Designer Kids: Out-Commercializing the Commercializers

1. Designer Kids: Out-Commercializing the Commercializers October 2018 Dr. Robert Williams and Dr. Dan Woods

2. Well… • We all know about critical literacy and the interwebs • Right?

3. New species of kitten discovered

4. OR NAH?

5. The Why • As creators and consumers of content, students may be led to more critical habits of mind with activities focused on the design of promotional and consumer products such as t-shirts and toys.

6. The What • We propose learning activities that lead students to design their own, unique versions of common promotional and consumer products as are found in contemporary popular culture.

7. The How • Books, games, music, and movies (and books and games made into movies) all routinely migrate to marketable products such as t-shirts, collectible or decorative figures and artwork, water bottles and coffee mugs and glassware, and office supplies, all with students as major consumers of such products.

8. Example • While reading Holes, students might research the desert setting described in the book and then design (and describe in detail) a Lego-style building set to match that landscape, and with associated sketches and character descriptions.

9. Extension • Further, these same promotional materials may be turned toward the purpose of promoting the work, Holes in this instance, and likewise similarly used to promote thoughtful reading itself.

10. In Practice • Students will only need traditional writing materials to engage with the lesson design activities, but can access any other available technology they prefer. • By allowing students to choose the creative medium we are also tapping more deeply into their creative energies and creating more authentic and engaging works that better represent their understanding of the process and the product.

11. Model Lesson Template 1 • Products to Promote Individual Books, Authors, or Genres

12. Activity Option 1-Lego Product Line • Design five Lego sets to promote a specific book, author, or genre or series of books. • Directions: Create five, one paragraph descriptions of Lego sets to be manufactured and sold in connection to marketing your chosen book (10 pts each paragraph). • Include lists of characters, tools, buildings, and vehicles and other elements in each description.

13. Required Content Include the following sets, connected to the book as noted here: • At least two set designs connected to a specific character in a specific setting or vehicle • Example: Batman & his Batmobile • At least two sets design ideas connected to a specific plot event in a specific setting • Example: Junie B. Jones hiding in the Custodian’s Closet • At least one set design idea focused on a background setting / location different from the four above • Example: The Little Critter’s Playground

14. Paragraph Scoring Rubric

15. Activity Option 2-Think Geek Product Line Describe a list of products to promote a specific book, author, or genre or series of books. Include the following products, at minimum as noted here: • At least one t-shirt idea with unique slogan and image • At least one coffee / travel mug / water bottle idea with unique slogan • At least one lunch tote / cooler bag with unique slogan and image • At least one device, tool, or other object • Examples: Sonic Screwdriver, Star Trek Communicator, Magic Wand • At least one display-decorative object • Example: Game of Thrones Iron Throne model, model of Starship Enterprise, model Hogwarts Express

16. Think Geek Products Scoring Rubric

17. Assessment Questions to Ask • Why did you choose the product design you did? • Why did you choose the specific image or words? • What thematic points do your products, images, and/or words reflect?

18. Measurable ObjectivesTemplate 1 • Students will be able to identify key components of setting, plot, characterization, and theme in creative works of art • Students will be able to identify the underlying cultural values promoted in creative works of art • Students will be able to explain how creative works of art may be commercialized

19. Model Lesson Template 2 • Promotional Products to Promote Civic Engagement

20. Directions • Create slogans or sayings or text / images to be attached to specific products as a form of promotional material designed to promote civic engagement overall. • Note, this is not to promote a specific position, but, rather, to promote civic / political engagement in general. • Each promotional item noted below should be designed to generate maximum interest in the concept of being engaged as a critically literate member of a society. (Describe as necessary.)

21. Product Options • Tee Shirt or Hooded Sweatshirt (front & back) (10 pts) (images or text or both) (5 pts each side) • Bumper Sticker (5 pts) • Hat (of any design) (5 pts) • Coffee Mug or Water Bottle (10 pts) • Lunch Box / tote bag / makeup case (soft or hard, insulated or not) (10 pts) • Business Card (front & back) (10 pts) (images or text or both) (5 pts each side)

22. Civic Engagement Products Scoring Rubric

23. or, Open Choice Option • Create any product or device or swag pack of your choice that will carry a message; options include everything from pencils to phone cases to action figures to paperweights to letter openers to jewelry to collectibles to backpacks to ??????? • Point values must equal 50 pts. in any combination of items

24. Civic Engagement Products Scoring Rubric 2

25. Assessment Questions for Civic Engagement Products • Why did you choose the product you did? • Why did you choose the specific image or words? • What civic engagement values do your products, images, and/or words reflect?

