How+Do+Gender+Stereotypes+Affect+You?



Society has come a long way in gender equality, but the roots of gender bias are still present in our society and continue to affect children’s development, their attitudes, and approaches toward life. Gender bias also causes discrimination against people who do not identify with society’s idea of what a woman should be or what a man should be. I believe through breaking down and analyzing gender roles in both modern and classical literature and film, along with real world examples, students will gain insight into a topic that many times flies under the radar. Gender stereotypes can many times go unnoticed due to it being widely accepted as ‘just the way things are’. Identifying these stereotypes and refusing to conform to society’s expectations is the first step to getting rid of them. The goal is to open students’ eyes to the existence of these stereotypes so they can broaden their own views about who they want to be and their expectations of who others should be.

The class that I am aiming this unit toward is a 10th grade English class. The make up of the class is a mix of students from different socio-economic backgrounds. I believe this gender unit is something that affects all people in same way even if they don't necessarily realize it at first. I chose 10th grade because some of this material is a bit on the mature side. I think 10th graders will be old enough to appreciate the level of maturity. It also gives them two years that they are still in school to implement some of the ideas that may come up in this unit about what they may want to do with their lives or organizations they may want to implement in their school.
 * //Audience: //**

Develop ability to identify and explain gender stereotypes. Learn what they can do to break through stereotypes. Identify the role that media plays in establishing gender stereotypes.
 * //Learning Objectives://**

Much of this unit will be directed and chosen by the students. The readings include: //Pride and Prejudice// - Jane Austen, excerpts from //Twilight// - Stephanie Meyer and //Harry Potter// - J.K. Rowling. The students will also be reading at least one more book of their own choosing that they will use in their final project. These books were chosen to show a theme between classical novels and modern day young adult fiction. I chose //Pride and Prejudice// because I thought it was a good example of characters that are living their lives by what society expected of them as women or men. The Bennett sisters run the gamut by the choices they make throughout the book and I believe it gives a wide variety of examples of the benefits and consequences of going against society's expectations. I chose //Twilight// and //Harry Potter// because I believe it's important to show that even 'fun' books teach lessons. For instance the female lead in //Harry Potter// is ridiculed for being the 'smart' one and is often shown going through emotional outbursts. In //Twlight//, the female lead is often shown as clumsy and vulnerable until she changes into a vampire and takes on more traditionally masculine qualities. The students will also read contemporary articles on topics such as gender neutral schools and the pay gap that persists between men and women in the workforce. The students will have time in class to read and discuss.
 * //Summary://**



The students will have three main writing assignments that they will complete that will be graded: a poetry assignment, a fairy tale, and a research project. They will also have several other reflective writing assignments and in class writing exercises that will be given a participation grade. Students will have time to on their assignments in class.

//Poetry Project:// Students will begin by brainstorming words that they think of when they think of each gender. Write a gender poem that celebrates the things you like about your gender and expresses any frustrations you may have. Students may follow the examples below or they may branch off and do something completely different.

Examples to show prior to brainstorming:

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//Fairy Tale Project: // After watching the youtube video below, students will get into groups and each group will breakdown a fairytale and identify the gender stereotypes that are present and the groups will present this information. After reading fairy tales and pointing out the common roles that males and females take, students will write their own fairy tale that breaks down gender barriers in some way.

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//Final Project: // The last two weeks of the semester will be a small 'writing workshop’. There will be some small writing exercises during the last two weeks, but the students will primarily be working on their final paper. Students will select their topic (related to gender stereotypes) within the first week of the unit. They must use at least one new book, and at least two other types of media (documentary, website, movie, tv show). The paper may be in any genre the student chooses and must consist of at least 15 pages. The paper should show what the student is learning about gender stereotypes, their opinions of them, and how stereotypes have affected them. Because there will be most of two weeks in class for the students to work on these projects, there will be time for multiple one on one consultations with the students. This also gives the students an opportunity to explore a different branch of gender stereotypes that we may not have had a chance to cover. The students will do a short presentation on the last day of the unit, simply describing their project, what they learned, and why they chose that topic.

