Unit Plan: Unit 3 Advertising, Media, and Critical Thinking
Estimated Time: 16 Hours
Grade
Course Goals
7
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Outcomes
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Students will learn to identify different forms of texts – including
media advertisements.
Students will develop and enhance their critical thinking skills
through the analysis and discussion of texts.
Students will incorporate and apply their critical-persuasive
writing skills in order to convey their informed opinions concisely
and with clarity.
Students will apply their knowledge and explore their creativity in
order to produce interactive texts.
CR7.7h – Read independently and demonstrate comprehension in
information texts (YouTube and commercial advertisements)
CC7.7 – Using oral language to express ideas in formal/informal
manner
USC7.6b – Demonstrate interpersonal skills including
assertiveness skills to manage peer pressure
USC7.7 – investigate and express an understanding of possible
discrepancies in morals that may determine commitment to well
being of self and others
Unit Description:
Today, advertisements in the media have a direct and powerful influence over every facet
of our society. It is an influence that carries with it both positive and negative effects for
adolescence and young adult audiences. While many advertisements seek to achieve a
certain purpose, they often mislead an audience from the truth and have us question our
own personal standards.
The objective of this unit is to engage students in the development of their critical
thinking skills, through the discussion, debate, and analysis of the use of various
advertisements found in the media. By the end of this unit, students will have completed
a Reflection Portfolio discussing their experiences with advertisements and the media,
what they have learned about advertisement techniques, their beliefs on the effects that
advertisements and the media have on our society, and how they will shape it in the
future.
Students will also complete a final group assignment applying what they have learned in
this unit. Each group is selected, and will create an advertisement for a form of media of
their choice. These advertisements will incorporate the techniques they have learned
about, and will be presented in front of the class. Attached to this assignment, students
will document their progress in a written report which will outline what they learned
about producing and creating a fictional advertisement.
Schedule
Lesson #2
Week Lesson #1
History of
Print Media
1
Advertisements and
Advertising
Lesson #2
Social
Issues in
Print
Advertising
Lesson #3
Lesson #4
Lesson #4
Radio and
Social
Social
Television
Media
Media –
Advertisements
Guest
Speaker
Culminating
Culminating Culminating
Activity Day
Activity
Activity
Day
Day
Culminating
Activity
Advertisement
Fair Day
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Lesson #2
Collage Day
Lesson #3
Radio and
Television
Advertisements
Lesson #5
Lesson #5
Mobile
Class Trip to
Advertisements Toronto
and the Future
Culminating
Activity Day
Culminating
Activity DUE
Unit Outline
Lesson #1 – “What are Advertisements and Where Did They Come
From?”
Time: 1 Period – 75 Minutes
Topic: Knowledge, Concept, Skill
 Students will understand what an advertisement is, and what its purpose is
 Students will develop an appreciation to the earliest form of advertising as well as
how advertisements have changed over time
 Students will identify topic, message and meaning, and significance of a variety
of advertisements from selected time periods
 Students will bridge initial connections about advertisements that they have had
previous experience with from history and the present
Teaching Approach and Activity
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Introduction: On PowerPoint, show students two advertisements side by side
(Samsung 3D Television vs. An Ancient Roman Stone Ad)
Initial Questions to Students: “What are these two items on the screen, and
what connections do they share?” Allow for several moments of initial
thought and answers. Inform students of the advertisements.
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Introduce the topic of advertising by asking students what they believe the
purpose of advertisements is. Have students copy down key points from
PowerPoint Presentation discussing elements of advertising (topic, meaning,
slogan, bias), advertising techniques, and how they affect the human mind.
Sample advertisements for students range from ancient Greece and Rome,
Renaissance, and Present Day
Students will be asked to discuss what they believe critical thinking is, and
why is it important.
Activity: Have students gather in their rows to analyze and discuss one of 4
advertisements – each from a different time period. Groups will share their
answers after 4 advertisements have been rotated through each group once.
Assessment
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For the first lesson, student participation in group discussion will be the method of
assessment.
