OBJECTIVE:
To have students reflect on their strengths; to foster positive
self-awareness and self-esteem; to allow students to demonstrate
their creativity
MATERIALS: Represent
Yourself! reproducible (PDF); magazines (for cutouts); markers;
scissors; tape; glue; paints; sturdy paper (e.g., illustration
board, construction paper, card stock, etc.)
ACTIVITY LEAD-IN: As a class, ask students to discuss
what the purpose of an advertisement is. What can an ad communicate?
What type of information does it usually contain? What are some
things that writers of ads want people to do? Teachers can show
examples of ads reflecting different styles, products, audiences,
etc.
Tell students they will be creating an ad of themselves that
reflects their own special skills and talents. Hand out the Represent
Yourself! reproducible, one per student.
PROCEDURE:
1. Have students reflect on talents or strengths of theirs that
they’re proud of. On the handout, have them record these
things, as well as three positive words that
best describe them.
2. Ask students to design a one-page ad that reflects their talents
and descriptive words, using cutouts, markers, words, quotes,
paint, etc. Encourage them to be as creative and bold as possible!
3. When students are finished creating their ads, display the
ads around the room. Have students walk around and observe one
another’s work.
4. If appropriate, ask students to share the strengths and descriptive
words that inspired their ads. Comment on how students have represented
these things in their work.
