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Unit:
Producing Public Service Announcements
Click here to see an example! (Requires Windows Media Player)
Instructional Objectives:
The students will learn about Public Service Announcements (“PSAs”)
and what sets them apart from a regular commercial.
The students will work cooperatively to brainstorm a class list of PSAs.
Time
Required:
60 minutes
Advance
Preparation:
Get a videotape copy of “This
is your brain on drugs …” commercial. This is an old commercial so it may be difficult to get.
You may use any other PSA currently on television instead.
Materials Required: Television, VCR, videotape of PSA “This is your brain…,” chart paper, markers, magnets to post chart paper.
Aim:
What are Public Service Announcements?
Motivation:
Show class the “This is your brain on drugs…” PSA television
commercial (or any other PSA of your choice).
After viewing it, discuss the PSA. What
is the point of this commercial? What
is the commercial supposed to do? (Give
you a bad message about drugs.) Are
there any other commercials that you’ve seen on television or heard on the
radio that have a message – a positive message?
These commercials are called Public Service Announcements (“PSAs”).
They are exactly what they sound like - service announcements to the public.
How are these commercials different from other commercials?
(They don’t sell you anything – just offer you advice, bring something to your
attention, offer assistance, teach you, etc.)
Activity:
Break up class into groups of 4 –6 students each.
Have students brainstorm to come up with a list of PSAs that they can recall.
Then, make a class list of the PSAs they’ve listed.
After
this is done, work as a class to identify PSA topics (e.g., the “This is
your brain…” is an anti-drug PSA). Post
the PSA topics in your classroom.
Your
students list may include some of the following, or even some more of their own!
Instructional
Objectives:
The students will prepare a list
of Guidelines for Writing Public Service Announcements
and understand the importance of those guidelines for developing a PSA.
Time
Required:
60 minutes
Advance
Preparation:
: Video
tape at least 5 PSAs from a major Network channel or cable’s Lifetime
Channel. A lot of the PSAs are on
during the afternoon (about 3 p.m.).
Materials
Required:
Television, VCR, videotape of PSAs, PSA list developed by class during last
meeting.
Do
Now: Review
the class list of PSAs posted in class. View
teacher’s taped PSAs with class. What
is the tone used in these commercials (serious, humorous, etc.)?
Why is the tone of the commercial an important part of a PSA?
PSAs have a serious tone. Seriousness
lends to credibility/believability.
Activity:
Brainstorm
with class about what are the qualities of an excellent PSA.
Break
up class into small groups (for about 2-4 minutes).
Have them complete the following sentence:
“An
excellent PSA should ________________________________________.”
3. Students may come up with the following, which will set up Guidelines
for Writing a
Public Service Announcement:
·
be
serious
·
have
a clear message
·
be
no longer than 15-20 seconds (approximately
45 – 60 words)
·
have
important information
·
have
accurate information
·
use
someone who looks believable
·
use
someone famous (but does not have to be)
·
use
someone who is likeable and respected
·
use
someone who can act ( is credible)
·
use
someone who is dressed appropriately for the part he is playing
·
give
statistics (when appropriate, e.g. number of people that die because they were
not wearing seatbelts)
The
Assignment:
Explain to the students that they will each be writing their own Public Service Announcements and using the guidelines they brainstormed (see above).
Randomly
assign PSA topics. You can have
each topic written on a little piece of paper and have each student come up to
pick one “out of the hat,” or if you have your PSAs listed on a piece of
paper, number them and ask each student to select a number from 1 to 50 (or
however many PSAs you have). If the
student selects 13, that student gets whatever PSA topic is listed next to 13 on
your list.
Days
Four and Five
Instructional
Objectives:
Using the Guidelines
for Writing a Public Service Announcement prepared in the previous
meeting, each student will write his or her own PSA for eventual videotaping.
Time
Required:
40 min.
Advance
Preparation: Be
ready to review list of PSAs with class. A
student may be assigned a topic he or she is not familiar with, like The Boys
and Girls Club of America. Give a
quick explanation of what it is.
Materials
Required:
scrap paper for drafts,
computers, yellow pages, Internet access.
Aim:
How can we write our own excellent PSAs?
Procedure:
Quickly review importance of PSAs. Review
the importance of each of the guidelines, especially
the importance of providing accurate information (e.g. Suicide Hotline –
you must give the right phone number!) Discuss
where the information is available.
Activity:
Have students write their own PSAs.
Students must research their assignments. Encourage use of the Internet. Note: It may be necessary to teach students how to do a search for their topics on line. Also, be prepared to provide access to students who do not have computers at home.
Students
can begin their search in aol.com,
about.com,
yahoo.com,
etc., or can search online
magazines and newspapers for statistics. Students can also refer to online yellow pages or yellow pages book to search for hotline phone
numbers.
Some
web links:
 |
NewspapersAtoZ.com |
|
Safety Tips (for children using Internet) |
|
AOL Parenting: Search (thousands of links on possible PSA topics) |
|
AOL Health (great links divided by category, online self-assessment quizzes, and more) |
|
Yellowpages.com (Online Yellow Pages Directory) |
4.
Have
students begin preparing a draft of their PSAs in class.
Students must submit their drafts to teacher for review and approval and
must identify the source of their statistics/information.
5. Drafts must be typed, double
space, at 14pt. Two copies must be
printed (one for teacher, one for student).
6.
Following
approval of the students’ drafts, allow the students time in class to prepare cue
cards for use during the videotaping of the PSAs.
Cue
cards can be prepared in several ways:
·
on oak tag using thick markers*
·
on chart paper, provided by teacher, thick markers*
·
printed on computer paper in large print so that student can read from a
distance.
*Allow
students who print neatly to help out a printing “challenged” student.
It’s also okay to have Mom or Dad print for them!
Students could also be asked to save PSAs on a 3 ˝” floppy so that a class computer can be used as a teleprompter!
Days
Six and Seven
Lights,
Camera, Action!
Time
to videotape your students' PSAs!
Materials
required:
One video camera, one blank videotape, screen or material for backdrop,
one stool (or student may choose to stand during taping), necessary cue cards or
teleprompter/computer.
Procedure:
Teacher videotapes first student, then first student should be allowed to
videotape second student, second student videotapes third student, etc.
Additional students may hold cue cards or run teleprompter/computer.
Set
up a taping schedule for the PSAs. Post
the taping schedule. Remind
students to dress appropriately for taping and have fun!!!!
Since PSA will only be 20 – 30 seconds long, several students can be
taped in one 40 minute period.
Good
Luck and Have Fun!!!
Attachments:
Digital images of the kids at work