Scholastic.com | Fasten Your Seat Belt.Go Far!

Help Your Students Develop Powers of Persuation

Fasten Your Seatbelt...Go Far! is an educational program for grades 9-12 that provides you with key tools to teach language arts and communication skills.

Created by Scholastic and Volkswagen of America, Inc., this program will sharpen your students' creative thinking and persuasive writing skills and encourage them to create a public service announcement that focuses on seat belt safety for teens.

	Following are teacher instructions for all of the lessons in this Teaching Guide. You can share the goals with your students. Lesson 1: Develop Your Argument Lesson 2: Investigate All Sides Lesson 3: Convince Your Audience

Review these resources as you prepare for the lessons.

Ten Steps to a Winning PSA (PDF)

Standards and Benchmarks (PDF)

Classroom Poster (PDF)

Print out and send the Student Resources home with students.

Contest Entry Form (PDF)

Planning Tips (PDF)

Storyboard Template (PDF)

Facts to Consider (PDF)

Video Production Resources (PDF)

Some of the resources on this page are in PDF format. To download them, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader Software.

"Volkswagen" and the Volkswagen logo are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG. "Drivers wanted" is a registered trademark of Volkswagen of America, Inc.

Photo Credits: © SW Productions/Brand X Pictures/PictureQuest, ©Gabe Palmer/CORBIS

Student Contest!
Teachers, help your students create a public service announcement (PSA) that may be seen on national television!

Distribute this entry form (PDF), planning tips sheet (PDF), and storyboard template (PDF) in class to get started.

Students May Win:

• A $10,000, $3,000, or $1,500 U.S. Savings Bond

• Digital video camera

• Broadcast of his or her PSA nationally on television

• Plus, teachers can win an Apple G5 computer with flat screen monitor and Final Cut Pro Express software for classroom use

All Participating Students Will Receive:

• Volkswagen baseball cap

• Certificate of achievement

3 student prizes and 100 teacher prizes will be awarded.

Entries must be postmarked by
May 3, 2005

Official Rules (PDF)

According to a poll conducted by Volkswagen of America, peer pressure is believed to be the #1 reason that teens don't wear seat belts. Get the word out about seat belt safety by distributing the student resources in class. See statistics from NHTSA.