Virginia Department of Education, January 2018
Creating a Commercial
Overview:
Do your students have shining personalities? Give them the opportunity to be a star! This is a writing
activity that will get every student motivated to write.
Procedure:
1)
Explain to students that we will be creating our own commercials.
a)
Show examples of simple but descriptive commercials to your students.
2)
Students will need to brainstorm different products. Encourage students to choose a product
they use or eat. (Corn dogs, ranch dressing, Captain Crunch, laptop, IPhone, Legos, etc.)
3)
Model writing a list of descriptive words for different products. Invite each student to
create a list of descriptive words about their product.
4)
Model how to use some of the descriptive words in order to sell the product.
a)
Have students practice choosing descriptive words to sell their product.
5)
Give each student the opportunity to write a script for their commercial.
6)
Have students practice performing their commercial.
7)
Record students performing their commercial.
ASOLs Covered in this Activity:
5E--WP 3 d: The student will revise own writing by adding more information.
Extension Idea: During step 6 (practicing performance), model to students reflecting on your
commercial and adding more information (descriptive words, facts, and/ or an entertaining
hook).Have each student add additional information to their commercial.
5E--WP 7 b: The student will write to convey ideas and information by selecting a topic and listing
words, facts, or details related to the topic.
Extension Idea: Have students create their own list of descriptive words for their product.
5E--WE 1 c: The student will capitalize the first letter of a familiar place.
Extension Idea: During step 2, emphasize and model capitalizing the first letter of proper
nouns students are using for their commercial. Have students practice capitalizing these words
before having students write a script. Prompt students to make sure all specific products need
to be capitalized in their commercial writing.
8E
--
WP
1
c:
The
student
will
plan
by
brainstorming
and
revise
own
writing
by
adding
more
information.
Extension Idea: During step 6 (practicing performance), model for students how to reflect
on their commercial and consider adding more information (descriptive words, facts,
and/ or an entertaining hook). Have each student add additional information to their
commercial as needed.
8E--WP 3 a: The student will write a persuasive report and support it with reasons or other relevant
evidence.
Extension Idea: Introduce persuasive writing to students before you model writing a
commercial script. Make a list of persuasive words and phrases (free gift included, need, limited
