Courseversity

Lesson

Media messages

Primary EducationGrade 4English & Language ArtsCV-PRI-G04-ELA-U10-L0845–60 min

You will learn

  • Identify the message.
  • Identify the audience.
  • Spot persuasive techniques.
  • Question the media.

Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.

Student lesson

The lesson in 60 seconds

  1. Who made it?
  2. Who is it for?
  3. What techniques are used?
  4. What does it want me to do?

Words to know

media
ways of sharing messages with many people
audience
the people a message is aimed at
technique
a method used to influence people
target
to aim a message at a group

1. Discover: The shoe advert

An advert shows a boy winning a race. Fast music plays and a voice says, Run like a champion in Swift Shoes! Famous runners smile. A small label says Price: 12,000 naira.

Tolu asks: Who made it? The shoe company. Who is it for? Young people and parents. What techniques? Music, a famous runner and a catchy slogan. What does it want? For us to buy the shoes.

Think: Which techniques persuade?

2. Understand: Reading the media

Idea 1: Maker and audience

Media are made by someone for an audience. The company targets young people and parents.

Idea 2: Techniques

Media use techniques such as music, famous faces, slogans, bright colours and repetition.

Idea 3: Ask questions

Ask: What is the message? What is left out (like price)? What does it want me to do?

Remember: Analyse media by asking who made it, who it targets, what techniques it uses and what it wants.

3. Worked examples

Example 1 (I show you): Maker

Who made the advert?

  1. Company.

Answer: the shoe company

Example 2 (We do it together): Technique

Name two techniques.

  1. Music, faces.

Answer: fast music and famous runners

Example 3 (You try): Want

What does it want?

Show the steps and answer
  1. Action.

Answer: for us to buy the shoes

Did you know?

Many adverts are tested on small groups before they are shown to the public.

Why this matters

Understanding media helps you make wise choices.

4. Explore: Media check

Analyse a media message.

  1. Choose an advert or poster.
  2. Answer who, for whom, how, why.
  3. List techniques.
  4. Decide how persuasive it is.
Think about it: what did you notice?

You can analyse media.

5. Practise

Say it in a sentence

Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.

  • It was made by ___.
  • It targets ___.
  • It uses ___ to persuade.
  • It wants us to ___.

Guided practice

Question 1. Ways of sharing messages with many people are ___.

media

Question 2. The people a message is aimed at are the ___.

audience

Question 3. A method used to influence people is a ___.

technique

Independent practice

Level 1: Start

  1. Ways of sharing messages with many people are ___.
  2. The people a message is aimed at are the ___.
  3. A method used to influence people is a ___.
  4. To aim a message at a group is to ___ it.
  5. The advert is for ___ Shoes.

Level 2: Grow

  1. What is the slogan?
  2. Who smiles in the advert?
  3. What is the price?

Level 3: Stretch

  1. Does an advert have a purpose?
  2. Can music persuade?
  3. Should we question media?

Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.

6. Apply: English in everyday life

Analyse a poster or advert using four questions.

Show a sample answer

a media analysis

Another one. Analyse an advert you see at home using four questions.

Show a sample answer

a completed task

7. Common mistakes

Mistake: Rushing without checking.
Fix: Slow down and check your work.
Another mistake: Skipping the worked example.
Fix: Study the example first, then try.

8. Lesson summary and revision card

I can…

  • I can identify the message.
  • I can identify the audience.
  • I can spot persuasive techniques.
  • I can question the media.

9. Check and master

Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.

1. Media share messages with many ___.

2. The audience is who the message is ___ at.

3. A technique is a method used to ___ people.

4. To target is to ___ a message at a group.

5. Who made the advert?

6. Who is the audience?

7. Which is a technique?

8. Which is a technique?

9. What does the advert want?

10. What is almost hidden?

11. Which question helps?

12. Why question media?

Challenge 1. Which technique is a slogan?

