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Most Texans know the phrase.
Don’t mess with Texas.
You’ll discover it on bumper stickers, T-shirts, highway indicators, mugs, murals, and doubtless no less than one cousin’s truck. The phrase appears like a warning, appears like state satisfaction, and in some way belongs to Texas as a lot as bluebonnets and barbecue.
However right here is the half many college students might not know.
Don’t mess with Texas means don’t litter.
The slogan was created as a part of an anti-litter marketing campaign for the Texas Division of Transportation. The aim was easy: cut back trash on Texas roadways. However the message was something however bizarre.
Fast Details About Don’t mess with Texas
- The marketing campaign started in 1985.
- The primary tv advert aired in 1986 in the course of the Cotton Bowl. It featured Texas blues musician Stevie Ray Vaughan performing “The Eyes of Texas” with the anti-litter message added on the finish.
- Publish Malone helped rejoice the marketing campaign’s fortieth anniversary.
- Texas roads gather about 362 million items of litter yearly, and beverage containers are one of many largest offenders.
- Many well-known Texans have appeared within the marketing campaign, together with Willie Nelson, George Strait, Matthew McConaughey, Joe Jonas, Eva Longoria, Erykah Badu, LeAnn Rimes, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Ethan Hawke.
- Giant litter on Texas roads dropped 63.2 % from 2013 to 2023.
Classroom Connections
The fortieth anniversary of Don’t mess with Texas provides academics a ready-made strategy to join promoting, media literacy, persuasive writing, civic duty, and Texas satisfaction. You’ll be able to view the complete assortment of Don’t mess with Texas commercials within the video repository on their web site.
Media Literacy
College students can analyze how public service bulletins use music, celebrities, visuals, humor, and emotion to affect habits.
Dialogue query: What makes a message extra persuasive: details, humor, satisfaction, concern, music, or well-known folks?
Persuasive Writing
College students can examine how a brief slogan can carry a strong message. Don’t mess with Texas is direct, memorable, and straightforward to repeat. “Please don’t litter on Texas highways” simply doesn’t have the identical bumper sticker vitality.
Dialogue query: Why is “Don’t mess with Texas” extra memorable than “Please don’t litter on Texas highways”?
Viewers and Tone
The unique marketing campaign was designed for a selected viewers. College students can discover how phrase alternative modifications relying on who you are attempting to succeed in.
Dialogue query: Would this slogan work for elementary college students? Dad and mom? Vacationers? Why or why not?
Civic Duty
At its core, it is a lesson about taking good care of shared areas. College students can join the marketing campaign to their very own faculty, neighborhood, park, or neighborhood.
Dialogue query: Why do folks litter, and how much message would possibly truly change that habits?
Rank the Slogan
On this extension exercise, college students use the Rank the Slogan slide deck to match well-known public service slogans and rank them from best to least efficient.
As they focus on every slogan, college students search for:
- clear messaging
- sturdy phrase alternative
- memorable rhythm
- emotional attraction
- viewers match
- a transparent name to motion
The aim is to not discover one proper reply. The aim is to assist college students defend their rankings with proof and suppose extra deeply about what makes a message stick.
Free Classroom Assets from Don’t mess with Texas
The Don’t mess with Texas web site additionally consists of an schooling part with ready-to-use classroom supplies for academics. These assets assist college students join the marketing campaign’s message to science, writing, citizenship, and on a regular basis selections.
Academics can discover:
- Texas litter details
- lesson plans by grade stage
- digital video games
- classroom actions
The Pre-Ok lesson helps college students perceive the distinction between litter and non-litter and features a classroom business exercise.
The elementary lesson focuses on figuring out litter, understanding the way it impacts the surroundings, and making a Don’t mess with Texas-style marketing campaign for college.
The center faculty lesson asks college students to brainstorm methods to scale back litter on campus and write a persuasive letter to a faculty chief.
The highschool lesson challenges college students to consider why protecting Texas litter-free issues and write persuasively to political or enterprise leaders who might assist put concepts into motion.
College students may also attempt the digital video games Litter Launcher and Lone Star Cleaner for a fast interactive connection.
A Small Message with a Large Lesson
Not unhealthy for 4 little phrases.
Don’t mess with Texas teaches loads in a small package deal: phrase alternative, viewers, satisfaction, duty, and objective. It’s a nice reminder that the suitable message can stick for many years.
And if college students lastly notice it means don’t litter, I name {that a} classroom win.
On the lookout for extra Texas-sized studying? I’ve a number of Texas assets you should use with college students, together with classroom actions plus digital breakouts, and Willie Nelson assets that carry a bit Lone Star State enjoyable into the day.
