A&P and Other Stories Lesson Plan

Advertisements and Consumerism

Kind of Activity:

Mixed Media

Objective:

Students will read about Cold War consumerism, watch era-specific advertisements, then create advertisements of their own that relate to the story.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.2, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.4, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.7

Structure:

Begin by having students read this brief article about how the rise of American consumerism was closely tied with the Cold War: Combatting Communism with Consumerism. They should also watch the refrigerator commercial at the end of the article and discuss how it relates to some of the themes and motifs in "A & P."

Have them...