Class: 9th grade English

Unit: Teenage Tragedy, Trauma, and Tribulation

Teacher: Mr. McNeely
Class Length: ~48 minutes
This lesson should be taught during Week 2 on Thursday. It is used to
introduce students into their Multimodal Media project.
1. Desired Results:
a. Essential Questions
i. What sort of coding method is most effective on
adolescents?
ii. Why are some coding types more powerful than others?
b. Enduring Understandings
i. Symbolic codes play a major role in advertising.
ii. Different coding methods can have major influence on how
we as humans perceive our surroundings.
c. Objectives:
i. All students will understand that there are codes in the
media.
ii. Most students will understand that the three main types of
codes are symbolic, written, and technical (junior).
iii. Some students will understand that these three types of
codes each have three sub-categories.
2. Assessment Evidence:
a. Formative
i. Ask students what they know about advertising.
ii. Ask students to think about a memorable book cover.
1. What makes it stand out?
2. Can you picture the book with a different cover?
iii. Near the end of class as students why they think the books
they are reading have that specific cover-art.
b. Summative
i. Begin working towards meeting State Standard 9.9.6.6.
3. Teaching Experience
a. Anticipatory Set:
i. When the students come to class begin by asking them if
they have ever seen a billboard or a commercial that has
stuck out to them. Share with students my favorite
billboard: the billboard that was once on highway-35W that
said, I never sausage a thing working as a play on words

of I never saw such a thing. It is a goofy little pun for a

small town business that I will always remember for its
quick wit. After giving students a chance to think I will ask
for volunteers to share with the class. I will ask students to
not only describe the billboard or commercial, but also to
describe why it was so memorable. After students share
we will talk about consistencies we noticed in the examples
in regards to what made the advertisements memorable.
(~10 minutes)
b. Teaching:
i. Once students have had the chance to think about
different types of advertisements, I will ask students to
think about books they have read in the past with
memorable covers. I want students, again, to think about
why this is memorable; what was effective about it? I will
then walk students down to the media center so we can
use computers. I will send students to the Coding Video
found on the Unit Texts and Resources section on the unit
plan. Students will watch the TedTalk video about coding
symbolism and take notes on the video. Students should
specifically look out for symbolic, written, and
technical coding. The video goes quite fast so have the
students watch the video twice. (~15 minutes)
Once students have finished taking notes on the TedTalk
give them time to research other examples of coding in
advertisements and media. Students should record all
examples by labeling both the type of code and how it is
used. (~5-10 minutes)
Have students take out the books they are currently
reading (if students did not bring their book to class have
the look up a picture of the cover). Students should label
as many types of coding choices made regarding the front,
back, and inside cover of their books. Allow students to
work in pairs if they so choose. While students are doing
this, Mr. McNeely will be walking around and listen to
discussion. He will be asking students specific questions
revolving around answers students gave in the Anticipatory
Set to help prompt student idea development. (~10
minutes)
ii.
Have students log off computers and hand in the notes
they took during class. End class with an exit slip.
(remainder of class)

c. Exit Slip
i. What is one thing you learned about symbolic coding?

Assumed knowledge:
I am assuming that my students live in urban and or suburban areas
where they have the opportunity to see many billboards. I am also assuming
that most students have had some sort of television or computer to see
commercials on.