Media Literacy-Final Project-Lesson Plan

1. Examining the way in which gender roles
are perpetuated throughout media
Presented by Melissa Lugo
ETAP 638
Summer 2012

2.  Target Audience: 4th-5th grade class
 Content Area: English Language Arts
 Class Size: 24-32 Students
 Equal Female/Male ratio
 Availability to the following tools: Computers
w/ internet access, Smartboard, Video
Cameras, microphones
 Culminating End of Semester Activity
 Time Frame: 2 ½ -3 Weeks of daily instruction
and activity
 Conducted in Groups of 4 ideally

3.  RL.4.1. Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining
what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from
the text.
 RL.4.7. Make connections between the text of a story or drama
and a visual or oral presentation of the text, identifying where
each version reflects specific descriptions and directions in the
text
 RL.4.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
used in a text, including those that allude to significant
characters found in mythology (e.g., Herculean).
 RL.5.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors
and similes.
 RL.5.7. Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to
the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic
novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).

4.  W.4.1. Write opinion pieces on topics or
texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and
information.
 W.4.6. With some guidance and support from
adults, use technology, including the Internet, to
produce and publish writing as well as to interact
and collaborate with others; demonstrate
sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type
a minimum of one page in a single sitting.
 W.5.7. Conduct short research projects that use
several sources to build knowledge through
investigation of different aspects of a topic.

5.  SL.6.2. Interpret information presented in
diverse media and formats
(e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and
explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or
issue under study
 SL.6.5. Include multimedia components
(e.g., graphics, images, music, sound) and
visual displays in presentations to clarify
information.

6.  Media Literacy Education requires active inquiry
and critical thinking about the messages we
receive and create.
 Media Literacy Education expands the concept
of literacy to include all forms of media
(i.e., reading and writing).
 Media Literacy Education recognizes that media
are a part of culture and function as agents of
socialization.


7.  This unit is intended to “piggyback” a study of
mythical texts and fairytales within an ELA genre
study unit.
 Students have significant foundations in examining
gender roles evident within their “Funds of
Knowledge”
 By connecting students prior experience and
observations about life with the content examined in
the ELA genre unit, children will be able to make
informed conclusions about gender roles within
society and hopefully develop a critical eye when
examining perpetuating stereotypes in their
everyday lives and in the media in particular.

8.  Students will learn how to critically examine
and read literature (traditional fairytales) for
imbedded messages related to gender
relations, attributes, and ideas.
 Students will analyze these trends in
representation, attitude, and descriptive
vocabulary of gender roles and perceptions.

9.  Students will then learn how to critically
“read” and examine specifically
selected commercial advertisements
and make connections in perpetuated
ideas of gender from literature and
media outlets.
 Students will choose a advertisement
where stereotypical gender roles are
prevalent and analyze the commercial
for trends and advertising techniques
that promote gender stereotypes

10.  Students will work in groups to re-create a
commercial in video form to reduce gender
stereotypes as a cumulative project. This project
will be presented in class and critiqued by peers.

11.  This lesson is designed to introduce students to the
influence advertisements have in the perpetuation of
gender roles and stereotypes. By first having children
examine the way gender roles are portrayed in
fairytales and analyzing these trends; then applying
it to popular media, children are being encouraged
to “read” into the choices producers of media make
in order to impose a certain belief or feeling on their
audience. They are in turn being introduced to be
active viewers and consumers of such media.
Finally, students are encouraged to present their
viewpoints to their peers, demonstrating the various
interpretations and a media product has embedded
within.

