The Dangers of Tobacco Use

A Webquest on Persuasive Writing and Speaking

by Michael Fiscus

                                                                                            

 

Task Assignments Resources Evaluation Conclusion Teacher

 

 

 

 

 

 


Your Task

Did you know that television commercials advertising cigarettes and other tobacco products are illegal?  However, organizations who are trying to convince people to make healthy choices can have free television time! 

Sometimes, public health groups hire an advertising company to create a television commercial that educates viewers about an important issue.  A commercial that provides information and tries to educate, rather than sell, is called a public service announcement (PSA). 

In this webquest, pretend that you work for a national advertising agency.  Your firm is one of several companies competing to be hired by the American Cancer Society.  The American Cancer Society wants to run some new PSAs to convince 10 to 15 year-olds not to start using tobacco. 

As a group, your job will be first, to create an effective PSA video, and then, to convince the American Cancer Society to hire your firm.


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Assignments Resources Evaluation Conclusion










 

Assignments

Step 1:  Background Work

You will work in pairs to complete activities on the consequences of smoking,  emotional appeals, persuasion with images, and factual support.  These activities will prepare you to effectively write and produce your PSA.  

Health Consequences of Smoking
 		Emotional Appeals:
Subtle Language of Persuasion
Persuasion with Pictures

Factual Support


 

Step 2:  Public Service Announcement (PSA)

Your group of advertising workers will have four roles during the design, production, and presentation of the public service announcement.  Click on one of the buttons below to get the description for your role.

Researcher Script Writer Producer Sales Associate















Researcher:  You are in charge of collecting information about tobacco use and working with the script writer to make sure that your facts are used to make the PSA effective.  You will also locate important graphs and tables to use in the PSA.  You will help the producer to understand copyright rules for using pictures, video, and music in your PSA.  You will work with the sales associate to develop a sales pitch that convinces the American Cancer Society to buy your PSA.

























Script Writer:  Your job is to write the text for the PSA so it persuades as many young people as possible to avoid the tobacco product.  You will work with the researcher to support all opinions in your writing with strong facts.  You will also find music and create or collect images that go well with your writing and help persuade young people not to use tobacco.  You will present your ideas to the producer for him or her to make a decision.
























Producer:  You are the person who will organize and revise the text of the PSA so it is as effective as it can be.  You will be in charge of checking all writing for correctness of spelling, punctuation, and grammar.  You are also in charge of deciding on the best images and music to add to the PSA and following appropriate copyright guidelines.  You must consider the point of view of your audience, the importance of different facts, and the effect of images and music on your message.





























Sales Associate:  You will be in charge of presenting your group's PSA to the American Cancer Society director.  You will work with the researcher to write a persuasive speech to convince the director to buy your group's PSA.  You must think about the style of the your PSA and how it will help the American Cancer Society reach its target audience.  You must also think about the goal of the American Cancer Society and be ready to explain how your PSA will meet this goal.

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Your Resources
Use the links below to help you respond to any questions on the assignments and to design and produce your commercial.

Important:  Use your BACK button when you want to return to this webquest from any of these sites.
 
 
Consequences of Smoking
American Cancer Society
Center for Disease Control
Surgeon General's Report 		The Business of Advertising
Amount of Money Spent on Advertising
Youth Smoking
Facts on Youth Smoking, Health, and Performance
Health Effects on Young People
 		Advertising Techniques
What's in an Ad?
Tobacco Companies Market to Kids
Be an Adbuster
Copyright Guidelines 
Student Project Guidelines
Examples of Advertisements
Tobacco-Free Kids Ad Gallery
Anti-Smoking PSAs for the Radio


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Evaluation
The student work on the public service announcement will be graded using the following rubrics.
 
Researcher Script Writer Producer Sales Associate

To find the details about how each student role will be evaluated, go to the Rubrics page.


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Conclusion
    In your journal, reflect on these questions:
 

What the three most important things you learned about persuasive writing or speaking?
How effective would your group's public service announcement really be?
How well did your group share its duties and work together?
Would you enjoy working for a company that produces public service announcements?  Why or why not?


Discuss your answers with your group and with the entire class.


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