Description
Small groups of students use persuasive writing to create original commercial advertisements for products or services related to a shared story or stories. Student groups perform commercials for class utilizing some pretaught persuasive techniques. This is a multi-day activity.
Materials
1. Student groups should have knowledge of a set number of fairy tales.
2. Televsion Evaluation Form completed as homework prior to lesson (form attached)
3. paper for group brainstorming (use form attached)
4. various art supplies for students to construct their product from
5. Rubric for evaluation of commercial (form attached)
6. Power Point on persuasive strageties (I use one that I found on the internet. I was not able to upload it, so I supplied the link. It is available on the Read Write Think Website):
www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson.../persuasive_strategies.pps
Full Lesson Plan
Prior to beginning:
I Students should take notes on the persuasive techniques from the power point. They should complete the attached commercial evaluation form at home and be prepared to discuss some of the commercials they viewed and what persuasive technique was used. I find that it is helpful to view one or two commercials in class via the internet and model completing the form with students prior to assigning it as homework. In addition, students should be familiar with the fairy tales that you will be using for this lesson. However, this lesson could be modified to complement a book read in your language arts class too.
2. Spend some time discussing students’findings after step 1 is completed. Discuss the various persuasive techniques used and how students feel the target audience would respond to the commercial.
3. Group Work- Students should be put into small groups. 3 to 4 students in a group works well. Larger groups may result in individual members not having enough to do. Students need to choose one of the tales to work with. In their group, they should brainstorm a list of possible products or services associated with this tale. I usually model this activity with the whole class using a tale or story that they will not be using. For example, I may have the students brainstorm products and/or services associated with “The Three Little Pigs.” We may come up with the following: a house building service, a fence installation service to keep wolves away, smoke sprinkles product to pour into your fireplace to deter wolves, etc. After we model this together, students go off into their groups and brainstorm the list for their chosen tale. I use the attached form and award points for number of ideas and all members participating. The point systems is very motivating for younger students but may not be necessary for older students.
4. When students complete their list, the group decides which product or service they are going to use for their TV commercial. At this point, group members need to create their script and a rough storyboard for their commercial. Depending on the age of students, you can decide whether the commercial will be 30 or 60 seconds. Remind students to include one of the advertising techniques viewed in the PowerPoint.
5. After the script is complete, students may use various art supplies, recycled items, costume pieces, etc. to create simple props, costumes, and scenery for their commercial. This step can be as elaborate or as simple as you choose.
6. Allow students some time to rehearse their commercial. See attached forms for evaluating this part of the lesson.
7. Perform! I have had students perform their commercials live and videotaped. A live production of commercials moves more quickly, but if you have the time, students love videotaping and sharing that way. Audience members have to pay attention, and after viewing the commercial, they discuss the persuasive techniques utilized. Student performers share the “target audience” for their commercial and the type of television show they would present their commercial on. We discuss these choices as a group and decide if we think the performance appeals to the target audience. I use the attached evaluation form for each group.
