Activity 2.3: Analyzing Informational Text 7th Grade Springboard

Learning Targets I can identify factors that affect consumer choices and discuss relevant facts with a partner. I can draft and evaluate an original research question.

Notebook 9/27 Activity 2.3 Vocab pg.

Colon : Used to formally introduce the material that follows, such as a list or an explanatory statement that completes the sentence. Example on pg. 93 under the “New Dream Poll, “Nag Factor” heading.

The suggested or implied meaning or emotional associated with a word– beyond the literal defintion Connotation

Preview In this activity, you will read an informational text about marketing to children. Then you will use the information you have read to begin thinking about research on the topic.

About the Author The Center for a New American Dream is an organization that aims to protect the environment, reduce consumption, and promote social justice.

Before Reading Preview the text “Facts About Marketing to Children” by skimming and scanning for text features. Answer this question in the “My Notes” section. What features do you notice? How is the text arranged? What is the purpose of this text arrangement?

First Read Read Circle unknown words

Second Read Use markers Look for information related to the questions. Make comments/annotations in the my notes section when using markers.

Text Dependent Questions What is the central idea of each section of the text? “Children as Targets” introduces the idea that companies marketing to children is a big business. “Commercial Television” focuses on TV advertisements targeting children. “Beyond the Tube” shares facts about other media types used to market to children. “Nag Factor” shares data about children responding to advertising by asking their parents to buy certain products. “What Kids Really Want” indicates that children say they would prefer spending time with parents rather than shopping. “In Schools” implies that marketing to children in schools is a widespread occurrence. “Harming Children’s Well-Being” discusses some of the negative effects of marketing to children.

Text-Dependent Questions 2. According to the text, how much of a youth’s day is spent using technology? What might be the advantages and disadvantages for youth to be “plugged in” this much? Kids spend an average of 6.5 hours per day using technology. An advantage is access to more information. A disadvantage is overexposure to advertising.

Text-Dependent Questions 3. What is the function of footnotes in an informational article such as this? They add to the credibili8ty of the information and allow readers to check the accuracy and credibility of information.

Text-Dependent Questions 4. Notice the author’s use of terms infiltrate, deploy, and taskforce. What is the connotation of these terms? What might the connotation suggest about the author’s positon on the topic? These terms have a military connotation. The use of these terms suggest that the author sees marketing to children as an assault that must be resisted.

Working from the Text 5. The author presents many facts about marketing to children. Are the facts mostly positive, negative, or neutral? Support your answer with evidence from the text. Mostly negative and neutral. The article states many neutral facts such as “according to a leading expert on branding, 80 percent of all global brands now deploy a ‘tween strategy’,” and “children aged 12-17 will ask their parents for products they have seen advertised an average of nine-times” (The Center for the New American Dream). However there were many negative facts about marketing regarding the rise of obesity and debt among 18-24 year olds, along with a decreased sense of self-esteem and overall well-being. The author is implying that these statistics are a result of marketing to the youth.

Working from the Text 6. Based on your answer to question 5, what would you say is the author’s opinion of marketing to children? The author’s opinion is mostly negative towards children. While the beginning of the article was filled with neutral facts, the negative ending is somewhat connected the neutral facts with the impact the marketing and consumption is having on the youth.

Working from the Text 7. How does the text features in this article support the central meaning of the text? The text features support the central meaning of the text which is that marketing influences children. The text features and the arrangement allow the reader to easily find information related to the various headings.

Check Your Understanding Based on the text, how do you think advertising directed at children influences what they buy or ask their parents to buy? It is because children are exposed to over 100 commercials a day, and even more as they are exposed to almost 9 hours of media each day that they nag their parents into purchasing products. By constantly seeing all the recent products, children in turn are influenced by the marketing.

Personal Reflections Advertising like that described in the article is directed at your age group. How might information such as this help you make different choices in your buying decision?

Learning Target I can draft and evaluate an original research question.

Preparing for Research If you were using the previous article to research the topic of marketing to young people, what additional information would you want to know? Identifying what you need to know is part of the research process.

Preparing for Research 1. How familiar are you with the research process? Read and paraphrase each step in the graphic organizer below. The try to think of any resources (Internet, library, your teacher, a computer, etc.) you might use during each step.

Notebook ** No table of contents. Add to your last section of notes from this activity.

Hypothesize To propose an explanation for something or make an assumption or guess (verb). Your guess or assumption is a hypothesis (noun).

Choosing a Research Topic In this unit, you will be researching the influence of advertising on young people. When choosing your own topic for research, you might consider several approaches. Brainstorm ideas with a partner. Write down any ideas that come to mind about topics that interest you. Choose an interesting general topic about which you would like to know more. An example of a general topic might be “The Toy Industry in America” or “Films of the 1950s.” Do some preliminary research on you general topic to see what’s already been done and to help you narrow your focus. What questions does this early research raise?

Writing a Research Question A research question is a clear, focused, concise, and complex question around which you center your research. Research questions help you focus your research by providing a path through the research process. Creating research questions will help you work toward supporting a clear thesis.

To Write a Research Question: Think about your general topic. Consider the purpose of you research. Consider your audience. Start asking questions (open ended). Evaluate your possible questions.

Research Question Practice 8. Practice writing research questions about the influence of advertising on young people. Write at least five possible questions. What is the problem related to children being exposed to so much advertising? How might advertising lead young people to make poor choices? Should schools allow advertising by vendors? What impact does a consumer culture have on people’s lives? How do advertisers treat teenagers as a separate “target audience”?

Writing Research Questions in Pairs In pairs, write a research question (open ended) for the fact that is assigned to you. Write the question on the sticky note provided. Your are ONLY writing question(s) for THAT FACT. As we share, write questions in the box for #2. You can use these to guide your writing.