//** Why?: **// By 10th grade, students are well aware of their sexuality and learning who they are as people. This is a time when many students are beginning to struggle with gender stereotypes, expectations of who they are supposed to be, how they are supposed to act, and rebelling against those ideas they don't agree with. They are also looking at the future, where they will go to college, what they will major in and what kind of job they will have. Gender can be a sensitive topic and it can be taboo topic. I think that the controversy of the issue will intrigue the students. The books I am using are modern texts, with //Pride and Prejudice// being used as a classical text. I believe the students will be more interested in reading //Pride and Prejudice // if we are comparing the characters to characters from ‘fun’ books. We can also watch parts of the movie version of //Pride and Prejudice// to supplement the text. I am also allowing the students to choose their own books to read to identify the way gender roles are used in a text of their choosing. I think having the students choose their own topic for their research paper and their own books to read will end up with them doing even more research into this topic than is involved in this unit. I believe students will become invested in the topic when they realize how these stereotypes affect the way that they see the world without them even realizing it. This unit also includes time for in class reading on Fridays and a scaled down version of a 'writing workshop' where the students will have the last two weeks of the unit to work on their final project in class. This will allow them the ability to meet with me, discuss ideas with each other and have access to resources it may be difficult to find elsewhere.


 * //Unit Plan: //**

//Monday//: <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Introduction to the unit. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Watch video and write down any personal connections that occur to you. media type="youtube" key="i3BFwRG0Id4" width="420" height="315" <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Class discussion: Have you ever seen or experienced any of those issue described in the video? What are ways we can dispel these stereotypes?
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 1.5;">Week 1 **

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">//Tuesday:// <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Poetry: what is it to be a man, what is it to be a woman? Video links in summary section above. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Brainstorm: gender words, rough draft of gender poems

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">//Wednesday//: <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Work on poems/revise <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">In class I will meet with students to discuss topics for final project.

//<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Thursday: // <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Perform poems in class. Each student will perform and receive (positive) comments from peers.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">//Friday:// <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">In Class Reading: //Pride and Prejudice//. Keep a letter journal while reading pride and prejudice with other students in the class. This will be turned in after completion of the novel. (Participation) Continue meeting with students to discuss final topics if needed.

//<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Monday: // <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Watch Disney gender stereotypes youtube video (presented in summary section above) and discuss how women and men are portrayed in fairy tales and how this affects children. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Split into groups. Each group may pick a fairy tale. Identify characters and the stereotypes that are applied to them. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Read P&P at home
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Week 2 **

//<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Tuesday: // <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Class discussion based on group work from Monday. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Begin formulating a fairy tale that breaks commonly held gender stereotypes. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Read P&P at home

//<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wednesday: // <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Finish/revise fairy tales <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Read P&P at home

//<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Thursday: // <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Finish/revise fairy tales and share with the class. (graded)

//<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Friday: // <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">In Class Reading: Pride and prejudice

//<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Monday: // <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Discuss P&P
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Week 3 **

//<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Tuesday: // <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Read excerpts from //Twilight// and //Harry Potter//. Discuss the differences in male and female characters. Compare and contrast with characters from P&P. Get in groups and write down characters/traits/similarities/differences.

//<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wednesday: // <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> In class write essay comparing and contrasting at least two characters (one from P&P and one from //Twilight// or //Harry Potter//) (participation points)

//<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Thursday: // <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Continue working on essay, turn in or take home to finish and turn in on Monday.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">//Friday:// <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">In Class Reading: book of their choice (good idea to use time for reading book for final project)

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">//Monday:// <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Watch transgender youtube video: <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">media type="youtube" key="epDPui27QZQ" width="560" height="315"
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Week 4 **

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The link above includes other families with transgender children.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Discuss in class, write reflection paper, (participation points) <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Prepare questions for open Q&A on Tuesday.

//<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Tuesday: // <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">All questions will be anonymous through a survey or can be dropped off in a sealed box in the classroom. School psychologist will be present and if possible a professional from the community with experience in gender issues. Questions will be read and answered and discussed.

