Thinking Like a Tobacco Company: Grades 7-9 - Lesson

In this lesson, students learn how the tobacco industry targets the needs, wishes and desires of young people in order to sell cigarettes.

Selling Tobacco - Lesson

In this lesson, students explore how tobacco advertising has evolved over the past sixty years.

Gender and Tobacco - Lesson

In this lesson, students explore gender-related influences on smoking.

Image Gap - Lesson

This lesson helps students understand how self-image can influence lifestyle choices.

Mirror Image - Lesson

In this lesson, students analyze their own body image and consider what they wish they could change.

Resources for families and educators staying home during COVID-19

We’ve put together some of our best resources to help you and your family manage during these uncertain times.

Talking to kids about vaping

Even though you're competing against peer pressure and million-dollar marketing campaigns, research has shown that kids are less likely to get involved in smoking or vaping if they've discussed them with their parents. Talking to our kids about tobacco and cannabis advertising will help them to recognize when they're being advertised to and identify the tricks companies use to normalize teen smoking and vaping, and make their products seem safer and less addictive than they really are.

Here are some tips on talking to kids about vaping, tobacco and cannabis advertising.

Digital Media Literacy 101 Educator Workshop

The Digital Media Literacy 101 educator workshop provides an overview of the key concepts, essential knowledge and core competencies of digital media literacy, as well as concrete steps for bringing lessons and activities into the classroom and tips for integrating it across the curriculum.

Lights, Camera, Action! Making Media in the Classroom, Made Easy

For nearly thirty years, Canadian teachers have been at the forefront of getting students online and preparing them to use networked technologies safely, productively and responsibly. Many young Canadians have their first experiences with the internet in their classrooms and school libraries. Over the past decade, though, while digital tools have come to provide new opportunities for creating and distributing digital content, MediaSmarts’ research shows that most Canadian teachers aren’t making media in the classroom.

Start media education early with TVOkids Original Wacky Media Songs

Parents could be forgiven for thinking that our children are born media literate. Kids take to digital devices like the proverbial ducks to water, quickly becoming expert at finding the videos and games they want, and it’s a rare baby shower that doesn’t feature Elsa or Elmo in one form or another.