The bulk of this unit is derived from the Advertising Goal in the Communications curriculum guide.

          Students will learn how print and media advertising use persuasive techniques to sell their products and services.

The student will

1. Learn the three kinds of rhetorical strategies (ethos, pathos, logos).

2. Learn to identify the advertiser’s purpose and target audience.

3. Learn to identify text and graphics in both print and media advertising that use the three rhetorical strategies.

4. Evaluate the effectiveness of various advertisements.

5. Create print and media advertisements.

         My overall instructional goal for this unit aligns with my overall goal for the entire class. I expect this unit to enable students to be more media literate and more discriminating in their consumption of media. As we examine the media message by both goals and graphics construction, I want students to transfer this knowledge to the advertising that bombards them. Specifically, I want students to learn the techniques that advertisers use to entice consumers to their product. With this awareness, I want students to become more savvy media consumers.

The full unit will begin with the introduction of a local news article that says Verizon wants to be released from their state requirement to distribute white pages to customers. We will discuss the purpose of white pages and if technology has made them obsolete. Then we will look at white pages’ sibling, the yellow pages, and discuss their relevance. Next, we will look into an advertising design competition being sponsored by Yellow Pages Association for students. The competition is specifically geared toward college students. I talked to the point of contact, Joel Davis, and asked if my middle school students could enter. He was encouraged that we were interested in the project and told me to feel free to use all the materials for my lesson. Unfortunately, the contest would not accept less than college age entries. I plan to send some of my top advertisements to Mr. Davis for informational purposes included with a thank you for use of the materials. Subsequently, I will have an advertising executive judge my students’ creations so the idea of a contest will still exist and enhance the students’ motivational goals.

After presenting the authentic problem (the competition), I will build background vocabulary regarding the purpose of advertising, target audience, and building an advertising campaign. Students will receive a client backgroud packet from which to gain an understanding of the client's business and goals. The students will divide into small groups and be challenged to create the two tangible student outcomes: a yellow pages advertisement and a radio advertisement, both as part of an advertising campaign. I will explain the specific elements of these two media prior to students’ creation of product. The instructional challenge is for students to accomplish:

·         Persuasive writing

·         Attractive, functional design

·         Ability to convey message using more than words

I think the students will find the challenge interesting, and the real competition aspect will enhance their interest. I suspect that they will find the yellow page ad more limiting in the design aspect than they would like. However, as a graphic designer or account executive working in advertising, this type of ad would not be unusual, especially in a small shop that caters to local businesses.

I have done similar lessons to this in the past. The new wrinkle in this one is providing the advertiser’s case study for the student. As mentioned before, I think this might be the stumbling block in that it makes the student look at the advertiser’s needs instead of just trying to be creative. However, I am interested in having students make this connection. I want them to see that advertisements, no matter how entertaining they may be, flow from an advertising strategy that is developed by assessing the company’s needs and goals.

Students will be assessed for several things. There will be a separate rubric for the design principles of both the yellow pages ad and the radio commercial. Students will also be required to write a report to the company that explains why they chose the creative strategy they did and how they met the needs and goals of the case study. Finally, students will have a quiz on the vocabulary and techniques of advertising and design.

 The design rubrics are more quantitative, with students getting a score for meeting the design requirements. The quiz also would be a quantitative assessment. The report to the company will be more qualitative as students explain their understanding. I will also monitor student learning during the process for qualitative learning. My goal at the end of the unit is that students will understand how advertising seeks to affect them, design principles for advertising that can be transferred to many other areas, and analytical skills of assessing needs and providing solutions.