Adapted from Johnathan Chase PSA task, this activity is to make anadvert to raise awareness/promote action for a social issue.

1. Public Service
Advertisement

2. Thinking
Relating to others
Using text, language and symbols
Managing self
Di r e c t i o n s Participating and contributing
Each team will create a PSA incorporating a
song that deals with a social issue and
promotes a positive action.
The music will be the soundtrack for the video
and your task is to combine meaningful and
relevant audio, images, and text that will amplify
and illuminate the songs message and help to
raise awareness of the problem and also serve
as a call to action.
Gathering
Processing
Applying

3. Me a n i n g f u l a n d
Ef f e c t i v e Us e o f Te x t
1. Identification of the social issue with text must appear
somewhere in the video along with at least two
statistics providing evidence of the problem.
2. Include at least one Dale Carnegie Principle or quote
in your video in a meaningful way.
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/dale_carne
gie.html
3. Include at least two quotes related to the social issue
from people involved and be sure to identify them and
their position including the government agency or non-
profit organization they work for.

4. Me a n i n g f u l a n d
Ef f e c t i v e Us e o f
Te x t
4. Important lyrics from the song should also
appear in the video. To emphasize their meaning
and importance the words should appear in your
video at the same point as the listener hears them
in your song. Remember to be creative in your
selection of text font, size and style. Again use
your discretion, a good rule to follow when
selecting any content for your video is “less is
more”.
5. At the conclusion of the video you must
reference and provide contact information for at
least one non profit organization or government
agency /program that is working to ameliorate the
social issue through positive actions and is also a
good source of information and resources. If you
want the viewer to take some kind of action,
include that near the end of the video as well.

5. Me a n i n g f u l a n d
Ef f e c t i v e Us e o f
I ma g e s
1. At least three images must appear in the
video providing evidence of the problem.
2. At least one meaningful symbol should
appear in the video. It may be a symbol of
cultural and historic significance. The image
should reference the social issue in some way.
It could refer to underlying causes or it may
provide possible remedies or solutions to the
problem.
3. If specific individuals, places and events are
referenced in your song, they also provide
excellent opportunities for the use of images.
Consider the placement and amount of time an
image appears. Use this technique to
emphasize certain images more than others.

6. L e a v e s o me s p a c e , ma n !
Do not try to fill the entire
video with content or it will
become too “busy” and
less effective.
You don’t want the viewer
to be reading the entire
time. You must leave
“space” for the viewer to
interject their own
thoughts and feelings
while listening and
reacting to your video.

7. E x a mp l e s
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5C5zuvijtE&feature=youtube_gdata_player
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7h7aCqnBJM&feature=youtube_gdata_player
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OX3yxmKN8U&feature=youtube_gdata_player

8. F o r ma t q u e s t i o n s t o
c o n s i d e r ...
1. Does the text appear long enough for a person to read it? If not can you shorten the text or perhaps make two separate
slides?
2. Did you consider placement of the text? It is better to display it in a lower portion of the screen so the image behind is not
covered or blocked.
3. Did you make sure the text is partnered with a specific image and they both appear and disappear together? (The video
doesn't flow right when the text remains and the image below goes away)
4. Can you read the font or does it blend in with the image behind it? The color, size, and style of your font should compliment
the image but also contrast with the background so it can be read easily.
5. Did you try to match the images/text with the song lyrics and the music; do they compliment each other or contrast?
6. Have you considered the pace of the song? Listen for the drum and bass line so your images are timed to appear in
conjunction with the beat of the song. If there is a pause in the music have you placed and timed an image to appear with the
strike of the drum or resumption of the chorus?
7. Did you incorporate a variety of visual effects and transitions between images?
8. Have you considered using darkness/absence of any image for transitions?
9. Did you spell check?!
*******Do not use thumbnail images!!******
When using Google images you must open the thumbnail image and then select and save as the full size image into your project.
Thumbnail images will appear blurry and distorted in your video.

9. Co n t e n t Ch e c k l i s t ...
statistics and citation?
Did you use text/images/symbols to
refer to the issue?
Did you include the song lyrics?
Do you include at least one Dale
Carnegie principle or quote? Did you conclude with contact info for
organization or campaign?
Did you include at least two quotes
and identify the individuals and Did you remember to credit band and
organizations or agencies they song at end of PSA?
represent?
Did you include at least two recent

10. A s s e s s me n t Sc h e d u l e
• Identifies an issue.
• Includes a range of visual and verbal
Achieved features.
• Creates an advertisement that encourages
the audience to take some action.
• Identifies an issue.
• Includes a range of relevant visual and
Merit verbal features.
• Creates an advertisement that persuades
the audience to take action.
• Identifies an issue.
• Includes a range of relevant and striking
Excellence visual and verbal features.
• Creates an advertisement that effectively
persuades the audience to take action.

11. Bi b l i o g r a p h y
 Thanks to Johnathan Chase for the
idea, resources and instructions.