Students gain knowledge on how to identify the audience they are writing for and how to set a writing purpose in this lesson. At the end of this lesson, students are going to:
- ascertain the brochure's intended use.
- decide who the brochure's intended readership is.
- recognizing the reasons why deciding on a purpose and target audience is essential to writing effectively.
- acknowledge textual elements as parts of informative text.
- exhibit a command of the capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and grammar rules of standard English.
- How do language conventions and grammar impact both written and spoken communication?
- What makes literary and informational texts meaningful to strategic readers?
- How can reading aloud from a text lead to reflection and action?
- What is the objective of this text?
- What is its true purpose?
- What are the characteristics of effective and clear writing?
- What is the best way to appeal to the target audience?
- Who is the target audience?
- Why do authors write?
- How can readers effectively find what they are looking for?
- Advertisement: The public announcement of something such as a product, service, business, or event to get people interested in it.
- Audience: The intended readers of a particular piece of writing.
- Brochure: A small booklet or pamphlet, often containing event, location, or product information.
- Comparative Adjective: An adjective that compares two people, places, things, or ideas, often formed with the –er suffix.
- Informational Text: Text that gives factual information about any topic.
- Purpose: The reason or reasons that a person creates a piece of writing. The eleven different types of purpose include expressing (or voicing), describing, exploring/learning, entertaining, informing, explaining, arguing, persuading, evaluating (or judging), to problem solve, and mediating (or settling differences). Writers often combine purposes within a piece of writing.
- Superlative Adjective: An adjective that compares three people, places, things, or ideas, often is formed with the –est suffix.
- Text Features: The parts of printed items that help the reader find and learn information easily: print features, organizational aids, graphic aids, and pictures/illustrations.
- Use of Venn diagrams
- a collection of brochures. Your local travel information center, hotels, and chambers of commerce are great places to find samples of brochures. Students may have brochures they could bring in about places they have visited. Try to include some brochures for products. Large hardware stores or pet stores are good places to find some of these. Your doctor’s office or drugstore may offer informational brochures. Online brochures can also be found at www.themeparkbrochures.net/main.html For easy class viewing, use an interactive whiteboard with Internet to access and display these.
- one copy of the same brochure for each student
- equipment to show students the Six Flags commercial found at www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU2yt6wOoK0
- Six Flags brochure found at www.themeparkbrochures.net/2008/sfft2008.html
- chart paper
- markers
- Venn diagram (LW-3-1-1_Venn Diagram), one copy per student
- Venn diagram on chart paper
- Determining Purpose and Audience (LW-3-1-1_Determining Purpose and Audience)
- Text Forms and Purpose (LW-3-1-1_Text Forms and Purpose)
- sticky notes, one per student
This lesson is designed to help students understand the purpose and audience before they start writing a brochure. To achieve this, you can assign a partner exercise where each group is given a brochure, and each student is given a sticky note. The students can write the goal, target audience, and textual elements of their brochure on sticky notes. As the students converse with their partners, pay attention to their understanding of the following areas:
- recognizing the brochure's purpose
- ascertaining the target audience for various subjects
- determining the text's features.
Explicit instruction, modeling, scaffolding, and active engagement
W: Students ascertain that brochures are a particular kind of advertisement that is meant to enlighten the reader and offer information about a subject. Students gain knowledge on how to identify the audience they are writing to as well as the significance of adapting their writing style accordingly.
H: After reading a brochure and watching a television commercial for the same establishment, students debate the goals and target audiences of each.
E: Students collaborate to determine that the example brochure constitutes an advertisement. They try to understand the purpose of some brochures by contrasting it with a television advertisement, which they are already familiar with.
R: Students converse with their peers about their ideas. Through dialogue with the teacher and other students, they are given the chance to edit the data they have included in their Venn diagram.
E: Students evaluate their comprehension of purpose and audience through group discussions and self-revision. Students can stretch their critical thinking abilities with the help of the Extension exercise.
T: To make sure they understand the purpose and audience, students are given the chance to see real examples, discuss their ideas with a partner and the class as a whole, and work independently.
O: Following an introductory activity, students participate in a large-group lesson (which is modeled), an independent or small-group activity, and a peer discussion of what they have learned.
Focus Questions: What are the functions and definitions of a brochure?
Part 1
You will need two pieces of chart paper to prepare for this portion of the lesson: one is labeled Television Commercial and the other is labeled Brochure. Write the words "Purpose," "Audience," and "Information" along the left side of each chart paper.
