Trick or Treat for Unicef Lesson Plan By Travis Kruger Title: Trick or Treat for Unicef Subject/Course: Language Time: Approximately 40 minutes Strand: Media Literacy/ Writing Grade: 5 Lesson Description Lesson is the first step in the creation of a media text, used to advertise the use of collection boxes for UNICEF at Halloween. A video from UNICEF would be shown and could lead into a class discussion about why there is a need for funds to be raised. Students would then be divided into groups to discuss the method that they feel is best for advertising this particular cause to the rest of the students in their school, and to write an assignment proposal for their teacher to approve. Stage 1: Desired Results Fundamental Concepts/Skills - Knowledge of target audience and how to best reach that audience - Advertising techniques and formats, e.g.: radio, magazine, television, newspaper, pamphlet, alternative source (tshirts/clothing, flash mobs, public demonstration) - Presenting a point of view/counterpoint through writing - Using advertising to sell an idea, instead of a product Big Ideas/Essential Question Which advertising techniques would be best to encourage other students to raise money for UNICEF when trick-or-treating at Halloween? Why is it important for children to help other children in Africa? How effective is advertising when it comes from a trusted source (student s promotion versus corporate promotion)? Ontario Curricular Overall Expectations - Writing: Generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience (Ontario Curriculum, 100). In this case the purpose would be to gather information and ideas, and then write an advertisement directed at other students for the promotion of UNICEF at Halloween. - Media Literacy: Create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques (Ontario Curriculum, 103). For this lesson students will be creating what they think is the best media text to help them promote the importance of collecting funds for UNICEF at Halloween. Ontario Curricular Specific Expectation - Writing: Point of View Identify a point of view and other possible points of view, and determine, when appropriate, if their own view is balanced and supported by evidence (Ontario Curriculum, 101). Students should be able to properly explain their choice of media text and why it would be best suited for this campaign. They will also need to write a convincing argument within their text in order to convince other students of importance of collecting for UNICEF at Halloween. - Media Literacy: Purpose and Audience Describe in detail the topic, purpose, and audience for media texts they plan to create (Ontario Curriculum, 104). Students should be able to identify and select an appropriate media text to promote the UNICEF campaign to their target audience. Lesson Goals Educate students on the importance of raising money for UNICEF at Halloween.
Have students make important decisions in a group setting. Educate students on the power of advertising when the right source is utilized for a specific campaign. Complement prior learning in and writing. Get students engaged and involved in a cause that helps other children their age in developing nations. Key concepts and/or skills to be learned/applied: Background Knowledge: Creation of an appropriate media text based on audience and topic to be addressed. Developing a perspective on global issues and how to help where possible. Backing up opinions with supporting evidence. Student Groupings Students will be placed in groups of four by teacher based on individual skill levels for the assignment. For the discussions students will all be together in main learning space for shared discussion with teacher. Materials Computer w/ Internet Connection Projector (to screen video) Worksheet for students to write down proposal and hand in to teacher at the end of class How to create a media text. Understanding of target audiences. Presentation of a point of view through writing. Different forms of advertising and their separate and specific conventions. Stage 2: Planning learning experience and instruction Instructional Strategies Discussion of issues with the students to ensure comprehension of importance of the issues (issues facing children in Africa such as: poverty, lack of educational resources, etc). Use video as a visual to help illustrate what UNICEF does for children in Africa. Allow students to decide for themselves the direction that they want to take for their projects. Considerations Students may not have high English comprehension levels. Students may not be comfortable participating in this assignment due to speech exceptionalities. Students may not celebrate Halloween or go out trick or treating. Students may finish before allotted time. Accommodations For students with problems with English comprehension, they will be placed in groups with students who are strong with languages to ensure that their group can succeed in the completion of their project. Students who do not want to have a speaking part in their advertisements due to speech exceptionalities, could help the group in other ways (helping to brainstorm ideas, writing, etc ). Alternative ways of raising money could be brainstormed for those students who do not celebrate Halloween, and advertisements could suggest these alternatives. Extension Activities Students will be given reference materials for them to read and take notes on as preparation for their project. Students can make banners/posters to complement their audio or visual presentations through use of art supplies Students could make graphs/charts as to their goals for fundraising that would enable them to track their progress as the month goes along Stage 3: Learning experience and instruction Motivational Hook (12-13 MINS.): Ask questions of students about Halloween: what happens at Halloweend? Why is it celebrated? What they costumes
