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STORYPATH®

State Studies:

The Advertising Agency

Teacher Handbook

Margit E. McGuire, Ph.D.

Seattle University

Storypath ™ State Studies: The Advertising Agency© Margit E. McGuire [email protected] 2

Acknowledgments The creation of a Storypath reflects the insights and support of many people. First a special thank you to the teachers who piloted this Storypath in its earliest development: Laura Duchos, Joni Kelly, Paula Hertel, and Kirsten Gerhold. Two good friends and colleagues have provided ongoing feedback throughout the development process: Dr. Katherine Schlick Noe, Seattle University, for insights on literacy and suggestions for developing this component within the context of an advertising agency; and Dr. Bronwyn Cole, University of Western Sydney, my partner in research and writing about the strategy. Thank goodness for email and sabbaticals; the opportunities to work together on Storypath have been essential for thinking about refinements and especially for considering the strategy’s impact on children from high poverty schools. A sincere thank you to Leslie Morrison, Morrison Bookworks, for her commitment to Storypath and ongoing advice on developing the strategy. And to all those teachers who ask great questions encouraging me to think more deeply about the teaching/learning possibilities and send me emails out-of-the-blue to tell their stories about working with Storypath, THANK YOU! Pilot Teachers Laura Duchos and Joni Kelly, Saint George’s School, Spokane, WA Paula Hertel, Ballwin, Missouri Kirsten Gerhold, Seattle, WA

State Studies: The Advertising Agency

By Margit E. McGuire, Ph.D. Professor of Teacher Education, Seattle University

Table of Contents The Storypath Philosophy and Introduction

Episode 1 The Advertising Agency Episode 2 The Advertising Agents Episode 3 The Advertisements Episode 4 Research States & Prepare Ads Episode 5 Trouble in the Workplace Episode 6 Consumer Complaint Episode 7 Advertising Award Extending the Learning: A Visit to an Advertising Agency Synthesis Opportunities Student Portfolio State Studies: The Advertising Agency

The Storypath Approach To learn more about the Storypath approach, go to http://fac-staff.seattleu.edu/mmcguire/web/storypath.html Other Storypath units are available at www.teachstorypath.com.


THE STORYPATH PHILOSOPHY Storypath Foundations Storypath offers both a structure for organizing the social studies curriculum and an instructional strategy for teaching. The structure is one you know well: the story. The strategy is grounded in a belief that students learn best when they are active participants in their own learning, and places student’s own efforts to understand at the center of the educational enterprise. Together, the structure and the teaching strategy ensure that students feel strongly motivated and have meaningful and memorable learning experiences. Originally developed in Scotland during the 1960s, Storypath draws support from decades of experience with teachers and students. The approach has its roots in these beliefs about students and learning: • The world is complex, presenting many layers of information, and students know a

good deal about how the world works. • Students have a reservoir of knowledge that is often untapped in classroom settings.

When students build on that knowledge through such activities as questioning, investigating, and researching, new understandings are acquired.

• Problem-solving is a natural and powerful human endeavor and when students are engaged in problem-solving, they own what they learn.

• The story form has the potential to integrate content from many disciplines and provide a context for students to reflect on experiences and find meaning in the world.

• When students construct their own knowledge and understanding of their world, their learning is more meaningful and memorable.

The Story Structure For thousands of years, myths, folk tales, and other narratives have helped us create order and find meaning in events. Storypath's use of story structure helps students understand concepts that they find disorganized and distant in the traditional social studies curriculum. Each Storypath unit centers on a unique and engaging story that provides a concrete context to develop understanding of social science content. Stories engage students because they want to know what will happen next, and stories naturally bring together disparate parts of the curriculum. Each Storypath unit begins by establishing the setting for the story and creating the characters for the story. Meaningful context is established to give students concrete experiences with the Storypath topic. Then students are confronted with critical incidents that make up the plot of the story.


The chart below shows the elements of a typical unit.

The Episodes of a Storypath Unit Creating the Setting

Students create the setting by completing a frieze (mural) or other visual representation of the place.

Í Creating Characters

Students create characters for the story whose roles they will play during subsequent episodes.

Í Context Building

Students are involved in activities that stimulate them to think more deeply about the people and place they have created.

Í Critical Incidents

Characters confront problems typical of those faced by people of that time and place.

Í Concluding Event

Students plan and participate in an activity that brings closure to the story.

Throughout this process, students collaborate with each other and with you. In the Storypath curriculum, students contribute to the development of the story through an inquiry process in which the teacher asks key questions. These questions are included throughout the curriculum to guide and extend student understanding of important ideas. Students have integral roles in deciding what the setting is like, who the characters are, and how the characters deal with everyday situations and with trouble. The Storypath becomes the students’ own creation which contributes to their motivation for learning as they are challenged to investigate and tackle problems. Rather than sitting on the sidelines and watching events unfold, students grapple with problems, consider solutions, and explore alternatives. They contribute their ideas about the story as you guide them to new and deeper understandings. Guiding Student Learning Essentially your role is to guide students in their search for meaning and understanding as they acquire new knowledge. After setting up the framework for the Storypath, your primary role becomes one of asking key questions, setting up and monitoring activities,


troubleshooting, and guiding student to relevant sources of information. Teachers new to the Storypath approach sometimes worry that students don’t have adequate information to engage in this process and are tempted to “front load” lots of information so that students will know what to do in the story. Experience with this approach proves that this worry is unfounded. Why is that so? First, students know a lot more than we think they do. Second, the Storypath structure creates for students the need to know. As students become immersed in the Storypath, events are introduced that create the need to know, resulting in new learning that is meaningful and memorable. You play an important role, as you ask the questions that lead students to new understandings. Accordingly, your questions should cause students to think more deeply or consider new ideas, to research and investigate. The questioning process should: • cause students to ask their own questions. • encourage them to use their knowledge of the world. • encourage students to challenge their knowledge or understanding of the world. • foster critical thinking, imagination, and personal connection to important concepts. • promote cooperation and negotiation. • encourage students to try to make sense of new ideas. Expect the unexpected. Don't be surprised if your questions and their questions lead to unanticipated events and solutions. This happens because students are invested in their story, and they bring their own unique set of life experiences to the story. In diverse classrooms--and most are today--a richer story is created because students have the opportunity to bring what they know and learn to the creation of the story. Social Skills and Cooperative Learning Collaborative work is the heart of Storypath units and serves as a vehicle for teaching social skills and specifically the skills of civic discourse. Students tackle problems with others, leading both to higher-order thinking and to deeper personal involvement. By interacting with their peers, students clarify their own thinking and reach conclusions and solutions they often would not reach alone. Thus, the classroom is one that is active and lively as students develop such skills as active listening, consensus building, debate, and cooperation. Storypaths offer one advantage that makes group work especially productive: students can discuss issues either behind the persona of the characters they’ve created or as themselves. By assuming the roles of their characters, students often can discuss sensitive issues or take positions that they’d be reluctant to voice otherwise. Role-playing gives them a chance to be both safe and involved. Assuming the roles of characters also builds empathy, as students deal with circumstances they may not encounter in their own lives. You decide when its best for students to be in-role or out-of-role to discuss an issue. Meeting Curriculum Standards One of the primary roles of social studies education is to prepare young people for citizenship in a democracy--a daunting task indeed. Learning the role of citizen demands that students have knowledge of issues and understand the democratic process.


Throughout the Storypath students learn how to access information, understand and respect alternative viewpoints, clearly communicate and think critically. Skills of negotiation, compromise, and persuasion are essential for engaging in civic discourse. Each Storypath develops these skills through critical incidents and group activities. At the same time, students must acquire a basic body of knowledge from such diverse fields as history, sociology, and economics. The structure and strategy of Storypath enable you to teach both the process skills and the content that are essential to established curriculum standards. The story form provides the framework to naturally integrate various subjects--not just the social studies disciplines, but reading, writing, listening, speaking, mathematics, science and the arts. Thus, the learning experience is powerful as the process and content are meaningfully connected through the story form. Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners Experience has shown that Storypath works well in classrooms with a wide range of diversity including multi-age groups. Because of the range of activities that naturally grow out of a Storypath unit, learning styles can be addressed easily. With Storypath, students are encouraged to make sense of their world based on their life experiences and cultural perspective. Through the Storypath, learning takes place in meaningful social contexts and in response to students’ needs and interests. Active learning--which characterizes the Storypath approach--is important for culturally diverse classrooms and students with varying academic skills. Students build an intimate relationship with the characters and events, which intensifies students' learning experiences and the contributions they make to the progression of the story. Moreover, building meaningful social relationships and skills for civic discourse and cooperative learning enable students from diverse backgrounds to work together in meaningful relationships. Considering issues both through characters in the Storypath and as themselves open pathways to new understandings and appreciation for differences. The critical incidents provide students the opportunity to bring their own understanding and imagination to the problem without seeking “the one right answer.” Key questions throughout the unit will lead students to new information, perspectives, investigations, and answers without undermining what each child brings to the situation. This open dialogue allows students to function at multiple levels. Amazing things happen in Storypath classrooms as this strategy provides the framework to fully acknowledge what each child brings to the learning experience.


Developing the Story The Advertising Agency unit evolves over seven episodes as students learn about the activities in an advertising agency as well as important information about states and/or regions. The story follows the basic structure shown below, but can develop naturally as students contribute their own ideas and decisions. Students immerse themselves in the operation of an advertising agency by designing the workplace, applying to work in the agency, and creating advertisements for states and regions. You can tailor the advertisements to suit your own particular needs, however, the unit’s focus is on state and regional studies. The setting for the advertising agency and the design of the floor plan are for students to decide guided by your questions. Staff relations become a focal point as students consider workplace issues including an optional event concerning the accommodation of a staff member who must use a wheel chair. As student create radio and visual presentations to “sell” their states, reading and writing skills are developed and refined. Oral communication skills are practiced through advertising presentations and class discussion related to issues raised through the Storypath. Students grapple with fundamental democratic dilemmas when a complaint is received regarding an advertisement done at the agency causing students to weigh the rights and responsibilities of freedom of expression. A meeting to decide how to respond to the complaint reinforces democratic and social skills so important for our society. The Storypath is concludes with a presentation of an advertising award.

Episodes

Episode 1: Creating the Setting The Advertising Agency

Students consider the work of an advertising agency and layout an office floor plan and building facade.

Í

Episode 2: Creating the Characters The Advertising Agents

Students imagine themselves as advertising employees and create job descriptions.

Í Episode 3: Context Building

The Advertisements Students learn about advertising techniques and analyze and critique advertisements.

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Episode 4: Context Building Researching States and Preparing Advertisements

Students research their state and then create advertisements to promote tourism and economic development for the state.

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Episode 5: Critical Incident Trouble in the Workplace

When employees in the advertising agency are not working well together, students must decide how to create a positive and productive work environment.

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Episode 6: Critical Incident Consumer Complaint

Accusations of false advertising are leveled at the agency; the staff must respond.

