Title: Cool Product, By Alicia St.Germain

Age/grade level: 9-12

Big idea:

How can I help my students realize the impact that visual media has on their lives.

Rationale:

Today’s students live in an increasing visual landscape controlled by media moguls competing to control the buying and social habits of our youth. Its Important that students realize these goals designated by advertisers and encourage students to think for themselves and not let the advertiser do it for them.

Teacher reflection:

In this lesson students will create a 3-minute photo collage video focusing on the effects advertising has on the buying habits of youth culture.

Discipline connections:

Art, Media Studies, Social Studies

Benchmarks (standards):

• Use materials, techniques, media technology, and processes to communicate ideas and experiences.
• Apply organizational principles and functions to solve specific visual arts problems.
• Be involved in the process and presentation of a final product or exhibit.

Creating:

• Apply knowledge of materials, techniques, and processes to create artwork.
• Explore and understand prospective subject matter, ideas, and symbols for works of art.
• Select and use subject matter symbols and ideas to communicate meaning.
• Use technology as a tool for creative expression.
• Organize information and ideas for media productions.
• Integrate visual, spatial, and temporal concepts with content to communicate intended meaning in artworks.

Analyze:

• Form and defend judgments about characteristics and structures to accomplish commercial, personal, communal, or other purposes of art.

Learning objectivities:

• Analyze the movie Merchants of Cool discussing the use of media and advertising of youth culture.
• Create an Movie film using images and developed accompanying texts that support a specific purpose or function.
• Present and assess the effectiveness of the final Imovie project.

Activities (studio work):

Day one: Show the PBS program The Merchants of Cool, 53 minutes.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/view/

Have students fill out questionnaire as they watch the video to be discussed afterwards.

Day 2:

After discussing the video Merchants of cool hand out, break students into groups and hand out the project rubric. While introducing rubric to students, show examples of past student work. Have students choose a predetermined “product” from the assignment table, random items might include:

• Banana Toothbrush
• Tye dye shirt Old purse
• Old tennis shoes Cake mix
• Egg beater Grocery bag
• Text book Umbrella

Day 3: Computer lab, Prep: have random images and music available for students to practice using Imovie with.

If students do not have experience using the Movie program go over functions having students follow along with their sample or actual photos for their video.

· Show how to import images.

· Show how to incorporate text.

· Show how to edit pictures.

· Show how to create transitions.

· Show how to include voice over.

· Show how to incorporate music.

Day 4: Allow students to use computer to research products, edit their videos and take photos using digital camera.

Day 5: Depending on progress of students allow them to continue to edit and create their video. Set a finish date.

Finish Date: Have students present their video to the classroom for class critique.

Assessment criteria:

What will students learn from this activity?

• Students will be able to critically discuss the influence media advertising has on their lives.
• Students will create a professional Movie project to include in their portfolio.

What will I look for as evidence that students understand?

• Students complete their project on time.
• Students participate in classroom conversation and critique.
• Student’s hand in all writings completed.

Artists/artworks references:

• PBS program The Merchants of Cool, 53 minutes.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/view/

· Movie: learn more at: http://www.atomiclearning.com/imovie3x

· Handouts are connected below.
Write a short response to each question to discuss later in class, and use for reflection on your next project.

1. What role do fashion magazines play in American culture? What kind of influence do you think they have on the way boys and girls look at themselves and the world?

2. What role do teen celebrities play in American culture? Even when these celebrities are not considered "role models," do you think they have an effect on the way boys and girls view themselves, others, and the world around them?

3. What is the role of advertising in a capitalist society? What do you think goes into making ads? What kind of research?

4. Do you think that the kinds of stories told by advertisements targeted at kids simply reflect what teens are, and what they want? Or do you think ads also play a role in creating these things?

5. What do the mass media tell us about what it means to be American? Is this ideal of America connected to buying things? Is it connected to ideals of femininity and masculinity? What American values are missing from the stories told by the mass media?

6. How do the mass media define what it means to be a girl? A woman? Femininity?

7. How do the mass media define what it means to be a boy? A man? Masculinity?

8. How much overall influence do you think the mass media have over how people define and feel about themselves?

9. Would it make sense for companies to spend millions of dollars every year on advertisements targeted specifically at kids if they didn’t think it would affect the way kids think?

10. Do you think that the media should be more responsible for the images that it shows to teenagers? Why? Why not?

Cool Product Project

1. You will be creating A short 3-minute video using the program Imovie where you will specifically target teenagers to want to use or purchase a specific product.

2. Answer the following questions to help you create the bases for your advertisement video.

-What product are you Advertising?

-Who is your target audience for your product?

-Where could your product be sold?

-What other products or companies are similar to your product?

-How do those companies advertise their product?

3. Use the digital camera and take photos of your product to use in your Imovie.

4. Your Imovie cannot be longer than 3 minutes, must contain sound or music, contain text, and be appropriate to show to an audience outside of this classroom. Below are the guidelines for which you will be graded for this project.

Is video finished? 1 2 3 4 5

Product for sale is obvious? 1 2 3 4 5

Was music or sound used? 1 2 3 4 5

Was text used? 1 2 3 4 5

All questions and writing completed and handed in? 1 2 3 4 5

Classroom Participation? 1 2 3 4 5