Students become more aware of the language and techniques used in print advertising, as well as the impact of advertising on their daily lives. The unit will focus on three key media literacy concepts: construction of reality, representation, and audience. Students will learn to analyze the format and structure of advertisements, differentiate between information and selling, and learn about target audiences.

Students explore the ways in which companies use sporting events and athletes to sell products and influence consumers, especially young people.

Students learn how to authenticate online information by comparing "facts" from the website entitled "All About Explorers" with more authoritative sources. (This four-lesson unit on search skills and critical thinking teachers students how to target and specify their online searches to avoid unwanted results, how to judge whether a link, search result or website is legitimate or phony, and how to find legitimate sources online for media works such as music videos and movies.)

Students become more aware of the media"™s role in determining what, and who, are perceived as being cool. Through class discussion and activities, students explore the differences between superficial and real "coolness," how marketers use cool to sell products, and how their own attitudes and perceptions are affected by media messages that reinforce specific messages about what coolness is.

Students are provided with opportunities to explore this concept and discuss the importance of using empathy and common sense when talking to others online. Because of the ways that digital media leave out many of the cures that prompt us to feel empathy, it is easy for students to sometimes forget that real people "“ with real feelings "“ are at the heart of online conversations.

Students are introduced to the idea that "hot" emotional states such as anger or excitement can make it harder for them to control how they act. They also discuss the concept of empathy and look at the ways in which digital communication can make it harder to feel empathy for other people. Students then read scenarios that portray two sides of an online conflict and consider how to resolve them, using their discussion to build a list of tools for emotional management and conflict resolution online. Finally, student create a media product that explains and reminds them of one of those tools.

Students consider how we come to hold values and how they affect our behavior, especially online. They begin by comparing their assumptions about how common positive and negative online behaviors are with accurate statistics, and then consider how believing that something is more or less common than it really is can affect whether or not we think it is acceptable. A fable is used to introduce students to the ways that values can be communicated. Students discuss what values they have learned about online behavior.

Students look at the ways in which consumer frenzy develops around a particular product. They begin by brainstorming the characteristics that make a toy a "must-have" possession; and discuss and reflect on the "Tickle Me Elmo" phenomenon as an example of this sort of marketing occurrence. Students discuss the ethical issues associated with consumerism, and how they respond to "gotta have it" pressures from peers and the media. Students will demonstrate and understanding of the ways in which marketers use hype to sell products, an awareness of how consumers respond to marketing hype, and an awareness of the elements that make a product desirable.

Students explore the concepts of rules, values and ethics and learn how they influence our decision-making. Students are invited to consider how they can contribute to create positive online cultures. Students will demonstrate the ability to understand to role of rules, values and ethics in helping them to do the right thing online. Students will suggest rules for preventing cyberbullying.

In this sequel to Privacy Playground, more appropriate for 6th grade or younger, the three CyberPigs learn some important lessons about authenticating online information and observing rules of netiquette. They also learn how to distinguish between fact and opinion and how to recognize bias and harmful stereotyping in online content. As Les, Mo and Lil discover, "just because it's on the Internet, doesn't mean it's true." The accompanying Teacher's Guide explains how to play the game, gives background information on the issues of authenticating online content, stereotyping and cyberbullying and children's provide activities and handouts for classroom use.

Students apply the "5Ws of Cyberspace" to sources of information they find online. Assuming the role of a student researching a science project, students must authenticate the information in an online article about the artificial sweetener, aspartame.

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the different types of messages about alcohol consumption that are promoted in public awareness messaging by various groups and the consequences associated with drinking.

Students will demonstrate an awareness of the types of food needed to maintain a healthy diet and how fast food doesn't fit into a healthy plan.

Students learn strategies for using the Internet effectively to research global development issues. Students discover how to determine the truth and accuracy of online information and learn effective ways to obtain balanced sources of information. Students learn to ask, and search for answers to, the questions: Who is presenting this information and why?

Students will explore their beliefs and values about independence and how cigarette advertising exploits peoples' desires for greater freedom.

Students begin by brainstorming the functions or purposes of music and by discussing music's power as a mirror and a symbol. A special focus will be made on the use of music to sell- how advertisers use the power of music to create bonds between consumers and products. As a group activity, students will create and present multi-media, musical collages, based on the functions of music that they have brainstormed. This lesson examines how music reflects and influences societies and is a metaphor for ideas and experiences.

Students will think critically about culturally inherited gender stereotypes, and explore how stereotypes about men and women are promoted and reinforced through the images and messages in alcohol ads.

Students look at how gender stereotyping may discourage young women from becoming involved in politics. Students begin by discussing what is meant by the terms "politics" and "political action."

