1. LESSON PLAN
Read the Fine Print, aka the Mouse Print
• Description
Your name: Miriam Larson
Date of lesson: Nov. 28th
Cooperating teacher-librarian: Kim Anderson
Grade level: 6th
School & City: Jefferson Middle School
Length/number of lessons: 20-30 mins, 1 lesson
• Purpose (“why” of the lesson; where and how does it fit in the curriculum?)
This lesson encourages students to be critical of advertising messages and use tools to find
more information about an advertising claim; in particular, students will learn to read the fine
print and follow an asterisk.
• Learning Outcome(s)/Learning Target (what will students be able to do/know by the end of
the lesson?) Start with “Students will… “
Students will practice reading the fine print by following the asterisk in advertisements and
understand this as a tool to critically analyze advertising claims.
• Standards
1. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy
CC.6.R.I.8 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Trace and evaluate the argument and specific
claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims
that are not.
CC.6.W.4 Production and Distribution of Writing: Produce clear and coherent writing in which
the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-
specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
2. AASL Standards for 21st Century Learner
1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media,
digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
3.3.4 Create products that apply to authentic, real-world contexts.
• Materials (list all materials and/or equipment you will need)
Needed by you: Projector, file with Notebook presentation
Needed by students: Markers, paper
• Instructional procedures (outline your lesson so another person could teach it)
6/8/12 glb

2. Focusing event: (how will you get the students’ attention?)
(Use first image of a “misleading advertising” for Jefferson Middle School: “100% of
kids choose JMS! – sample of 30 students”)
Is this advertisement true?
Encourage students to look carefully. Once they see the fine print about the sample
size, ask again if they think the ad is “truthful” or if it is misleading. Why?
Input from you: (what are you teaching & how are you delivering the content?)
Many people warn: “Be critical of what you find on the internet,” “Don’t trust
advertisements”
This week we’ll look at another way to critically analyze advertisements: READ THE
FINE PRINT! aka the MOUSE PRINT (show “Read the Mouse Print” poster).
Look at second example of print ad (Cheerios ® box image).
• What is the “too good to be true statement” here? Why is it too good to be true?
• Example: If you had fried chicken for lunch and dinner but ate Cheerios ® for
breakfast, would you be healthy?
• What other examples of ads with fine print can you think of?
Guided practice: (application of knowledge by students)
Students will create an advertisement either for a Jefferson Middle School, a food
product, or a medicine.
Ads must include:
-A large-print statement that seems “too good to be true”
-Some kind of fine print that explains details
Have one or two students share ideas and make sure the assignment is understood.
Pass out markers and paper. Circulate to help students solidify ideas, use the asterix
correctly.
Closure (how will you end the lesson?)
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3. Invite students to share ads. Ask them to describe their design choices.
• Differentiation (indicate at least one change you could make to the lesson to accommodate
differing ability levels; identify the targeted learners for the differentiation
Students may work in groups or focus only on the written/drawing part of the assignment in
order to maximize their success.
• Assessment (what questions will you ask and/or which tools will you use to determine
students’ understanding?)
Students will submit their ads and this will be a tool to assess their use of “asterix” and their
conceptual understanding of advertising.
• What’s next? (another related lesson, review, end of unit?)
End of unit.
6/8/12 glb