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9th grade · English Language Arts · Unit 12 of 12

Media Analysis

Rhetoric, framing and synthetic media

What your child practices

Students analyze the purposes and techniques of media messages (rhetorical appeals, framing, propaganda, sponsored content, deepfakes) and how beliefs and algorithms shape interpretation.

Arizona Academic Standards learning standard: 9-10.RI.7; 9-10.SL.2 · analyzing how media messages use appeals, framing and other techniques

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Media shape feelings with music, framing and charts. A cut-off y-axis can make a trend look bigger.
  2. Confirmation bias is favoring information you already agree with.
  3. A filter bubble is a feed that shows mainly what you already agree with.

Example: What is confirmation bias? “Confirm” means show something is true. People tend to look for what backs up their beliefs. Answer: the tendency to favor information that matches what you already believe

Media Analysis in Arizona

In the Arizona Academic Standards, this is unit 12 of 12 in 9th grade English Language Arts, after Proofreading.

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: 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.

  1. Question 1

    Why do media makers use stereotypes?

    • they are quick shortcuts, but they can spread unfair ideas
    • they make stories longer
    • they are required
    • they are always accurate

  2. Question 2

    What is the effect of using a close-up of a speaker's face in a debate broadcast?

    • it adds a citation
    • it emphasizes emotion and makes viewers feel closer
    • it gives statistics
    • it hides the speaker

  3. Question 3

    Which is a sign a social media account may be a bot?

    • it has a profile picture
    • it has friends
    • it posts constantly, has no personal details and repeats the same messages
    • it posts about hobbies

  4. Question 4

    How can a misleading chart exaggerate a trend?

    • by labeling axes
    • by cutting off the bottom of the y-axis
    • by including a source
    • by using a title

  5. Question 5

    What does it mean to analyze a media message's techniques?

    • summarize its plot only
    • check its spelling only
    • count its views
    • examine the choices, like images, sound and words, and their effects

  6. Question 6

    Why might a company sponsor a scientific study about its own product?

    • it is required by law
    • companies cannot fund research
    • it may hope for results that help sales
    • it guarantees accuracy

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