Accommodations
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This unit is sensitive to visual/audial learners, therefore lecture and discussions
will stem from PowerPoint and primary source advertisements. Copies of the
slideshow are available upon request for students who require assistance.
Contribution to Culminating Activity
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Students will develop an understanding of the earliest forms of advertisements
had an impact on the society of their time, and how they have grown over time.
Students will be introduced to the different advertisement techniques intended and
used to captivate audiences.
Lesson #2 – Print Media Advertising
Time: 3 Periods – 3 ¾ Hours
Topics: Knowledge, Skills, Concepts
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Students will apply their critical thinking skills in order to analyze a wide variety
of advertisements found in different forms of print media; newspapers,
magazines, billboards
Students will investigate controversial social issues in advertising which have had
an impact on our society
Students will create an artistic collage displaying four types of advertising
techniques found in magazines, newspapers, flyers
Teaching Approach and Activity
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Teacher will give each student a handout – The Importance of Critical Thought
Hook: “IMAGINE a society where everyone believed what they were told. A
society where public opinion is not respected.” Each student would be asked why
they feel having an informed personal opinion matters to them. Students will be
reminded to think critically throughout the unit, course, and through life.
Students will gather into groups of 5 or 6. Each member will browse through a
magazine or newspaper and select 4 advertisements each. Students will make
notes of the advertisement’s topic, message, and how that message is conveyed to
the reader. Students are encouraged to incorporate their opinion on the articles
Are these advertisements ethical? Who do you think benefits from the
advertisement? Why? Group members will discuss their conclusions and findings.
Each student is then encouraged to bring their own newspaper or magazine to
class for Day 3 of Lesson 1 (Thursday of Week 1).
Day 2: Hook – Students will arrive to class with a copy of a different tobacco
advertisement taped to their desk.
Students will receive will take notes using a summary handout and a PowerPoint
presentation discussing the history of Tobacco and Cigarette brand advertisements
in Canada
Assessment
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Day 3: Assessment – Students will bring in their own newspapers and/or
magazines to create a collage which demonstrates their understanding of four
advertisement techniques. Teacher will supply extra newspapers and magazines
for class.
Accomodations
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For students with different learning abilities, a detailed summary of the notes will
be distributed amongst the class for clarification and study purposes
Students who are visual learners will benefit from PowerPoint slideshow
presentations, as well as the Collage activity to demonstrate their understanding of
advertisement techniques.
Copies of the slideshow are available upon request for students who require
assistance.
Contribution to Culminating Activity
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Students will analyze different sources of print media to determine and question
how advertisement agencies use techniques found in print media – newspapers
and magazines. Students will also discuss ethics in advertising.
Lesson #3 – Radio and Television Advertisements
Time: 2 Periods – 2 ½ Hours
Topic: Knowledge, Concepts, Skills
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Students will understand and reflect upon the history of advertisements in radio
and television
Students will identify topic, message, and meaning of a sample of various radio
and television advertisements to critique how that message is conveyed and the
effect it would have on the audience.
Students will also identify what appeals to a person’s impulse and evaluate what
constitutes a smart consumer
Students will critique a radio or a television commercial of their choosing and to
the teacher’s discretion
Teaching Approach and Activity
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Encourage to students that in an informed opinion, there are no real wrong
answers.
A DVD disc of selected recorded historical and present day radio and television
commercial advertisements will be played in the classroom. Students will discuss
how radio and television advertisements differ from printed advertisements – Do
they have the same effect on the audience? How do you know?
In relation to current events, students will evaluate advertisements dealing with
the Canadian Federal Election, advertisements belonging to Oil Companies and
their Alternative Energy counterparts
Students will be encouraged to think about how the tone of advertisements has
changed over time.
Students will be provided with a period in the Computer Lab to complete their
assessment.
Assessment
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Students will be given a computer period to browse radio and television
advertisements at their leisure. After 30 minutes of browsing and comparing
amongst neighbours, students have the remainder of the period to select their own
commercial of their choice and to critique how it gets its message across. Student
responses are to be 1 ½ to 2 pages in length at most – typed and double spaced –
and is to be submitted to their Reflection Portfolio, due the following day.