26. Measurable ObjectivesTemplate 2 • Students will be able to define the concept of civic engagement as a member of a social group • Students will be able to explain the value of civic engagement for members of a social group • Students will be able to identify possible roles engaged members of a social group may assume

27. Time to Student • Time to try out one of the activities we discussed. • Remember, you are free to try more than one activity in order to find one that you like. Remember, too, that oftentimes we start down a path only to decide that another path might suit us better. The choice is yours.

28. Share • What did you create? • Why did you choose the topic, content, issue that you did? • Are you happy with the final product? • If so, what is your favorite aspect? • If not, what will you change?

29. For Further Discussion • How will you use what we’ve explored here today? • What will you change if you use these ideas? • What else would you like to know?

30. Resources 1 • Alsup, J. (2003). Politicizing young adult literature: Reading Anderson's Speak as a critical text. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 47(2), 158-166. • Bean, T., & Moni, K. (2003, May). Developing students' critical literacy: Exploring identity construction in young adult fiction. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 46(8), 638. • Cohen, P. (2003). Tricks of the trade: On teaching arts and ‘race’ in the classroom. In D. Buckingham (Ed.), Teaching popular culture: Beyond radical pedagogy (pp. 153–176). London: Routledge.

31. Resources 2 • Darling-Hammond, L., & Baratz-Snowden, J. (Eds.). (2005). A Good teacher in every classroom: Preparing the highly qualified teachers our children deserve. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. • Delpit, L. (1991). The silenced dialogue: Power and pedagogy in the education of other people’s children. In M. Minami & B. P. Kennedy (Eds.), Language issues in literacy and bilingual/multicultural education. (pp. 483-502). Cambridge, MA: Harvard Educational Review.

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33. Resources 4 • Giroux, H.A. (1992) Post-colonial ruptures and democratic possibilities: Multiculturalism as anti-racist pedagogy. Cultural Critique, 21, 5-39. • Giroux, H. A. (1983). Theory and resistance in education: A pedagogy for the opposition. Critical perspectives in social theory. South Hadley, Mass: Bergin & Garvey. • Gorski, P., (2006). Complicity with conservatism: The depoliticizing of multicultural and intercultural education. Intercultural Education, 17.2, 163-177.

34. Resources 5 • Greene, M (1988). The dialectic of freedom. New York: Teacher’s College Press. • Moll, L. C. (1990). Vygotsky and education: Instructional implications and applications of sociohistorical psychology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. • Morrell, E. (2008). Critical literacy and urban youth: Pedagogies of access, dissent, and liberation. Language, culture, and teaching. New York: Routledge.

35. Resources 6 • Nippold, Marilyn A. (2016). Later language development: School-age children, adolescents, and young adults, 4th ed.Austin, TX: Pro-Ed. • Rogers, R. (2002). That's what you're here for, you're supposed to tell us: Teaching and learning critical literacy. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 45(8), 772-87. • Weddington, H. & Rhine, S. (2006). Comfort with chaos and complexity.International Journal of Learning, 13.2, 39-47.

36. Resources 7 • Wilhelm, J. (2006). What choice do I have? Reading, writing, and speaking activities to empower students. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 49(7), 637-639. • Yagelski, Robert P. (2000). Literacy matters: Writing and reading the social self. New York: Teachers College Press. • Yokota J., & Cai, M. (2002). Social justice and critical literacy. Language Arts, 79(5): 432-37.

37. Contact • Dr. Robert Williams -rohwilli@radford.edu • Dr. Dan Woods- drwoods@radford.edu

38. Disclaimer • Reference within this presentation to any specific commercial or non-commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer or otherwise does not constitute or imply an endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Virginia Department of Education.