The Industrial Revolution Infomercial
Ever seen one of those sweet (and by sweet, I mean terrible) infomercials on TV? “Buy this or
that for $19.99 x 10!” “Buy this exercise machine to lose 20 pounds by tomorrow!” “Buy this or
that to make your life better without doing anything!” You know ‘em. Now, you are going to
convince your TV audience as to why everyone needs to buy your REAL Industrial Revolution
machine.
Materials: Actors, props, research, scripts, and a good attitude with a healthy splash of humor.
Steps To Complete:
❏ Use your resources to get the info you need on your invention. (Textbooks, internet on
your phone, etc.)
❏ Write a script for what each person will say and do in your commercial.
❏ Choose how you want to present your infomercial to the class:
❏ Grab a video camera and film the final cut that will be shown to the class.
❏ Make an amazing poster to refer to as you present to the class.
❏ Create an amazing Powerpoint or Prezi slide to have on display while you
present.
***Your presentation should make the audience want to buy your product!!
❏ Design props and costumes to make your infomercial the real deal.
❏ Do some practice takes of your infomercial.
❏ Sell your product! Each product will cost $19.99. Audience members will have
$59.97 to spend, meaning they will get to “buy” three products at the end of the day.
The group with the most sales will win!
Questions your informercial MUST answer for the audience:
1. Who invented your machine and what is your background story? (Are you acting as
them? Introducing them?)
2. What is your machine and exactly what does it do? How does it help society?
2. When and Where was it invented?
3. How does this machine contribute to the Industrial Revolution?
5. Why should YOU (the audience) buy the machine? Make us want to buy!
So— pick your group (must be groups of 2 or 3) and get to work! Pick one of the following to
research and begin your marketing strategies.
Seed Drill
Electric Motor
Steam Boat
Spinning Mule
Flying Shuttle
Morse Code
Power Loom
Cotton Gin
Spinning Jenny
Watt’s Steam Engine
Steam Locomotives
Pasteurization
Spinning Frame
Bessemer Process
Water Frame