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Episode 7: Concluding Event Advertising Award

The agency receives an award for its outstanding advertising--a ceremony is planned.

Í

Synthesis Activities Assessment

Students demonstrate their learning by completing a synthesis activity. Assessment The Advertising Agency unit offers a variety of options to genuinely assess students' progress. These methods include informal, ongoing methods, such as observation of students' discussions and behavior, as well as rich opportunities for portfolio assessment. Additionally, you can use the synthesis activities at the end of the unit to assess students' learning of unit objectives. The Portfolio that accompanies the unit creates a record of student learning both in terms of content knowledge as well as literacy skills authentically practiced and refined in the context of the Storypath. During each episode, students will be developing complex thinking and problem-solving abilities within the context of operating the advertising agency. Students will also be strengthening social skills. The best way to assess this learning is through


ongoing observation and evaluation of students' activities. Look for suggestions for ongoing assessment throughout each episode and in the Portfolio.

At the end of the unit, two synthesis activities let students apply what they've learned about working with others to run a business and exploring states and regions. You can let students choose one of the two projects, or assign one to the entire class. Both synthesis activities include criteria for assessment and a list of unit objectives that apply to the activity. The two topics are:

• A Trip for Yourself and Your Family • Interview by a Member of the Community.

Planning the Unit

Select a Focus for the Advertising Agency. This Storypath is structured so that you can focus the topic of study on your own curriculum needs. While the unit’s focus is on state and regional studies, you could have the advertising agency specialize on a particular community or regions within your own state.

Make space for the Storypath. You will want to have adequate wall space to make the frieze of the setting--facade of the building and floor plan of the workplace--for the advertising agency as well as space to display the characters. Sometimes teachers are tempted to put the frieze and characters in the hallway outside of the classroom; however, it is important to have the visual stimuli where students can easily refer to them throughout the Storypath.

Identify Resources. A key feature of this Storypath is the research students conduct about the places in which their agency is creating advertisements. You may want to assemble a variety of resources to simplify this process, or you may want students to be involved in identifying and locating resources on their own. Structured activity guides in the Portfolio will support student data gathering throughout the process. Additionally, resources related to your topic of study are a key component of this learning experience. Possible resources include National Geographic and other similar magazines, encyclopedias, almanacs, books, maps, newspapers, textbooks, videos, and the Internet. States typically have school packets available through their trade and economic development or tourism departments. Packets usually take three to four weeks to be sent so plan accordingly. A website has been created to assist students in their research. Go to http://fac-staff.seattleu.edu/mmcguire/web/Advertisingagency.html Students will identify advertising techniques to understand and analyze advertisements with a more critical eye. Students will be asked to locate advertisements for analysis. Advertisements can come from magazines, newspapers, the Internet, radio, or television. Plan for the kind of advertisements that will be accessed for analysis.


Customize the Unit

Adapt the Unit. There will likely be many times in this unit when you will want to modify the curriculum to suit your own needs and follow the logical progression of the story. Alternative activities or special arrangements are suggested at various points during the unit to assist you in adapting the unit to meet your unique needs. There are times when students, in the role of advertising agents, will examine issues from that perspective; at other times they will examine issues outside of the role of advertising agents--you decide which is best for student learning. Frequently students will provide an unanticipated twist to the Storypath, or important learning opportunities will arise. The Storypath allows for the accommodation of those special circumstances. Capitalize on Students’ Modes of Learning. Creating the characters, setting and advertisements among other features makes the learning more memorable and taps into multiple intelligences as students use a variety of modes in the learning process: • bodily-kinesthetic intelligence to speak and move to create advertisements and act as

advertising agents. • interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence as students work together to solve

problems and reflect on their character’s responses to the problems that are tackled in the Storypath.

• linguistic intelligence as students communicate through speaking, acting, making sound effects, listening, and writing as they create and present advertisements.

• logical-mathematical intelligence as students measure and construct the workplace and design their advertisements.

• spatial intelligence as students create the setting and the advertisements. Connect to the World of Work. This Storypath sets a context for students to examine the roles of workers in a business--employee relations, the role of advertising in the marketplace, and the importance of knowledge and skills learned in school and used in the workplace. You can decide which aspects of the workplace should be expanded in your classroom. Use Current Events. These are opportune times to help students connect their experiences to current events in the news. Frequently similar problems--trouble in the workplace, consumer complaints related to advertising and stories about advertising--are in the news and discussing these stories extend students' understanding to real communities and ultimately makes the Storypath experience more powerful.


Involve Others

Involve Families. Students frequently discuss their Storypath experiences at home. They are usually eager to talk about the advertising agency they have created. Ask family members to participate in discussions regarding working in a business, advertisements, or experiences or knowledge about places students are studying. In Episode 7, students celebrate the success of the advertising agency. This is an ideal time to invite families. Students can write invitations to their award ceremony and families can participate in the event.

Use Experts. Once students have begun their research about states or regions, they will be interested in finding out more. People who have expert knowledge about these places can be valuable resources. Multimedia presentations and videos can be useful resources, but should be shared when students are invested in the research and have a need to know.

Visit an Advertising Agency. Once students have experienced their own advertising agency Storypath, a visit to a local advertising agency is an ideal culminating activity. Another option is to invite an advertising agent to visit the classroom. These kinds of activities allow students to knowledgeably compare and contrast the two experiences and make for a powerful learning experience.

Create a Learning Community. An open and supportive atmosphere is essential for students to engage in the discourse that is basic to the learning process of the Storypath approach. Students should understand the value of reflective discussions and the importance of collaborative work to deepen their understanding of complex ideas. Consequently, students should be expected to listen carefully and respond thoughtfully and respectfully as they listen to each other’s ideas.

Books Available in Your Local Library Bly, R.W. (1985) Create the Perfect Sales Piece. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Good resources for teachers in understanding the advertising process. Ryan, B. (1996). Advertising for a Small Business, New York: Doubleday. Provides helpful background information for the teacher.

Art Materials to Have on Hand • butcher paper--various colors • poster board • construction and tissue paper

markers/colored pencils/crayons/paint • glue/tape/scissors/rulers • string/yarn/fabric or wall paper scraps

Optional Materials: • graph paper • materials for characters: wool fiber

for hair • tape recorder and tapes • camcorder/television and VCR • CD player


Overview of Performance Standards The performance standards for this unit are dependent in part on the topic of study for the advertising agency. Possible standards that could be addressed include: Culture and Social Interaction: The study of culture and cultural diversity including the human interactions among groups and institutions. • Identify ways different groups, societies, and cultures address similar human needs

and concerns. • Cite ways in which language, stories, music, and artistic creations express culture and

influence behavior. History: The study of the ways people view themselves in and over time. • Identify examples of change and cause and effect relationships. • Cite examples of how people in different times and places view the world. Geography: The study of people, places, and environments. • Identify how people create environments that reflect ideas, personality, culture,

wants, and needs in their communities. • Examine the interactions of people with their physical environment and the changes

that occur over time. Economics: The study of how people organize the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. • Identify how workers with specialized jobs contribute to the production and exchange

of goods and services. • Examine the influence of incentives, values, traditions, and habits on economic

decisions. • Use concepts such as supply, demand, advertising, and pricing to help explain events. Civic Competence: The study of the ideals, principles, and practices of citizenship that

lead to a commitment to action. • Identify examples of freedoms, rights, and responsibilities of citizens. • Identify and practice selected forms of civic discussion and participation. • Explain actions citizens can take to influence public policy decisions; recognize and

evaluate the variety of formal and informal action that influence and shape public policy.

Literacy

Reading • Identifies author's intention and purpose for writing and how these

influence reading and response • Identifies main idea or message of text and evaluates how this influences

meaning and the reading • Considers how different illustrative or text forms present a different view

of or emphasis on the same content or theme • Copes with a wide range of features within a text or book • Gathers and synthesizes information from paragraphs and longer texts and

from a variety of sources • Summarizes orally and in writing information gained from text and/or

illustration • Identifies persuasive elements in nonfiction material • Uses a range of reference material including technical texts to pursue

interests and complete tasks • Skims and scans when selecting a text or seeking information


• Uses reading to explore ideas and gain new knowledge • Uses charts and tables to read and present information comparing,

recording, summarizing, or reorganizing ideas and facts from textual and/or illustrative materials

Writing • Includes headings and captions in final products • Distinguishes among writing for self, people, teacher, wider audiences and

reflects this in vocabulary and syntax • Gathers information and takes notes as part of prewriting and drafting • Attends to clarity and audience interest when revising

Listening and Observing • Demonstrates active listening behaviors by maintaining eye contact, using

facial expressions to convey interest and/or disagreement • Summarizes main ideas succinctly from a variety of text • Listens to evaluate and make judgments • Monitors others' speech and paraphrases content

Presenting • Demonstrates expository oral presentation that may contain narrative

elements • Organizes a presentation in a logical order (with a clear introduction,

body, and conclusion) • Recites using fluency, intonation, and emphasis • Draws and maintains an audience interest during formal presentations • Uses facial expression, eye contact, and volume, which contribute to

verbal expression • Adds appropriate elaboration and detail to recounts and description of

events, objects, or concepts • Selects and develops a variety of visuals to illustrate an idea

Critical Thinking Skills: The ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate. • Use criteria to make judgments through such processes as appraising ideas,

considering points of view, and evaluating statements or positions on issues. • Organize ideas in new ways. • Define issues or problems and consider alternatives, and then make a decision based

on evaluation of alternatives. Social Skills: The ability to work effectively in a group. • Participate in organizing, planning, making decisions, and taking action in group

settings. • Participate in persuading, compromising, debating, and negotiating in the resolution

of conflicts and problems. • Work with others to decide on an appropriate course of action.


CREATING THE SETTING: The Advertising Agency

INTRODUCE THE ADVERTISING AGENCY page 15 Students discuss the role of an advertising agency. Materials Grouping Schedule

None Whole class Approximately 20 minutes

CREATE THE ADVERTISING AGENCY page 15 Students create a frieze of the setting--floor plan and building façade.

Materials Grouping Schedule

Portfolio, Working Together on the Frieze: Floor Plan or Façade, p. 2 For the frieze: • one bulletin board or wall space, approximately 6’ by 4’,

covered with butcher paper • various colors of construction and tissue paper • Optional: graph paper for floor plans • Optional: wall paper scraps • colored markers/colored pencils/crayons /glue/scissors/

masking tape • Other craft materials that would add texture and interest

aluminum foil /yarn/cotton balls Students are organized into small groups to work on various aspects of the frieze. Approximately 1-2 hours

CONCLUDE EPISODE 1 page 18 Students make word banks and decide on company name, slogan, and logo and write an ad for the advertising agency.


