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6th grade · English Language Arts · Unit 11 of 12

Media Techniques

How messages persuade and why we react

What your child practices

Children name persuasion techniques such as bandwagon, testimonials, fear and scarcity, notice camera angles, music and what is left out, and think about why people react to the same message differently.

Alabama Course of Study content standard: 6.10; 6.12 · an author's purpose and the techniques media messages use

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Bandwagon: everyone is doing it. Testimonial: a famous person says so. Scarcity: only a few left.
  2. Music, camera angles and what is left out all shape the message.
  3. People react differently to the same message because of their own experiences.

Example: A video plays slow, sad music while showing a lost puppy. What reaction does it aim for? Sad music sets a feeling. A lost puppy makes people feel sorry for it. Answer: sympathy

Media Techniques in Alabama

In the Alabama Course of Study, this is unit 11 of 12 in 6th grade English Language Arts, after Check the Source and before Spelling: Endings and Sound-Alikes.

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

    What is a target audience?

    • the people who made it
    • the specific group a message is aimed at
    • everyone in the world
    • the advertisers' friends

  2. Question 2

    A sports drink ad shows athletes sweating and winning. What is the message?

    • water is better
    • the drink is cheap
    • the drink helps you win
    • sports are dangerous

  3. Question 3

    An ad shows a famous athlete wearing a brand of shoes. What technique is this?

    • bandwagon
    • plain facts
    • testimonial or celebrity endorsement
    • cause and effect

  4. Question 4

    What does a toy commercial's fast cutting between shots aim to do?

    • create excitement and energy
    • show the rules
    • explain the price
    • make it calm

  5. Question 5

    Which is a technique to make a product seem rare?

    • “Available in stores.”
    • “Limited edition, only 100 made!”
    • “Weighs 2 kilograms.”
    • “Made from cotton.”

  6. Question 6

    A message makes people feel they will be left out if they do not buy. Which technique is this?

    • facts and figures
    • humor
    • plain folks
    • bandwagon

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