King’s X
Purpose: When
you look at advertising, sometimes you really can’t tell if the advertiser is
telling the truth or lying to you.
By making part of the message true, it makes it really hard to
distinguish what is fact or fiction.
Advertising agencies use marketing strategies to target specific age
groups. This activity will help
students distinguish fact from fiction.
Materials: 1 3x5 card
and a pen or pencil for each group participant
Activity: Give each
group participant a 3x5 card. Have
group participants print 3 statements about themselves; however, have only 2 of
them be true. The 3rd
statement should be one that could be believable, but isn’t true. The statements should not be about
something that can be seen such as type of clothing. The statements should be something about their past, an
experience they have had, or something they like or don’t like. The 2 truths and the lie can be written
in any order on the card. Be sure
to have them print clearly and large enough that others will be able to read
the information on the card.
Give them 5 or 10 minutes to
wander around the room and read each other’s cards. As they read each card, they are to guess which statement is
the lie. Have the group
participants whisper their guess so others won’t hear their answer. If they get it right, then the person
whose statement they guessed puts their initials on the guesser’s card. If they are wrong they must put their
initials on the card of the person they guessed. The person with the most initials on their card when time is
called is the winner.
Processing:
1. How hard was it to think up 2 facts about
yourself? Why?
2. How hard was it to think up a lie about yourself? Why?
3. How hard was it to decide which statements were true
and which ones were false? Why?
4. How well did you do trying to guess?
5. How can we compare this activity to advertising?
6. Are all advertisements completely true?
7. How easy is it to be fooled by advertising?
8. What should you look for when we read an
advertisement?
9. Do you think there should be a law against half truths
in advertising? Why or why not?
Resource:
· More Activities that Teach, Tom Jackson
· MPS
Ropes & Challenge Education Curriculum