will they be wearing? Then ask if they can think of anything else that is associated with Halloween, such as UNICEF (2-3 mins). Brief discussion (2-3 minutes) about UNICEF to ensure students knowledge of the organization. Presentation of video (approx 7 minutes) from UNICEF website. Video presents a good overview of what the organization does with the money raised through donations, and how much certain items cost. The video presents a good jump off point for discussion about UNICEF and the assignment at hand as it gets students talking about the important issues. Open (12-14 MINS): Discussion about the importance of UNICEF at Halloween. Have students discuss and write on board the successes and failures each year at Halloween when raising money while Trick or Treating. Think about ways to create awareness for UNICEF so that every child is informed about the importance of bringing their UNICEF box and remembering to ask for donations. Brief presentation by teacher about the different regions in Africa that UNICEF is providing aid to this year (Malawi and Rwanda). Presentation and discussion of the Day in the Life material from the UNICEF website. Body (15-17 MINS): Teacher will explain the task of creating a :30 second advertisement to help educate their fellow students about the importance of collecting for UNICEF on Halloween night. Students are divided into the groups decided upon by the teacher, and given a handout to work on. Through the handout, the students must decide on the best method of advertising their ideas to their students, and come up with key messages to include in their advertisement. Students should have prior knowledge of the different forms of advertisements they can use, and they will be informed that they will be able to work on this assignment during class time. Realistic goals should be set by the students during this time in order to decide how much money/how many items they would like to raise as part of their campaign. Close (5 MINS): Students will hand in their project proposals to the teacher who will take the time to review all of them and hand back with comments on how to approach their task. Teacher will explain that once all of the media texts are completed that there will be a vote to take place to determine which advertisement the class chooses to use for their promotion of the campaign. Link to Future Lessons Students will have time in class to work on their projects and do any research necessary to help make their campaign more influential Issues surrounding the importance of water purification could be discussed as part of a Science unit Students could create charts that visually represent the goals of their fundraising (for example: if they raise $750 how many sets of pencils could they buy?) as part of a Mathematics unit Students could do more in depth research about the regions in Africa to find out the History and Geography of the different African nations. Assessment See Attached Rubric
Trick or Treat for Unicef - Lesson Plan Rubric Teacher Name: Student Name: CATEGORY 4 3 2 1 Students express Students express Students express and organize ideas and organize ideas and organize ideas and information and information and information with a high degree with considerable with some of Expression and organization of ideas and information Students express and organize ideas and information with limited Application of Knowledge and skills contexts with a high degree of contexts with considerable contexts with some contexts with limited Choice of Advertisement Students create an advertisement that both unique and is adequate for the promotion of the UNICEF campaign. Students create an adevertisement that is adequate for the promotion of the UNICEF campaign. Students create an advertisement, but it is not adequate for the promotion of the UNICEF campaign. Students to not create an adequate advertisement. Written Product Students are able to balance their point of view with a counterpoint, and support their argument with evidence Students are able to balance their point of view with a counterpoint, and support their argument with evidence Students present point of view, but do not adequately present a counterpoint and/or supporting evidence Students do not have a point of view presented
Rubric adapted from a Public Awareness Campaign rubric found at: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php Rationale Children who celebrate Halloween often associate the day solely with candy and costumes, and often what gets left behind when they head out for the evening is their UNICEF box. Through this lesson plan, my goal was to engage students with the UNICEF campaign and have them utilize their Media Literacy and Writing skills to educate their peers. By grade five, students should have some experience with media texts. As part of the overall expectations for the Media Literacy strand in the Ontario Language curriculum, students will create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques (Ontario Curriculum, 103). The UNICEF lesson plan encourages students to develop their own ideas on how to advertise to their peers, while at the same time the plan helps to promote a very important cause in UNICEF. For the writing component of this lesson plan, students were asked to write a convincing advertisement directed at their peers encouraging them to bring their UNICEF boxes with them when out trick or treating. In the overall expectations for the Writing strand of the Ontario Language Curriculum, students will generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience (Ontario Curriculum, 100). In this case the purpose and audience are given to the students, and it is up to them to come up with the best way to attract their audience through their writing, as well as their choice of advertising format. Overall this lesson is important for getting students engaged and thinking about issues that affect children in Africa. By having students encourage their peers, especially those in the younger grades, to bring their UNICEF donation boxes with them on Halloween students will only learn how much of a difference they can make. If students enjoy raising money for this cause, other causes could be fundraised for by the same class throughout the rest of the year.
UNICEF ADVERTISEMENT PROPOSAL Group Members: Team Name: Proposal for :30 Second Advertisement: Proposed Goals: Key Messages to be Included: Materials Required for Advertisement:
Works Cited Ontario. Ministry of Education. The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8: Language. Ontario: Queen s Printer for Ontario, 2006. Unicef. Trick or Treat for Unicef. 01 Oct. 2009. < http://www.trickortreatforunicef.ca/ > Unicef. Informational Video. 01 Oct. 2009. < http://www.trickortreatforunicef.ca/dvd/unicef%20tot%20video_eng.mov.qt >