Lesson: Social Media and Advertisements

Lesson Overview:

Social media platforms are used daily in society, and teenagers often use them to consume the content of
their friends and people they are following. As such, teenagers are consuming advertisements through
the people they are following and watching due to many endorsements and sponsorships their idols
promote. Moreover, teenagers are pressured to conform to body, brand, and lifestyle standards they see
online which impacts their impressionable state and overall well-being (mental, physical, social,
academic, and economic well-being). Students should be made aware of the advertisements they see
daily on social media and recognize the objective of the advertisements and the people who advertise the
products (ulterior motives).

Lesson Outcomes (From Senior 2 English Language Arts Manitoba Curriculum Framework of
Outcomes):

GLO 3.2.3: Determine the credibility, accuracy, and completeness of a variety of information sources
for a particular inquiry or research plan
GLO 3.2.5: Identify and use text cues and organizational patterns to understand main ideas and their
relationships in extended texts [including books]; adjust reading and viewing rates according to purpose,
content, and context.
GLO 3.3.2: Select and record important information and ideas using an organizational structure
appropriate for purpose and information source; document sources accurately.
GLO 3.3.4: Integrate new information with prior knowledge to draw logical conclusions and to refine
understanding; consider alternative ways of reaching inquiry and research goals.
GLO 4.4.2: Use appropriate voice production factors and non-verbal cues to clarify intent in personal
and public communication.
GLO 4.4.3: Demonstrate active listening and viewing behaviours to understand and respond to
presentations using a variety of means.

Continuing Unit Overview:

For the rest of the unit, students will learn how current issues impact the ads and content we consume
(social justice – brands taking stances—what role does this play?). Students will question what happens
when a company contacts an influencer and the influencer makes a deal to review their product, but they
give the influencer a script instead of having the influencer speak about their own opinion. Other topics
discussed throughout this unit will contain inauthentic and scam advertising on social media (e.g.,
Samurai Buyer Scandal). At the end of the unit, the students will present to the class about the
advertisements they saw the most from their log and explain why they were targeted and what the
purpose of the advertisement is and analyze the elements that are seen in the ad. The students will
research the product and company to gain further understanding and explain the purpose and intention
of the ad to the class. Students will present their findings to the class and use the SMART Board to
demonstrate their analysis of the ad with digitally pointing out and making inferences about the
elements of the ad.
 Grade/Subject: Grade 10/ English Teacher: Class Details: 30
Ms. Oliver students (65-minute
class)
Lesson Plan: Advertisements
Objectives: Students will analyze social media advertisement posts and differentiate between
sponsored images and opinion-based images. Students will identify techniques and practices for
advertising and sponsorships. Students will represent the purpose, method, and delivery of
advertisements they see daily and reflect on their consumption and opinions that inform the way they
think and act.
Learning Activity Resources/ Literacy Enhancements
Phase (time) Materials
Transition (2) Welcome students/ take attendance Power Point will be on
the board with the topic
for the day with the
essential question
displayed.
Activating Students will look at social media https://www.youtube.co
(18) advertisements and have to identify what is PowerPoint m/watch?v=koPmuEyP
being advertised, who is advertising, and Ads 3a0
who is the audience (etc.) using prior
knowledge. This activity is done in an Questions Closed Captions
open student-led class discussion format will be
where the students will look at the image written down
and then share what they think and answer on the
the following questions. whiteboard
beside the
Image analysis projector.
 Who is in the photo?
 Who is the target audience/ can you YouTube
tell who the target audience is?
 What is the product?
 What is the message?
 What information is given?
 How are they getting their
advertisement across?
 Techniques of advertising (phrases,
body positioning, promo codes,
comparisons)

Then show the class the Gillette “The best

men can be” commercial. Afterwards lead
the class in an open discussion about what
they saw and what the role social justice
and activism plays in advertising.
Acquiring Students will take guided notes about PowerPoint https://edpuzzle.com/
(25) advertisements (techniques/ methods). Notes media/5c7f36c679144
Students will also watch an edpuzzle video 7409fb90097
about social media sponsorships and Student
influencer marketing (jotting down notes Guided Notes Closed Captions
as they go along). Students will watch and (fill in the
answer questions from the video (students blanks)
can do the videos in pairs but will have to
write in their submission boxes the full Edpuzzle
name of both participants). video
Applying Students will use their personal devices (if Student’s
(15) they do not have one they can pair up with Personal
a partner) and go on social media to find 5 Devices
advertisements and analyze them critically
by using the techniques they took from
their notes (giving them practice
recognizing ads and the purposes behind
them).

Assessment Students will complete an Ad Log that Ad Log

enables them to detail whenever they see
an ad (on social media, television, radio,
billboards etc.). Students will cover 3 ads
per day for a week. This assignment
scaffolds the analysis skills the students
will be using for their final project at the
end of the unit.

Assessment FOR learning

- Ad analysis student-led discussion
(activating phase)
- Gilette commercial student-led
discussion (activating phase)

Assessment AS learning:

 Reviewing student responses to

edpuzzle video on influencer
marketing (acquiring phase).
 Reviewing students’ progress/
practice of analyzing 5 ads
(applying phase).

Assessment OF learning:

 Examining student responses and

analysis of recording 3 ads daily for
a week (assessment phase).
 Presentation about ad analysis and
research at the end of the unit (this
lesson scaffolds the skills the
students need to practice and
recognize for their final project)