Wanted: A Better Classified Advertisement Approximate Time Needed: 45 minutes with an additional homework assignment Lesson Summary: Students will read a randomly selected classified advertisement, research the career on ECOS, and modify the advertisement to communicate more effectively the needs and characteristics of the job. Lesson Objective: Students will learn how to express themselves in clear and concise words while learning important aspects of various careers. Materials and Resources: Ten to fifteen (depending on class/group size) classified advertisements cut out from a newspaper. To make the lesson most effective, the classifieds should cover a wide range of occupations. A container to hold the cutout pieces (e.g. a hat, bowl, or bag). ECOS Career Directory Helpful Hints: You may want to divide students into groups in order to accommodate the number of computers available and the time available for class. Students may benefit from assigned roles within the groups. Activities: Copy a random classified advertisement on the chalkboard for the class to read. Ask students to point out general characteristics of the ad (e.g. brevity of language, concise meaning, use of standard abbreviations). Write the students' observations on the board. (Additional information about the rates charged by the publication may be useful to give as well.) Divide students into groups of two to three. Have each group select one classified ad from the container for its review. Ask students to read the classified and write down at least five characteristics associated with the position. Students locate their assigned occupation in the Career Directory. Students should write down important information that they believe would be useful and appropriate to place in a classified advertisement. If you have introduced the information about rates per word or size of advertisement, you can offer the students an additional challenge by giving each group a maximum account of funds available. They might pick this amount from a container to give the assignment more of a "game" feeling. Have students prepare the "new and improved" advertisement for publication under their given budget. Ask each group to compare their ad to the original one. For homework, ask each group to submit the original and new classified advertisement and each student should complete a "3-2-1" exercise. 3 things the student learned by doing the assignment, 2 ways the student improved the advertisement, and 1 thing the student found interesting about the occupation. Evaluation: The work produced from Activities Step #6. Possible Adaptations: Students bring in their own newspaper and choose their own classified advertisement to revise. The bag, however, does add a "game" aspect to the lesson that may be helpful. Use Interview your Job Candidates lesson to expand on the ideas developed in this lesson.