Topic: Surrounded by advertising – social campaigns in the media

Author: Anna Rabiega

Addressee:

8th grade primary school student

Core curriculum:

X. Mass media.

The student:

2) finds in the media messages on the indicated topic; distinguishes information about facts from comments and opinions; explains what the reliability of journalists should be.

The general aim of education:

The student uses information to create his own statement.

Learning outcomes:

The student:

• explains what a social campaign is.

• presents a couple of social campaigns popular in Poland nowadays and describes what they are about.

• explains why social campaigns are important.

• analyzes the positive role of the media in spreading social campaigns.

• indicates what makes a social campaign effective.

Key competences:

• communicating in a foreign language,

• digital competence,

• learning to learn,

• social and civic competences,

• sense of initiative and entrepreneurship,

• cultural awareness and expression.

Teaching methods:

• brainstorming,

• problem solving,

• teaching conversation using movies, interactive exercises,

• trash and suitcase method.

Forms of work:

• self‑learning,

• group work,

• whole‑class activity.

Material & equipment needed:

• computers with loudspeakers/headphones and internet access, headphones,

• multimedia resources from the e‑textbook – chapter: W sieci reklamy, Surrounded by advertising – social campaigns in the media,

• small pieces of paper in two different colours (e.g. green and yellow) for each student,

• interactive whiteboard/blackboard, felt‑tip pen/a piece of chalk.

Lesson plan overview (Process):

Introduction:

1. The teacher presents the goal of the lesson: You will find out why social campaigns are important and what determines their effectiveness.

2. The teacher initiates a discussion, he asks the students whether they have heard about actions such as „Safe way to school”, “Childbirth with Dignity” or „Christmas without borders”, and then whether they know what this type of actions are called and if they know other examples of social campaigns in the media. The students share their knowledge and write their insights associated with social campaigns on the board.

Implementation:

1. The teacher asks the students to watch a film „SEKRET – kampania dla Fundacji Dzieci Niczyje” (from online resources) and suggests they should above all pay attention to the emotions that it evokes. Next, the teacher asks the students to do the task „Emotions” from the abstract „Surrounded by advertising - social campaigns in the media” on an interactive whiteboard. The students have to determine the emotions that the film caused in them and talk about them.

2. The teacher asks the class to split into five groups. The students will work using a problem solving method. The task of each group will be to design a social media campaign in an important case (e.g. online hate, legal highs, drunk drivers, etc.). The teacher informs that groups should plan the work into three phases:

a. Diagnosis of the problem: What is the problem? Who does the problem concern? Who might need or want the problem to be solved? What information is needed and where can it be found?

b. Searching for a solution to the problem: What are the ways to solve the problem? What are their pros and cons? What opportunities and threats do the possible solutions involve?

c. Choice of solution: Which solution is the best in the light of accepted values (e.g. justice) and other criteria (e.g. low cost or simplicity)? What difficulties may occur during its implementation? What should the next steps look like when implementing the solution? Who or what can make it difficult or impossible? Who can you count on as an ally?

After analyzing the problem, the students choose a target group - to whom their campaign should be addressed; they invent the campaign slogans and logos; they design a poster and create a short scenario of an advertising spot; they make a choice of a famous person that they could invite to support their project.

3. The groups present the results of their work to the rest of the class. The students from other groups indicate what is the strongest and weakest part of the presented campaign.

4. The teacher asks the students to use their knowledge about social campaigns to prepare an interactive crossword, the main slogan of which is the word „CAMPAIGN”, and the definitions of the other slogans are to be associated with social campaigns in the media. At the end of the work, the most interesting proposals can be solved by the entire class on the multimedia board.

Summary:

1. The teacher carries out a summary part of the lesson using the trash and suitcase method. The teacher hands out small pieces of paper in two different colours (e.g. green and yellow). On the green pieces of paper the students write down the useful knowledge and skills they acquired during the class – these go into “the suitcase” (students stick it to a board under that category). The yellow pieces of paper are used to write down things the students did not find useful or interesting – these go into “the trash” (under the sign that reads “trash” on the board). The teacher explains, that their reflection may concern both the acquired knowledge, and the new skills they have learned. The teacher reads students’ reflections on the experience – first the “trash” contents, then the “suitcase”.

2. Homework proposal:

a. Find an example of a social campaign (online or on TV) that in your opinion seems important, interestingly implemented, necessary. Describe what the campaign was about and what it involved and justify your choice.

b. Listen to the abstract recording to review the material and new vocabulary. Then do the vocabulary exercise at the end of the chapter.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Surrounded by advertising – social campaigns in the media

The media can also organize big campaigns, that point attention to unsolved social problems. Many of them already brought wonderful results, a lot will need to be repeated. “Childbirth with Dignity”, “Safe way to school” or “Christmas without borders” are just a couple of examples of such media activity.

Watch a short movie „SEKRET – kampania dla Fundacji Dzieci Niczyje” (on YouTube) prepared for a social campaign of the Empowering Children Foundation (Fundacja Dzieci Niczyje, from 2016 Fundacja Dajemy Dzieciom Siłę). Do you think it is an effective campaign?