Accommodations
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This activity has been created to appeal to different styles of learners. For those
who have difficulty writing, the option of completing this personal response at
home is available.
Copies of the slideshow are available upon request for students who require
assistance.
Contribution to Culminating Activity
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Students will evaluate the differences between print media advertising, and radio
and television advertisements to compare the different effects each has on the
media.
Lesson #4 Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Social Media
Time: 2 Periods – 2 ½ Hours
Topics: Knowledge, Concept, Skills
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Students will evaluate the intentions and purposes of different social media
outlets.
Students will analyze the use of various social media outlets by our society,
identifying pros and cons
Students will discuss and critique changes to society which have been created by
Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter
Teaching Approach and Activity
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Hook: On PowerPoint, show screenshots of Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Engage students in discussion about the purpose of these tools. What do the
students use them for? Student answers will revolve around entertainment
interests and values. Aside from an entertainment purpose, have these ‘tools’
been beneficial in our society?
Show screenshot of President Obama, North African and Middle Eastern
Revolution – What do these pictures have in common?
Discuss how the access to internet and the availability of cellphones and
computers make it easier to reach the Global community – Marshall McLuhan’s
Idea of a Global Village, and Electronic Independence
Play YouTube videos of Egyptian Revolution and Obama Campaign
advertisement – how have these videos, and videos similar in their nature,
affected our society?
Bring students back to social media and entertainment – Show viral video
examples of the ‘E-Trade Baby’, DIRECTV Advertisement, and British Animal
Voiceovers – discuss effect on society by these videos and other videos alike
Day 2: Misuse in Social Media – What are some of the dangers of social media?
On PowerPoint, bring up newspaper articles related to cyber-bullying and
criminal activity which have been posted on Facebook, Twitter, or uploaded to
YouTube.
Bring in a representative from the local Police Department’s Technological Crime
Unit to discuss internet safety, responsibility, and ethics.
Assessment
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Students will compose a journal piece, discussing the advantages and
disadvantages of social media, and their personal opinion on how to properly use
social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube – to be completed and
submitted to Reflection Portfolio
Accomodations
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For those who have difficulty writing, the option of completing this personal
response at home is available.
Copies of the slideshow are available upon request for students who require
assistance.
Contribution to Culminating Activity
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Students will understand that in the advent of social media, information and ideas
and its discussion can be reached to people further than television. Students will
also learn about internet responsibility and ethics.
Lesson #5 Mobile Advertising
Time: 2 ½ Periods – 115 Minutes
Topic: Knowledge, Concept, Skills
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Students will identify and compare how advertisements have changed over time,
from basic newspaper advertisements to text message advertising and smartphone
applications
Students will analyze how society has been affected by mobile advertising, and
project how it would it may affect businesses and marketing companies in the
future.
Using ideas from previous discussions, students will comment on how they feel
about how the advertising companies have used the advancements in
communication technology to their advantage. What kind of future are we
creating for our society? Is it right? Is it ethical?
Teaching Approach and Activity
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In this lesson, students will watch a half hour YouTube video on the effectiveness
of Multimedia Mobile Advertising, as well as take a Field Trip to a Marketing and
Advertisement Agency in Toronto, Ontario.
Day 1 Hook: Take a poll “Show of hands, who has a cellphone? Of those hands,
which of you has a Blackberry, iPhone, or Android smartphone?” Explain to
class that they have already have experience with mobile advertising.
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On PowerPoint show presentation that discusses the basics of what Mobile
Advertising is, and show a list of examples of Mobile Advertising – ex. Famous
Players Movie Theatres, Starbucks, TV Guide, Adidas Online Store
Show “How effective is Multimedia Mobile Advertising?” YouTube Video –
panel of Marketing Analysts from Yahoo, Best Buy, CNN, Group M, and Future
Platforms, discussing how they use Mobile Advertising and projecting how they
see themselves using it in a growing society in the coming decade
Inform students of the business jargon used in the video – if there are questions,
the video can be paused
Day 2: Students will be taken on a field trip to a Toronto advertisement and
marketing agency, and a sight-seeing tour of downtown Toronto.
