Scratch Coding + Advertising Technique Analysis – SCOPES-DF
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Lesson Details

Subjects *
Computer Programming, ELA
Age Ranges *
8-11,
Fab Tools *
Computers,
Author
Victoria Lane

Author

Victoria Lane

Summary

In this lesson, 4th-grade students will integrate their Scratch coding skills with media literacy concepts. Students will analyze a print advertisement by identifying persuasive techniques and create an interactive Scratch project that demonstrates their understanding.

What You'll Need

Hard copies of printed advertisements (link)

Pencils and paper for students to take notes, plan their work before working

iPads or computers for every student

 

 

Lesson Materials

Learning Objectives

Students will:

  • Demonstrate their understanding of advertising techniques by coding an interactive Scratch project.
  • Identify and explain at least three advertising techniques used in a selected advertisement.
  • Develop critical thinking skills by evaluating the persuasive intent behind advertisements.
  • Reinforce their Scratch coding skills by incorporating backgrounds, sprites, and dialogue into their projects.
  • Collaborate with peers to provide constructive feedback on each other’s projects.

 

Reflection

  • Students will:
  • Exchange peer feedback forms, evaluating the clarity and depth of their Scratch projects.
  • Complete a reflection log, considering what they learned about advertising techniques and coding.
  • The teacher will document key observations from student presentations to guide future adjustments to the lesson.

 

Differentiation Strategies

  • For Advanced Learners: Encourage students to include interactive elements, such as clickable buttons or animated sequences.
  • For Struggling Learners: Provide templates for outlining their Scratch project and allow students to work collaboratively.
  • For Visual Learners: Offer graphic organizers to help students identify and describe advertising techniques.

 

 This was a good lesson for assessing how much information students retained about advertising techniques. There was a wide range of engagement. Some students hurried through the lesson so they could work on their own projects, some were excited to show their knowledge. In the end only one of the four classes I worked with wanted a public showing of their work. It might help the end product if that is a stated goal up front and the guests who will be invited specified. This lesson was also useful for solidifying the coding skills in Scratch that they were learning in their science classes. Managing passwords was a challenge and I had copies of all the students passwords copied and placed in their notebooks. That was not enough for some students. In the future I will think about when this lesson happens in the year and may shift the assignment to creating an advertisement.

The Instructions

Step 1: Show an Example Scratch Project (10 minutes)

Present a sample Scratch program that highlights an advertisement’s techniques. Highlight key features such as: Moving a sprite to point at key elements. Using speech or text blocks to describe techniques.

Highlight key features such as:

   Moving a sprite to point at key elements.

   Using speech or text blocks to describe techniques.

Step 2: Select an Advertisement (15 minutes)

Provide a variety of printed advertisements. In pairs or individually, students select one advertisement to analyze.

  • Provide a variety of printed advertisements.
  • In pairs or individually, students select one advertisement to analyze.

 

Step 3: Sketch, Outline and Analyze (30 minutes)

Students create a visual plan for their Scratch project

  • Students identify techniques that are being used based on previous learning
  • In their learning note books techniques are identified and a script for explaining how the technique is used is created
  • Students create a visual plan to accompany their script for the Scratch project, including:
  • Identified techniques.
  • Where sprites will move and what they will say.
  • The background image to upload.

 

Step 4: Create a Scratch Program (45 minutes)

Using Scratch, students create a program

  • Students:
  • Upload their selected ad as a background.
  • Code a sprite to point out and explain each identified technique.
  • Use Scratch blocks such as ‘say’, ‘broadcast’, or ‘comment’ to describe their observations.

 

Step 5: Share and Evaluate (30 minutes)

Students share and evaluate the programs they created.

  • Students present their Scratch projects to peers.
  • Peers provide feedback using a structured peer assessment form.
  • Students complete a brief self-reflection on their project’s strengths and areas for improvement.

 

Lesson Feedback

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