For the word bank: thick black marker and cards for writing individual words Art materials to design logos Portfolio, Creating an Advertisement for the Ad Agency, p. 3 Whole class for word bank and individuals or pairs for writing/drawing activity About an hour for students to share their ideas for company name/slogan/logos and write their ads

EPISODE OBJECTIVES

Economics Use understanding of the role of advertising to identify job roles and purpose of an advertising agency. Identify the specialized jobs in an advertising agency. Literacy Writes for an audience as an advertiser and reflects this in vocabulary and syntax. Critical Thinking Organize ideas in new ways and apply those ideas to the frieze. Organize ideas to write a slogan and logo for the advertising agency. Social Skills Organize, plan, make decisions while creating a frieze with group members.


AUTHOR NOTE Posing Questions “Rather than telling students to create the setting, posing the task as a question develops ownership for the process. Guiding their creation through questions and problem solving develops higher order thinking, ownership, and social skills. These are important aspects of the Storypath approach.”

INTRODUCE THE ADVERTISING AGENCY Launch the unit Explain to students that they will be creating a story about an advertising agency--an agency that specializes in promoting tourism and economic development of states or regions--you select the appropriate focus for your Storypath. Review with them the elements of a story: characters (the people in the story), setting (where the story takes place), and plot (the critical incidents in the story). In this episode, students will create the setting for the story--the advertising agency and the building facade. Activate prior knowledge about advertising agencies Before students create the advertising agency, they will need to understand the business function of an advertising agency and consider how an agency might be organized to accomplish its work. Use questions like the following to build students’ understanding: • What is the purpose of an advertising agency? (Guide students to

understand that businesses use advertising agencies to help them develop advertising campaigns for their products. What students may not know is that state and local governments also use advertising agencies to promote their region for tourism and economic development.)

• Why would a state/local government want to advertise their state? (Guide the discussion so that students understand that one of the roles of government is to support the well-being of their state--tourism brings in money to the region and economic development provides jobs to the people making the region a desirable place to live.)

• Why would an advertising agency be important for promoting tourism and economic development? (Students may suggest that most people do not specialize in creating advertisements. Using people who specialize in advertising assures that the job is well done.)

As students discuss these questions, list their responses on the board to be used as references during the frieze making. CREATE THE ADVERTISING AGENCY Choose details for the setting Explain that the setting for their story is an advertising agency, and they now need to imagine how their agency might look. Ask students if they think they could design a building as the workplace of the advertising agency. Use such questions as the ones that follow to help students imagine in detail how their workplace might look: (Save their lists to use as they create their workplace and for Episode 2 when they create the advertising agents.) • What kind of work does an advertising agency do? (Guide students to

generate a list like the one that follows. As student suggest ideas, use their ideas to connect to other kinds of work. For example if a student suggests


CUSTOMIZE Setting You may decide that you want to do the floor plan or the facade and not both. The purpose of Episode 1 to establish a “real place” in the minds of the students--a place in which everyone has contributed in some way. Therefore, you may decide it is easier to focus on one kind of setting rather than the other because of time, management, space, or materials.

writing advertisements, ask what else goes into writing the ad? Then prompt them to think about layout and design of the ad, illustrations, and the technology that helps people do this work.)

• What are the specialized jobs of an advertising agency? (See the examples that follow.)

• What kinds of equipment is needed for people to do their job? • What kind of furniture is needed for people to do their job? • How might the setting influence how people do their job? (Discuss how a

pleasant environment can make a difference in a workplace.) • How should the workplace be organized? Should we have one big room or

smaller rooms? Are there other kinds of areas needed for the workers? (Depending on your topic of study, you may want certain groups to work on certain topics and that can be the basis for organizing the workplace. Raise these issues as students discuss the range of possibilities. A reception area, restrooms, and lunchroom should also be considered.)

• What kind of architecture should our building have? Should it be a modern looking building, a more traditional look building, or have a particular theme that relates to our community? (Provide examples of buildings that students know in their own community to help them think about the style of building.)

• What features might be on the front of the building? (Guide the discussion so that students suggest a sign of the company--name and company logo, landscaping features if appropriate, windows and doors. At the conclusion for this episode students can decide on the name and company logo for the agency. For now, tell them to save space for those features.)

Copy and jingle writer Writes the text for the ad and the song/jungle and

creates the music for the ad. Graphic designer Designs the layout of the ad and the artwork. For television ads does the storyboard for the ad.

A storyboard is a cartoon-like set of panels showing how the advertisement will look.

Photographer Takes the pictures for the ad. Guide the discussion so that a plan begins to form of how the floor plan may be as well as the exterior of the building. Students may do quick sketches with a partner to think about how the workspace can be organized and then select the best one so that students can begin to elaborate on the floor plan. You will want to move this process along fairly quickly so that students don’t become too invested in their sketches when selecting a final one for the frieze.


CONNECT Mathematics If possible, have students make their floor plans to scale using graph paper. One inch to one foot works well. (use scale to show spatial relationships; solve mathematics problems in context)

CUSTOMIZE Transforming the classroom You may decide that some of the features for the advertising agency could be adapted for the classroom. Thus, you may decide to transform your classroom into the advertising agency by rearranging desks, adding signs, logos and slogans to the classroom. The door could become the entrance to the advertising agency with a logo and sign surrounding the doorway.

Organize the work As a plan emerges, think about how students could be organized to make the floor plan and building exterior. You will want to organize students into groups so that they can all contribute to designing the workplace. One organizational scheme might look like this:

• reception area • three main work areas--writers, illustrators/photographers, graphic

designers or • topic areas such as regions of the United States or regions within a state • lunchroom or lounge • restrooms • building facade

Using a large sheet of butcher paper, block out sections of the workplace. The bulletin board space available can dictate the shape of the building and the scale. Save about one-third of the space for the design of the front of the building. Have students select areas they want to design and divide up the tasks. Discuss with students what a floor plan is and sketch an example using symbols such as windows, doors, stairs, and so forth so they can use these symbols in their designs. Before students begin working in their groups, determine a strategy for the groups to work together. Group members will have to plan and negotiate the following: • what to include in their section of the floor plan or building façade; • the symbols they will use to represent the various features of the workplace; • where they will place various features in relation to each other; • how they will work together to accomplish the job. Portfolio, Working Together on the Frieze, provides both a structure for completing the work and tips for working together. For students making the building facade, suggest various design techniques for specific building features: • how to use colors to add interest to the building such as outlining windows

and doors in contrasting colors, how to blend colors to provide texture; • how to add texture to the facade by using tissue paper, folded paper for

doors, rolled paper for columns, or whatever is appropriate to the building. Guide student work Once students begin working, restrict your role to asking questions about the various tasks students are engaged in reinforcing creative arts concepts of proportion, scale, texture, and color. Students need to make decisions themselves about the features. To help students monitor their own work, have them discuss what went well and what they would do differently.


CUSTOMIZE Student groups Students could individually or in small groups brainstorm a list of words and then create a class word bank.

√ Assessing students’ floor plan Students should be able to • include features important to the workplace and place them in the

appropriate places; • make the objects to scale; • use art techniques to communicate effectively about the place; • work effectively with others by demonstrating one or more of the following

behaviors: working together to decide on the placement of features; staying on task; helping others; appropriately asking for help; sharing; and disagreeing respectfully.

CONCLUDE EPISODE 1 Discuss the setting Once the setting--floor plan and building facade--are completed, initiate a discussion about them. Here are some questions to guide the discussion. • What do you like about our advertising agency? • Do you think this is a pleasant place to work? • What were some of the challenges groups encountered in creating the floor

plan? The building facade? • What are the benefits of all of us working together on the setting? Create a word bank It’s important at this point that students undertake language activities that help them gain ownership of the setting and develop a rich vocabulary for talking about the place. The word bank not only develops vocabulary; it provides vocabulary students can use in their writing and other activities as the Storypath progresses. As a whole class, brainstorm a list of words about the setting. Include descriptive words and words that describe feelings about the setting. Also reinforce such terms as specialization, tourism, economic development and so forth. Using a thick black marker, record words and display next to the frieze. Create a name and slogans for the advertising agency Ask students, “How do businesses decide on a name? What are the names of businesses in our community?” After they have listed names, ask students to group them into categories such as business owners’ names, catchy titles, and names that identify a product. Have students discuss possible names for the advertising agency and, as a class, choose a name for the advertising agency. Once students have chosen a name, ask them to recall slogans they know about various products. Write their examples on the board. Ask them to think about what makes a good slogan, and write their ideas on the board. Once a set of criteria has been established, students should focus on the role of the advertising agency. Using the word bank and ideas from the discussion, individual students or pairs can each write a slogan for the advertising agency. Writing the slogans on newsprint with thick markers will allow the slogans to


AUTHOR NOTE Managing logo designs “Limit the time for designs so that students don’t become so invested in their design that they are discouraged when their design is not chosen. You want to maintain the pace of the Storypath as there is still much to be accomplished.”

be seen and discussed as a class. Discuss the slogans and display them next to the frieze. Have students select one to use when promoting their company. A few students should add the name of the company and slogan/s to the building facade on the frieze. √ Assessing the slogans Students’ slogans should • reflect the criteria established during class discussion. • demonstrate an understanding of the use of slogans. • be related to the advertising agencies primary task. • show careful preparation. Create an advertisement Have students write an advertisement for the ad agency. Discuss the purpose and features on Portfolio, p. 3 and then have students write an advertisement in the space provided. Over the next few days have students share their ads. √ Use the following criteria for assessing the advertisements.

• The advertisement provides accurate information about the advertising agency.

• Persuasive language is used and it is clear who the audience is for the ad.

• Includes contact information and other important information and attracts the readers’ attention.

Create a logo As time permits, discuss with students the purpose of a company logo--a symbol that is used to identify a company. Ask students to identify logos that they know. Make a list and/or draw a facsimile of various company logos. Then ask students to look--or imagine--the symbols to determine the qualities of effective logos. Guide the discussion so that students identify the following qualities: • reflects the role of an advertising agency. • clearly communicates a message. • uses symbols and colors to attract attention. • is carefully prepared. Have students refer to the company name, slogans, and word bank to get ideas for a logo for the company. Remind them to think about the qualities they identified as they think about a design. Students can work individually or in pairs to create a logo and then vote on the one they want for their company. √ Use the criteria for a quality logo to assess students’ designs.


CREATING THE CHARACTERS: The Advertising agents

INTRODUCE THE ADVERTISING AGENTS page 21 Students discuss the role of advertising agents. Materials Grouping Schedule


CREATE ADVERTISING AGENTS page 21 Students imagine themselves as advertising agents. Materials Grouping Schedule

Portfolio, Making Yourself as an Advertising Agent, p. 4 Activity Guide, Advertising Agent Application, Teacher Handbook, p. 24 various colors of construction and tissue paper/yarn/ and wallpaper scraps/colored markers/ crayons/colored chalk/glue/scissors Optional: Wool fiber for hair 2-3 hours, can be done over several days Students work independently 1-2 hours, can be done over several days, but students will probably want to keep working on their figures once they start.

CONCLUDE EPISODE 2 page 22 Students introduce themselves as advertising agents to the class.


