
21. The fastest way to send money ________________________
22. They care enough to send the very best __________________
23. 5 cents a day, every day ______________________________
24. mmm mmm good ___________________________________
25. bargains by the bagful ________________________________

Answer Key to media awareness test (slogan game)

Ex. Wheaties

1. Duracell
2. Nyquil
3. Energizer
4. Sears
5. Folgers
6. Maxwell House Coffee
7. Green Giant
8. M & M’s
9. Lever 2000
10. Nike
11. Kix
12. NBC
13. Walmart
14. Deere, John Deere
15. Army
16. Taco Bell
17. McDonald’s
18. Puppy Chow
19. Kraft macaroni and Cheese
20. Just for Men Hair Color
21. Western Union
22. FTD Florist
23. MCI
24. Campbell’s Soup
25. Ames

Attachment # 3

Transition and Sequence words:

Negative Connotations Examples Positive Connotations

Attachments #4  Persuasive Topics:

• Going off to a camp is a good way to spend the summer
• not to play near high power lines
• exercise
• eat balanced meals
• wear a seatbelt
• wear a helmet on a bike
• should write everyday
• should speak in front of a group
• school newspaper should have sports page
• 6^th graders should be allowed to set own hours for bed and homework
• should be able to hunt at 12
• Being respectful to parents
• Being respectful to elders
• Don’t Play with matches
• Cook your meat thoroughly
• Should read everyday
• Sing in the chorus
• Do your homework
• Watch the news
• Read the newspaper
• Wear suntan lotion
• Wear contacts
• Doing volunteer work is a good way to spend the summer
• Have special bike paths
• Longer recess
• Stay up later
• Buy something at a store
• Go skating
• Go to the beach
• Quit smoking
• Don’t drink and drive
• Don’t drink or do drugs
• Playing an instrument
• Special food for dinner
• Give to Fundraising/charity
• Vacation destination
• Play a sport
• Prof. Athletes should be allowed to compete in Olympics
• Shouldn’t get junk mail
• Recycle cans/bottles/paper
• Buy a computer/ TV
• Stay home from school
• To read a certain book
• Get physicals before playing a sport
• Protecting animals is everyone’s responsibility
• spend the night at a friends
• have a friend over
• buy a certain book/tape/video
• find an emergency exit to evacuate home
• not to commit suicide
• not to play out in a thunderstorm

 Attachment #5 Graphic Organizer

Persuasive Writing: writing that tries to influence readers and listeners to take action or to accept the writer’s opinion about a topic (You must use facts and opposing opinions to support your opinion.)

Topic Sentence- states the opinion you are presenting. It should capture your audience’s attention.

Closing Sentence- restates your opinion and urges audience to take action or agree

Audience- person or group of people who share interest or concern

Fact- statement that can be proved true or false

Opinion- statement that expresses someone’s personal feelings about a topic and cannot be proven

Attachment #6 Student Checklist Persuasive Essay

1.______ Topic Sentence that captures attention and identifies audience

2.______ Facts/Supporting details are used (at least 3)

3.______ Opposing opinions are used (at least 2)

4.______ Transition words are used throughout the essay

5.______ Closing sentence that restates

6.______ Mechanics

7.______ capital letters and spelling

8.______ punctuation

9.______ grammar (complete sentences, word use, and verb tense)

10._____ indented paragraph (at least two fingers)

11._____ neatness (pen, cursive or typed)

 

 Attachment # 7 Advertising and how it sells worksheet

1. What product is the advertisement selling? _______________________

____________________________________________________________

2.Who are the intended audience of the ad? _________________________

___________________________________________________________

3. What advertising techniques are being used? ____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

4. What does the ad (using words and/or pictures) want you to think about this product? _________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

5. What words and /or pictures used in this ad make you think that way?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. What is the truth about the product? __________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Attachment #8 Oral Speeches

• Practice at least 5 times
• Rehearse your speech
• Avoid distractions

1. No gum chewing
2. No fidgeting
3. Don’t pull on hair

• Use eye contact
• Speak clearly and don’t mumble
• Use good posture
• Don’t lean on anything or move around on feet
• Tape on a tape recorder for practice
• Practice in a mirror
• Use at least one visual aid
• Look above people’s heads
• Use expression
• Emphasize important words