Minds On

Public Service Announcements

Student Success

Think-Pair-Share

Find an object in your learning space. Now come up with five sentences that describe the object and how important it is. If possible, find a partner and convince them of the importance of your object and encourage them to try it. Think carefully about what you want to say, how you are going to deliver your message and how you are going to convince them that your object is important. For example, if you chose a skipping rope, you should pitch someone the importance of using a skipping rope to get exercise. Did you manage to convince your classmate to try your important object?

Note to teachers: See your teacher guide for collaboration tools, ideas and suggestions.

What is a PSA?

You just practiced using your point of view to develop a message and presenting it to an audience. Now if you were to substitute the object for a social issue, program, or service, you would get something that would look and/or sound like a public service announcement (PSA). A PSA performs a public service in the form of a message. This message is broadcast to many people and it is intended to inform and raise awareness about an issue or issues. Similar to other advertisements, PSAs are developed with a target audience in mind. This means that the message or announcement is adjusted to make sense to, and capture the attention of, the group of people it is intended for.

Action

Task 1

For example, in 2020, the Government of Canada released a number of PSAs as a measure to inform Canadians about COVID-19 (coronavirus) in order to reduce the spread of the virus. The PSAs were broadcast using different forms of media including radio, TV, and the Internet and were altered depending on their target audience.

TVO, a government agency of the Ontario Ministry of Education, also made it their responsibility to help their audience understand what was happening in the world around them. For example, the TVOKids show, 16 Hudson, released a number of COVID PSAs to educate the youngest citizens of Ontario about the global pandemic to help them feel safe and informed.

Explore at least two of the following five 16 Hudson COVID-19 PSAs. Keep track of the information the PSAs include using a method of your choice. How are the PSAs similar? How are they different?

Now that we have explored examples of COVID-19 PSAs, what information do you think PSAs should include to help to get their message across? If possible, discuss your thoughts and ideas with a partner.

Task 2

Use the Internet to find three different PSAs from the Government of Canada on COVID-19 (coronavirus). Make note of any elements or important details that you observe (These observations will help you plan your own PSA later on). Some common PSA elements you may have noticed:

  • grabs audience’s attention through visual and/or audio effects
  • includes data, which is communicated through facts, graphs, and/or statistics
  • are short in length (e.g. 10 to 30 seconds long), scripted, and focus on one main idea
  • provides clear steps for people to adopt and/or follow
  • appeals to the needs and/or concerns of the target audience
  • is persuasive, but does not try to persuade people to purchase a product or service

Task 3

You will now have an opportunity to create a PSA of your choice. Choose a social issue that interests you. Then, use the Internet to conduct research and learn more about it.

Select one of the following topics or one of your choice.

  • Environmental Awareness
  • Global Warming
  • Healthy Living

Use the following PSA Storyboard template or method of your choice to answer the following questions:

  1. What is the message you want to convey?
  2. What is your call to action?
  3. Who is your target audience? What are their needs and concerns?
  4. What elements will you use to help you get your message across? For example, consider persuasive vocabulary, camera angles, voice, and sounds or music that could help to communicate your message.

Complete the PSA Planner in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document.

PSA Planner
Call to action
Social issue
Target audience
Supporting facts and statistics
Elements used to get message across

Press the ‘Activity’ button to access the PSA Planner.

Activity (Open PDF in a new window)

Use your responses above to a develop a plan for your PSA. Consider the following techniques:

  • find a way to grab the audience’s attention
  • include evidence-based data or information
  • keep the announcement short and concise
  • provide clear instructions
  • appeal to the needs and concerns of your target audience
  • be persuasive

Consolidation

Task 1: Create your PSA

Once you have developed a plan for your PSA, it's to create it! You may create a poster, an audio recording, a video clip, or a description.

Success Criteria for your PSA:

Success Criteria:
  • includes important facts
  • text is short and concise
  • provides clear instructions
  • appeals to target audience

Task 2: Reflection

Use the following prompts to reflect on your learning. You may use a method of your choice to record your responses.

  1. What are three things that you enjoyed about creating a PSA?
  2. What are two things you would add and/or change about your PSA next time?
  3. What is one question you still have about PSAs?

Reflection

As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

I feel...

Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, text-to-speech, or writing tool.

Press ‘Discover More’ to extend your skills.

Take the PSA that you wrote in Action. Change your audience to a different group and recreate your PSA. You are still targeting the same behaviour or attitude, but with a different population.

Consider the techniques to make a PSA effective: grab the audience’s attention, include facts, keep it short and concise, provide clear instructions, appeal to needs and concerns, be persuasive.