Level: Grades 5 to 8

Overview

This lesson and all associated documents (handouts, overheads, backgrounders) is available in an easy-print, pdf kit version.   To open the lesson kit for printing, click here.   To print only this page, use the "printable version" link at the top of the page.

In this lesson, students explore the relationship between the marketing techniques used by tobacco companies and the true physical and social effects of smoking. The class begins with a deconstruction of messages in tobacco ads selected by the teacher, followed by a review of the physical ills associated with smoking. In small groups, students will then analyze cigarette ads by comparing their stated and unstated messages with "the true story" about the effects of smoking.

Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate:

• an understanding of the marketing strategies used by the tobacco industry in order to market cigarettes
  
• an awareness of how the tobacco industry downplays the health risks associated with smoking
  
• an understanding of the "unstated" messages in smoking advertisements
  
• an understanding of the physical and social cost of smoking

Preparation and Materials

Review teaching backgrounders:

• The Price
  
• Points to Consider
  
• For ideas on how to conduct group work on this topic, see Guidelines for Peer-Led Discussion Groups, in the right sidebar.

Make photocopies or overheads of the following, or find similar ads in magazines:

• Newport Pleasure
  
• Your Basic 3-Piece Suit
  
• Benson & Hedges - The Length You Go For Pleasure  
  
• Camel - Genuine Taste
  
• Superslims
  
• Copy student handout The True Story - one for each group.
  
• Copy Joe Chemo on the back of each sheet.
  
• Before the lesson, have students collect tobacco ads and bring them to class.

Procedure

Class Discussion

Distribute The Price, and review it with students. This is smoking as health officials and psychologists see it. Now, you're going to look at smoking as the tobacco industry sees it.

Show photocopies or overheads of the tobacco ads included with this lesson (or similar ads you have clipped from magazines). Using Points to Consider as a reference, discuss each advertisement. Ask students:

• What do you see in this ad? (Ask students for more detail, such as the appearance of the models, activities that are depicted, setting, written text.)
  
• What don't you see? (Generally, you don't see cigarette butts, smoke, stained teeth, everyday life, diverse groups of people, etc.)
  
• Who is this ad meant for? (Is it meant to appeal to smokers or nonsmokers? Age group? Sex? Race?)
  
• What association is being made between smoking this brand of cigarettes and being cool, beautiful, vigorous, having lots of friends, etc.?
  
• What "image gap" problems does this ad present?
  
• What part of the story is left out of these ads? (Some examples include addiction, other social effects, money spent to support your habit - encourage students to be specific.)

Activity

• In small groups, have students analyze the collected ads while the group leader completes The True Story chart.
  
• As a class, share the results of the charts. Prompt students to fill in any missing information.
  
• Using Joe Chemo as an example, ask students to return to their groups and create a "true story" based on one of the advertisements they've analyzed.