E-Cigarettes Public Service Announcement

Learning Resource Type

Learning Activity

Subject Area

Digital Literacy and Computer Science
English Language Arts

Grade(s)

8

Overview

After reading, analyzing, and discussing the article “E-Cigarettes: A Dangerous Trend” and using the hyperdoc, students will synthesize information to learn the dangers of e-cigarettes and design, create, and publish a Public Service Announcement video that explains the dangers of e-cigarettes.

This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.

Phase

After/Explain/Elaborate
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 8

DLCS18.8.R6

Produce, review, and revise authentic artifacts that include multimedia using appropriate digital tools.

UP:DLCS18.8.R6

Knowledge

Students know:
  • feedback is important in a design process.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • create a multimedia artifact.
  • critique the work of others.
  • revise their work based on feedback received.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • much like the writing process, design of a multimedia artifact nets the best results when creators have the opportunity to be given feedback and revise as needed.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 8

DLCS18.8.16

Present content designed for specific audiences through an appropriate medium.

UP:DLCS18.8.16

Knowledge

Students know:
  • of the many mediums available to share content, some are more appropriate than others in given circumstances.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • design and present content designed for specific audiences through an appropriate medium.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • understanding your audience is as important as the content you are sharing or presenting.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 8

DLCS18.8.17

Communicate and publish individually or collaboratively to persuade peers, experts, or community about issues and problems.

UP:DLCS18.8.17

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how to research and form an educated position about an issue.
  • how to communicate and publish opinion in an effort to persuade others.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • research and form an educated position about an issue.
  • communicate and publish an educated opinion in an effort to persuade others.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • a digital platform provides the ability to publish ideas and reach a greater audience than was once possible.

Learning Objectives

Students will produce clear and coherent writing using technology and multimedia tools to produce and publish writing that presents content designed for specific audiences to communicate about issues and problems.

Activity Details

This lesson incorporates a hyperdoc. A hyperdoc is an innovative way to put an entire digital lesson into your students’ hands that allows students to collaborate, think critically, combine information from multiple sources, and create through technology. (Watch the video for additional information: Introduction to Hyperdocs Video.)

  1. Students will watch the video PSA: E-cigarette & Vape Marketing Targets Youth.
  2. Students will activate prior knowledge by think-pair-sharing what they learned from the article Scholastic Head’s Up for Students “E-Cigarettes: A Dangerous Trend”.
  3. Students will Explore at least four of the following:

         5. The teacher will explain to students: “Teens now use e-cigarettes more than any other nicotine-containing product.
 While e-cigarettes are less harmful than tobacco cigarettes for adult smokers, 
most versions pose a great risk to teens because they contain the same addictive nicotine found in cigarettes. One cartridge can contain as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes."

6. Students will use Adobe Spark to create a video Public Service Announcement (PSA) to explain why e-cigarettes are not harmless. The PSAs will include at least two of the following:

  • How e-cigarettes are similar to tobacco cigarettes.

  • The health risks that e-cigarettes pose.

  • Why it is important that scientists continue to study the health effects of e-cigarettes.

    7. The teacher will share an example of an example Adobe Spark Video PSA for E-Cigarettes.

    8.  Students will peer edit using a rubric and provide feedback for improving each others’ videos.

    9.  Students will present their completed videos to the class.

    10. The class will vote on the best videos to be shared with other classes, on social media, and on YouTube.

    11. Students Reflect: What were some of the most interesting discoveries you made while working on this project? About drugs and teens? About yourself? About others?

Assessment Strategies

The activity E-Cigarettes: A Dangerous Trend Hyperdoc can be used to assess mastery of student's ability to produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience and include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images, music, sound) and visual displays to clarify information via the use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others.

The teacher will use this teacher assessment rubric for evaluating the students' publications. 

Variation Tips

Teachers can change the amount of required information in the PSA Video for students who need accommodations.

Teachers can allow students to work with a partner.

Teachers can extend the lesson by having students explore the following resources for Project-Based Learning, Genius Hour, or Curiosity Research.

Teachers could use this activity with other video creators, Google Slides, or Microsoft PowerPoint.

Teachers could use this activity to teach students how to use Adobe Spark to create a video.

Background / Preparation

The teacher will need to ensure that all students have access to a device and the Internet. The teacher and students will need prior knowledge of Adobe Spark Video. This is an Adobe Spark Video Tutorial.

ALSDE LOGO