Students' figures and advertising agent applications Portfolio, Introducing Yourself and Self Assessment, p. 5 Optional: Telephone as a prop for the role play Pairs of students (to practice introductions); whole class (during the presentations) Approximately 1-2 hours, spread introductions over a few days to maintain interest.

EPISODE OBJECTIVES

Economics Identify the specialized skills of an advertising agent and determine the role of advertising agencies in the world of work. Critical Thinking Organize ideas from class discussion in new ways to create advertising agents. Literacy Uses a set of directions to reorganize ideas to create a visual representation of self as an advertising agent. Demonstrates expository oral presentation to introduce self as an advertising agent. Organizes the presentation in a logical order. Recites using fluency, intonation, and emphasis. Draws and maintains an audience interest during character introduction. Uses facial expression, eye contact, and volume, which contribute to verbal expression. Adds appropriate elaboration and detail to agent introduction. Social Skills Identify groups skills important to the workplace.


CUSTOMIZE Management Tip Before launching the episode, decide whether students will draw figures, make full-length figures to represent themselves as advertising agents-or use another method for making the representations. You may have already had students create artistic representations of themselves so rather than doing this again, have them use those representations and skip the creating character activities. Suggestions follow on how to adapt some of the activities for this situation.

INTRODUCE THE ADVERTISING AGENTS Organize the process In this episode, students will make representations of themselves as adults who work in the advertising agency. Explain to students that now that they have the place for their story, they need advertising agents to create the advertisements. Refer students to the job list they generated in Episode 1. By now they may have other ideas they want to add to their list. Clarify job roles as needed--students can apply for the specialized jobs within the advertising agency, but they will all need to do the background research for the ads. In this way they will gain the knowledge base on the topic of study. See page 16 for a list of jobs in the advertising business. Once students have a list of jobs ask, “What qualities are necessary for working in an advertising agency?” Generate a list of qualities and then save this list to use as a reference as students complete their job applications later in this Episode. Next brainstorm with students the skills needed to be an advertiser--focus specifically on the kind of advertisements and content focus of the advertisements. Add to the list started in Episode 1. You may need to prompt students to consider art skills, computer skills, research skills, observation skills, imagination, persistence, hard work, and so forth. Also, explain that students will be working together to create the advertisements so group skills are important. Have students identify--and add to the list--group skills such as being flexible, positive, respectful of others, cooperative, and doing a fair share of the work. Pose to students: “Do you think you could imagine yourself as adults working in an advertising agency for this Storypath?” It is hoped by this time enough enthusiasm and interest have been created so that students are eager to participate and carry the story forward. Clearly posing this question with a sense of drama sets the stage for an affirmative response from students.

CREATE ADVERTISING AGENTS Design advertising agents Have students create a figure to represent themselves as adult advertising agents. Have students follow directions in Portfolio, p. 4 to make their figures-or provide instructions for making another type of figure. As students create themselves as adults, discuss what clothes they might wear at their workplace. This discussion can raise their awareness of appropriate attire and how clothes make an impression and set a tone for a workplace. Some roles require that you meet the public while others have you working in a back office each day. Have students think about how the two different situations could make a difference in how one dresses. Optional: If you have already had students make figures of themselves prior to


CONNECT School to work Discussing the skills needed to be an advertiser helps students to connect skills acquired in school to the work they will do as adults. (awareness of relationships between work and learning) AUTHOR NOTE Selecting the managers “You will have to determine how to select the mangers. Focusing on the application in determining the managers may result in some students being chosen for this responsibility who otherwise would not be chosen.”

this Storypath and if those figures are still displayed, you could discuss with students what are the “tools” of an advertiser and have them make one or two examples to attach to their figure or “age” their figure to make them look more adult. The discussion of those tools could include a briefcase, computers, pens, rulers, camera or whatever students believe is appropriate to the job. Then follow with the job application activity that concludes this episode. The purpose of this episode is to help students imagine themselves as advertising agents working in the agency. Complete advertising agent applications Explain to students that they will need to imagine themselves as adults completing the advertising agent applications. Three of the agents will be the office management team and they will run the business. To help the management team get to know you, students will have to complete the application for working in the advertising agency--they may want to apply to be on the management team. Distribute the Activity Guide, Advertising Agent Application, and discuss the various categories of information on the application with the class to ensure that students understand the range of possibilities for each category. Refer them to the brainstorming that was done earlier if they need more help, at which point they can add to the list of ideas.

CONCLUDE EPISODE 2 Organize groups Refer to the job applications to help organize the pairs in preparation for Episode 3--the management team could be chosen first, and they could help organize the pairs to create more ownership for the process. If you decide to organize students into groups consider the following: the number of topics; how you organize the topics; and how well students work together in groups. Students could work in pairs or in groups up to four. You decide what is best for your class. Even though students have applied for specialized roles in advertising, once the work begins those roles become less important because everyone will need to contribute to the overall development of the advertisement. However, some students may be especially good at illustrations, writing, or layout so consider these factors when organizing the groups. This will allow students to contribute in the areas in which they have strengths. Prepare for introductions Explain to students that they will introduce themselves as advertising agents over the next several days so that everyone will know about them as the employees. Model an introduction for students. One way to help students focus their introductions is to discuss why they like being advertising agents. Have students practice their introductions using the guide in the Portfolio, p. 5 with a partner before presenting themselves to the class. Remind students to keep their introductions brief, and tell them that classmates may ask questions about their interest in advertising after the introductions.


CUSTOMIZE Pacing To maintain students' interest, spread introductions over several days. Students could move on to Episode 3, in which they begin to analyze advertisements--you will have to organize them into pairs even though all the introductions have not happened. AUTHOR NOTE Students' questions about advertisers “I've found that students' are much more interested in the introductions once they understand they can ask questions. Two things result from the questions: students answering the questions strive to give responses that make sense in the context of the story they're creating, and all students realize that there are no right or wrong answers from your point of view. The story is truly students' own.”

Introduce the advertising agents Explain to students that they will introduce themselves as advertising agents and therefore should get into role. Remind them to review the criteria for an effective introduction in their Portfolio, p. 5. √ You can use this checklist to assess students’ introductions to the class—the same criteria as students’ self-assessment.

• Information presented in a logical order • Interesting information presented • Made eye contact with audience • Voice was clear; audience could hear everything said • Spoke with enthusiasm and confidence

After advertising agents introduce themselves, allow time for students to ask questions of the other agents. To get the questions started, you might ask a few questions yourself. Focus on questions that get students thinking about what they are like as advertising agents and what special skills they have that will contribute to the agency. Encouraging students to use their imagination as seeing themselves as advertising agents builds interest in the story. Have students self assess their introduction using the rubric in the Portfolio, p. 5. After the presentations, display the visual representations and job applications so that students can refer to the various job roles throughout the Storypath. As students give their introductions, listen for information that you can weave into the unit later. For example, a student may say that he or she became interested in advertising because of a friend working in a similar job. Bringing up facts like these in subsequent episodes motivates students and reinforces their ownership of the story. Facilitate role plays At various times during the Storypath, you will want to do role plays with the students so that they continue to think about themselves as advertising agents. Watch for opportunities that would allow a few students to move into the role of advertising agents to react or respond to a situation. An event that is directly from their own story is important to connect students to the Storypath. A few students at a time can participate while others watch. Keep the role plays short--about three to five minutes. You can set the scene for the role play, ask a question to start the role play, or pose a problem. For example, using a telephone as a prop, suggest to students that they might want to call their families to tell them about their new job at the advertising agency. You can prompt the role play by saying something like, “Shane, why are you excited about your new job?” Then prompt students as necessary to move the role play along. The first few times students are involved in the role play, select students who you believe would be good models for others who participate later.


Episode 2 Activity Guide

Advertising Agent Application Complete the application for advertising agent. Name: _________________________________________________________ Age: ___________________Place of Birth: _____________________________ Job for which you are applying: __________________________________________ List three states of interest: _____________________________________________ Education: __________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Prior work experiences: ________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Describe the personal characteristics you have that will make you an effective employee of the advertising agency: ______________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Working in groups is important for the success of the advertising agency. What skills do you have that will make you an effective group member? ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Describe life experiences you have had that would contribute to your job as an advertising agent: ____________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Do you have an interest in being on the management team? What special skills would you bring to that position? _________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ Assessment: The information in the application is believable given the age and job. Detailed information provided that is logical to the job and demonstrates understanding of the skills and background necessary for working in an advertising agency.


CONTEXT BUILDING: The Advertisements INTRODUCE ADVERTISEMENTS page 26 Students discuss the work plan for creating advertisements. Materials Grouping Schedule

Current advertisements that students know well and can be easily displayed for analysis Teaching Master, Plan Advertisements, Teacher Handbook Whole class Approximately 20 minutes

RESEARCH ADVERTISEMENTS page 26 Students find and analyze examples of advertisements. Materials Grouping Schedule

Portfolio, Advertising, p. 6 Portfolio, Advertising Techniques, p. 7 Optional: television, DVD/VCR, tape recorder, and/or computer for recording advertisements Students work in groups or pairs to find and analyze advertisements

Whole class Approximately 1 hour CONCLUDE EPISODE 3 page 26 Students share advertisements and create criteria for effective advertisements.


Students’ advertising examples Optional: television, DVD/VCR, tape recorder, and/or computer for sharing advertisements Pairs to make presentations, whole class Approximately 1 hour, spread presentations over several days

EPISODE OBJECTIVES

Economics Identify how advertisers create demand for a product. Examine the incentives and values that are used to create advertisements. Literacy Identifies advertiser's intention and purpose for writing and how the writing and visuals influence the reader’s response. Identifies main idea or message of advertisement and evaluates how this influences the reader. Considers how different illustrative or text forms present a particular message. Skims and scans when selecting advertisements for illustration of key concepts. Uses reading to explore advertisements and analyze information Critical Thinking Use criteria to identify effective and ineffective advertisements. Identify criteria for successful advertisements.


CONNECT Current events Often there are news articles about advertising such as a star athlete being signed to promote a particular product, a clever ad that draws attention to a particular product, placement of advertising billboards in a community, or misrepresentation or insensitivity to an issue that appears in an ad. You or your students can watch for examples that can be used as part of the discussion related to advertising. AUTHOR NOTE Topics of advertisements “Encourage a wide range of topics for sharing. Students should not focus on advertisements related to this unit of study. If you direct them to advertisements of states then when they create their own ads, they will be more likely to replicate the advertisement rather than critically think about their topic and construct their own understanding.”

INTRODUCE ADVERTISEMENTS Launch the episode To provide a sense of story, explain that they are now beginning their next chapter. Explain to students that one of their first tasks in the advertising agency is to learn about advertising techniques so that they will be well prepared to create the ads about their topic of study. Display the Teaching Master, Plan Advertisements and discuss each of the steps with the students. This teaching master serves an overview of the process and each of the steps. Assure students that they will take one step at a time as the process may seem daunting. To help students begin to look at advertisements with a critical eye, display an advertisement from a magazine or newspaper--one that students know well. Ask what makes this a good advertisement? You may need to guide the discussion by asking such questions as: • What images are used to attract your attention? • How are words used to communicate about the product? • How is color or designed used in the advertisement? • Who does the ad appeal to? (Young people, old people, people with

families, athletes, and so forth) • Do you think this advertisement is successful in selling the product?