Challenge 2. Which audience does a toy advert target?

Your result appears here after you answer every question.

10. Key takeaways

  • Who made it?
  • Who is it for?
  • What techniques are used?
  • What does it want me to do?

11. Next lesson

Next lesson: Visual presentations. Keep going with the next idea in this course.

Exam practice

These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.

  1. What is media? [1 mark]
  2. Name two techniques in the advert. [2 marks]
  3. Who is the audience? [1 mark]
  4. What does the advert want? [1 mark]
  5. Explain how to analyse a media message. [3 marks]

Total: 8 marks.

Marking guide and model answers
  1. ways of sharing messages with many people [1]
  2. music [1]; famous runners/slogan [1]
  3. young people and parents [1]
  4. us to buy the shoes [1]
  5. ask who made it and for whom [1]; identify the techniques [1]; decide what it wants and question it [1]

Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.

Printable worksheet

  1. Ways of sharing messages with many people are ___.
  2. The people a message is aimed at are the ___.
  3. A method used to influence people is a ___.
  4. To aim a message at a group is to ___ it.
  5. The advert is for ___ Shoes.
  6. What is the slogan?
  7. Who smiles in the advert?
  8. What is the price?
  9. Does an advert have a purpose?
  10. Can music persuade?

Homework

Analyse an advert you see at home using four questions.

Answer key and marking scheme

Question Expected response Marks
1. Ways of sharing messages with many people are ___. media 1
2. The people a message is aimed at are the ___. audience 1
3. A method used to influence people is a ___. technique 1
4. To aim a message at a group is to ___ it. target 1
5. The advert is for ___ Shoes. Swift 1
6. What is the slogan? Run like a champion in Swift Shoes! 1
7. Who smiles in the advert? famous runners 1
8. What is the price? 12,000 naira 1
9. Does an advert have a purpose? yes 1
10. Can music persuade? yes 1
Total 10

Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 media; 2 audience; 3 technique; 4 target; 5 Swift. Level 2: 1 Run like a champion in Swift Shoes!; 2 famous runners; 3 12,000 naira. Level 3: 1 yes; 2 yes; 3 yes.

Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.

Mastery and remediation

Objective Bronze (Developing) Silver (Proficient) Gold (Advanced)
O1 Identify the message Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O2 Identify the audience Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O3 Spot persuasive techniques Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O4 Question the media Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation

Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.

If a learner struggles

  1. Find the misconception: Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
  2. Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
  3. Show a simpler example: Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames.
  4. Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
  5. Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
  6. Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.

For parents and guardians

In this lesson your child practises a key Grade 3 English skill with clear examples and a quiz. You do not need to be an expert to help.

  • Listen while your child explains the idea.
  • Ask for one new example.
  • Praise effort and careful work.
  • Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
  • Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
  • Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.

Teacher package

1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration

Lesson objectives. Learners will: identify the message; identify the audience; spot persuasive techniques; question the media.

Prerequisite knowledge. Research reports.

Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.

Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.

Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.

6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities

Introduction (5 min). Introduce the idea with the opening example.

Explanation (10 min). Teach the key words.

Guided activity (10 min). Practise together.

Independent activity (10 min). Check understanding with the quiz.

Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.

Key questions. What is the key idea? Can I give my own example?

Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.

10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions

Support. Use the sentence frames and work with a partner. Extension. Create a harder example of your own.

Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.

Misconceptions. Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.

13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme

Use the quiz, the 8-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.

16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection

Remediation. Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames. Enrichment. Make up your own example and teach it to someone at home. Homework. See above.

Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.

Sources and standards

This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.

Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 4 » Writing; Grade 4 » Reading: Informational Text; Grade 4 » Speaking & Listening. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.

Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core SL.4.2 and RI.4.7; Cambridge Primary English Stage 4 (media); UNESCO media and information literacy (age-appropriate adaptation). These sources informed the lesson.

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