MIDDLE SCHOOL PROMPTS

Allan G. Odell saved his company from ruin and made it quite popular.

How did he do it?

In the 1920s, a new shaving product was born called Burma-Shave. It was different from other shaving creams because, now, men didn’t have to lather up some cream or soap with a brush and apply it to their faces for a shave. They simply used this new cream that came in a tube. But the product did not catch on. The company was in trouble.

Then along came Allan Odell with a brilliant marketing scheme.

What did Allan Do?

Allan revolutionized advertising by posting little signs along well-traveled highways with catchy advertising jingles on them. Each sign was only one piece of the jingle or poem, so each ad had five signs, like this:

Within this vale
Of toil and sin
Your head grows bald
But not your chin
Burma-Shave

The signs were posted at eye level and far enough apart so folks easily could read the whole jingle as they drove along. This form of advertising was very popular in the United States from the 1930s through the 1950s, when family cars were a new thing and the interstate system of higher-speed roads had not yet been built. “See the U. S. A. in your Chevrolet” is an advertising jingle that came out of that era of travel.

Middle School Writing Prompt - You are surrounded by advertising jingles, those little songs that accompany TV or radio advertisements. Create one of your own in this writing prompt! #homeschool #homeschoolwriting #writingprompts #middleschoolNow it’s your turn: Advertise some product you have in your house or one that you would like to buy. Write a short, rhyming poem, just like the Burma-Shave poem, to entice people to buy this product.

Think about where you would like your ad to appear. Set it to music if you would like it to air on TV or the radio. (Note: If you have an animal for sale, now would be a good time to advertise it!)

To enjoy a fun High School Prompt on L. Frank Baum, click here.

A version of this prompt was first posted on SchoolhouseTeachers.com. You can go directly to SchoolhouseTeachers.com to sign up and take advantage of many exciting courses written for grades K-12. This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you.

Teachers, connect with Sharon on Facebook or Pinterest!

Drop the Drama: Help Stuggling Writers Jump These 5 Hurdles

Are your writers struggling? Do you wish you could figure out why your children won’t write? Would you love to have a peaceful writing class experience?

Help your struggling writers—and you!—by identifying five hurdles to writing. Then learn practical actions you can take against those hurdles.

This article by me in The Old Schoolhouse magazine is also loaded with links to other helpful posts that will give you and your writers some welcome relief.

Click here  to drain some of the tension from your writing class


the-informer-spring-2015-cover

Frustrated that your students don’t finish an essay or don’t know the steps to complete one? Worry no more! Click here for my latest article in The Informer about a super-practical writing schedule you WILL use!


 

Get three FREE writing lessons by subscribing to Writing with Sharon Watson! Use the Subscribe form in the column to the right.
Print