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2nd grade · English Language Arts · Unit 12 of 17

Media Detectives

Purposes, parts and who made it

What your child practices

Children compare ads, signs, posters, books and videos, tell what each one is for, notice the choices their makers made, and pick good sources for a research question.

New York State Learning Standards learning standard: 2W7; 2R6; 2SL2 · gathering information to answer questions and naming what a text or message is for

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Every message has a purpose: to sell, to teach, to tell news or to entertain.
  2. Videos use pictures, words and music to show feelings.
  3. People can feel differently about the same message, and that's okay.

Example: How are a toy ad and a book about bears different? The ad wants you to buy the toy. The book teaches you about bears. Answer: the ad wants to sell; the book teaches

Media Detectives in New York

In the New York State Learning Standards, this is unit 12 of 17 in 2nd grade English Language Arts, after Asking Questions and Finding Facts and before Sight Words and Reading with Expression.

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 learn how bees make honey. Which source is best?

    • a science book about bees
    • a jar label
    • a cartoon bee song
    • a honey ad

  2. Question 2

    A news report says a storm is coming. How might people react?

    • they throw away their coats
    • they get ready and stay safe
    • they laugh
    • they go swimming

  3. Question 3

    Ana reads two books about whales. Why is that smart?

    • she can check facts in both
    • one book is enough
    • to skip reading
    • she likes heavy bags

  4. Question 4

    A movie poster shows a dark sky and a scared face. What kind of movie is it?

    • a spooky movie
    • a cooking show
    • a sale on shoes
    • a math lesson

  5. Question 5

    A sign shows a picture of a bike with a line through it. What does it mean?

    • fix your bike
    • bike race today
    • bikes for sale
    • no bikes here

  6. Question 6

    An online video says something that seems untrue. What should you do?

    • share it right away
    • copy it
    • believe it
    • check with a grown-up or a good book

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