Day 3: Brief discussion with students about the videos shown, and their class trip
– What did you learn from our tours in Toronto? How can you apply it to this
unit? What kind of future are we creating for our society? How do you see our
world changing with the increasing developments in communication technology?
Thinking about some of the big issues facing our society, will these changes in
communication technology benefit or weaken our society? Will these
advancements in technology and advertising affect our interpersonal skills?
Before students write a reflection about these discussion questions and their field
trip, show videos from the Ericson Shaping Ideas 2020 YouTube Channel Jeffrey Cole “Advertising” and Will Steffen “Transform or Collapse”.
Assessment
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Student will be assessed in this lesson by their participation in discussions, and a
reflection of what they have learned about mobile advertising, social media, and
how it will shape our society in the coming decade and beyond. It will be
submitted to the student Reflection Portfolio.
Accomodation
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Students with hearing or sight difficulties are encouraged to move closer to the
front of the class.
In this discussion type class, students will be provided with a handout
summarizing the basic points of mobile advertising for clarification.
Students requiring special assistance on field trip will be accommodated, i.e.
Wheelchair accessibility.
Contribution to Culminating Activity
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Students will learn firsthand how to organize and produce different types of
advertisements for different forms of media. Students will be shown how to target
their audience when creating media advertisements of their own. Students will
witness how advertisements affect one of Canada’s largest cultural centres of
Metro Toronto.
Unit Plan Resources
Barack Obama 2008 Campaign Advertisement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaU3fjVAFbE&feature=related
Cable News Network – Egyptian Revolution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qCNgrnhZFA
DirecTV Advertisement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vHT6b7u1_Y
E-Trade Online Investment Advertisement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0GsNhLt9Ds
Ericsson Shaping Ideas 2020 – Jeffrey Cole Advertising
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx3hL7yhW9k
Ericsson Shaping Ideas 2020 – Will Steffen Transform or Collapse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtIvh-UVaTs&feature=relmfu
Mobile World Congress 2011 – How Effective is Mobile Advertising?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMq4uucbtCA
Reuters News Media – NATO No Fly Zone Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-cAU68Dkcg
Milner, J.O., & Milner, L.F.M. (2008). Teaching Activity: Exploring Common Ground.
In Bridging English. (4th Edition) (Figure 12-1, p. 882). New Jersey: Pearson.
Ontario Ministry of Education (2007). The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12:
English. 2007. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario.
Various Newspapers Titles – The Hamilton Spectator, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail,
New York Times
Various Magazine Titles – Vogue, Gentleman’s Quarterly, Seventeen, Newsweek, Sports
Illustrated
Advertising Techniques Found in the Media
Student Handout
 Bandwagon – advertisements that reassure that "everybody else is doing
it."
 Plain Folks – advertisements that use regular people or widespread ideas in
which everyone can relate to. The implication that "users of this product
are just like you."
 Scientific- uses medical technology, statistics and facts to appeal to
consumers
 Name-calling -- stereotyping people or ideas.
o men like car ads/magazines while women like fashion and makeup
ads/magazines
 Glittering generalities -- using "good" labels and accepted ideas that are
unsupported by facts (ex. patriotism, beauty)
o Generality : “ because that’s what men do”
 Testimonial – A celebrity endorses a product
 Snob appeal -- the implication that only the richest, smartest, beautiful and
most important people use the product
 Lottery – With purchase of the product, consumers get free items or the
chance to win a prize, trip etc.
 Heart- string- Appeals to a person’s emotions to get a response from them.
(guilt, empathy, sadness)
Unit 2: Advertising and the Media
Imagine for a few moments that you and your team of co-workers have just
come out of a meeting with (fictional) Ethical Products Inc., one the fastest
growing companies in Canada with Ethical standards. They have signed you
and your team to a substantial contract to create a new advertisement for a
brand new product they have decided to launch on the market. How are you
going to ensure that this product is competitive? Will it be successful in
bringing in revenue for the company? Is popular with your target
consumers?