Why or why not? RESEARCH ADVERTISEMENTS Understand advertising techniques Explain to students that as advertising agents, they will need to share their expertise with each other, and that they are going to become experts in different advertising techniques. Have students turn to p. 6 in the Portfolio, Advertising, and discuss the reading having students suggest examples that they know in each of the categories. Divide students into groups and have them find examples that demonstrate the techniques--attention-getting headlines, slogans or jingles, testimonials, product characters--some advertisements may use more than one technique. Have students work with a partner to find examples. Each pair can find one or two examples of a particular technique and explain how the advertisement uses that technique. Students can find examples from print (magazines, newspapers, flyers, brochures), the Internet, audio, or video--you decide what is feasible. Have students complete Portfolio, Advertising Techniques, p. 7. CONCLUDE EPISODE 3 Share advertisements Over several days have students share their advertisements. At the same time have students critique the advertisements so that they begin to


AUTHOR NOTE Establishing criteria for ads “When students establish their own criteria for the advertisements at the beginning of the project expectations are clear and ownership for the product is created.”

understand both effective and ineffective advertisements. Guide the discussion so at the end of the sharing students have generated criteria they can use to evaluate the quality of their advertisements. Post the criteria so that it can be used as a reference throughout the next episode. The list may look like the one below.

• Provides useful information about the product • Attracts and keeps attention • Well organized • Focused--not too long or too brief • Creative, clever, or novel • Uses language effectively--written/spoken

Remind students that, as they continue to work on the project, they may discover and need to add other important criteria to the list. This list of criteria will not only guide students' work, it also can be used in the assessment of completed advertisements.


Episode 3 Teaching Master

Plan Advertisements Step 1 Learn about advertising

• Techniques for advertising • Kinds of advertising

Step 2 Research the topic for the advertisement

• Locate resources • Take notes/gather data • Evaluate the most important information to

share with others Step 3 Synthesize the information

• Decide on the kind of ad for the information you are sharing

• Decide on the best technique for advertising

Step 4 Make a plan, sketch, or storyboard of your ad Step 5 Make ad Step 6 Edit and refine ad Step 7 Finalize the ad Step 8 Present ad


CONTEXT BUILDING: Research States & Prepare Ads

INTRODUCE THE ADVERTISING TASKS page 31 Students brainstorm information they will need about states.


Teaching Master, Plan Advertisements, from Episode 3 Whole class Approximately 20-30 minutes

GATHER INFORMATION page 31 Students locate and gather information about states. Materials Grouping Schedule

For researching topics: resources Portfolio, Work with Others, p. 8 Portfolio, Gather Information about Your State, pp. 9-13 Portfolio, Take Notes on States, p. 18 Teaching Master, Washington, Teacher Handbook, p. 38 Resources for researching topics such as encyclopedias, maps, almanacs, travel magazines and books, newspapers, National Geographic magazines, textbooks, videos, web: http://fac-staff.seattleu.edu/mmcguire/web/Advertisingagency.html Students work individually or in pairs to gather information Approximately 2-3 hours

CREATE THE RADIO ADVERTISEMENTS………………………page 32 Students write and present their radio scripts. Materials Grouping Schedule

Portfolio, Radio Script Writing, pp. 14-15 Portfolio, Radio Presentations, p. 16 Students work with a partner to create the ads, whole class for sharing; spread over a number of days Approximately 2 hours

30 minutes

CREATE THE VISUAL ADVERTISEMENTS………………… page 35 Students write and present their visual advertisements.


Portfolio, Creating Visual Advertisements, p. 17 For the advertisements: materials will vary depending on how the advertisements will be produced—poster board/construction paper/paint/colored markers/chalk/ scissors/glue/tape old magazines and newspapers Optional: video cameras/VCR/television/tape recorders/props for sound effects/computers/Internet access Students work with a partner to create the ads Approximately 2 hours

CONCLUDE EPISODE 4 page 35 Students share their advertisements, reflect on their work and generalize about their learning.

Materials Visual advertisements Grouping Whole class Schedule Approximately 1 hour


EPISODE OBJECTIVES

Literacy Reading Identifies main idea or message of text and evaluates how this influences meaning. Considers how different illustrative or text forms present a different view. Copes with a wide range of features within a text or book. Gathers and synthesizes information from paragraphs and longer texts and from a variety of sources. Summarizes in writing information gained from text and/or illustration. Identifies persuasive elements in nonfiction material. Uses a range of reference material including technical texts to pursue interests and complete tasks. Skims and scans when selecting a text or seeking information. Uses reading to explore ideas and gain new knowledge. Uses charts and tables to read and present information comparing, recording, summarizing, or reorganizing ideas and facts from textual and/or illustrative materials. Writing Includes headings and captions in advertisements. Writes to persuade. Gathers information and takes notes as part of prewriting and drafting. Attends to clarity and audience interest when revising. Listening and Observing Demonstrates active listening behaviors by maintaining eye contact, using facial expressions to convey interest and/or disagreement when listening to advertisement presentations. Presenting Organizes a presentation in a logical order (with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion). Recites using fluency, intonation, and emphasis. Draws and maintains an audience interest during formal presentations. Uses facial expression, eye contact, and volume when making advertising presentations. Adds appropriate elaboration and detail for advertising purposes. Selects and develops a variety of visuals to sell a product. Culture and Social Interaction Identify ways that different states/regions address similar human needs and concerns. Cite ways in which special events and holiday celebrations reflect a state or region. History Identify examples of how the state/region has changed and the causes of those changes. Cite examples of how people in the past in the community viewed the world. Geography Identify how people create environments that reflect the needs and wants of the community. Identify ways that the state/region’s environment has changed over time. Economics Give examples that show how resources of the state/region have influenced economic development. Create advertisements to influence and provide information about a state or region. Create advertisement to create “demand” for tourism and economic development. Critical Thinking Skills Organize information in new ways in the creation of advertisements. Apply the criteria for successful advertisements. Apply various forms of writing to the creation of advertisements. Social Skills Work with others to decide on an appropriate course of action for completing the advertisements. Participate in organizing, planning, making decisions, and taking action while working on the advertisements. Work with others to share information.


AUTHOR NOTE Organizing the work “I suggest focusing the radio scripts on tourism and visual advertisements on economic development to provide a learning focus for each writing activity.” CUSTOMIZE Using advertising managers You may want to brief the advertising manager/s and have them run the meeting--using the Teaching Master and brainstorming topics. If students run the meeting, there is a greater sense of ownership for the process, but you may decide it is more efficient for you to manage this aspects.

INTRODUCE THE ADVERTISING TASKS Overview of episode In this episode students will research their state and then prepare radio and visual advertisement for their state. By having students write radio advertisements, you can focus on expository writing as a whole class experience. The visual advertisement builds on expository writing and develops visual literacy as well. This episode is designed to increased students’ knowledge and understanding of states and simultaneously develop their reading and writing skills within the context of the jobs of an advertising agency. You should adapt this episode to meet your needs. These are the following tasks in this episode:

• Review tasks of episode • Organize and prepare students for researching states • Students research states • Organize and create radio scripts to attract tourist to the state • Share radio scripts • Organize and prepare visual advertisement to attract businesses

and workers to the state • Share advertisements • Generalize about states—the “big ideas”

Using the Teaching Master, Plan Advertisements, from Episode 3, provide an overview of where students are in the process. Explain that in order to prepare their advertisements, they must know their subject well so that they can provide accurate information and make effective use of advertising techniques. To help students feel connected to the storyline, intersperse short role plays at various points throughout the episode using events that emerge from the experience. These can be short five minute role plays to keep students connected to their roles and the events of the advertising agency.

GATHER INFORMATION Organize student work There are many ways to organize students for gathering information about their states. Students can work individually, in pairs, or small groups to gather information about the states. You decide which way is best. When students create their advertisements, they will probably want to work in pairs to do this--operating on the principle, “two heads are better than one” thus generating more creative ideas for their advertisements. If students have worked individually to research a particular state, then when they pair up they can teach each other about their state in order to prepare their ads. To reinforce cooperative group skills have partners complete Portfolio, Work with Others, p. 8. Ask students to brainstorm where they could locate information that


AUTHOR NOTE Valuing the conversation “The conversations that students have as they prepare their advertisements serve as valuable learning experiences. As students connect their prior experiences, the topics of study, advertising techniques, and work in groups, they elaborate and deepen their understanding of their work and the topic of study.” AUTHOR NOTE Resources "Interviewing people who have lived or traveled in the places being studied can enrich the research process and provide insights that other resources cannot. The Internet can be an excellent resource for interviewing adults or students, including those who may actually live in the state or region being researched."

might help them prepare their advertisements. Students should identify such resources as encyclopedias, almanacs, travel magazines, books, newspapers, National Geographic magazines, textbooks, museums, guest speakers, videos, atlases, chambers of commerce, experiences of students' families and the web. See the following website for links to resources related to state studies: http://fac-staff.seattleu.edu/mmcguire/web/Advertisingagency.html. Be sure that, during the brainstorming process, students understand the types and format of information provided in each of the various resources. At this point you can provide students with resources involving their state/region. The teacher's challenge throughout this episode is to determine when to introduce resources and information during the production of the advertisements, as introducing resources before students are ready can decrease motivation and ownership for the Storypath. Consider waiting until students are well into the research process before bringing in other resources, such as slides of places you have visited, guest speakers, or videos. By then, students will have done enough of their own research and should find outside presentations more meaningful. Teach note-taking Depending on students’ research skills, you may want to demonstrate the data gathering process. The Portfolio, Gather Information about Your State, pp. 9-13 provides prompts for note taking. Model for students how to read text and take notes in the Portfolio using Teaching Master, Washington, p. 38. Demonstrate how to identify the important ideas and write the key ideas on the Portfolio Teaching Master, The Land, note-taking section.

CREATE THE RADIO ADVERTISEMENTS Organize the work Remind students their first task is to write a radio script to attract tourists to their state. Ask, “What kind of information will be needed to attract tourists to a particular state?” (Have students reflect on their own vacations--if appropriate--to help answer this question. As students brainstorm a list of ideas, write their responses on the board. Be sure that students explain why each topic would be important.) Students will probably suggest topics such as: • interesting things to see and do; • history and way of life; • climate and geography; • special celebrations or events. These conversations with students become primary vehicles for instruction. As students share their understanding of these topics, you can asking probing questions, pose other questions to take students’ thinking in new directions, or provide needed information to deepen


AUTHOR NOTE Prepare for the unexpected "Students may create critical incidents as they work through the process. Situations may occur related to ‘truth in advertising,’ costs and benefits of a particular form of advertising, or ethical issues related to influencing customers. Depending on the issues raised, use these as an opportunity for company meetings or class discussions."

their understanding about the topic. Revisit the question, for whom should we aim our advertisements? (Students should be able to identify families and others who take vacations.) Have students review their notes and highlight topics that would be of interest to tourists. Once students have brainstormed a list of ideas, explain that each agent will be responsible for creating a radio advertisement about his/her state. Explain that not every advertisement will cover all the topics students list as a class. Rather, agents will need to consider which topics will be most important to their particular audience. Review Teaching Master, Plan Advertisements to review the steps necessary to make their ads and to help students decide which topics to include and how they will organize their work. Generate ideas If students need help generating topics for their advertisements, you might try these methods to stimulate their thinking: • Ask probing questions. For example, if students do not list historical

information, ask a question like, "Would it be valuable to know something of the history of the region? Why might tourist be interested in historical information?"

