SAMR Lesson: Public Service Announcements

Grade- Middle and High School

Subject- classroom guidance on health and safety, using technology, and building collaboration
skills

Content StandardsThe ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success:

K-12 College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Every Student
Category 1: Mindset Standards
I can build self-confidence in my ability to succeed.
I can have a positive attitude toward work and learning.
Category 2: Behavior Standards
Learning Standards
I can demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions.
I can demonstrate creativity.
I can apply media and technology skills.
Social Skills
I can use effective oral and written communication skills and listening skills.
I can demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility.
I can use effective collaboration and cooperation skills.
Background
A public service announcement (PSA) or public service ad, are messages in the public
interest disseminated by the media without charge, with the objective of raising awareness,
changing public attitudes and behavior towards a social issue. (www.wikipedia.org)
The most common topics of PSAs are health and safety, such as Emergency Preparedness and
Safety Tips. Usually, a PSA is part of a public awareness campaign used to inform or educate
the public about an issue such as obesity, compulsive gambling, going green, avoiding gangs,
adopting animals, drunk driving, preventing forest fires, or texting and drive. (www.wikipedia.org)

1.

2.
3.

4.
5.

Activities:
Show students a few PSA examples:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0381pXaeCDI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1WBzMLgixM https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=2RUYkzJio24
Discuss components of effective PSAs and reference videos watched:
http://www.casemo.org/ShowMe-PALS/HowToWriteAPSA.pdf
Students will view several PSAs (see below) and discuss the content of each ad, the audience,
the goal, results, emotion, organization, and core message. Do you feel video PSAs are more
effective? Why or why not?
Students will use http://en.linoit.com/ or https://padlet.com/ to brainstorm social issues for
possible PSAs.
Augmentation: Students (in groups of 3 to 4) will use an Ap or other internet based tool (see
links below) to create a PSA. Functional improvement going from paper, pencil PSAs to

internet based tools include more features being available for students with these programs as
well as internet sharing capabilities.
6. Modification: Students will create a QR code for their PSA which will be posted to a Blog and
share positives and constructive criticism. Then, students will vote (using www.goformative.com
or www.plickers.com) on the best one. Peer review is a functional improvement to teacher
feedback which is now possible with technology. This creates the ability for task redesign as
students are collaborating with each other and providing feedback using new technology.
7. Redefinition: The QR code will have capabilities for the teacher to share the students work with
the teaching staff, Uspiritus community, and marketing department at Texas Roadhouse which
would not have been possible using paper/pencil. This expert audience will give the students
feedback on their PSA's and the students can make adjustments as needed.
Sample poster PSAs

Links to tools for student use

Powtoon http://www.powtoon.com/
Comic Life http://comiclife.com/
Screencast-o-matic http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/
Tackk https://tackk.com/
Meograph http://www.meograph.com/login
Poster My Wall http://www.postermywall.com/