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Estimated Time: <5 Mins Explanation

OVERVIEW

After finishing the Front of the Box lesson, students are now well equipped to practice their skills at home! Print the supplemental worksheet to re-enforce their understanding marketing strategies and target audience.

LEARNING TARGETS

Students will be able to investigate a food product at home to identify its marketing strategies and determine its target audience.

MATERIALS

• Printed worksheet

INTRODUCTION: Example Script

Alright class, it’s time to put your marketing knowledge into action! Your mission is to find one food product from your pantry or kitchen and investigate its marketing strategies. Let’s go through the sheet together to ensure there’s no questions when you’re doing your homework.

1. Choose a Food Product
   • Look for something you enjoy, like cereal, snacks, or a drink.
2. Complete the Worksheet
   • You will fill out a worksheet with several prompts. Here’s what to include:
   • Write down the name of the product and a brief description of what it is.
   • Look closely at the front of the package and list all marketing strategies you see.
   • Remember the strategies we learned like bright colors, cartoon characters, health claims, games/prized, celebrities.
   • Think about who this product is aimed at. Circle one option from the list or write your own.
   • Explain your reasoning: Write a few sentences explaining why you think this is the target audience. What clues did you find on the packaging that led you to this conclusion?
   • Bonus Questions: Check the ingredient list on the back of the package. Does it match what is marketed on the front? Explain your answer in a few sentences.
3. Submit Your Worksheet
   • Once you have completed the worksheet, please turn it in by the due date. Be prepared to share your findings with the class!

ASSESSMENT

• To assess the Food Detectives @ Home worksheet, focus on the clarity and completeness of students’ responses.
• Check that students accurately identify the food product and describe its marketing strategies, noting the use of specific terms such as bright colors, health claims, and endorsements.
• Evaluate their reasoning for the target audience choice, ensuring they provide thoughtful explanations.
• For the bonus question, assess whether students effectively compare the ingredient list to the marketing claims, encouraging critical thinking about the alignment between product representation and actual contents.
• Provide constructive feedback to guide their understanding of marketing strategies and consumer awareness.

LEARNING STANDARDS

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for 4th Grade ELA

1. Reading Informational Text:
   • RI.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
   • RI.4.2: Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details.
2. Writing:
   • W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Standards for 4th Grade

1. Standard 3: Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing genres appropriately.
2. Standard 4: Students use spoken, written, and visual language to communicate effectively.
3. Standard 5: Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and dialects.