• Use "customers" to generate topics--an adult in the school can pose as

a tourist and ask questions about a state or region to get students thinking about what to include.

• Students could prepare a survey of information they are including and

ask parents, neighbors, or other classes if this information would be helpful.

• Students might decide to look at other advertisements to decide what

to include. Think, "What would my audience--tourists --want to know about this state?" Write questions tourists would have and then review your data gathering notes to answer the questions. Remind students they may have to do additional research. As the research progresses, students may begin asking for more specific information. Whole class activities such as videos, guest speakers, and slide presentations would be appropriate throughout this time period as students become more engaged in learning about their places. Discuss content and ideas and word choice for the radio script Use the Portfolio, Radio Script Writing, pp. 14-15, as a guide for discussion. Ideas and content:

• clear and focused;


• keep the listener's attention; • fresh and original; go beyond the obvious or predictable.

Word choice: • words are precise and interesting with lively verbs and interesting

nouns; • words are powerful and engaging; • words stay in the mind of the listener; • care is taken to put just the right word or phrase in just the right

spot.

Provide examples to help students think about word choice—precise adjectives that give exact meanings: nice could mean friendly, cooperative, beautiful, and many other definitions. Pick the word that reflects your exact purpose. Use metaphors (direct comparisons) and similes (comparisons using like or as) to make your description fresh. Discuss with students the concepts of nouns and verbs using the example like the one that follows. “…[N]ouns make the picture and verbs make those pictures move….Lightning fired his fiercest bolt straight at Shrek’s head. Shrek just gobbled it, belched some smoke, and grinned.”* In this example there are no passive verbs—is or was—the verbs are strong and striking, they crackle with energy. Have students brainstorm words that they can reference as they write their own ads. Encourage students to edit their work after they have drafted the information and made their own changes. They could ask classmates or family members to help with the editing process. These questions will assist in the editing process:

• Is the information useful and accurate? • Does the advertisement attract and keep the audiences’ attention? • Is the information well organized and easy to follow? • Is the advertisement the right length? • Were techniques of advertising effectively used? • Was language used effectively?

√ The above questions can be used as criteria to evaluate students’

work. Present radio scripts Using the Portfolio, Radio Presentations, p. 16, have students practice their radio scripts. Encourage them to listen to the radio for ideas on how to use voice inflection. If possible, have them practice with a tape recorder. Then have students present their radio advertisements over a number of days. Use the ads to build students’ knowledge base about other states by having students create a mind map of information or take

* Fletcher, R. & Portalupi, J. (1998). Craft lessons. York, ME: Stenhouse Publishers, p. 51.


CONNECT Geography During their research, students will undoubtedly use maps to locate their states and major features within the states/regions. Be sure to help students with these map-reading skills: • using directions and mileage scales; • using coordinates to locate cities and regions; • using latitude and longitude; • reading and interpreting symbols. CUSTOMIZE Using technology If students have access to computer cameras, scanners, desktop publishing, or other technology, encourage them to use these resources during the production of their advertisements.

notes on information learned. Use the Portfolio, Notes on States, p. 18 for recording information. You may need to review or model strategies for listening for key ideas from the presentations.

CREATE VISUAL ADVERTISEMENTS Introduce advertising for economic development Begin by asking, “What kind of information will be needed to attract businesses and workers to a particular place?” (Have students think about every day life and what aspects of every day life would be of interest to businesses or families who would move here for education or job opportunities. Again as students offer ideas, record them on the board. Have students explain their ideas.) The following topics should be suggested: • major cities; • major businesses and goods and services produced; • transportation routes; • educational opportunities--schools, colleges, libraries, museums; • good living environment. Discuss with students strategies for designing the layout of the advertisements. Have them refer to their criteria for the advertisements as a starting point for the discussion. Students can use, Portfolio, Creating Visual Advertisements, p. 17, to guide their work. After discussing strategies, students can prepare their advertisements. Have students return to their radio scripts to build on lessons learned in writing the radio script. Ideas and content and word choice can be revisited for this advertisement with the addition of using visual information to tell the story.

CONCLUDE EPISODE 4 Present the visual advertisements Discuss with the office manager(s) the need for advertising agents to present their advertisements to the rest of the company. Suggest that the advertising agents will be better informed as a company, and the presentations will help the advertising agents communicate their areas of expertise to customers more effectively. Suggest a meeting of the advertising agents and explain the need for these presentations. Before the meeting begins, discuss with students how a staff meeting is conducted. Remind students that the advertising agents • listen to other’s ideas; • don’t interrupt; • disagree politely; • ask questions to clarify. • consider different viewpoints and change their mind if appropriate. As much as possible let students run the meeting, but you might want to suggest that they need to think of their presentations as a “sale pitch” so


they can create interest about the state they are advertising. The agents should suggest ideas for how the presentations should be conducted. During the meeting, students need to make decisions on these issues: • length of the presentations; • timeline for the presentations (suggest a series of days to maintain

interest); • invited guests (adults in the school, parents, or community

members); • special materials and equipment that might be needed. Based on the decisions that are made in the meeting, the students can prepare and give their presentations. Have students use their Portfolio, Take Notes on States, p. 18 to record key ideas. Manage the presentations Conduct the presentations over several days. Allow agents to ask questions about the various topics presented. The teacher may want to ask questions for a variety of purposes to:

• encourage additional research; • prompt a rechecking of facts; • build connections between states or regions; • create a critical incident.

Since a considerable amount of time will be needed to prepare the advertisements and presentations, you might want to begin Episode 4, Trouble in the Workplace. This decision should depend on the pacing of the Storypath and students' ability to simultaneously handle multiple issues. Generalize about states/regions To help consolidate the learning about the various places presented in the presentations, ask students to compare and contrast what they are learning about the various states/regions. Guide the discussion so that students begin to formulate their own generalizations about these places. You can begin this process by asking students to compare and contrast different places and constructing a chart of major topics to make comparisons. You could also pair up the groups to have them compare and contrast their states/regions and specific topics using their notes from the presentations. During their discussions, students should come to conclusions such as the following: Culture and Social Interaction • States/regions address human needs and concerns in similar ways. • The ethnic heritage of groups of people often reflect how

states/regions develop over time.


• A state/region reflects its cultural heritage and setting through special events and holiday celebrations.

History • Over time states/regions have changed due to historical events,

geographical changes, and economic development. • States/regions have been affected by national and world events. Geography • People have created environments that reflect the needs and wants of

the community. • States/regions’ environments have changed over time. • The natural resources of a state/region has affected its development. Economics • The resources of states/regions have influenced economic

development. • Human factors have also affected the economic development. Optional Activity: Respond to "customers" You might want to bring "customers" to class during the research process to enliven the Storypath and introduce problems to tackle. Adults generally will play the roles more seriously than students from other classrooms. Brief the customer about the Storypath and assign a role. Below are suggestions for role plays, but you may think of role plays that grow more naturally out of your class's Storypath. Suggestions for customer role plays include:

• A customer needs information about a particular topic that students have not considered for their advertisements.

• A customer presents a problem that requires the cooperative group to work together to solve.

• The customer wants advice about a place to visit. • The customer is disagreeable, and students must respond

helpfully and politely. • A customer wants suggestions of where to locate his or her

business. Debrief the customer role play to reinforce the learning desired from the experience. As the Storypath continues, you might continue to bring in customers to address issues that are important to the learning goals of the Storypath and to enliven the Storypath at different times.


Episode 4 Teaching Master

Washington Rivers and Lakes

The Columbia R., the largest river in the western U.S., drains

the E section of Washington. The river has a great volume of

flow, and the numerous drops along its course give it vast

hydroelectric power potential. The Columbia’s principal

tributaries include the Snake, Spokane, Wenatchee, and

Yakima rivers. Many smaller rivers flow W from the Cascade

Range and the Coast Ranges. The most important of these

is the Chehalis R., which rises in the Cascades and flows W

to Grays Harbor, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean. Other rivers

include the Cowlitz, Nisqually, and Skagit. Puget Sound,

approximately one-fifth the size of Lake Erie, is an inlet of

the Pacific; with its numerous arms, it is the state’s most

significant body of water. Lake Chelan, a long, narrow glacial

lake in the Cascade Range, is the largest natural lake in

Washington. Large artificial lakes have been created behind

dams on the Columbia R. Among these are Franklin D.

Roosevelt Lake (behind Grand Coulee Dam) and Banks

Lake (behind Dry Falls Dam). World Almanac for Kids. (n.d.) Rivers and Lakes, Washington. Retrieved November 6, 2004, from http://www.worldalmanacforkids.com/explore/states/washington.html#fw..wa013300.a30.c10.


CRITICAL EVENT: Trouble in the Workplace

INTRODUCE THE PROBLEM page 40 The manager and assistants discover that there are personnel problems in the advertising agency. Materials Grouping Schedule


TACKLE THE PROBLEM page 40 Students attempt to solve the problem during an agency meeting. Materials Grouping Schedule

None Whole class Approximately 30 minutes – 1 hour

CONCLUDE EPISODE 5 page 41 Students reflect on their experiences.


Portfolio, Reflecting on the Problem, p. 19 Website for Optional: Work-Site Accommodation Ideas for Office Workers

Who Use Wheelchairs: http://www.jan.wvu.edu/media/Wheelchair.html#ideas Whole class; individuals for reflection Approximately 30 minutes

EPISODE OBJECTIVES

Literacy Summarizes main ideas succinctly from a variety of text and oral discussion. Listens to evaluate and make judgments about problems in the workplace. Monitors others' speech and paraphrases content. Organizes ideas to present a point of view. Critical Thinking Define workplace issues and consider alternative methods for solving a problem; then make a decision after evaluating the alternatives. Social Skills Examine conflict and cooperation among individuals while discussing problems in the workplace. Participate in compromising and negotiating to resolve conflicts and problems in the workplace.


AUTHOR NOTE Focusing on interpersonal skills “The workplace is often fraught with personal issues that staff are unable to resolve. Developing skills to negotiate and solve problems in the workplace can be invaluable in later life. This episode lays the groundwork for such situations.”

