Your Body Your Choice...Consumer Awareness By Lexi Rifaat and Ashley Clackson

Students will… Develop a broader understanding of the influences in their community. Develop a broader understanding of the influences in their community. Learn the benefits and consequences of healthy and unhealthy decisions. Learn the benefits and consequences of healthy and unhealthy decisions. Apply mathematical concepts to a calorie and fitness worksheet to give them a better understanding of healthy choices. Apply mathematical concepts to a calorie and fitness worksheet to give them a better understanding of healthy choices. Become more critical thinkers through analyzing media Become more critical thinkers through analyzing media Apply their knowledge when answering questions based on their observations Apply their knowledge when answering questions based on their observations Learn to work with peers to have meaningful discussions about the topic at hand. Learn to work with peers to have meaningful discussions about the topic at hand. Incorporate all of the skills obtained through the three lessons which will then be applied to a final project Incorporate all of the skills obtained through the three lessons which will then be applied to a final project

DAY 1 Nutrition and Consumer Awareness  Students will be presented with a variety of video clips which advertise different foods  After the short excerpt, the teacher will provide students with three questions in which the they will be asked to discuss with a partner 1. Based on the video clips would you say that the products advertised are healthy choices 2. Give examples of how commercials advertise their product; what makes the product so appealing to the consumer 3. Estimate how many fast food restaurants there are in the Hartford area (urban) and compare that to the West Hartford area (suburban)  After children answer the questions above with their partner they will be asked to further discuss their findings with the class

DAY 2: What happens when I exercise?  The teacher will provide the students with a brief introduction on what calories are and why exercise is necessary  Teachers will weigh students  Students will be given a chart with different fitness activities. This chart will allow students to see how many calories they can burn through various exercises in one minute  Students will calculate how many calories they would burn in one hour (using worksheet)  Students will put a “X” by the boxes (fitness activities) that would enable them to burn off 100% or more of one serving size of their favorite snack (which they were asked to bring into the lesson)

Teacher begins by asking students to think about questions pertaining to alcohol and cigarettes Why do you think some kids choose to drink and smoke? Do you think that drinking and smoking are bad for your health? Why? Teacher will explain that the major alcohol and cigarette companies also use persuasive methods (like food companies) that target young buyers to purchase their product Worksheet will be handed out explaining some of the methods that the corporations use. Students will be shown several examples of advertisements and asked to look for some of the things mentioned on the worksheet.

Advertisement Example #1 To have a good time you should drink beer Bud light is for young people and will make you more attractive if you drink it You’re cool if you drink (and you’ll attract that cute guy/girl whose also drinking a bud light) “Everyone is doing it” Bright colors used to attract your attention Bud Light is trying to give you the idea that:

Advertisement Example #2 This Camel ad promotes the ideas that: It is a “pleasure” to smoke a Camel (use of the catchy phrase) The ideal person smokes (physically fit, young, and attractive models) Smoking is a sign of independence Smoking a Camel is a good way to relax/take a break from your busy day Bright colors to attract your attention

Some other examples…

Lesson Continued… After they view several advertisements they will be asked to break into partners to discuss the advertisements (using the list as a guide or their own observations) They will also be asked to write down their answers to the following questions: Do these advertisements portray the real health hazards associated with alcohol and cigarette smoking? Who are the ads geared towards? What message is it sending to consumers? Is the advertisement successful in making you want to buy the product? How? For homework students will be asked to draw an ad for a product that portrays false advertising using some of the techniques addressed in class (using catchy phrases, colors, images of the cool person, etc…) and write a paragraph explaining why it is false advertisement.

Final Project : Evaluation Students will be asked to make a poster presentation Students will be asked to make a poster presentation They will be required to collect four advertisements for either food, cigarettes, or alcohol They will be required to collect four advertisements for either food, cigarettes, or alcohol We will provide a variety of magazines We will provide a variety of magazines On the poster the students will post: On the poster the students will post: –The four advertisements –A description next to each of what the company is portraying/what techniques they are using to get you to buy the product –A description of the real health hazards/benefits of the product being advertised (by doing research) They will be given a week to finish their final project To incorporate the community, parents/family/friends will be invited to view their oral presentations where they will explain their findings