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Activity
Units For Your Little Girls!
Background: We live in a society obsessed with outer beauty; a society that promotes thinness in such a way that girls as young as six years of age have the desire to be thinner. A recent study showed that more than 3 million teenagers suffer from some type of eating disorder, and this number is growing. A close look at the media confirms today's alarming standards of beauty. With our children being exposed to media outlets such as television, radio, music, periodicals and the Internet for an average of three to five hours a day, the reality that they are infatuated with their body image should come as no surprise. Purpose: Students will understand the importance of distinguishing between inner and outer beauty, recognize that the media's opinion of beauty is biased and should be evaluated rather than just accepted, recognize that following the media's standards of beauty can be dangerous. Essential Question: How can we change a culture that is saturated with looks into one that emphasizes inner beauty? Skills:
Lesson Plans: This unit has been developed for 5-8th grades and, depending on the students' grade level, they could complete more in-depth research projects on the subject. Suggested Class Discussion Topics:
Background: "…But girls today are much more oppressed. They are coming of age in a more dangerous, sexualized and media-saturated culture. They face incredible pressures to be beautiful and sophisticated… As I looked at the culture that girls enter as they come of age, I was struck by what a girl-poisoning culture it was. The more I looked around, the more I listened to today's music, watched television and movies and looked at sexist advertising, the more convinced I became that we are on the wrong path with our daughters. America today limits girls' development, truncates their wholeness and leaves many of them traumatized… I believe that most Americans share the concerns I have for our girls. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Tipper Gore, Janet Reno, Marian Wright Edelman and many others are sounding the alarm… What can we do to help them? We can strengthen girls so that they will be ready. We can encourage emotional toughness and self-protection. We can support and guide them. But most important, we can change our culture… Our daughters deserve a society in which all their gifts can be developed and appreciated…" Pipher, Mary, PH.D. REVIVING OPHELIA SAVING THE SELVES OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS. New York : Ballantine Books, 1994. Project: Students can do a research project on Women In Politics by choosing two women whom they admire. In-depth research could be done starting from their biographies to where they stand on issues such as media and girls. Each student should make a collage of their respective individuals and share it with their class. Essential
Questions:
Project: Students could write an analytical essay answering the above questions based on their observation of female body images presented in media outlets such as movies, television, theaters, musical videos, hand-held games, and advertisements on newspapers, magazines, bulletin board displays and the Internet. Nutrition and physical activities, such as sports and exercise, could play a positive role in promoting body health rather than body image. Positive
Roll Models:
Project: Teachers could facilitate a discussion with students about body image, body health and nutrition. Teachers can then ask students to choose a sports activity such as tennis, soccer etc. or another exercise activity such as walking, jogging, running, swimming, dancing, jazzercise, yoga etc. Based on what activity a student chooses, the teacher will organize the students into groups. Ideally each group will consist of 3 students (if more students have chosen the same subject, teachers can break them up into two groups rather than just one large group). This unit should last about four weeks and should be monitored every week. On a daily basis, 5 times a week for half an hour, the students should partake in their chosen activities. After one month, the teachers should facilitate another discussion with the students asking them their opinions on body image, body health, and nutrition now that they have engaged in a routine of physical exercise. Their responses shall be compared to their responses a month prior.
Objective: Encourage kids to be curious and teach them to be resourceful in satisfying their curiosity. Supplies: Access to the Internet and/or books, magazines, and other research materials, notebooks and pens/pencils for taking notes and journaling. Time: 5 - 20 minutes for presentation/large group discussion, 15 - 30 minutes for small group discussion, 30 - 60 minutes for research or writing, 15 - 30 minutes for sharing. Presentation/Discussion: Talk about questions-we've all got 'em! Share some of the things you've always wondered with your class, and talk about whether you ever found answers to those questions. Ask students to talk about a few of the things that they've always wondered-the questions could be silly, like, "What are boogers made out of?" or philosophical, "Is there really a God?" Ask kids what kind of reactions they get when they asked someone a tough question-were they ignored? Given a real answer? A fake one? Tell
kids they don't have to settle for their questions going unanswered.
Ask them where they might find answers to questions. The library,
the Internet, professionals who know something about the field,
and their own hearts might be some places to look. Researching: Disperse the group to research stations (library, computers, etc). Encourage kids to take notes while they research to share with the class later. If kids have more philosophical questions, give them some quiet space to journal about those questions. Sharing: Ask the class to come back together to share what they've learned. Everyone should be allowed a couple minutes to talk about whether they found answers to their questions or not and to share interesting facts they came across along the way. Ask kids who wrote thoughtful essays if they would mind reading them or an excerpt from them. Beyond the Classroom: Encourage kids to take matters into their own hands every time they're pondering a question. Offer to let them use school resources (computers, books, etc.) when there's extra time in class or before and after school. Direct them to websites like www.stupidquestions.com to get in touch with other curious people!
Time Needed: Three 30-minute periods Supplies Needed: Books about friendship, journal/notebook and pencil, small safety pins and small, colorful beads Explore: Find some books of friendship in your library or local bookstore. Read and Think: Spend some time reading stories and compare and contrast the characters you read about with your own friendships. Reflect and Journal: Spend time thinking about various friendships and what it is you value. Journal about one particular friendship, patterns you notice, or friendships in general. Create: Create a friendship pin for someone you thought or journaled about by threading beads directly onto pins. Each pin should come with a "legend" that shows what each bead represents in that particular instance. Perhaps a pin with a pattern of brown, white, and tan beads represents the s'mores that you often share often with a special friend. Or perhaps a pin with red, yellow, and orange beads comes with the following legend: red = laughter, yellow= years we've been friends, orange = loyalty. Be creative!
Time: Two 45 minute periods, maybe more, depending on getting pictures developed for the photo project. Ideas to talk about: What do you think are your "best" features? Are there things that you would like to change if you could? Why do you think you need to change? Try this: Look in the mirror and say: I really like the way I look. I am a beautiful person just the way I am. Reading: Read the cover story in the March, 2000 issue of O, Oprah Winfrey's magazine, in which she shows what goes on behind a photo shoot for a magazine cover. Learning
Activity: 1. Look at magazines or TV ads -- What are they selling?
What strategies are they using to sell their products? 2. Make
a list of 10 ads. What is the product that each one is selling?
What do they use in the ads to Photo project: Spend some time taking photos of you and your friends. Have fun! Try to pose like some of the models you see in advertisements. After you get the pictures developed, compare them with the ads. Who looks more like a real person? Who is having more fun? |
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