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9th grade · English Language Arts · Unit 12 of 14

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.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) teks student expectation: E1.7(F); E1.8(A) · 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 Texas

In the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), this is unit 12 of 14 in 9th grade English Language Arts, after Proofreading and before Borrowed Words & Connotation.

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

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

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

  2. Question 2

    What is a rhetorical appeal to ethos in an ad?

    • using a trusted expert to build credibility
    • using statistics
    • using a sad story
    • using humor

  3. Question 3

    What is the effect of an ominous soundtrack in a news segment about a new technology?

    • it encourages viewers to feel worried about it
    • it makes the facts clearer
    • it has no effect
    • it shows the source

  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

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

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

  6. Question 6

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

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

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