Subscribe

1st grade · English Language Arts · Unit 12 of 19

Messages All Around

Who made it, and why?

What your child practices

Children look at everyday messages, like signs, ads, cards and videos, and practice asking who made them, why, and how they make us feel. This is the media literacy part of the standards.

New York State Learning Standards learning standard: 1SL2; 1R6 · asking and answering questions about everyday messages in pictures, words and other media

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Every message is made by a person or a group.
  2. Ads want you to want something.
  3. Bright colors and big words catch your eye.

Example: An ad says “Kids love it!” What does the ad want? Ads try to make you want things. It wants you to want it too. Answer: for you to want it too

Messages All Around in New York

In the New York State Learning Standards, this is unit 12 of 19 in 1st grade English Language Arts, after Think It Through and before Story or Facts?.

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: New York State Education Department (NYSED)

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

    You want to know when the library opens. What can you check?

    • a joke book
    • a toy ad
    • the sign on the library door
    • a cartoon

  2. Question 2

    Why does an ad use happy music?

    • to tell the time
    • to teach the alphabet
    • to make it quiet
    • to make you feel good about it

  3. Question 3

    Which part of a poster do you read?

    • the words
    • the sound
    • the music
    • the smell

  4. Question 4

    A poster says “Lost cat! Please call.” Who made it?

    • the cat's family
    • a cartoon
    • the cat
    • a toy store

  5. Question 5

    Two kids see the same ad. Can they feel different about it?

    • only grown-ups feel things
    • only on Monday
    • yes, people can feel different
    • no, never

  6. Question 6

    An ad shows a toy flying. The real toy can't fly. Why?

    • to make the toy look more fun
    • to teach about planes
    • by mistake
    • to tell the truth

More 1st grade