20th Century Invention Commercial

6th grade US History

Monica Van Husen and Darcie Priester

Introduction:
6th grade students will create a commercial for a 20TH century invention. Students will research
an invention, looking for information about who invented the product, date the product was
invented, and how it changed the lives of its users. Students will need to be creative and sway
their classmates to buy their product!

Standards: USII.1a, USII.1b, USII.1d, USII.1i, USII.4b, USII.4d, USII.6a, USII.9b, USII.9c

Activity Process: (Class time 80 mins.)

Day 1 – Students will be put into pairs and assigned an invention. They will use the MacBooks
to research their invention looking for the inventor, date invented, and how it changed the
user’s life. They will also include price and where to buy the product. Students will then begin
writing their script. Make sure to mark in the script where special effect sounds will be
included.

Students should include the following:

 An introduction to their invention – including the name of the invention, when it was
invented, and who invented it.
 How the invention changed the life of its users.
 A closing that will persuade the audience to buy the invention.
 How much the invention sold for and where to buy it.
 The commercial is no longer than 1 minute.
 The commercial is well rehearsed and the recording has a smooth delivery in a
conversational style.

Day 2 – The ITRT will demonstrate how students will record and add effects to their
commercials and also show them basic editing techniques such as cutting long silences or
added words. Students will open a new file and save it with their names. Then they will create
tracks and record their commercial on one track and add their effects to another. Once the
script has been approved by the teacher, students (in groups of 4 or 5) will record their
commercial using Garageband with the ITRT. Students are allotted 20 minutes to record their
commercial.

Day 3 – Students will continue to finish their scripts and record their commercials.

Day 4 – Preview Day! Students will present their commercials to the class and evaluate each
other based on the project requirements, voting on the most persuasive commercial in each
class period.

Resources:
Macbooks, US History textbooks, Internet, Garageband, script, pencil/pen, microphones

Evaluation:
Students will be evaluated on:
1. Using class time wisely to research their inventions and write their script (10 points),
2. Invention fact sheet completed (15 points),
3. A completed script including: (50 points)
a. A creative introduction, with the name of invention, inventor and date produced
b. How the invention changed the life of its users.
c. A closing that will persuade the audience to buy the invention.
d. How much the invention sold for and where to buy it.
4. The commercial is no longer than 1 minute. (10 points)
5. The commercial is well rehearsed and the recording has a smooth delivery in a
conversational style. The sound effects do not overpower the message in the
commercial. (10 points)
6. Student evaluation (5 points)
 Invention Fact Sheet
Name: ____________________________
Invention:_______________________________________________

Facts about:
The inventor or
inventors

What the invention

does

Important dates

Life in the U.S. before

your invention

How the invention has

changed life

Other interesting
information

Picture of your
Invention
Checklist:
Research:
________ I have used my time wisely in class researching my topic (10 points)
________ I have completed the Invention fact sheet (15 points)

Podcast:
________ I have filled out the podcast script for my commercial including the following:
________ I have welcomed the audience and introduced my invention. I
included in my introduction the name of the invention, when it was
invented, and who invented it (10 points)
________ I have explained how the invention has changed life in the United
States. (10 points)
________ I have included a closing that will persuade my audience to buy my
invention.
________ I have included how much I would sell the invention for and where to
buy it. (10 points)
________ My podcast commercial is no longer than 1 minute. (5 points)
________ My podcast is well rehearsed and the recording has a smooth
delivery in a conversation style. (5 points)

Poster:
________ I have completed a poster that will be photographed and inserted
into a dynamic podcast that will be shown while the podcast plays. It
includes the following:
________ Name of Invention (5 points)
________ Picture of Invention (5 points)
________ Name of Inventor (5 points)
________ Date of Invention (5 points)
________ Neatness and creativity (5 points)
 Podcast Script

Welcome: Introduce your product. Name

of invention, date it was invented, who
invented it.

Explain what the invention does.

Explain how the invention has changed life

in the U.S.

Closing: Try to get audience to buy

invention. Explain how much you are
selling it for and where they can buy it.