Students investigate the issues raised by the propaganda and some editorials' tendency toward exaggeration in this lesson. At the end of the lesson, students are able to: 
- Describe propaganda and exaggeration.
- Name some instances of hyperbole in editorials and propaganda.
- Determine which of the many passages you've read are biased or objective by emphasizing the supporting data.
- Give specific instances of exaggeration and stereotyping a label.

- How does text interaction prompt thought and response?

- Bias: A judgment based on a personal point of view. 
- Exaggeration: To make an overstatement or to stretch the truth.
- Propaganda Techniques and Persuasive Tactics: Propaganda techniques and persuasive tactics are used to influence people to believe, buy, or do something. Students should be able to identify and comprehend the propaganda techniques and persuasive tactics listed below.
1. Name-calling is an attack on a person instead of an issue.
2. A bandwagon appeal tries to persuade the reader to do, think, or buy something because it is popular or because “everyone” is doing it.
3. A red herring is an attempt to distract the reader with details not relevant to the argument.
4. An emotional appeal tries to persuade the reader by using words that appeal to the reader’s emotions instead of logic or reason.
5. A testimonial attempts to persuade the reader by using a famous person to endorse a product or idea (for instance, a celebrity endorsement).
6. Repetition attempts to persuade the reader by repeating a message over and over again.
7. A sweeping generalization (stereotyping) makes an oversimplified statement about a group based on limited information.
8. A circular argument states a conclusion as part of the proof of the argument.
9. An appeal to numbers, facts, or statistics attempts to persuade the reader by showing how many people think something is true.

- BARS ADVERTISERS FROM EXAGGERATION; “Supreme Court Holds That Even if Value Is Given Offense Still Exists.” The New York Times. 24 April 1916. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E0CE4DA1331E733A05756C2A9629C946796D6CF 
- Cheez-It ad (Advertising Technique: Exaggeration) http://www.adcracker.com/techniques/Exaggeration_Advertising_Technique.htm 
- articles for analysis of exaggeration. Suggested articles include the following: 
+ “Hurricane Earl grows to category 4; Tropical Storm Fiona forms.” (31 August 2010). CNN U.S.  http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/08/30/tropical.weather/index.html. 
+ “Our view on food safety: Egg recalls fit pattern of negligence, lax oversight.” (29 August 2010). USA Today.  http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2010-08-30-editorial30_ST_N.htm 
+ “Texting is not talking.” (16 July 2009). The Boston Globe.  http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2009/06/16/texting_is_not_talking/ 
+ Daniel Wetter. (6 July 2009). Pandemic Level Increased. Scholastic.com. . http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3752088 

- To ensure that students comprehend the assignments, watch the groups while they work. Assess whether reteaching is necessary using the annotated passages that students turn in. 

Explicit instruction, active engagement, and scaffolding
W: Ask students to expand on their knowledge of bias, stereotypes, and exaggeration and to recognize how these tactics can obstruct effective communication.
H: Introduce students to a visual advertisement that relies on exaggeration to create impact, as well as a century-old Supreme Court ruling that shows issues with truth in advertising dates back a long way.
E: Assign groups to do passage analysis.
R: Have students analyze and annotate passages to build on the knowledge they learned in the first two lessons.
E: During the presentation, provide students the chance to reflect on themselves as they compare their group members and the entire class' responses to the readings.
T: Conduct group activities and share knowledge with the class as part of your instruction.
O: Help students learn new material that builds upon what they have already learned in the unit's first two lessons.

Focus Question: How is exaggeration employed in nonfiction, and what does it mean?

Discuss with students the long-standing issue of truthful advertising and read aloud a portion of the 1916 Supreme Court ruling that sought to prevent mail advertisers from making false claims. 

(See BARS ADVERTISERS FROM EXAGGERATION; "Supreme Court Holds That Offense Remains in Materials Even if Value Is Given.")

Part 1

Put the meanings of propaganda and exaggeration on the board or interactive whiteboard. (See the Reading Assessment Anchor Glossary or the Tier III Vocabulary at the start of the lesson.)

Show the Cheez-It commercial to your students as an illustration of exaggeration. Make the point that propaganda is the kind of writing that most heavily relies on prejudice and the application of literary techniques like exaggeration and stereotyping.

Part 2

Group the students and assign each group to examine a biased or stereotype-filled article as well as an objective one. Some instances are as follows:

“Hurricane Earl grows to category 4; Tropical Storm Fiona forms”
“Our view on food safety: Egg recalls fit pattern of negligence, lax oversight”
“Texting is not talking”
Pandemic Level Increased 

Ask students to use the following checklist to annotate these readings in groups of three:

Determine the author's goal.
Indicate whether the reading is biased or objective, and provide textual evidence to back up your claim.
Provide specific instances of stereotypes or exaggerations.
(The pandemic and hurricane articles should be considered objective; the others are biased and contain stereotyping and biased language.) Once the groups have finished annotating the readings, have them present their work to the class before turning it into you.

Extension:

Students who require more learning opportunities can annotate another pair of readings, one biased and one objective, with a partner. Assign students to small groups to discuss their assignments. Make sure students understand the difference between propaganda and exaggeration by giving them feedback.
Inform students about the Bias Meter (refer to the Resources folder's L-7-3-1_Bias Meter). Ask them to rate the degree of bias in the readings they annotated for this lesson using this tool.
If they're willing to go above and beyond the curriculum, students can examine historical bias. Make sure they read the Japanese internment camp reading from the Related Resources list. Students should be reminded that this article was published in 1942.