The Toy Book: A Desktop Publishing Project

Designed for Grades: 6-8

Students survey their peers to determine the top 10 toys for the holiday season. After students have compiled their data, they rank-order the results. These results are compiled in a booklet entitled: The Toy Book...Top 10 Toys for the Holiday Season!

The booklet can then be distributed or sold to adults who may need a little assistance in selecting gifts for children.

I know the writer always needs lots of help during this time of the year!

In sum, a book by children, written for adults!

This lesson covers a wide range of content areas. It's multi-disciplinary!

Curriculum Content Areas: Language Arts, Art, Journalism, Critical Thinking, and Mathematics, Marketing and Research, Consumerism and Computer Technology

Materials Needed: Pens or pencils, color markers or crayons, computer, word processing program, clipboards, toys, camera and/or videotaping equipment.

Word processing program suggestion: ClarisWorks, Creative Writer by Microsoft

Activity Duration: One semester, if you start in the fall. Final completion two weeks before winter break.

Objectives: Students will:

• Develop their analytical skills
• Learn to how-to draw conclusions based on a set of criteria
• Enhance oral and written communication skills
• Learn how-to work cooperatively
• Improve computer keyboarding skills
• Practice basic math skills: division, percent, and addition

Teacher Activities

• Solicit local vendors for donated toys. Get new toys!
  • Aim for 10-20 toys
  • Vary your selection: Educational toys, board games, card games, books*, electronic toys, hands-on toys
    (*Keep books to a minimum. It’s hard to survey books among a large group. Interactive books are good. Last year Barnes and Noble donated a book for children to use while travelling by car. Luckily, one of my students was going to Disney World that weekend. She "tested" the book while travelling.)
  • Ask vendors to suggest their company’s anticipated hot sellers for the holiday season.
  • This gives you baseline data. Suggestion: Compare students’ baseline to vendors’ baseline.
  • Create focus groups**
    (**Focus group: A group of persons brought together for a common goal for the purpose of conducting research. In your case, your focus groups will be groups of 4-5 students involved in play. Your focus groups are essentially, playgroups. Your focus groups will play with the toys while being observed by your students.)
  • Identify students who will participate in your students’ survey.
  • Ask teachers if you can "borrow" their class for one-two class periods
  • Schedule times for focus group
  • Locate area for playgroup surveying. Large open area works best (e.g. media center)
  • Explain project to students

Student Activities

Day #1

1. Brainstorm a variety of fun toys.
   • Teacher Note: Use this list to supplement vendor toy suggestions.

Day #2

1. Rank-order list.
   • This becomes students' baseline data. Survey results can be compared to vendor and student baseline data.
   • Homework assignment: Each student will rank-order class data based on their personal preferences.

Day #3

1. Compile individual student list. Create one big class rank-ordered list.

2. Discuss marketing aspects.

• Who will use this book?
• How do you know they need the book?
  • Teacher: Here's a good reason for creating a user survey. Students can make-up a survey to use with their parents to determine if they have a problem selecting toys for kids. Class or group activity.
• What type of information will the buyer/user need to make a good decision when buying toys?
• What kinds of mistakes do adults make when selecting toys?
• Have you (the student) ever gotten a toy you did not like?
  • If so, what didn’t you like about the toy? (Teacher: Direct students to use this information to help determine the type of information you will include in your toy book).