river oaks [english]

One last writing assignment before you go.... Each of you needs to write a one-page response to one of the following short stories: Endurance by James Katowich (my good friend) Bohemians by George Saunders The Trip Back by Robert Olen Butler (handout) First, please read all of the stories. There will be 3-4 questions from each story on the final. Then, choose ONE to write a one-page response to. What was your first impression? After thinking about what the story could mean, what do you think? How are these stories different from the fiction we've read this year? The focus is "tight" in these stories; all are in some way related to family -- the people you spend your time with. What is each main character's relationship to his/her family? Type and format according to MLA.

In groups of two or three, you will research and produce a PSA about an issue facing teenagers today. Your PSA needs to include specific information from at least one credible source. That source must be included with the handout distributed in class. The assignment is due MONDAY, May 15th. Your audience for this assignment is your classmates. Your purpose is to make your audience aware of a particular issue. You have two options: (1) A 60-second video (no more, no less) that is ready for TV (2) A poster (color or black & white) that is ready for printing First, you will need to decide on a topic; then, you will make a “claim” or statement about the topic; finally, you will provide evidence to support your claim. Again, please use the Ad Council as your model. NOTE: You may want to attach yourself to an organization already in existence; if you do, then provide contact information somewhere in your PSA.

The goal of this assignment is to successfully “spoof” a brand or product. Using a poster board visual aide, groups of two will create an advertisement that emphasizes the negative impact of the product rather than the positive attributes usually emphasized in advertising. In other words, groups will develop a critique of one aspect of the brand or product. Example: Instead of emphasizing the size and power of an SUV, you might focus on its low gas mileage. Each group will then write a one-page summary of the spoof ad and its message. The paper will be typed and formatted according to MLA. The following steps were outlined in class: (1) Decide on a product type – i.e. fashion, cars, alcohol, tobacco (2) Pick a specific brand of that product to spoof (3) Determine some negative impact of the product (your message) (4) Change the name and slogan of the product to match your message (5) Design a visual image that captures your message (6) Use text to make your message clear Each group

This assignment has two parts: (1) First, your goal is to evaluate the audience and purpose of a print advertisement. What is the target audience* for the ad? What magazine was it in? Who would the image(s) in the ad appeal to? Beyond selling a product, what else is being sold? What is the message of the ad? If there is text, what does it say? What does the image suggest? Is there a slogan on the ad (usually next to the logo)? * Target audience = the demographic that the company wants to reach, or that segment of the population (age, sex, race, class) that is most likely to buy the product or to use the service advertised. (2) Second, your goal is to analyze the effectiveness of the advertisement. Do you believe the ad appeals to its intended audience? Why? What specifically does the advertisement use to reach that audience (including the magazine where it appeared)? How well does the advertisement communicate its message*? What techniques does the ad use to communicate this

Next, we will be honing our critical thinking skills. Critical thinking involves, well, thinking critically about the world around you. Specifically, we will focus on the world of advertising. First, it is ubiquitous (everywhere). Second, whether we realize it or not, it affects us all. Certainly, we are all targeted by companies who want us to spend our money and time on them. My goal is to teach you to look more closely, critically, at the thousands of ads you see around you. It's not that advertising is EVIL or that being targeted is necessarily BAD; it's simply important to realize when and how we are being sold to. That said, your first assignment is to bring me THREE print ads. You can do this the old-fashioned way and look in an actual magazine, or you can print out examples online. I suggest you start with the magazines around your house. It doesn't matter whose magazine it is, just as long as you have permission to tear out some pages. Make a mental note