Every year, I’m reminded that students don’t struggle because they lack ideas — they struggle because they don’t yet know how to put those ideas together.
This lesson grew out of that exact realization.
As a school librarian, teaching media literacy is one of the many hats I wear. Alongside supporting reading and inquiry, I also help students learn how media works, why it exists, and how messages are created for an audience. This first grade winter commercial project brought all of that together in a way that felt meaningful, manageable, and fun for students.
📌 Lesson at a Glance
Grade Level: 1st Grade
Time: 2–3 class periods
Subjects: Literacy, Science, Media Literacy
Skills Covered:
Author’s purpose (persuasion)
Oral language and speaking clearly
Using the five senses
Beginning media creation
Tools Used:
Chromebooks
Canva (video recording and light editing)
Student Outcome:
Students plan, script, record, and share a short winter-themed commercial that uses sensory language to persuade an audience.
Why We Made Our Own Commercials
Before we ever touched a camera, we spent time talking about media.
I asked my first graders where they had seen commercials before. They immediately had answers — on TV, during YouTube videos, and especially around the holidays. From there, we talked about why commercials exist.
Together, we figured out something important:
Commercials are made to persuade.
They want you to buy something, try something, or want something.
This tied in nicely to what students were already learning about author’s purpose. Just like authors write stories to entertain or inform, media creators also have a purpose — and commercials are all about persuasion.
To make this idea concrete, I showed students a few short, age-appropriate commercials. We didn’t focus on brand names or prices. Instead, we paid attention to how the commercials made us feel.
That’s when students started noticing a pattern.
Most commercials don’t just explain a product — they appeal to the five senses.
We noticed:
bright colors and exciting visuals
cozy or exciting sounds
things that looked warm, cold, soft, or fun
This conversation was especially powerful because first graders were already studying the five senses in science. Suddenly, science and media clicked together in a very real way.
We also talked about how holiday and winter commercials are a little extra special. They often focus on warmth, comfort, excitement, and togetherness — all things you can connect to your senses. Students immediately began making connections to hot chocolate, snow, lights, music, and winter fun.
That’s when I knew they were ready to create.
From Watching Media to Making Media
Instead of stopping at analysis, I wanted students to experience what it’s like to be the creator.
Students first completed a simple five senses planning sheet for their winter invention. This helped them get their ideas out without worrying about scripts or videos yet.
Once they had their ideas, I guided them into turning that thinking into a short commercial script. The key here was not adding more work, but helping students organize what they already knew.
We talked about:
starting with a hook
clearly naming the product
using a few senses to describe it
ending with a catchy slogan
After a little teacher-guided smoothing, students were amazed to hear themselves sound like “real commercials.”
One of my favorite moments came when a student looked up and said,
“This sounds like something I see on TV!”
That excitement told me everything I needed to know — they weren’t just completing an assignment. They understood how commercials work.
Recording and Editing With Canva
Students filmed their commercials directly on their Chromebooks using Canva. Having recording and basic editing tools in one familiar place allowed students to focus on their message instead of the technology.
As we edited, we talked briefly about what makes a commercial feel real. Instead of putting everything on the screen at once, we added elements slowly as students spoke — a title, a slogan, or a short descriptive word like hot, bubbling, or warm.
We avoided full sentences on screen. Real commercials don’t explain — they show and suggest.
Why This Works in the Classroom
This lesson works because it:
builds on what students already know
connects literacy, science, and media naturally
keeps the focus on communication, not perfection
gives students an authentic audience and purpose
Most importantly, it shows young learners that media isn’t something that just happens to them — it’s something they can understand and create thoughtfully.
Want to Try This With Your Students?
If you’re interested in trying this lesson in your own classroom or library, I’m sharing the Five Senses Commercial Planning Worksheet I used to guide students from ideas to scripts.
👉 [Download the Five Senses Commercial Worksheet here]
(Perfect for grades K–2 and easy to adapt.)
Whether you’re a classroom teacher, school librarian, or media specialist, this is a simple way to blend literacy, science, and media creation — and give students a chance to make something they’re proud of.
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