Tell the class, "We're going to talk about writing for special purposes today. Your writing can be directed if you have a purpose for it. When crafting a tale to entertain, your word choice should align with that objective. Your brochure's writing will reflect this if you are creating it to provide information about a certain topic or location. It is easier to adapt your writing to your audience when you are aware of your readers. Writing a letter to your friend and writing a letter to your teacher, for instance, would differ greatly. Similarly, composing a tale for younger readers will require a different vocabulary than crafting one for your parents. To make your meaning clear, you might want to discuss how these things would be different."
"We'll be concentrating on informational writing over the next few lessons. To determine the similarities and differences between brochures and television commercials, as well as the reasons behind writing a brochure, we will compare the two. You will create an informative brochure of your own after this unit."
Display the Sig Flags advertisement to your students at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU2yt6wOoK0.
Utilize these inquiries to start a conversation with your students:
"What is this video's purpose?" (To demonstrate to the public the fun that can be had at Six Flags amusement park) Complete the television commercial chart paper's purpose section.
"How did this commercial's writer attempt to achieve this goal?" (By showcasing guests of all ages enjoying themselves at the theme park; additionally, by demonstrating to grown-ups that a trip to Six Flags will transport them back to their childhood)
"What audience (or group of people) do you believe this commercial is intended for?" (People of all ages because the commercial features people of all ages) Complete the television commercial chart paper's audience section.
"What details about Six Flags did this commercial provide you with?" (There are two types of time: work and play. The time and place for play is Six Flags. It features water rides, shows, cartoon characters, and roller coasters. Six Flags is a fun place for people of all ages.) Complete the television commercial chart paper's information section.
After that, display the brochure to the class at www.themeparkbrochures.net/2008/sfft2008.html.
Discuss the following after going over the brochure with the class:
"What is this brochure's purpose?"(To demonstrate to the public the fun that can be had at Six Flags amusement park) Complete the brochure chart paper by filling in the purpose section.
"How did the brochure's author attempt to achieve this goal?" (Example response: by utilizing vivid, attention-grabbing titles and descriptions and by including images of people of all ages enjoying themselves at the water park, on the rides, and at the performances.)
"What audience (or group of people) do you believe this brochure is intended for?" (children and their parents, as the majority of the brochure's content features children and their parents) Fill out the brochure chart paper's audience section.
"What textual elements in this brochure make it easier and faster for the reader to see the important information?" (You might need to give your students an explanation of terms like headings, bolding, photos, calendar color key, and map.)
"What details are provided in the brochure that are not included in the advertisement?" (operating hours, a map, discount codes, and more thorough descriptions of the rides and performances) Fill in the brochure chart paper's information section.
Make a Venn diagram model on chart paper based on the television ad and brochure for Six Flags amusement park. To finish this graphic organizer, ask the students for assistance. Describe the advantages of using this kind of graphic organizer for thought organization.
After that, assign students to complete their own Venn diagram (LW-3-1_Venn Diagram) with a partner. This diagram should generally compare and contrast television commercials with brochures. Ask students: "What are the similarities and differences between brochures and television commercials?" The vast range of goals and target audiences that television ads and brochures cater to should be covered in their lists of similarities and differences.
Return the class to its original order after the students have had time to discuss their ideas with their partners and complete the Venn diagram. While you finish completing a Venn diagram on chart paper or an overhead projector, ask students to share their thoughts. Responses could involve
TV ads convey a message through spoken and written words, music, and visuals, but they only provide the most basic details.
Brochures provide more information in depth and convey a message solely through images and text.
Both brochures and television commercials aim to inform the reader or listener, target a particular audience, make the subject obvious, and have a lively, welcoming style.
"How appealing did you find the form—print or television?” ask the students. "Which provided the most information? Why? " (There isn't a right or wrong response to these inquiries.)
Language Skills Mini-Lesson
Spend five to ten minutes finding comparative and superlative adjectives in the brochure before going on to Part 2. "Let's take a quick look at a few examples of comparative and superlative adjectives from this brochure before we continue. " Put the headings "Superlative," "Comparative," and "Positive" in a row on the board. To make them line up with the headers, write "good," "better," and "best" underneath in a new row. Put a bottom row with the words "many," "more," and "most."
"I might say it was 'good' if I enjoyed a ride at Six Flags." Point at the word "good" on the board. "I could say the second ride was 'better' than the first if I went on another one." Point. "If I go on a third ride, I might say it was the 'best' ride out of the three." Point. All of these terms are adjectives that describe the rides. "Good" describes the first ride. However, since I'm comparing the two rides when I discuss them and try to decide which one I like better, I say that the second ride was "better." Identify "better" and "comparative" below it. I use the superlative form to say that the third ride was the "best" when expressing my preference among the three rides. When comparing three or more items, the adjective's superlative form is employed. Point to the "best" and "superlative" that are below it.
