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.
Arizona Academic Standards learning standard: 5.RI.7; 5.RI.8 · the purposes of ads and the techniques they use to persuade
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- Ads use tricks to sell. Bandwagon says everyone is doing it. A testimonial uses someone famous or happy to praise it.
- Emotional appeal tries to make you feel something, like fear or joy.
- 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 Arizona
In the Arizona Academic Standards, 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.
- 5th grade guide for Arizona parents
- Printable 5th grade English Language Arts sheet
- Arizona report cards explained
Source: Arizona Department of Education
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Which statement from an ad is a fact that could be checked?
- Our cereal tastes better than any other.
- This is the best book of the year.
- This jacket looks amazing on everyone.
- The store opens at 9:00 a.m.
The store opens at 9:00 a.m.
Hint: A fact can be measured, counted or checked. Words like best, coolest and amazing usually signal an opinion.
Question 2
Which persuasive technique does this ad use?
Puppies at the shelter are waiting for a loving home. Will you give one a family?
- testimonial
- bandwagon
- emotional appeal
- exaggeration
emotional appeal
Hint: An emotional appeal tries to make you feel something strong, like love, worry or excitement.
Question 3
An ad says a famous athlete loves a certain cereal. What's the best question to ask?
- How tall is the athlete?
- Was the athlete paid to say this?
- Does the box have a picture on it?
- What is the athlete's favorite color?
Was the athlete paid to say this?
Hint: Think about why a famous person might appear in an ad.
Question 4
Sort these ad statements into facts and opinions.
Sort into: 📏 Fact · 💬 Opinion
- 📖The book has 240 pages.
- 🚲This bike has 21 gears.
- 📖This is the best book of the year.
- 🧥This jacket comes in three colors.
- 🧥This jacket looks amazing on everyone.
- 🚲This is the coolest bike ever.
📏 Fact: The book has 240 pages., This bike has 21 gears., This jacket comes in three colors. · 💬 Opinion: This is the best book of the year., This jacket looks amazing on everyone., This is the coolest bike ever.
Hint: A fact can be checked or measured. An opinion is what someone thinks or feels.
Question 5
Which persuasive technique does this ad use?
“I eat these granola bars before every game,” says a famous hockey star.
- exaggeration
- repetition
- testimonial
- emotional appeal
testimonial
Hint: A testimonial uses a famous or trusted person to say they like the product.
Question 6
Which technique makes claims so big they can't be true?
- bandwagon
- repetition
- exaggeration
- testimonial
exaggeration
Hint: Exaggeration makes claims so big they can't possibly be true.