An Introduction to Audiences- Brittany Stahlman

Focus: An Introduction to Audiences

Name: Commercial Journal - an activity for 8th graders

Rationale: This activity is intended to encourage students to begin thinking about audiences in both literature and other types of media, such as advertisements, film and television. After completing a record of the commercials that happen during a TV show, students will in groups begin to analyze the products advertised during particular TV shows. The objective of the activity is to have students discuss the importance of audiences, why they exist, and the strategies authors or advertisers use to reach them.

Procedure:

1.Materials: Students will need a television to watch for an hour at home; if students do not have a television to watch, they will be able to use magazines, the Internet or radio.

2. Length of time: 1 hour at home for students to journal commercials; 30-45 minutes in class for discussion.

3. Sequence of events:
- The class before discussion, students will be instructed to watch 1 hour of TV. They will have to record a) The show(s) they watched; b) the products advertised and a short description of the commercials played during that hour; and c) the number of times per hour each commercial played.
- The next class period, students will get into groups of 3 or 4 and discuss their journals. They will spend 10 minutes discussing what they watched and the types of commercials they saw.
- The students will then spend 20 minutes discussing questions that have been written on the board:
1. How old do you think people who watched your show are? What gender are they?
2. What do you think they like to do in their free time?
3. Were there any commercials you thought seemed out of place? If not, what commercial would you be surprised to see?
4. What were your favorite and least favorite commercials? Why?
- After the discussion, the teacher will bring the students together for a large group discussion. She will ask for some of group's responses to questions and tie them to the importance of knowing the intended audience when writing, reading, advertising or speaking.

Reference:

Adapted from - Henry, Laura A.(n.d.). Critical Media Literacy: Commercial Advertising. Read. Write. Think. Retrieved September 30, 2010, from http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/critical-media-literacy-commercial-97.html?tab=4#tabs