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5th grade · English Language Arts · Unit 8 of 13

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.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) teks student expectation: 5.9(F); 5.10(A) · the purposes of ads and the techniques they use to persuade

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Ads use tricks to sell. Bandwagon says everyone is doing it. A testimonial uses someone famous or happy to praise it.
  2. Emotional appeal tries to make you feel something, like fear or joy.
  3. 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 Texas

In the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), this is unit 8 of 13 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.

Source: Texas Education Agency (TEA)

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

    An ad says a famous athlete loves a certain cereal. What's the best question to ask?

    • Was the athlete paid to say this?
    • What is the athlete's favorite color?
    • How tall is the athlete?
    • Does the box have a picture on it?

  2. Question 2

    Which statement from an ad is a fact that could be checked?

    • This jacket looks amazing on everyone.
    • This is the best book of the year.
    • The store opens at 9:00 a.m.
    • Our cereal tastes better than any other.

  3. Question 3

    Which persuasive technique does this ad use?

    Crunchy crackers. Crunchy fun. Crunchy every time!

    • testimonial
    • emotional appeal
    • bandwagon
    • repetition

  4. Question 4

    Which persuasive technique does this ad use?

    Join all the families in town who start their day with this cereal!

    • testimonial
    • exaggeration
    • repetition
    • bandwagon

  5. Question 5

    Sort these ad statements into facts and opinions.

    Sort into: 📏 Fact · 💬 Opinion

    • 📖This is the best book of the year.
    • 🏪The store opens at 9:00 a.m.
    • 🚲This is the coolest bike ever.
    • 🧥This jacket looks amazing on everyone.
    • 🥣The cereal box holds 500 grams.
    • 🎲The game is for ages 8 and up.

  6. Question 6

    Which persuasive technique does this ad use?

    A popular singer says, “This toothpaste gives me my bright smile.”

    • bandwagon
    • repetition
    • emotional appeal
    • testimonial

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