INTRODUCE THE PROBLEM Prepare for the critical event For this episode, you will introduce a worker—not one of the students—who will serve as a character to examine personnel problems in the agency. Depending on the students, you may want to use characters that have already been created by the students. Obviously selecting students’ characters must be done carefully. You could also play this role or select a student from another class that you have a relationship with, who enjoys role-plays, or has previous experience with Storypaths. There are many ways to organize this critical incident. Here’s one way. Before beginning the episode, select any one of the following suggestions or use your own idea. Your choice will depend on what is appropriate to the Storypath and the issues that you believe would be most worthwhile to discuss. The advertising agent you’ve created • comes late to work; • doesn’t do fair share of the work; • doesn’t get accurate information for the advertisements; • is rude to other advertising agents; • doesn’t keep accurate records; • a new worker arrives, but is not made to feel welcomed. Introduce the new characters as the advertising presentations from Episode 4 are conducted. As presentations come to a close, help set the stage for the critical incident by explaining to the class that workplace problems are common, and usually center around people not being able to effectively work together. You (or you can have one of the managers) explain to the class that there are two workers who are displaying one or two performance problems. TACKLE THE PROBLEM Introduce the ‘problem worker” Have the worker role play the problem. Another option is to have a couple of adults interrupt the class to play out one of the roles in front of the class. Then students can decide how to respond. Make a few well-chosen statements to the manager regarding the troublesome character. For example, you might say, "I noticed (name of problem character) has been late to work almost every day this week."


AUTHOR NOTE Role plays "Throughout this episode, students will be role-playing as advertising agents. Sometimes students will need to reflect on the situation in which they are immersed out of role. Use your judgment to decide when students should role play and when they should step out of role to best understand the problem." CUSTOMIZE Introducing other problems You may want to intersperse other workplace problems throughout the Storypath, as problems do not usually occur all at once. These types of incidents will enliven the episodes and assist students in developing the skills needed for working with others.

At this point, now that the problem is identified, explain to the management team that the issue is causing a decline in morale among the advertising agents. Suggest a company meeting and allow the manager and assistants to work through the problem in the way they believe is the most appropriate. Although meetings between managers and problem workers would generally be held in private, you might suggest that the rest of the class be allowed to silently observe the interaction. Remind the volunteer to role-play this character you’ve created and to think about how this character might respond to the situation. Only intervene if you think the approach taken by the characters would be unproductive. Although in some cases problem workers would be fired, termination is not an option, as you want to encourage students to resolve the situation in a constructive way. If you’d like, repeat the process using another volunteer to role–play another problem in the agency. Optional: Alternative Incidents The issue of problem workers may be too sensitive a topic for your classroom. If you wish to modify or replace this incident, keep the following considerations in mind: • The critical incident should be suitable to the Storypath and roles as

the episodes have developed. • The activities should reinforce concepts of cooperation, collaboration,

respect, and communication. They should also help students develop skills in negotiation, consensus building, and listening to different viewpoints.

• The activities should help students appreciate the importance of good working relationships.

• The class should have a sense of ownership for the resolution of the problem.

CONCLUDE EPISODE 5 Discuss students' experiences Have students step out of role to reflect on "trouble in the workplace." Use questions such as the following to help students reflect on the critical incident.

• What was the problem? • Why would other advertising agents be concerned about the

problem? • How was the problem solved? Are there other ways to solve the

problem?


• What might happen to other workers if those with the problem refuse to cooperate? What might happen to the business?

• Do you think this problem might exist in other places where people work?

• What would you do if you were faced with this problem in real life?

• What skills do you need to work through problems such as these?

• Why is it important for people to develop skills for resolving problems in the workplace?

As students answer the questions, you might assess how well they understand the importance of cooperation, collaboration, respect, and communication in resolving workplace issues. Have students reflect on the episode by completing Portfolio, Reflecting on the Problem, p. 19. Optional Activity: Accommodate Special Needs in the Workplace Sometimes students will create agents who have special needs, and this is the perfect opportunity for weaving these issues into the Storypath. However, you can also do this by suggesting that a particular agent had to have surgery and as a result will need to be in a wheelchair for about six weeks. Then ask the class how their business would have to change to accommodate this special need. Students in groups, could each take a room of the floor plan to consider how well it accommodates someone in a wheel chair. If students made the frieze to scale they could measure the spaces to see how well a wheel chair could maneuver in various places. Go to http://www.jan.wvu.edu/media/Wheelchair.html#ideas for information on wheelchair accommodations for the workplace. This topic allows you to explore a range of values and attitudes related to this issue and consider how businesses and other institutions have changed to accommodate special needs. Students can identify examples from their own community as an aspect of this discussion. You can adapt this optional activity to explore any number of special needs, but maintain the pace of the Storypath so that these issues don’t redirect the storyline.


CRITICAL EVENT: Customer Complaint

INTRODUCE THE PROBLEM page 44 A letter is received charging misrepresentation and false advertising.


Teaching Master, Letter of Complaint, Teacher Handbook, p. 45 Whole class Approximately 20 minutes

RESPOND TO THE COMPLAINT page 44 During a company meeting, students decide what they can do to respond to the complaint. They then carry out their plan. Materials Grouping Schedule

Portfolio, A Complaint Received, p. 20 Whole class and individual or small groups depending on what is decided at the meeting 30 minutes - 1 hour

CONCLUDE EPISODE 6 page 45 Students reflect on their experiences.



EPISODE OBJECTIVES

Critical Thinking Define workplace issues and consider alternative methods for solving a problem; then make a decision after evaluating the alternatives. Consider alternative ideas for helping people in need and evaluate the options to decide on an appropriate course of action. Civic Competence Identify the freedoms, rights, and responsibilities of citizens related to “freedom of speech.” Practice selected forms of civic discussion and participation in deciding how to respond to a complaint. Explain how citizens can influence policy of an advertising agency by voicing concerns and using various forms of civic participation to influence the agency. Literacy Summarizes main ideas succinctly from a variety of text and oral discussion. Listens to evaluate and make judgments about problems in the workplace. Monitors others' speech and paraphrases content. Organizes ideas to present a point of view. Social Skills Examine conflict and cooperation among individuals while discussing problems in the workplace. Participate in compromising and negotiating to resolve conflicts and problems in the workplace.


CUSTOMIZE Introducing the critical incident Rather than using a letter to introduce the critical incident, you could video tape the complaint as though the “complainer” was being interviewed by the press, then play the video for the students. AUTHOR NOTE Exploring the issue “Students may want to quickly resolve the problem and move on. If a quick solution appears likely, interject other issues so that students must think more deeply about the problem and consider various viewpoints.”

INTRODUCE THE PROBLEM Launch the episode Before the episode begins, choose an advertisement, or better yet a group of advertisements, to write a letter of complaint. You will have to write the letter based on what students have stated in their advertisement related to a particular state or region. The Teaching Master, Letter of Complaint, provides an example that can be adapted for your particular Storypath. Try to set the stage for students to examine issues of freedom of expression and deception in advertising. Obviously, sensitivity to the students involved in the complaint and the focus of the complaint are important considerations in setting up the critical incident. As the episode unfolds, guide the discussion so that everyone in the advertising agency responds to the problem. Have the manager read the letter to the advertising agency and let the story unfold. Interject questions or pose problems to help student think more deeply about the issues. As much as possible, let students manage the response to the critical incident. Possible topics for the complaint • The wording or slogan on an advertisement is too similar to someone

else’s advertisement. The complaint focuses on copyright or plagiarizing.

• The advertisement created unrealistic expectations. The place being advertised is “just not that great!”

• The information in the advertisement was not accurate. • The language or photos were offensive or omitted important

information. For example, the advertisement made no mention of why children would like to visit this place and these are important considerations in places wanting to attract tourists.

RESPOND TO THE COMPLAINT Decide how to respond Arrange for a meeting of the advertising agents to discuss the problem. Explain in order to get ready for the meeting, each agent needs to think about an appropriate response. Have students complete A Complaint Received, Portfolio, p. 20 to prepare for the meeting. The manager should lead the meeting with you only helping when necessary. The key question for discussion at this point is: “What can the advertising agency do to respond to the complaint?” Encourage students to brainstorm a list of ideas they could do to respond to the complaint. They might suggest ideas such as these:

• ignore the complaint • write letters to the people making the complaint • review the advertisement and make changes


AUTHOR NOTE Current events “If a similar event is in the news, students will likely reference this in their discussion.

• assert the right of freedom of expression and not make any changes

Once students have brainstormed a list of responses, they will need to narrow their decision and determine how to carry out their response. Be sure to let the students run the meeting, intervening only to ask questions or to assist students in thinking about the problem in a different way. Guide the response activity so that everyone can contribute. Maybe more than one way of responding is necessary. Suggested questions for consideration at the meeting: • Do people have a right to complain? • Do advertising agents have a right to say anything they want? • If our Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, can advertising

agents say whatever they want? • Do other advertising agents tell the truth? Do they need to? • How will our response to the complaint affect how others might view

us? Potential customers? People who read/see our ads? • What rights and responsibilities do advertising agents have related to

preparing advertisements?

CONCLUDE EPISODE 6 Discuss students' experiences After students have carried out their plan(s), take time to discuss their experiences. Use questions such as the following to get the discussion started: • Do advertising agencies have a responsibility to tell the truth? • Where should advertising agencies “draw the line” when using

persuasive language to buy a product? • Do consumers have a responsibility to determine whether an

advertisement is truthful? Suggest to students that perhaps their agency would benefit on some agreed upon “rules” for guiding their advertisements. Guide a discussion so that a list is created and posted for all the advertising agents to see. During the discussion, you might also have students assess their own involvement in the response activity. Questions such as these will get students started: Did you do your fair share of the work? If not, what kept you from contributing? How did you make sure a few people did not dominate the group? What did you do or say to be supportive of others in the group? What did you do to make sure that the work was done in a timely way?


Episode 6 Teaching Master Letter of Complaint Dear I have had an opportunity to see your advertisement about ________________________ I must tell you that your advertisement is misleading. The benefits of moving to __________________________ are really not that great. You overstate the information when you say ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ I have lived in this place for many years and have seen it grow and change. Quite frankly, things have not gotten better, they have gotten worse. To tell people that this is a place that has such wonderful places and features is misleading. The weather is not that great and the things to see and do are highly overstated. I hope you will redo your advertisement. If you are unwilling to change your advertisement, I’m afraid that I will need to let people know that this is false advertising. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. Thank you for your consideration. I know you will do the right thing! Sincerely,


CONCLUDING EVENT: The Advertising Award

INTRODUCE THE CONCLUDING EVENT page 48 Students learn that their agency is receiving an award for outstanding work. Materials Grouping Schedule

Teaching Master, Award Letter, Teacher Handbook, p. 50 Whole class Approximately 20 minutes

HAVE THE AWARD CEREMONY page 48 Students plan and participate in the award ceremony. Materials Grouping Schedule

Art supplies for decorations (Optional) Food, music, artwork for the event Whole class, groups, and individuals to make preparations for the event Approximately 1-2 hours

CONCLUDING EPISODE 7 page 49 Students reflect on their award ceremony and the role of advertising in a democratic society.

