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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.

Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards benchmark: 6.2.4.2; 6.1.6.3 · persuasive techniques and tracing an argument

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 Minnesota

In the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards, 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: Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)

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

    How can the music in a movie trailer affect viewers?

    • it has no effect
    • it builds excitement or tension
    • it lists the cast
    • it gives the run time

  2. Question 2

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

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

  3. Question 3

    Which is a technique to make a product seem rare?

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

  4. Question 4

    A video game trailer shows only cut scenes, not real play. Why?

    • to explain the rules
    • to show the real game
    • to save time
    • the scenes look more exciting than the game play

  5. Question 5

    Why might two people react differently to the same ad?

    • one is always wrong
    • their experiences and values are different
    • the ad changes by itself
    • they watched different ads

  6. Question 6

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

    • bandwagon
    • plain folks
    • humor
    • facts and figures

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