Activities
Day 1-3
During the first 3 days, I will provide an overview of the tobacco industry with a Google Slides.
Day 4-5
Students will examine media messages and determine the type, the audience, and the purpose of the media message with an adapted Frayer model (see figure 2).
Day 6-7
Introduce the three branches of state government. Students will collaborate virtually to make a diagram of the branches using Jamboard or the WebPaint Google extension with Google Slides. If in-person the students may use technology or large white paper to make a poster.
Day 8-9
Play the iCivics game “Lawcraft” to learn about legislation.
Day 10
Use Google Slides to teach how a bill becomes a law in Virginia. If in-person, I suggest direct instruction and using Google Slides or other visuals.
Day 11
Google Slide about e-cigarettes using Nearpod to make it interactive.
Day 12 & 13
Each day the class will have a guest speaker representing two views about e-cigarettes. One will be a tobacco lobbyist and the other will work in the public health sector. The students will submit some questions prior to the visit and will take notes during the session.
Day 14 & 15
The students will write mock legislation for a bill to protect youth against the harms of e-cigarettes. This will be the bill that is introduced in the play the students perform.
Day 16 & 17
The class will be broken into groups and will work to complete the script for the General Assembly play.
Day 18 & 19
Students will film their parts at home (homework) so the teacher can compile the video. Students will work to develop the props necessary for their parts.
Day 20 -22
The students will continue filming their parts at home. At school, students will use the writing process and write an informative essay related to an aspect of this curriculum unit. Topics may include the danger of e-cigarettes, how a bill becomes a law, or media messages to name a few.
Day 23 -24
The students will create a media message as an advertisement for e-cigarettes or one “promoted” by the health department against the use of e-cigarettes. The media message must follow federal, state and local legislation guidelines. For online instruction students may use available apps or extensions.
Day 25 (or when ready)
The movie of how a bill becomes a law premiers over Zoom.
Activity 1
The first activity from Day 4 & 5 above will introduce the students to media messages. The message shared in class will reflect cigarette advertisements as well as anti-tobacco campaigns through the years. The selected advertisements will include auditory, visual, written, or a combination of these modalities. The students will use the adapted Frayer model graphic organizer (see figure 2) to assess the media messages.
Figure 2: An adapted Frayer model graphic organizer
Activity 2
In the next activity, the students will create the mock legislation (Day 14 & 15) to protect youth against the harms of e-cigarettes. The class will brainstorm on Jamboard and then collaborate in a Google Doc to create the legislation. Small groups will collaborate on different sections of the legislation. The class will then make final edits to turn it into one cohesive document.
Activity 3
The students will have many opportunities for a variety of writing throughout this unit. The informative essay writing assignment will use graphic organizers for brainstorming and planning. Then the students will complete a first draft, edit the draft and write a final draft. The students will have a range of topics to choose from as described above for Day 20-21. The writing may take additional time and will be afforded as needed.
Activity 4
The culminating activity is a play. Originally the plan was for the play to be performed in the General Assembly building or in the school auditorium. With the pandemic and the need for all virtual instruction, the play will be presented as a movie. I will create a template for the play, but the students will help to complete the dialogue for various parts. The play begins with a bill that is introduced by a delegate or senator. Then the bill goes to a committee and a subcommittee. The play will show all of the steps for a bill becoming a law and the students will have different roles to act out as they create each scene.
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