Four factors influenced the development of this unit for seventh grade students.  In the Kewaskum School district, art is required through 7th. grade. Since this could be the student's last art class, the content of the curriculum is especially important.  In an increasingly visual world, visual literacy will play as important a role as verbal and mathematical literacy.  Student's need to recognize that most artists earn a living doing design tasks rather than making sculptures or paintings.  And finally, students of this age are developmentally "ripe" for the emotionally charged meanings in advertisements and the kind of abstract thinking skills which their analysis requires.

In this unit students will uncover the emotional deception that is used in advertisements to sell products.  They will analyze the design elements which combine to strengthen the visual impact of the ad.  Using this knowledge, they will participate in the same kind of design process that professionals use to create a TV commercial or magazine ad.