Students will demonstrate a basic knowledge of effective publicity by creating a poster advertising the play Arsenic and Old Lace.
Materials Needed
Movie Posters or cut outs of movie/ play ads from magazines
Lesson Directions
Anticipatory Set/Hook
Ask the class what Publicity is? Make a list of all the possible ways to publicize something.
Instruction
Instruction: Once you have made a class list of all the ways to publicize. Make a list of all the information needed in an advertisement. Discuss the benefits of particular formats.
Modeling: Explain to the class that they are being hired to publicize the play they have been reading in class (Arsenic and Old Lace). They have been asked to come up with a poster to advertise the play. Ask them which information would be necessary to have on a poster? (make a list) Then make a list of all the things that catch your eye on a poster. Make a list of specific images from the play that they could use on their poster.
Checking for Understanding: Show students several examples from magazines or other media sources of movie or play posters. What do they like or not like? Is there enough information on each why or why not? Which movie would they like to see based on the advertisement. Who do they think the posters most appeal to?
Guided Practice: Instruct students to create a rough draft of a poster advertising the play Arsenic and Old Lace. Have them include all the necessary information and any other info they feel is important. Ask them to gather images that they may want to use.
Independent practice: Schedule the computer lab and once students have completed a rough draft they can transfer their poster to the computer.
Checking for understanding: Using a lap top you may want to do a demonstration of how to gather images from the internet or other sources, how to change and select font etc. to make a poster look professional. You may want to complete a poster getting the opinions of the whole class for another play.
Independent Practice: Have students use the computer to complete a finished product of their poster advertising the play.
Closure: Display the posters in class. You may want to have the class vote on their favorite posters etc. Explain that without good publicity people don’t come to see the play.
