Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

15 minutes

Introduction: First Impressions

30 minutes

Part A: Jigsaw Classroom Activity - Visual Literacy

15 minutes

Part B: Applying Learning - Any Changes in Interpretation?

25 minutes

Part C: Using Graffiti to Reflect Reality

5 minutes

Reflection

Introduction: First Impressions

Step 1

Distribute enough copies of this visual advertisement so that each student can see it easily. If you want students to be able to make notes directly onto the ad, provide them with a copy each.

Students should be able to view the ad in colour, so that they can incorporate this element into their analysis. Either print the ad in colour, or project it on the wall.

Step 2

Invite students to view the ad and reflect on their initial thoughts using these guiding questions (also provided on the Student Worksheet):

What can you SEE in the advertisement?
How does the advertisement make you FEEL?
What does the advertisement make you want to DO?

If students have their own copy of the ad, they could make notes about any other observations straight onto the page.

Step 3

Ask students to form groups of five and take turns to share their observations and reflections. They will gain a deeper insight into the subjective nature of a text by hearing how their peers think and feel about the same text. Time permitting, ask a couple of volunteers to share their reflections on the ad.

Note: Students should remain seated in their groups for the next part of the lesson.

Part A: Jigsaw Classroom Activity - Visual Literacy

In this part of the lesson, students will work together in a group to learn about a specific technique used in visual texts. They'll use their new knowledge about the technique to re-interpret the ad from the start of the lesson. They will then form a 'jigsaw' group and take turns to share their new knowledge.

Step 1

Distribute a different information sheet to each group member:

Invite students to read through the information, analyse the information by answering the prompts (below), and then apply their learning to the advertisement from earlier. There is space on the Student Worksheet for students to make notes.

What is the purpose of the technique?
What do you think the intended impact of the technique is?
How does the technique change the meaning of the text (ad)?

Step 2

Students should now create expert groups by sitting with the students who read and analysed the same information. Encourage students to discuss the information they read, their responses to the prompts, and how they applied the information to the visual advertisement.

After everybody has shared their responses, students should work with their expert groups to plan, refine and practise a mini-presentation on what they have learned for the members of their original group.

Step 3

Ask students to re-form their original groups, and take turns to share their mini-presentation. Encourage students who are listening to take notes on the information being shared with them. There is space on the Student Worksheet for them to do so.

Part B: Applying Learning - Any Changes in Interpretation?

Step 1

Invite students to apply what they have learned about visual techniques by repeating and expanding on the analysis they performed at the start of the lesson.

What can you SEE in the advertisement?
How does the advertisement make you FEEL?
What does the advertisement make you want to DO?
How has your interpretation of the advertisement changed?
Do you think that the advertisement is fair in the way it portrays the product?

Step 2

Summarise this part of the lesson by inviting some volunteers to share their responses to the prompts.

Part C: Using Graffiti to Reflect Reality

Step 1

Invite students to arrange their seats so they can work independently. In this part of the lesson, they will expose the hidden underlying message of a food advertisement of their choice, and alter the meaning of the ad using words and images to change its appearance and message so that it undermines or criticises the underlying marketing message.

This task gives you an opportunity to tap into students' rebelliousness in a really productive way. If you present the underlying messages of advertising as a type of persuasion or manipulation, you can prime students to be more critical and conscious of advertising by framing media literacy as a way to resist corporate marketing tactics.

Step 2

Invite students to choose a visual advertisement from the magazines that you have collected, or to use a web-enabled device to conduct an online search to find and print a specific ad that they would like to work on.

Step 3

Ask students to analyse and plan how they will alter the ad using the prompts on the Student Worksheet (and below):

What can you SEE in the advertisement?
How does the advertisement make you FEEL?
What does the advertisement make you want to DO?
What, in your opinion, might the ad not be telling you about the product featured?
How can you use words, images or both to change the way the ad looks/reads to either critique the product or subvert the advertising message?

Step 4

Invite students to use their responses and ‘graffiti’ the ad they are working on so that it subverts the message of the advertisement or critiques the product.

Step 5

Once they have finished, encourage students to show and explain their work to the person sitting next to them. Ask volunteers to share their work with the class.

Step 6

Summarise this part of the lesson by explaining that the most effective graffiti understands and subverts the core message of an advertisement. It exposes advertising tricks and helps audiences become more aware of the ways that advertisers market and sell their products.

Encourage students to remain critical of the messages that they are exposed to through food and drink advertising. Inform them that although they cannot legally deface ads that appear in public places, they can still read into the message and mentally subvert it to undermine and expose marketing techniques that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Reflection

Encourage students to reflect on the lesson using the ‘So What?’ reflection activity:

What takeaways from the lesson will be important to know three years from now?
Why?

There is space provided on the Student Worksheet to complete the reflection activity.

Differentiated Learning

Extension - Invite students to conduct their own online search into persuasive techniques used in advertising to extend their understanding beyond those covered in the jigsaw classroom activity.

Provisions for Learning Support - Ensure that students form mixed-ability groups during the jigsaw classroom activity. Alternatively, create a group that will be led by the teacher.

Teacher reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

What did you learn about your teaching today?
What worked well?
What didn't work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

If you would like more information about SugarByHalf or the movement to reduce our sugar intake, check out the SugarByHalf Teachers Network here.

SugarByHalf would also love to share the results of your teaching with the world! If your students are making amazing changes, consider emailing info@sugarbyhalf.com to let them know. They're excited to tell people about your success!

SugarByHalf - Analysing Advertising

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