CAROL’S SUMMARY:

The Bureau of Consumer Protection of the Federal Trade Commission is sponsoring an initiative to educate fourth through sixth grade students in analyzing advertisements. According to the New York Times article below, “The centerpiece of the effort is a Web site called Admongo (admongo.gov), where visitors can get an “ad-ucation” by playing a game featuring make-believe products closely modeled on real ones, among them Choco Crunch’n Good cereal, Cleanology acne medication, Double Dunk sporting goods and the Smile Meals sold at Fast Chef restaurants.” Students are taught to always ask three questions:

1.      Who is responsible for the ad?

2.      What is the ad actually saying?

3.      What does the ad want me to do?”

Scholastic, the educational publishing company based in New York, was recruited by the bureau to work on the materials that will be distributed to teachers and classrooms. Ann Amstutz Hayes, vice president at Scholastic In School, states that the reason the program is targeting fourth through sixth grade students is because that is when “they’re at the stage they’re developing their critical-thinking skills.”

Outside of determining whether purchasing a product or service is in your best interest, developing critical and creative thinking skills is essential to making informed decisions and problem solving, as well as, becoming an effective student and a valued employee.

LifeBound recently published, Critical and Creative Thinking for Teenagers, to help students ask powerful questions to identify a problem, creatively brainstorm solutions, and analyze the outcome to solve problems and inform themselves about the world around them. To request a review copy of Critical and Creative Thinking call our toll free # at 1.877.737.8510 or email contact@lifebound.com.

ARTICLE

By STUART ELLIOTT

Published: April 26, 2010

New York Times

The centerpiece of the effort is a Web site called Admongo (admongo.gov), where visitors can get an “ad-ucation” by playing a game featuring make-believe products closely modeled on real ones, among them Choco Crunch’n Good cereal, Cleanology acne medication, Double Dunk sporting goods and the Smile Meals sold at Fast Chef restaurants.

“Advertising is all around you,” the home page declares in urging youngsters to always ask three questions: “Who is responsible for the ad? What is the ad actually saying? What does the ad want me to do?”

The initiative is being sponsored by the Bureau of Consumer Protection of the Federal Trade Commission, which polices deceptive, fraudulent and unfair marketing and advertising practices. The bureau is enlisting Scholastic, the educational publishing company based in New York, to help distribute materials to teachers and classrooms.

To view entire article visit

http://nyti.ms/9bio6B

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