//



EPISODE OBJECTIVES

Critical Thinking Skills Organize ideas in new ways. Social Skills Work with others to organize, plan, and make decisions to prepare for the award ceremony.


CUSTOMIZE Management tip Set a date for the awards ceremony, decide who will present the award and if invitations will be sent to families or other community members.

INTRODUCE THE CONCLUDING EVENT Introduce the episode Deliver the Award Letter to the agency manager to read to the class. Discuss the letter and then ask students if they can organize an award ceremony for their agency. Brainstorm with students the kind of activities that need to be done for an award ceremony. After students have listed and discussed a number of ideas, guide the discussion so that students undertake the planning of the event. The brainstorming list might include the following, or you might suggest some of these activities so that everyone has a role in the planning process. • plan the events of the ceremony--they need not be elaborate • create an award certificate • create an acceptance speech • provide food for a reception • provide tours of the advertising agency. • write invitations to the ceremony--families and others. • create posters or signs announcing the award. • set up displays of the advertisements. It is likely that students will decide on an acceptance speech or similar activity; if not, raise this as a possibility and have the class decide who would be the most appropriate agent to give the acceptance speech. You will also need someone to play the role of the president of the advertising association, or other suitable person, to present the award and perhaps give a brief speech. Alternatively, another concluding event may be more appropriate for your particular Storypath--one that emerges from the story that your students have created. If you decide to conclude with another event, the following suggestions can help in the planning: • The event should be appropriate to the setting, characters, and the

plot of the Storypath. • Students should be involved in making decisions and developing

the activities. • The event should provide a satisfying closure to the Storypath.


AUTHOR NOTE Student Ownership “Letting students plan and prepare the ceremony is important to maintain their ownership for the concluding event.” CUSTOMIZE Dressing Up You may want to suggest to students that this is an important event and often people “dress up” for such an occasion.

HAVE THE AWARD CEREMONY Assign tasks As much as possible let students decide who will do the various tasks to prepare for the awards ceremony. If an acceptance speech is planned, students should decide who would write and give the speech. Suggest that they assign the task to two or three students, including the student who will give the speech. Guide students to chose other tasks to prepare for the award ceremony. In addition to preparing the activities they planned during the discussion, students might • make and send invitations to family and community members. • make programs listing the ceremony activities. Conduct the award ceremony Before students participate in the ceremony, you may want to discuss appropriate behavior. Stress that this is a very serious and important event. CONCLUDE EPISODE 7 Closure After the ceremony, have students reflect on the experience. Use the following questions to stimulate discussion: • Why are award ceremonies important? • Why are advertising agencies important to our community? • In a democracy freedom of expression is an important right.

What responsibilities go with that right? • Why was it important for advertising agents to work

cooperatively in our business?


Episode 7 Teaching Master Award Letter Dear ____________________________ We are please to announce that your company has won the prestigious Advertising Award for this year. This award recognizes the work of your company in its advertisements of states. The advertisements were creative, carefully prepared, and attracted a lot of attention. We would like to invite you to help us plan the ceremony where we can present this award. We know you would like lots of people to know about this prestigious award, and I’m sure members of the community would be very interested in learning about the fine work of your agency. I look forward to hearing from you and your plans for the ceremony. Sincerely, Chase Milam, President National Advertising Association


Extend Student Learning Take a Field Trip Students compare and contrast experiences at their advertising agency with the operations of an actual advertising agency. Materials Paper and pencil Permission slips Grouping Whole class Schedule About 3-4 hours Arrange for students to visit an advertising agency in their community. To prepare for the field trip, students can work in groups to prepare questions to ask during the trip. Encourage students to include some questions that reflect the same types of experiences they had during the Storypath. (For example, students could ask about areas of specialization in the advertising agency, “truth in advertising,” or what policies the advertising agency has regarding work behavior and dress.) After the field trip, students can compare and contrast their experiences during the Storypath with what they saw and learned. During discussion, be sure that these generalizations are reinforced: • Advertising agents produce advertisements they think will influence consumers. • People make choices based on their values, tastes, and knowledge of alternatives. • Employees in a business are interdependent and must cooperate to complete a job. • Businesses advertise their goods and services to increase sales. After the field trip, students should write thank-you notes to the advertising agency. Alternatively, if it is not practical to take your entire class to an advertising agency, you could invite an advertising agent to come speak to the class.


Unit Questions for Review Discuss the advertising agency Lead a discussion that reinforces the concepts and generalizations taught throughout the unit. The following questions encourage a discussion of major concepts. Include questions about any problem-solving situations you've added to the unit, too. What skills and personal traits are needed to work in an advertising agency? What factors influence the culture of a state or region? How is the way of life similar from state to state/region to region? How does it differ? How does a geographical setting affect the way of life for people who live in that particular setting? How does the history of a place affect the way of life? How have states/regions changed over time? Are there similarities from place to place? How does transportation affect a state/region? How does quality of and availability of education affect a state/region? How do the resources available in a state/region affect economic development? How have states/regions tried to create jobs? What factors cause good working relationships between employees? Why and how do businesses advertise? How does advertising reflect both the intended audience and the company that is advertising? What rights and responsibilities does an advertising agency have when creating advertisements? Do people have the right to complain about advertisements? Why or why not? How can citizens influence the kinds of information included in advertisements? Reflect on the Work of the Advertising Agents Students need time to reflect on their experiences and progress through this unit. Have students write answers to questions like these: What have I learned about working in an advertising agency? What have I learned about states or regions? What is the best work I did during this unit? Why was it good? What work could I have done better? How could I have done it better? What did I learn about working with others? How might these skills help me outside of this unit?


¸ SYNTHESIS ACTIVITIES The following synthesis activities offer your students the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned in this unit. These activities are also a powerful assessment tool for you because they’re multimodal. They allow for variances in students’ strengths and weaknesses as learners. These activities also allow you to assess students on a variety of subjects and on a number of different levels.

1. PLAN A TRIP FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY Activity Directions: Assume that you and your family have the opportunity to travel for two weeks to one or more of the places that have been the focus of study for the advertising agency. Plan the trip for your family. Include the following information in your plan: Write a rationale for where you will go. Why are these places particularly suited to your family?

• Make a time frame for the trip. Be sure to consider travel time, the number of places you will visit, and the route you will follow.

• Describe the places you will visit and the activities you and your family will do while there.

• Tell why you have chosen these activities for you and your family. • Decide what time of year you will travel and explain the reasons behind your

choice. Exceeds Expectations Meets Expectations Approaching

Expectations Expectations Not Met

Rationale is clear and relates to the family in more than one way

Rationale is clear and relates to the family in at least one way

Rationale is clear but does not relate to family

Is unclear why this is a trip worth taking.

Includes information about travel time, places to be visited, and the route followed and includes additional research on his/her own to get additional information.

Includes information about travel time, places to be visited, and the route followed.

Includes information about travel time, places to be visited, and the route followed; however not realistic in time allocations for travel.

Has misinformation related to time and places to visit.

Clearly describes places to visit and activities to do and these are appropriate to the family interests, time of year, and does additional research on his/her own.

Clearly describes places to visit and activities to do and these are appropriate to the family interests and time of year.

Clearly describes places to visit and activities to do but does not related to family interests and/or time of year

Provides minimal information about places to visit and activities to do. Ignores time of year.

Description of trip is well organized and clear. Provides visuals or pictures to enhance presentation.

Description of trip is well organized and clear.

Description of trip is not always well organized.

Trip is unorganized and does not show understanding of places and their relationship to each other.

Uses correct grammar, spelling, and mechanics of English

Uses correct grammar, spelling, and mechanics of English

Has a few errors in grammar, spelling, or mechanics of English

Has many errors in grammar, spelling, or mechanics of English


2. INTERVIEW BY A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY Activity Directions: Ask a member of the community to interview you about the advertising agency. Identify someone in the community that would be willing to interview you about the Advertising Agency Storypath. This person must be willing to participate in the interview and assess what you have learned. One aspect of this assignment is to contact the person, explain the assignment to him or her, and arrange to do the interview at a given time. Have the interviewer ask you these questions: What is the main purpose of an advertising agency? What skills are needed to work in an advertising agency? Name three places you learned about that would be interesting to visit. Explain why you think each place is an interesting place. What are the two most important things you learned from this Storypath? Explain why these were most important to you. The interviewer should ask question or two of his/her own. Have the interviewer use the rubric below to assess student learning. Criteria for Assessment Exceeds Expectations Meets Expectations Approaching

Expectations Expectations Not Met

Is able to explain the main purpose of an advertising agency and identify four or more skills needed to work in an agency.

Is able to explain the main purpose of an advertising agency and identify at least three skills needed to work in an agency.

Is able to explain the main purpose of an advertising agency and identify at least one skill needed to work in an agency.

Is unclear about the purpose of an advertising agency and the skills need to work in such a place.

Can identify four or more places to visit and can provide accurate information about why those places would be interesting to visit.

Can identify three places to visit and can provide accurate information about why those places would be interesting to visit.

Can identify two places to visit and can provide accurate information about why those places would be interesting to visit.

Can identify only one place to visit and does not have accurate information about the place.

Can identify three or more important things learned and explain why they were most important.

Can identify two important tthings learned and explain why they were most important.

Can identify one important thing learned and explain why it was most important.

Is unable to identify an important learning.

Was able to respond to interviewer with confidence and provide additional information beyond basic questions.

Was able to respond to interviewer with confidence.

Was able respond to the questions. Sometimes unsure of responses.

Had many errors in information, lacked confidence in responding to questions.


Parent/Guardian Letter Dear Family Members, We’re beginning a study of ________________________________ In order for students to develop an understanding of these places, we are going to use a strategy called Storypath, in which students will act as employees who work in an advertising agency. Active learning, cooperation among students, critical thinking, and reflecting on experiences are all essential components of the Storypath process. As the Storypath develops, students will gain a deeper understanding of these places we are studying as they prepare advertisements and presentations. Insights into the operation of the business will also be important as students grapple with issues common to creating a successful company. One of the major tasks of this Storypath will be the research and preparation of an advertisement. Students will be developing literacy skills in locating information, note taking, organizing information, and drafting and editing the advertisements. A timeline will be established to assist your child in planning and organization. When you support your child in following the timeline, your child’s planning and involvement in this unit can run more smoothly. Your child may ask you to assist in researching or sharing your own travel and living experiences in the places we are studying. If you have experiences in any of the places mentioned above, we would welcome your insights and any artifacts, slides, photographs, videos, or other materials that would assist students in learning more about these places. You're welcome to visit our classroom anytime during the Storypath. You will be pleased to see your child confronting important issues that build an understanding of other places and of how businesses operate. I welcome any comments you may have on this unit. Sincerely,

storypath - seattle universityfac-staff.seattleu.edu/mmcguire/web/downloads/...episode 1 the...

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