Level: Grades 6 to 8

Overview

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In this lesson, students use science and critical thinking to test the legitimacy of advertisers' claims about their products. The lesson begins with students viewing and discussing a series of ads that make claims about their products. Students read a case study about two girls who replicated experiments from advertisements as a science fair project, and discuss their findings. Then students conduct their own experiments to see if products live up to their claims.

Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate:

• an awareness that claims made in commercial messages may not be entirely accurate
• an awareness that there are rules governing advertising claims
• an understanding of the need to critically question media messages
• an ability to investigate the properties of objects and materials

Preparation and Materials

• Photocopy the student handout Scientific Detectives Interview
• Tape a few commercials that make claims that could be scientifically proven. Such commercials might be for a toothpaste that claims to whiten teeth better than other leading brands; a deodorant that will leave you dry, no matter what; a shampoo and conditioner that works with heat to leave your hair "silky smooth" ; or a skin cream that eliminates "the visible signs of aging."
• Television and VCR

Procedure

Begin the class by playing the commercials. After each commercial, pause and ask:

• What claims are made about the product being advertised?
• What advertising methods are used to make us believe these claims?
• Do you believe in the claims made about these products? Why or why not?

Distribute the student handout Scientific Detectives Interview, and give students some time to read it and answer the questions. Take up their answers as a class.

Question 8 asks: "In Canada, are there any rules about the claims advertisers can make about products?" In response, point out that the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards addresses this in two sections:

1. Accuracy and Clarity

(a) Advertisements must not contain inaccurate or deceptive claims, statements, illustrations, or representations, either direct or implied, with regard to price, availability, or performance of a product or service.

8. Professional or Scientific Claims

Advertisements must not distort the true meaning of statements made by professionals or scientific authorities. Advertising claims must not imply that they have a scientific basis that they do not truly possess. Any scientific, professional or authoritative claims or statements must be applicable to the Canadian context, unless otherwise clearly stated.

Activities

The following activities encourage students to explore the legitimacy of advertising claims themselves.

• Find some TV commercials that base their claims on experiments. Get the addresses for the makers of the products advertised in the commercials, and do what Rebecca and Dalia did:
  • Write to the manufacturers for information.
  • See if you can duplicate the experiments.
  • Write again to the manufacturers to tell them your results.
  • Write a report on your project for a science fair and/or local newspaper.
    
• Rebecca says: "I think people should look at TV advertising a lot more critically and question everything they see and are told. You really have to go and find out yourself." Make a list of ways you could be more critical of TV ads.
  
• Make up a skit in which someone plays the part of a commercial, and others ask it "critical questions."
  
• Write a story or play to describe what might happen to TV if there were no ads.
  
• Discuss the lessons learned from these activities:
  
  • always question everything
  • don't take anything at face value
  • be critical

Evaluation

• TV commercial investigations, skits, stories or plays.