D. Composition: Expressing Ideas and Creating Texts · Writing for Every Purpose

Creating a Simple Media Text

D2.1 A2.4 A2.5 A2.1About 35 minutes

Learning goals

I can name some media texts, like posters, signs, ads, comics and slideshows.
I can make a poster with a headline, a picture, a few important words and the key information.
I can choose colours, pictures and words that fit my purpose and audience.
I can use only pictures I made or have permission to use.

Words to know

media text
A text that uses pictures, words, sounds or video to share a message. Posters, ads, signs, comics, videos and websites are media texts.

headline
Big words at the top of a poster or ad that grab attention.

slogan
A short, catchy saying that people remember, like Bring a book, take a book!

layout
How words and pictures are arranged on the page.

permission
When the owner says yes, you may use something.

Messages all around us

A media text shares a message using pictures, words, colours, sounds or video. You see media texts everywhere: a stop sign, a cereal box, a poster for a school concert, a comic strip, a commercial, a slideshow.

Media texts often need to grab your attention fast. That's why they use big words, bright colours and pictures.

Media text	Purpose	Tricks it uses
Poster	to inform or persuade people walking by	big headline, picture, short words, key info
Sign	to give a quick message	few words, symbols, bright colours
Comic strip	to tell a story	pictures in boxes, speech bubbles
Ad (advertisement)	to persuade people to buy or do something	catchy slogan, exciting pictures
Slideshow	to share information	a title on each slide, pictures, few words

Some media texts and how they work

A model media text: a poster

The Grade 2 class is having a Book Swap. Here is their poster.

The Book Swap poster: a headline, a slogan, a picture and the key information (what, when, where, who).

Worked example

Let's look at how the poster works

Look at the Book Swap poster. What choices did the class make, and why?

Headline: BOOK SWAP! is the biggest thing, so you see it first, even from far away.
Slogan: Bring a book, take a book! is short and catchy, and it tells you what to do.
Picture: books show the topic without any words.
Key information: what (book swap), when (Friday, May 15, 12:00 to 12:30), where (school library), who (everyone).
Audience and purpose: students and families walking in the hallway; the purpose is to persuade them to come. So the poster has few words and is easy to read quickly.

Every part of the poster was chosen to fit the purpose and the audience.

Worked example

Let's plan a poster

Hiro's class is collecting cans of food for the local food bank. Plan a poster.

Purpose: persuade families to bring cans. Audience: families at the school.
Headline: FOOD DRIVE!
Slogan: Fill a can, fill a plate! (or Every can helps!)
Picture: a box full of cans.
Key info: what to bring (cans of food), when (all week, Nov. 16 to 20), where (the box by the office).
Layout: headline at the top, picture in the middle, key info at the bottom.

Hiro's poster plan has a headline, slogan, picture, key information and a clear layout.

Ask permission

Use pictures you made yourself, or ones you have permission to use. Before you take a photo of a person or put their picture in your project, ask them first. If you use a computer to make your media text, work with a grown-up.

Just for fun

Riddle: I am covered in words, but I never say a thing out loud. What am I?

A poster! (That's why my headline has to shout with BIG letters.)

Other media texts you can make

A comic strip with 3 boxes: beginning, middle, end, with speech bubbles.
A slideshow (with a grown-up) with one fact and one picture on each slide.
A sign for your room or a classroom centre.
A cereal box design for a made-up cereal, with a name, a slogan and a picture.

A 3-box comic strip about the Book Swap. Each box is one part of the story, and speech bubbles show what the character says.

Hands-on activity

Make a poster for a family event

You need: a big piece of paper, markers or crayons, a pencil, a ruler (optional).

Choose a real or pretend family event: a movie night, a backyard picnic, a game night, a snowman contest.
Plan: purpose, audience, headline, slogan, picture, key info (what, when, where).
Sketch your layout lightly in pencil first.
Make the headline big. Use bright colours. Keep words short.
Hang it up! Stand across the room. Can you read the headline from far away? If not, make it bigger next time.

Your turn

Name three kinds of media texts.

What is the headline on the Book Swap poster?

Why is the headline the biggest thing on a poster?

Name the four key pieces of information on an event poster.

Write a slogan for a poster about recycling.

What should you do before putting a photo of your friend on a poster?

Is a comic strip a media text? How do you know?

More practice: warm-up

What is a slogan?

Should a poster have lots of tiny words or a few big words?

What does the stop sign tell you?

What do comics use to show what characters say?

When is the Book Swap?

More practice: on your own

A poster says "Bake Sale! Yummy treats!" with a cupcake picture. What important information is missing?

Who is the audience for a cereal box with cartoon animals and bright colours?

Plan a 3-box comic about a snowball fight. What happens in each box?

Why do ads use exciting pictures and words?

You are making a poster for little kids about washing hands. What would help them understand?

Challenge

Design a poster in words: headline, slogan, picture and key info for a Walk to School Day on Wednesday, October 7.

How is a poster about a lost cat different from a poster selling cat food? Think about purpose.

A poster has the headline in tiny letters at the bottom and the date at the top in huge letters. What would you change and why?

Check your understanding

Quiz

Which is a media text?

What is the biggest text on a good poster usually?

Which slogan is short and catchy?

Which information is most important on an event poster?

What should you do before using a photo of a classmate?

Why do posters use few words?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Grade 2 students draft texts using a variety of media (D2.1). Making simple media texts also builds digital and media literacy: understanding the forms and techniques of media texts (A2.4), how form, message, audience and creator are connected (A2.5), and using permission and acting responsibly with images and online tools (A2.1).

How to help at home:

Look at ads, flyers, packaging and posters together. Ask: "Who made this? Who is it for? What do they want you to do? What did they do to grab your attention?"
Let your child design posters for real family events.
If you help your child use a computer or tablet to make a slideshow or poster, supervise and talk about using only their own pictures or ones they have permission to use.

Common difficulties:

Too many words. Ask your child to stand across the room and read it.
Forgetting key information (when, where). Use a checklist: what, when, where, who.
Believing ads. Talk about how ads are made to persuade, so they show only the good parts.