Pick up a few school supplies, like pencils, crayons, and erasers. One student in the room should receive more crayons than you do, and the other student should receive the most out of the three of you. "Together, let's examine the second row of examples. I'm holding a bunch of crayons. Point to the board's "many." "[Student name], compare your amount with mine." "I have more crayons than you have," the student remarks. "Since you are comparing two things—your number of crayons and mine—you used the comparative adjective form. Tell me how many crayons you have, [name of student], using the superlative adjective form." (The pupil declares, "I have the most crayons.")
"Help me to complete this chart. Give an adjective. (for example, big) "What is the comparative form?" (bigger) "What form is superlative?" (biggest) Add three more adjectives that the students have suggested.
Ask students to speak in three-person groups about something positive, something comparative, and something superlative. As they take turns using "-er" and "-est," students will enjoy competing with one another.
"Let's find superlative and comparative adjectives by going back and looking at our brochure." As you point out the differences between two and three or more, assist students in locating the four instances of "more" and the two instances of "best" in the brochure.
"You'll most likely use superlative and comparative adjectives when writing your brochure. To help you remember how to use them correctly, you can review this chart."
Part 2
We are doing this as a pair. Ask students to discuss the following two questions with a partner after writing them on the board:
Why is it crucial to write with a purpose in mind? (You can direct your writing when you have a purpose for it. If the purpose of your story is to entertain, then you should use words that will achieve that. The writing in the brochure should indicate if you are writing it to provide information about something or someplace.)
Why is it crucial to understand your writing audience before you begin? (Knowing your audience, or readers, can help you adapt your writing to suit their needs. A note written to your teacher would be substantially different from a note written to a friend, for instance. Similar to this, you will use different words when writing a story for younger readers than for your parents.) To make your meaning clear, you might want to talk about how these things would be different.
Invite students to share their answers after they've had a chance to talk with their partners. Students can use this chart as a reference for upcoming lessons if they write their responses on chart paper, which can be posted.
Divide the class into five groups and distribute a variety of brochures at random to them. Assign them to categories, and have them identify the target audience for each brochure as well as its purpose. The brochures ought to fit into the following categories:
Advertising brochures are meant to enlighten potential customers so they will visit the attraction or purchase the product. For instance:
Brochures for various tool types are aimed at craftspeople.
Amusement park brochures are targeted at children and families.
Toy brochures are targeted at kids and parents.
Brochures for an upscale hotel located in a major city's downtown are targeted toward adults and business travelers.
The primary objective of informational brochures is to provide the reader with facts on a particular subject. For example:
Safe bicycle riding brochures for cyclists.
Oral hygiene and dentistry brochures for everyone.
Flu shot awareness brochures for the general public.
Healthful eating and food pyramid brochures for a broader audience.
"Search for terms that will assist you in determining the brochure's goal. Informational or promotional purposes are both possible. Try to find words that will help you determine who the target audience is for this brochure."
Talk about how the language and images in the brochures vary according to the target audience and the purpose for which they are designed.
Use this brochure (http://www.in-visionproductions.com/114678/746945/home/pawsabilities) to model how you would approach deciding on the goal and target market for the brochure. It contains information about pet food, products, and gifts. To enable the reader to decide whether or not to buy the products, information about them is provided. Pet owners make up the majority of the audience.
Give every student a copy of LW-3-1-1_Determining Purpose and Audience, Determining Purpose and Audience. First, go over the product list with the students to make sure they can read and comprehend every word. Students should be asked to identify the intended use and target market for each product.
Next, instruct students to talk with a partner about their responses. Tell the students that it doesn't mean one of them is incorrect if their answers differ. Every product may have multiple potential audiences. It is sufficient for students to be able to justify their decisions.
Ask students to respond to each item on the list in a large group setting. Let them ask questions and explain their thinking.
Extension:
Encourage students to look over a selection of magazines in small groups if they are having trouble identifying the audience and purpose. (The Quilter, Owl, My Backyard, National Geographic, Popular Woodworking, and Popular Photography are a few examples. Because these examples are kid-friendly and focus on a clear subject, it's simpler to figure out who the target audience is.) Talk about each magazine's target audience and goal with the students. If students are struggling, walk them through the steps you take to figure out one of the magazines' purposes and target audience.
Ask students to start figuring out why different types of writing exist. Assign them to work on the handout. (LW-3-1-1_Text Forms and Purpose).