This lesson starts with an interactive quiz that teaches students about the ways in which hate may be encountered online. After completing the quiz, students discuss the issues raised and the strategies modeled for confronting online hate. In groups, students research an online environment (such as social networking sites) and a particular example of that environment (such as Facebook) to learn the issues, strategies and tools relating to online hate in that environment.

Students consider one of five scenarios that illustrate unhealthy relationship behaviors relating to digital media: pressuring others to share private content, cyberstalking, harassment and abuse of trust. Students then relate the scenarios to their own experience by brainstorming other examples of these behaviors and voting on which they feel are most relevant to their lives. Students act out their own scenario in which they portray young people successfully dealing with one of the unhealthy relationship behaviors.

Students use a web-based activity to help them think critically about how to determine the quality of web resources. The students will understand the importance of authenticating online resources, recognize how the source of information may affect the quality of information found on a website, and use a template to authenticate and assess the quality of web sources.

Students investigate the importance of branding and messaging, especially as they relate to parity products such as beer and alcohol.

Students will become familiar with the nutritional value of foods advertised on television and in magazines.

Students are introduced to the ways in which advertising can affect their food choices.

Students understand how pervasive and influential advertising is in our culture and how teenagers are actively targeted by advertisers. Students will demonstrate an awareness of the many different types of advertisements they encounter daily. Student will explain how they, as consumers, are influenced by commercial messages.

Students look at the less obvious methods used by advertisers to reach consumers: humorous, self-depreciating ads, product placement, product association with celebrities, ads promoting empowerment and affirmation and 'advocacy' advertising.

Students develop an awareness of marketing tactics aimed at teens through the creation of their own mock advertising campaigns. Students will demonstrate an awareness of the influential nature of ads. Students will identify specific advertising tactics geared to teenagers. Students will explain how they are influenced by commercial messages.

Students look at the different groups in our society that deliver messages to the public about drinking and consider the influence of each of these groups on the attitudes and perceptions of young people.

Students will analyze their own body image and what they would like to change. They will also examine the link between smoking and body image.

Students are introducede to the online marketing techniques that are used to target children on the Internet. It begins with a guided discussion about the similarities and differences between traditional marketing methods and online advertising and why the Internet is such a desirable medium for advertisers to reach young people. Student activities include a survey of the marketing techniques used on several commercial websites for children; the creation of a commercial website for kids that incorporates common marketing strategies; and an analysis of case studies about online marketing to young people.

Students to the ways in which packaging is designed to attract kids. The class begins with a discussion about packaging and how the design, promotions and product placement all contribute to make a product attractive to consumers. In a series of individual and group activities, students compare similar food products based on packaging and on taste. An optional field trip to a grocery store in suggested to see how packaging and placement affect consumer choices.

Students explore what's hidden behind advertising messages by analyzing and creating parody advertisements. Students will demonstrate an understanding that advertisements don"™t necessarily tell the whole truth about a product and that advertisements are designed to deliver very specific messages to consumers.

Students discuss their experiences playing free online games and then learn the costs of these "free" games in the form of paying with money sharing personal information or providing attention to advertising or branded content. Students then learn a variety of techniques for mitigating the risks and drawbacks of online games and communicate their learning by describing one of these techniques in video-game terms.

Students are introduced to the idea that their gaming experiences may compromise their personal information. Students consider the ways in which games may gather or solicit information about them and learn about tools which they can use to control their personal privacy, and then discuss the trade-offs between protecting their privacy and enjoying a full game experience. Students explore short scenarios designed to highlight the complexity of these trade-offs. Finally, in an optional evaluation task students assess a game on the basis of how much it compromises players"™ personal information and how well it permits them to take control of their personal privacy.

Students are introduced to the concept of popular culture and the role that it plays in their lives. Students examine the importance of videos to the music industry and the role that music plays in popular culture. In pairs, students interview each other about their musical preferences. Activities for this lesson include: viewing and listening to videos, with and without sound, in order to analyze aesthetic visual elements; exploring the history of the music video; and independent projects on music videos for selected musical genres.

Students take a good look at our society's pressures to conform to standards of beauty - particularly to be thin - and the related prejudice against being "overweight".

In this game, more appropriate for 6th grade or younger, the CyberPigs play on their favorite website and encounter marketing ploys, spam and a close encounter with a not-too-friendly wolf. The purpose of the game is to teach kids how to protect their personal information and avoid online predators. The accompanying Teacher"™s Guide explains how to play the game, gives background information on the issues of online marketing, spam and children"™s privacy and provides activities and handouts for classroom use.