This lesson introduces the students to the concept of marketing surveys and the role they play in the economic world. Details of these surveys - what they are, why they are important, how they are conducted and how the results are used are explored. Students are also made aware of the important role children play in marketing a product.

"Setting the Stage" - Before starting the program, ask the students: Do you watch commercials on television? Do you go to the store? Are there some items that look more interesting than others? Did you see them on a TV commercial before you saw them in the store? Would you like to buy these items? Do you think companies know what products kids like?

"Introduction to Marketing Survey"
Using cartoon characters as advertising executives from a toy company, a 'marketing survey' is introduced to the students. The executives want to know what kind of toy monster would appeal to the FasTracKids. The survey contains many questions. Among them are questions on the child's preference of the toy's appearance, sound and mobility. After answering these questions, students will determine the composition of their toy monster.

"Design a Toy Monster"
Using the Learning Station as the toy company's 'drawing board,' students create a new product - a toy monster. Through this exercise, students become aware that all products start out as ideas. They then take form through drawings, and are actualized through production.
Touch-screen activity - Students are presented with choices of faces for the monster. On the Learning Station, instructions are given on how to make choices, so students must exercise their listening skills. As a group, students discuss what face they want for the toy monster. If students change their decision, they can push the red 'undo' button on the screen to change the face. Once a final decision has been reached, press the green arrow button to advance to the next segment.
Teacher note - Talk about the fact that not everyone will always agree on a specific choice. Explain how 'different opinions' are an important part of a marketing survey. All the opinions received through marketing surveys are valuable and assist in a company's decision regarding the production and marketing of a product.
The next segment involves choices the students must make regarding the appearance of the toy monster. Will it have hair? What color/texture? What should it be wearing? Students make a group decision and activate the corresponding icons on the screen. When the final choices are made, once again activate the green arrow button to advance to the next choice. The third element students must decide upon involves choice of appropriate sounds coming from their toy monster. Students can listen to each sound on the Learning Station before making their final decision. Talk about which sound effect would best match the face they have chosen for their monster. Why do they think their choice is the best one?

"Make Your Own Monster"
Hands-on activity - Now that students have created their own monster on the Learning Station, they have the opportunity to create one to take home. This can be done a number of ways. Students can use torn paper or craft sticks and glue to make a full-body monster picture similar to the one on the Learning Station. Also, by using paper bags (i.e., small lunch bags) and other craft items (markers, yarn, glue, glitter, torn paper) students can use their own creativity to make a monster puppet. Talk about the similarities and differences between the students' creation on the Learning Station and their hands-on monster. How are they alike? What features are different?

"Packaging"
This part of the lesson introduces 'packaging' as another aspect of a company's marketing of a product. Talk about products familiar to your students. What kind of products are they? What does the product come in - a box, a bag? What does the package look like? Why do they like the packaging?
Hands-on activity - After talking about different packages, students create their own packaging for their toy monster. Will the package have a picture or product logo on it? Will it advertise only the monster or the entire toy company?

"Advertising"
Everyone is exposed to advertising. This part of the lesson explains how marketing is accomplished through advertising. In this segment, 'advertisement' and 'commercial' are frequently used as new vocabulary words. Discuss the students' favorite advertisements. What do they depict? Toys? Soft drinks? Movies? Where do they see/hear these advertisements? TV? Computers? Billboards?
Videotaping activity - After discussing different styles of advertisements and commercials, talk about how - and why -the students would advertise their toy monster. In groups or pairs, students discuss different ways they would advertise their product, and agree on one 'best way.' Videotape your students commercials and review them as a class. Talk about how believable they are.

"Make Your Own Cereal"
Touch-screen activity - This touch screen activity applies the same techniques used to create the toy monster, but now a very different product is being introduced - cereal. Students choose the ingredients for a new cereal they think other children would like. Talk about why they made their specific choices. When final choices are made, touch the items on the screen and put them into the bowl, as directed on the Learning Station. When the decisions have been made and the new cereal completed, touch the button that looks like a spoon to advance to the next segment. Encourage compromise in group decision-making. Discuss the reasons behind their choices.

"Design a Cereal Box"
Touch-screen activity - Discuss the different ways cereal could be packaged and marketed. This activity encourages the students to design the packaging for their new cereal. Students are asked to think about why they make certain choices, and then explain why to the class. Encourage full sentences using new vocabulary words. After presentations, press the spoon button again to finalize choices and advance the program.
Hands-on activity - This activity can be done in the classroom, if there is time, or used as a take-home handout. This is a two-page project: one page depicts a plain cereal box and the other page contains cutouts of the items that were used on the Learning Station to decorate the cereal box. As with the packaging for the toy monster, students can create a box identical to the one they created on the Learning Station, or design a box with a totally new look.

Before Students Go Home - Review
Review vocabulary words - commercials, advertising, marketing, survey, executives
Talk about what advertising is
Why would a company advertise its product?
Why would companies want to know what children like?
Why do companies want their products to look interesting?

Supply List for Activities
"Today I Discovered" - parents handout
markers and craft materials to create a monster (puppet or picture), craft
materials to decorate the monster
large paper bags to create packaging for toy monster
scissors and glue
preprinted handouts (2 pages on disk) of cereal box and logo icons to cut and glue
Videotape