//<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wednesday: // <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Watch movie clip: <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">media type="youtube" key="rQ1xOOyENmw" width="560" height="315"

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Remember that you can do anything you want no matter who you are. Just because it may fall into a stereotype does not mean you should not do it because it is a stereotype. Write reflection: What do you want to do? (participation points)

//<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Thursday: //<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">This class will be used based on issues or ideas that come up in class throughout the first four weeks, or it will be used as discussion day on the final projects and students will have time to begin working on them.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">//Friday:// <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">In Class Reading: book of their choice (good idea to use time for reading book for final project)

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">**Weeks 5 – 6** will be used as a writing workshop. They must use at least one book, and at least one type of media (documentary, website, movie, tv show). The paper may be in any genre the student chooses, must consist of at least 15 pages. The paper should show what the student is learning about gender stereotypes and their opinions of them. Though the majority of time will be spent in writing workshop other activities will be done throughout.

//<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Possible writing exercises Weeks 5 and 6: //

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">1) What do you want to be when you grow up? Why? <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">[]

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">2) Watch: <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">media type="youtube" key="-VqsbvG40Ww" width="420" height="315"

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">And read []

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Discuss in class and write reflection on what we could do to create more gender neutral schools. Could involve writing letters to the school district.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">3) Is gender biological or cultural? Reflect. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">4) What role does media play establishing gender stereotypes? <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">5) Have boys and girls 'switch' genders for a day and keep a journal. <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">6) What might happen to students who suffer from gender issues. What programs be developed in school to help these students?

//**<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Common Core Standards: **// <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Writing arguments/narratives that satisfy the Grades 9-10 standards <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Write informative/explanatory texts that satisfy the Grades 9-10 standards <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Writing in response to literary or information sources and drawing evidence to support analysis and reflection <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Demonstrating appropriate command of English conventions (grammar, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, etc).

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">The students will have a lot of in class writing and reading time which will allow time for me to speak one on one with them and review the quality of their writing. Students who need extra help can be identified and we can work together to work on the issues that student may have. This unit has a lot of flexibility and I think I would really like that as a teacher. Every class is different and you don't really know what direction a topic will take (at least I don't a more seasoned teacher probably has a pretty good idea!).

//**<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Grading: **// <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">I plan to look at the poetry assignment, final project and fairy tale project. These assignments will be given a grade and the student will have the ability to revise them if they wish. The students will receive participation points on all the rest of the reflective/shorter writing assignments and I will look at two of those and discuss any glaring issues with the students as they arise. I did not make a rubric for these assignments because I don't want the students to conform to a set of standards that they think these assignments should look like. I'd rather them go outside the box and choose their own direction. I plan to look for a cohesive project that is thoughtful and focuses, this is why I am including the discussion time at the beginning of the unit along with the two weeks at the end of the unit for students to work in class. I do not want the students to suffer from lack of direction.

//**<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">Final Thoughts: **// <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">My hope is that this unit will make students think more about why they do the things that they do and think more about the impact that stereotypes in general have on society. Gender stereotypes are everywhere that we look and if we're not aware of what we're seeing and why we're seeing it, it is easy to get caught up in trying to be something that you don't want to be. I think my favorite parts of this unit are the youtube video that includes that the interviews with the children (#2 in Weeks 5-6) and the video about Josie (Monday; Week 4).

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">The youtube video with the kids is cute and not really surprising, but it is kind of sad that we so strongly instill these gender 'norms' into children so quickly at such a young age. For them to already be convinced of what is appropriate for girls and boys is sad. Josie story I thought was really interesting and kind of a different angle of the debate about gender stereotypes. Her life will be difficult for a number of reasons, but the close mindedness and confusion of society on these issues is definitely present within that story.

<span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">I also feel that as of right now this is kind of a problem without a solution, which makes it that much more interesting to discuss. These gender stereotypes exist and it's important to make sure children in our schools are aware of these stereotypes and are working to break through them and not letting those stereotypes dictate who they will become.