Quest+3+(Maria+Guerrero,+Jessica+Lally)

**__Media Awareness__ **  A WebQuest for 9th Grade English Designed by Maria Guerrero & Jessica Lally media type="youtube" key="0p1P8bK8DzU" width="425" height="350" align="center"

 **Introduction** Have you ever wondered what it is about commercials that makes you want to purchase their product? Have you ever noticed the types of commercials played during certain shows? For this assignment, you are media analysts and as such you must analyze mass media marketing techniques via research and commercials in order to identify marketing messages and explore their meaning, their target audience, and measure their effectiveness. You will then apply this newfound knowledge in making your own commercial. 

 **The Task** You will analyze hidden and explicit media messages, target audiences, and marketing techniques. You will research these topics in groups of three, then work together to apply your knowledge by making a commercial of your own. You will learn about media literacy, how to design a commercial and write a script, how to film a commercial, and how to edit video using iMovie (or another video-editing tool).

 **The Process**

**Part One-Researching Media**

1. Choose the topic you want to research. Each group member should be responsible for one topic. 2. Follow the links below to outside websites you should read. Please use any accompanying questions to help you understand what you are reading.

__Topic: Media Literacy__ What are the 8 parts to media literacy? [] What is a target audience and why is it so widely used in marketing? How do you think this could be used positively? How could it be used negatively? []

__Topic: Deconstructing Media Messages__ Why do companies stereotype when they market things? What are they really trying to do? [] After reading this article, where do you think “hidden media messages” come from? What can we do to reveal those messages? http://www.nmmlp.org/media_literacy/pdfs/Deconstructing_Media_Messages.pdf __Topic: Marketing Techniques__ What are the 5 stages of an advertising campaign? Be prepared to use these stages in your group to design your commercial. [] What kind of visual effects and details can you work into your commercial? Can you think of any examples from TV commercials you've seen that caught your attention? [| http://www.ehow.com/how_4897275_make-good-commercial-school.html] What techniques do advertisers use to get your attention or make you think positively about their product? http://www.ehow.com/facts_4965325_brainwashing-techniques-tv-commercials.html

3. After you finish your research, summarize your findings to the rest of the group. 4. As a group, pick a commercial and apply your research to the commercial. Be prepared to explain to the class what the commercial is about, including: who created it, who it is targeting, what the hidden message is (if applicable), and what techniques the creators are using to market the product.

**Part Two- Application: Create your own Commercial!**

1. In the same groups, choose a product you would like to sell, or an idea you want the audience to agree with. 2. Design your commercial. Write an audio-visual script, choose what effects will be in your commercial, and prepare materials for filming (props, cameras, extra actors, etc.). 3. Film your commercial. 4. Use iMovie or a similar movie editing software to edit your commercial. 5. Show your commercial in class and be prepared to explain your movie in the context of the research you did.

 **Evaluation** For the first part of the assignment, you will be evaluated based on your group discussion of research and how well you apply the research to the commercial you choose to deconstruct. For the second part of the assignment, you will be evaluated on your commercial, and how well it shows what you have learned about mass media marketing.

Your group will be given one grade for each of the tasks. We will also be passing out individual feedback surveys where you can grade your fellow group members based on their participation. Therefore, you will receive three separate grades for this assignment: a group grade for deconstructing the commercial, a group grade for the commercial you create, and an individual grade for participation in the whole task (based on the peer feedback surveys).

 **Conclusion** Now that you have become mass media analysts and commercial producers, you should be able to view commercials and understand the marketing messages embedded in them. The next time you watch TV, take notice of what is being shown or communicated, and what techniques the marketers are using to get you to consume their product or support their idea.

If you are interested in further exploration on the topic of media literacy, check out www.media-awareness.com.

 **Credits & References** Video of "Swagger Wagon Commercial" retrieved on 6/24/10 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p1P8bK8DzU&feature=player_embedded

Image retrieved on 6/25/10 from http://wordandimage.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/wordle-media-literacy.jpg