Assessment
Evidence of student progress is collected through a variety of methods, including observation of discussion, group written forms, bulletin board display, and reflection forms. Students use the rubrics below for self-assessment and peer-assessment.
Learning Context/ Introduction
In this Learning Experience, students analyze advertising for alcohol and tobacco products, and create parodies of ads.
Purpose and Curricular Connections
The purpose of this activity is to have students demonstrate their knowledge of media, advertising, and the persuasive techniques used in ads for tobacco and alcohol products. In addition, students will examine popular movies and television programs to discover the subtle effects of product placement, glamorization, and normalization of alcohol and tobacco use. They will examine the relationships between internal and external influences to use alcohol and tobacco products. Students will be encouraged to advocate for positive changes in influences that have a negative effect on health behaviors regarding alcohol and tobacco products.
New York State Health Education Skills Matrix
Decision Making:
- Identifies personal decisions and sorts related internal and external influences.
- Analyzes perceptions of peer, family, and community normative behavior.
Advocacy:
- Adapts health messages to the characteristics of a particular audience.
- Compiles evidence to support a health-enhancing position.
- Summarizes and practices persuasive communication.
- Takes a clear, health-enhancing stand for personal, family, and community issues.
Prior Knowledge
This Learning Experience is the culminating activity of a tobacco unit in our seventh grade Health curriculum. Prior to this lesson, students will be able to state the harmful effects of tobacco and alcohol on health.
Procedure
This learning experience consists of eight lessons. Descriptions of the lessons are available below.
Student Work
Examples of student work are available below.
Group Analysis WorksheetAd ParodyGroup Report OrganizerStudent LettersStudent Reflections
Website(s)
Media Sharp: Analyzing Tobacco and Alcohol Messages
Educational Resource for Health Teachers
Great American Smokeout FAQs
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Kick Butts Day Activity Sheets
Action on Smoking and Health
INFACT
AdBusters
Tobacco Control Archives
Resources
The teacher resources for this learning experience include an ample supply of at least 20-30 magazines with advertising, newsprint and markers, activity sheets, construction/drawing paper. Students will need colored pencils, markers, or crayons, and one alcohol or tobacco magazine ad. Computers with internet access are needed for research activity (websites are listed below.) Computers for word processing are also helpful. The handouts for this learning experience (not including the rubrics from the Assessment section) appear below:
Instructional/Environmental Modifications
Students are heterogeneously grouped. The classroom needs to have seating conducive to group and individual work and bulletin board space or display area. Computer lab/computers with internet access are needed for research and word processing. The lesson is differentiated through use of different graphic organizers for the letter-writing activity.
Duration
Planning: Gathering magazines and ads, developing a list of ad slogans for lesson 2, and preparing/copying forms requires approximately one hour. Students are usually willing to bring in magazines and ads for use in the classroom.
Implementation: 9 days of 42-minute class periods. Students can either be given another day to complete their ad parodies in class, or the assignment may be given as homework. Lesson 4 can also be assigned as homework.
Assessment: Two rubrics are used for self-assessment, peer assessment, and teacher assessment of student work (see Assessment section.) Discussion questions and reflection questions indicate level of student learning. Completion and review time depends on the number of students and whether class time will be dedicated to completing the rubrics and discussing the "Questions for Reflection."
Author
Barbara G. Johnson, Greece Arcadia Middle School
Reflection
I have found that students are very interested in media and advertising, and yet many state that they are unaffected by advertising; that they make their "own decisions". I find that this activity provides students with information and skills they can use to evaluate advertising, particularly that of tobacco or alcohol products. I also find that the lessons raise students’ awareness of tobacco and alcohol promotion in clothing, sports, television, and movies as well.
In implementing this Learning Experience, I have learned more about student interest in media and advertising techniques. Students who previously were having difficulty in the classroom responded very well to the brainstorming, group discussion activities, and completing the ad parody itself. This was especially true of students who have difficulty with written work.
The Learning Experience was reviewed by colleagues and administrators both in its written format and in classroom observation. It was suggested to include more focus on the learning standards so that students are more aware of the purpose of the Learning Experience throughout. The peer review further reinforced my perception that this Learning Experience is engaging and relevant for middle school students of varied ability levels.
