The UnBranded Project empowers kids to see how large the role of media is in nearly all aspects of our lives and to question its extensive reach.

We’ll dig into what it means to be branded and how it influences what we think about ourselves and others.  We'll learn to identify facts versus opinions in tricky marketing and the different marketing methods used to impress us. We'll learn how and why companies target kids for certain products and we'll figure out what might be too much when it comes to marketing and media. 

Through engaging, critical thinking activities, we’ll gain a sense of how powerful marketing is and how grasping it can give us the upper hand when making important choices. We'll analyze commercials, brainstorm our favorite brands, and create our own advertisements to gain a solid understanding of the course material. 

Week 1: We'll find out how we're branded and what methods companies use to brand us.
Week 2: We'll look deeply into facts versus opinions, looking for deceptive ways opinion is presented as fact.
Week 3: We'll explore how media can change how we feel about ourselves and others.
Week 4: We'll look at the tricks of the trade for food and toy marketing to kids.
Week 5: We'll practice critical thinking when presented with pushy marketing and we'll determine what's too much media.
Week 6: We'll review the concepts we learned and create our own honest advertisement.

The UnBranded Project will utilize live weekly class and the Outschool Classroom for regular interaction with classmates and the instructor, regardless of their schedule. Weekly assignments, personal challenges, and class contests will keep the students engaged while they learn.  Learning materials will include handouts, videos, and slide presentations.  While there are weekly live classes for this course, students will have independent work to complete outside of the classroom.