Learning Objectives

This activity is part of Section 3: Denormalization & Youth Action ofTeenNet's Virtual Classroom on Tobacco Control. Learning objectives for this section as a whole are:

- Understanding how and why the tobacco industry targets youth
- Knowledge and understanding of tobacco’s media and marketing campaigns (movies, television, community events…)
- Examination of tobacco attitudes including municipal, provincial, state, and/or national legislation, sales practices, and smoking rates of local youth populations
- Exploration of avenues and areas for youth involvement and youth action

Teaching Process

Written for students. You can add this directly to your class as an assignment!

Option 1
Go in to local convenient stores, grocery stores, malls, and see how cigarettes and tobacco products are marketed – signs, promo, product placement, colours, lights, height level, accessibility. Take pictures* of the displays and post them to your Class Blog, along with your analysis of the situation and the effects of different displays might have on consumers.

(*You will need permission from store owners/employees to take photos in stores as they are private property.)

Option 2
As an alternative to store locations, go to bus stops, billboards, and other outdoor public areas to see where tobacco advertising exists. Take photos and blog as in Option 1.

Teachers Notes

This is an excellent starting point for collaboration with another class from another country. Compare and contrast photos generated by each class. You can find collaboration partners in the Educator Discussions Forums.