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5th grade · English Language Arts · Unit 8 of 11

Media Smarts

See through persuasive ads

What your child practices

Spotting the tricks ads use, telling facts from opinions, and asking smart questions about who made a message and why.

Alabama Course of Study content standard: 5.25; 5.26 · the purposes of ads and the techniques they use to persuade

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Ads use tricks to sell. Bandwagon says everyone is doing it. A testimonial uses someone famous or happy to praise it.
  2. Emotional appeal tries to make you feel something, like fear or joy.
  3. Ask: who made this, who is it for, and what do they want me to do?

Example: An ad says, “All the kids in town have one. Don’t be left out!” Which technique is this? It says everyone has it. Joining in because others do is bandwagon. Answer: bandwagon

Media Smarts in Alabama

In the Alabama Course of Study, this is unit 8 of 11 in 5th grade English Language Arts, after Punctuation Power and before Create With Words, Pictures and Sound.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Which statement from an ad is a fact that could be checked?

    • This is the best book of the year.
    • This game is the most fun you'll ever have.
    • The cereal box holds 500 grams.
    • This jacket looks amazing on everyone.

  2. Question 2

    Which persuasive technique does this ad use?

    “I take this backpack on every climb,” says a well-known mountain climber.

    • emotional appeal
    • bandwagon
    • testimonial
    • repetition

  3. Question 3

    An ad shows kids laughing as they play a new video game. It plays during a cartoon show. Who is the target audience?

    • grandparents
    • farmers
    • kids
    • business owners

  4. Question 4

    Which persuasive technique does this ad use?

    These running shoes will make you faster than a race car!

    • testimonial
    • repetition
    • exaggeration
    • bandwagon

  5. Question 5

    Sort these ad statements into facts and opinions.

    Sort into: 📏 Fact · 💬 Opinion

    • 🏪The store opens at 9:00 a.m.
    • 🎲The game is for ages 8 and up.
    • 🏪Our store has the friendliest staff in town.
    • 🎲This game is the most fun you'll ever have.
    • 🥣The cereal box holds 500 grams.
    • 📖This is the best book of the year.

  6. Question 6

    Which persuasive technique does this ad use?

    Imagine your whole family laughing together on game night. This board game brings you closer.

    • repetition
    • exaggeration
    • emotional appeal
    • testimonial

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