Adbusting: A Media Literacy Unit |
| Bakari Chavanu |
| Introduction |
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 Introduction
Advertising plays a key role in shaping the values, wants and desires, prejudices, and images of ourselves and one another. In this society, advertising has become a multi-billion dollar industry pervades nearly of of society's media and consumer decisions. Because of this influence, it is important that our students think critically about the messages of advertising in shaping our self-image, our buying choices, and our values. Subject English Standards
Addressed
Language Arts Grades 9-12 Focus: Listening and Speaking Strategies Comprehension
 Instructional
Objectives
1. To evaluate and judge the ethical issues concerning the role of advertising in contemporary society. 2. To identify misleading, erroneous messages presented in advertising and the media. 3. To have students debunk misleading, erroneous messages in advertising. 4. To learn about possible problems with advertising and a consumber-based culture.
Next, I ask the class to give me input to the positive and negative aspects of advertising. I make a list of their input on the board, and I expand on their input as they go along. I do this before introducing students the "Twenty-Seven Problems With Advertising" handout. The follow-up to these introductory activities is to lead the class in a critical analysis of ads. Focusing on advertising and substance abuse is one interesting way to do this. I use the Understanding Media CD-ROM to do a presentation on how advertising constructs reality. Without this resource, students still could lead to look at, for example, a series of beer or cigarette ads. They analyze the messages of those ads. In other words, what would young people conclude about drinking alcohol from watching the advertisements. For further suggested teacher
resource preperation, see Resource List.
Enabling
Activity(ies)
The culminating activity involves students working in groups of 3-5 to develop a counter-ad. Materials needed: an assortment of popular magazines, different color markers, tape, scissors, rulers, large poster paper--11" by 17" works fine. See instructions for creating counter ads. See instructions for adbusting and the adbusting worksheet. See also the student worksheet and rubric for this activity. Assessment
Insert your grading rubric for the culminating activity or a link to your rubric or test document file. Results
After implementing your lesson (sometime between January & March), insert a chart of your pre-test, post-test, and culminating assessment data. Web
Resources & Supplementary Materials
Readings and Resources for Teacher Preparation Adbusters Media Foundation New Mexico Media Literacy Project Sample Student Counter Ads Center for Media Literacy Media Awareness Network How Seventeen Undermines Young Women Media Media Education Foundation Introductory
Activity
Enabling Activity
Culminating
Activity
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