Spark & Anvil Privacy

Classroom Kit

A printable lesson on how ads work — for teachers and grown-ups. Every ad here is made up, so no real brand is ever named. Free, on paper or on this device; no account, nothing to sign up for.

How to use it

  1. Read the anatomy poster together — the ten moves an ad can play, and the tell that spots each one.
  2. Hand out the spot-the-move deck: read each made-up ad and name the move. Reveal the answer key when the class is ready.
  3. Finish with the true-cost sheet — what an ad is really asking for, and what you actually get.
  4. Then play PitchForge (ages 9–14) or PitchPals (ages 6–8) to practise on more ads. The mentor only ever asks — it never tells a child the answer.

The anatomy poster — ten moves an ad can play

  1. Everybody has one

    How to spot it: says most people already bought it

  2. Only for now

    How to spot it: a clock or "limited" pushes you to hurry

  3. An expert says so

    How to spot it: a coat, a badge, or "9 out of 10" stand in for proof

  4. A happy face

    How to spot it: one person's story is shown as if it happens to everyone

  5. Shiny words

    How to spot it: big feelings ("amazing", "magical") but no facts

  6. You'll miss out

    How to spot it: warns something bad happens if you don't buy

  7. You deserve it

    How to spot it: tells YOU you're special so you say yes

  8. Again and again

    How to spot it: the name is repeated until it sticks

  9. A free gift

    How to spot it: a "free" extra hides the real price

  10. Careful words

    How to spot it: "helps", "up to", "may" — words that promise nothing

Spot-the-move deck — which trick is each ad using?

Every ad below is invented. Read it, then write the move it is playing.

  1. Made-up ad #1

    “Your whole class is buying SparkleBerry this week!”

    The move is: ______________

  2. Made-up ad #2

    “Last few ZingBoost in the shop — hurry!”

    The move is: ______________

  3. Made-up ad #3

    “Dr. Sparkle, a scientist, recommends WhizzBerry.”

    The move is: ______________

  4. Made-up ad #4

    “Read Sam's story: ZingCrunch made her the star of the team.”

    The move is: ______________

  5. Made-up ad #5

    “WhizzSnax is simply amazing and magical!”

    The move is: ______________

  6. Made-up ad #6

    “Kids without MunchSnax end up sitting alone.”

    The move is: ______________

  7. Made-up ad #7

    “You're special, so treat yourself to SparkleSnax.”

    The move is: ______________

  8. Made-up ad #8

    “MunchKicks, MunchKicks, say it with me: MunchKicks!”

    The move is: ______________

  9. Made-up ad #9

    “Get MunchChews and win a prize!”

    The move is: ______________

  10. Made-up ad #10

    “Up to half of all kids may like GlowSnax more.”

    The move is: ______________

Show the answer key
  1. #1 — Everybody has one. says most people already bought it Honest version: SparkleBerry is a product. An ad wants you to buy it — that is all we truly know.
  2. #2 — Only for now. a clock or "limited" pushes you to hurry Honest version: ZingBoost is a product. An ad wants you to buy it — that is all we truly know.
  3. #3 — An expert says so. a coat, a badge, or "9 out of 10" stand in for proof Honest version: WhizzBerry is a product. An ad wants you to buy it — that is all we truly know.
  4. #4 — A happy face. one person's story is shown as if it happens to everyone Honest version: ZingCrunch is a product. An ad wants you to buy it — that is all we truly know.
  5. #5 — Shiny words. big feelings ("amazing", "magical") but no facts Honest version: WhizzSnax is a product. An ad wants you to buy it — that is all we truly know.
  6. #6 — You'll miss out. warns something bad happens if you don't buy Honest version: MunchSnax is a product. An ad wants you to buy it — that is all we truly know.
  7. #7 — You deserve it. tells YOU you're special so you say yes Honest version: SparkleSnax is a product. An ad wants you to buy it — that is all we truly know.
  8. #8 — Again and again. the name is repeated until it sticks Honest version: MunchKicks is a product. An ad wants you to buy it — that is all we truly know.
  9. #9 — A free gift. a "free" extra hides the real price Honest version: MunchChews is a product. An ad wants you to buy it — that is all we truly know.
  10. #10 — Careful words. "helps", "up to", "may" — words that promise nothing Honest version: GlowSnax is a product. An ad wants you to buy it — that is all we truly know.

The true-cost sheet

Pick one ad (from the deck or a real one you saw) and answer these together. An ad isn't lying — selling is its job. The skill is seeing the gap between what it promises and the plain thing it is.

  1. What is the ad asking you to give?

    money · time · attention · your name · a feeling about yourself

  2. What does it PROMISE you get back?

    the feeling in the ad — popular, safe, first, special…

  3. What do you ACTUALLY get?

    the plain thing — a snack, a toy, an app — written with no adjectives

  4. Who made the ad, and what do THEY get?

    someone is selling something — that is not lying, it is the job of an ad

  5. Is the promise the same as the plain thing?

    the gap between them is the "trick" — now name the move

Made by Spark & Anvil, a nonprofit. Free forever, no ads, no accounts, no real brands, nothing tracked. Why we teach ads this way →