"The Persuaders" is a 90-minute, 2004 PBS documentary that examines marketing practices. The video may be viewed on-line and a teacher's guide is available.

"Lifesmarts" An on-line competition in which students answer questions about consumer issues, sponsored by the National Consumers League.

Consumer Jungle offers teaching units with interactive games on credit, budgeting and buying cars, computers, and telephones.

A Rethinking Schools’ special report Teaching Students about Media, Advertising, and Consumer Culture includes ten articles and a list of web sites.

Adbusters offers a “media empowerment kit” for use by teachers (for a charge).

On advertising in schools see materials available from the Center for Commercial-Free Public Education.

For additional readings and statistics on “Kids and Commercialism,” from the New American Dream.

The Jump$tart Coalition offers a web-based “clearinghouse” of teaching resources on personal finance.

A teaching module entitled “Consumption and the Consumer Society” is available from the Global Development and Environment Institute. Including a reading and discussion questions, the module addresses the historical development of “consumer society,” the relationship between consumption and well-being, and the ecological impact of consumption. While designed for a college course, it is nontechnical and could be adapted for high school use.

For research area on what, really, makes us happy. See the World Database of Happiness for more information.