TV Commercial Warmer

In groups, students must develop a three-minute TV commercial on the topic of the reading. The TV commercial does not necessarily have to sell something if, for example, the topic under discussion is global warming, but it must inform the audience on the subject. The audience is assumed to be intelligent but uninformed. The students must then get up and perform their commercial for their peers.

This activity not only forces students to review and summarize the material to an audience, pulling out its key ideas, but also develops a sense of audience awareness as they will have to present the material to their peers in a way that is clear and easy to follow.