In this final assignment, you and your group members will decide what that
ethical product is, create an advertisement for it, and present that product to
the class in an Advertisement Fair. Your advertisement may be intended for
a newspaper or magazine, radio or television, or even a webpage.
Presentation method should be discussed first with the teacher – audio
recordings, videotaping, posters, and dramatic presentations are acceptable.
Along with your advertisement, create a flyer which describes what your
product is, what makes it ethical, how it will benefit consumer, and its cost.
Create a written report which outlines what you learned about producing and
creating a fictional advertisement.
*Important* You and your team should ask yourselves, what advertising
technique is important for promoting a product with ethical standards?
Plan ahead – what materials will you need to create your advertisement?
What will you need to present in class?
Group Members: 3-4
Time Length: 3-5 Minutes
This assignment is fully up to you. Be creative and energetic, but be
PROFESSIONAL!
Enjoy!
Oral Presentation Rubric : Advertisement Presentation Rubric
Teacher Name: Mr. S. Galvin
Group Members: ________________________________________
CATEGORY
4
3
2
1
Content
Shows a full
Shows a good
Shows a good
Does not seem to
understanding of understanding of understanding of understand the
the topic.
the topic.
parts of the topic. topic very well.
Props
Group uses
several props
(could include
costume) that
show
considerable
work/creativity
and which make
the presentation
better.
Group uses 1
prop that shows
considerable
work/creativity
and which make
the presentation
better.
Group uses 1
prop which
makes the
presentation
better.
The group uses
no props OR the
props chosen
detract from the
presentation.
Preparedness
Group is
completely
prepared and has
obviously
rehearsed.
Group seems
pretty prepared
but might have
needed a couple
more rehearsals.
The group is
somewhat
prepared, but it is
clear that
rehearsal was
lacking.
Group does not
seem at all
prepared to
present.
Enthusiasm
Facial
expressions and
body language
generate a strong
interest and
enthusiasm about
the topic in
others.
Facial
expressions and
body language
sometimes
generate a strong
interest and
enthusiasm about
the topic in
others.
Facial
expressions and
body language
are used to try to
generate
enthusiasm, but
seem somewhat
faked.
Very little use of
facial
expressions or
body language.
Did not generate
much interest in
topic being
presented.
Time-Limit
Presentation is 5
minutes long.
Presentation is 4
minutes long.
Presentation is 3 Presentation is
minutes long.
less than 3
minutes OR
more than 5
minutes.
Making A Brochure : Ethical Product Brochure and Written
Summation
Teacher Name: Mr. S. Galvin
Group Members: ________________________________________
CATEGORY
4
3
Attractiveness &
Organization
The brochure has
exceptionally
attractive
formatting and
well-organized
information.
The brochure has The brochure has
attractive
well-organized
formatting and information.
well-organized
information.
Spelling &
Proofreading
No spelling
errors remain
after one person
other than the
typist reads and
corrects the
brochure.
No more than 1
spelling error
remains after one
person other than
the typist reads
and corrects the
brochure.
No more than 3 Several spelling
spelling errors
errors in the
remain after one brochure.
person other than
the typist reads
and corrects the
brochure.
Writing Mechanics
Capitalization
and punctuation
are correct
throughout the
brochure.
Capitalization
and punctuation
are correct
throughout the
brochure after
feedback from an
adult.
There are 1-2
capitalization
and/or
punctuation
errors in the
brochure even
after feedback
from an adult.
There are several
capitalization or
punctuation
errors in the
brochure even
after feedback
from an adult.
Graphics go well
with the text, but
there are so
many that they
distract from the
text.
Graphics go well
with the text, but
there are too few
and the brochure
seems "textheavy".
Graphics do not
go with the
accompanying
text or appear to
be randomly
chosen.
Graphics/Pictures Graphics go well
with the text and
there is a good
mix of text and
graphics.
2
1
The brochure's
formatting and
organization of
material are
confusing to the
reader.