Inquiry Based Learning
“A brief introduction to how Inquiry Based Learning can be used to engage students in a variety of topics.”
Super Ad-tastic Scavenger Hunt
A family activity to find ads around the house.
Crafting Questions that Drive Projects
A blog with suggestions on how to help students formulate questions that will set the stage for curiosity and creativity in learning.
Library Learning Commons: Research Process
This resource provides a wealth of resources for teachers and student’s working on research.
Under the Influence
“Students develop an awareness about marketing strategies.”
How Advergaming Works
“How stuff works explains how advertising has made its way into the world of video games.”
Ad Targeting and Techniques
“Given what kids see and hear around them, it’s important for them to know how to decode and understand ads.”
Online Marketing to Kids: Protecting Your Privacy
“Introduce students to the online marketing techniques used to target children on the Internet and helps them understand the similarities and differences between traditional marketing methods and online advertising.”
Think Literacy: Cross-Curricular Approaches
Information and classroom activities for each stage of research process.
The 6 Online Research Skills Your Students Need
Suggestions for teachers on the research skills that students need and how to teach them.
What is Interest-Based Advertising?
“All advertising seeks to show the right products to the right audience at the right time.”
The Inquiry Process – Why It’s Important
What is the Inquiry Process and why is it important?
You’ve Gotta Have a Gimmick
Explore the marketing techniques used in snack food ads.
Online Marketing to Kids: Strategies and Techniques
“Students are exposed to the online marketing techniques used to target youth and how they may be affected.”
Building Research Skills
“Can five to seven year olds do real research? Absolutely!”
The Price of Happiness
“Students are made aware of how advertisements affect self esteem, self image, and collaborate to create new ads.”
Marketing to Teens: Gotta Have It! Designer and Brand Names
“Students explore how social status is associated with brand names, as well the feelings associated with being told what to wear by advertisers.”
Financial Literacy for Everyone
A series of lessons that look at various financial literacy concepts, such as budgeting, loans, credit and debt.
Office for Consumer Protection: Teaching Zone
A variety of resources for teachers to use in the class to teach the different aspects of advertising and commerce.
Marketing Online to Teens
“This activity helps teens develop an awareness of marketing tactics aimed at teens through the creation of their own mock advertising campaigns.”
Be Cyber Cool
“The purpose of the “Be Cyber Cool” campaign is to promote responsible use of social media by students in elementary schools in Québec.”
RÉCIT: My Avatar
“Students become aware of their digital identity and the rights and responsibilities that come with it. They identify norms, values and behaviors that promote a better community life and that allows them to build a positive digital identity.”
From the Ground Up
“Students will learn marketing and advertising techniques as well as general entrepreneurial skills. They create, market and advertise a product that they created and is beneficial to the school community.”
How Ads Work on Facebook
“How and why different ads are on your Facebook newsfeed.”
Identifying and Understanding the Fallacies Used in Advertising
“A lesson on the deceptions often found in advertising and how to detect them.”
Online Marketing – An Overview
Activities, tips and resources for dealing with online marketing.
Marketing and Consumerism
A collection of resources on marketing and consumerism for teachers and parents from Media Smarts.
How Ads Work on Facebook
A document explaining how to adjust your ad preferences on Facebook .
How Does Technology Make You Feel?
A video about feelings and technology usage. Check out the link to the accompanying Common Sense Media lesson plan in our teacher resource section.
Media Balance Is Important
“How do we find a happy balance between our online and offline activities?”
Media Balance Is Important
A song about media balance for young children. Check out the link to the accompanying Common Sense Media lesson plan in our teacher resource section.
Deceasing Screen Time
“Help young people define ‘screen time’ and potential problems with spending too much time looking at electronic screens.”
Pause for People
“How do you say goodbye to technology when you don’t want to?”
Saying Goodbye to Technology
Tips for kids on how to pause for people. Check out the link to the accompanying Common Sense Media lesson plan in our teacher resource section.
The Berenstain Bears’ Computer Trouble
“Berenstain bears’ on technology balance and mental health.”
Finding Balance in Our Digital Lives
“Students look at the different ways in which we spend our free time and learn to find balance between active, learning and media activities.”
Dealing with Digital Stress
Youth Tip Sheet exploring the three main ways of dealing with digital stress.
What is the Internet Doing to Our Brains?
“Most of us are on the Internet on a daily basis and whether we like it or not, the Internet is affecting us. It changes how we think, how we work, and it even changes our brains.”
How Is Your Phone Changing You?
“Should you be worried about your cellphone?”
Screen Time: How Much is Too Much?
“Even by conservative estimates, the average American spends over 6 hours per day staring at a screen. That’s a lot of time. What does scientific research say about it? Is it good or bad for us?”
48 Hours Unplugged: The Screen-Free Challenge
“Students will monitor their ‘plugged’ habits by filling in a one-week activity log, and then take a 48-hour screen-free challenge.”