Commercialism

Generalizations:
 * People may act in similar ways but for different reasons.
 * Advertising portrays people in a way to sell products, not necessarily as a way to live.
 * Young people are especially targeted by advertisers so it is important that young people have a critical eye.
 * Persuasion is a powerful technique to convince people to act in certain way(s).

Extension Project (from http://classes.seattleu.edu/masters_in_teaching/teed521/professor/Literacy/gossetthandoutF04.htm)
 * Students will script and perform their own commercial. They can work in groups of four-they will write a paragraph explaining their target audience, what product they are selling, what persuasive technique they are using and why.
 * They can then perform their commercial to the class. This project highlights the generalizations and how young people need to have a critical eye.
 * The audience (class) will then do a write-up on the commercials they see and how effective/persuasive they were and if they would want to buy/have the product the commercial was selling.

Resources: Slogans That Stick: Why Three. Words. Work.