In these lessons students will take inventory of the ads that saturate our environment and begin to consider the question: Are you influenced by advertising?

Advertisements are all around us. In fact, they are such an integral part of our urban landscape that we often don"t even notice that they are there! In this unit we will become acutely "aware" of these ads and learn how to read them critically. After we learn to read them we will reflect upon their message; what are they saying to us and what are they saying about us?

• Discuss: Where do you usually find ads? TV, billboards, newspapers, internet. . . What about the classroom? Is the school free from ads?

• Students silently look and walk around the classroom and make a list on paper of all the ads they see.
• Students count the items on their list. The person with the most items then reads their list aloud. Other students may also read their lists. List will include any ads that are in the room, in addition to brand names on products and clothes (An offshoot question: Is there anyone who is not wearing a visible brand on their shoes or clothes?) and may include anything else from posters promoting ideas to art pieces, which will naturally lead to a discussion of "What is an ad?"

Quickwrite #2:

• What is an advertisement? An ad is something that is trying to influence a person to "buy" (or adopt) a product, service or idea. (Answers will vary!)
• In their notebooks, students individually write a definition for advertisement.
• Share and discuss answers
• Class adopts a composite definition for advertisement and begins their unit vocabulary list

Quickwrite #3:

• Are you influenced by advertising? Explain and give evidence to illustrate your answer.