12.  Grimm's fairy tales:
Cinderella, Sleeping
Beauty, Goldilocks and the
Three Bears
 Hans Christian Andersen tales:
The Princess and the Pea, The
Ugly Duckling
 Jon Scieszka’s The Frog Prince
Continued
 Steven Kellogg's Jack and the
Beanstalk
 Charts-To collect
vocabulary, references, patter

13.  Excerpts of Disney adaptations of
Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty
 Excerpts of ABC’s Once Upon A
Time
 YouTube -Adaptation of The Paper
Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
(Part I)
 Excerpts from the article Gendered
Media: The Influence of Media
on Views of Gender by Julia T. Wood
http://www.udel.edu/comm245/read
ings/GenderedMedia.pdf

14.  YouTube Commercial Advertisements
◦ Burger King “I am Man”
◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGLHlvb8skQ
◦ 1957 Pepsi Commercial
◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=113mRmchumY
◦ Toyota “Swagger Wagon” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql-
N3F1FhW4
◦ Stride Gum “A Little Bit Epic”
◦ http://www.youtube.com/user/stridechewinggum?v=ZC1qd4kxzg8
◦ Stop and Shop Commercial
◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQBfLAS8mR4
◦ “KFC-She’s A Lady”
◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrN4lAonpN8
◦ Nike “My Better Is Better”
◦ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHHMaiNyztk

15.  Smartboard Projector and Connectivity
 Internet Access
 Laptops/Computer Access
 Printer
 PowerPoint
 Various Props for Skit/Presentations

16.  Teacher will distribute pencils to students
(teacher will distribute female themed pencils
(Princess, floral, Monster High etc.) to boys and
male theme pencils (Cars, Mario Bros.etc.) to
girls and wait for reaction from students.
 Build discussion around student reactions and
question: Where did we learn what we should
like based on our gender?
 Create charts with ideas and responses to use
as a point of reference

17.  Shared Reading Experience: Cinderella
 Discuss: What are the perceptions of
gender in this tale? What are the traits
of the female main character? What is
the role of the male?
 Chart findings as a point of reference
for follow-up lessons

18.  Shared Reading Experience of Jack & the Beanstalk
 Discuss gender messages prevalent in the tale as
whole group discussion. What is the larger message
being communicated in this text? What does it say
about society and gender roles? (Compare female
Cinderella vs. male Jack)
 Cinderella vulnerable, needy
Jack  foolish, but brave and heroic, saves the day
 Create a vocabulary list of both female and male
traits/characteristics observed within texts thus far.

19.  Break into “Book Clubs” of four students
each, and assign each group a fairytale to
examine in terms of gender roles.
 Children should be able to pull from specific
quotes and claims within texts to support stances
and examples (as modeled in previous lessons).
 Students present summary of assigned text to the
class. Throughout presentations teacher adds to
reference charts, collecting new vocabulary and
understandings about gender roles and how they
are reinforced through fairytales.

20.  Summarize findings from literature
portion of unit and begin launch of
examining commercial adverts.
Establish connections through
modeling.
 Discuss media’s unspoken messages
by examining commercial adverts
closely (through
dialogue, gestures, setting, message,
focus, angling etc.)
 Model skill using 1957 Pepsi
commercial.
 Chart- What is this commercial really
saying about gender roles?
Document student responses
 Scaffold instruction by introducing
“Stop & Shop commercial and allow
for students to analyze it adopting
the modeled skills (in partnerships)

21.  Students work in original 4
person groups to analyze
assigned advertisements for
trends in gender perception
and roles (students work on
laptops to explore pre-selected
advertisements and
female/male trends within
them)
 Students create an individual
journal entry examining the
ways that their lives reflect
these roles and contradict
these roles.

22.  Examine how media is changing over time
and altering gender roles: Compare and
contrast Nike commercial from1990’s with
recent commercial “My Better is Better”
(examining
message, gender, dialogue, imagery).
Discuss
 Students use YouTube to find a
commercial that perpetuates
stereotypical gender roles, and one that
moves to away from stereotypical gender
roles.
 Students create group presentations
based on above activity, with the options
of using PowerPoint, Blabberize, or any
other tool that best displays their
opinion, ideas, and understanding.
 Students present to class, and are
evaluated by peers in terms of
clarity, accuracy, application of
content, and vocabulary used.

23. 1 2 3 4
Below Standards Approaching Meets Standards Exceeds
Standards Standards
Discussion Student does not Student contributes Student contributes Student contributes
contribute to class little to class discussions consistently to consistently to
discussions and/or and/or makes few classroom discussions classroom discussions
comments do not connections, and makes and makes
connect or demonstrating a very connections which connections which
demonstrate an basic understanding of demonstrate a solid demonstrate a deep
understanding of content understanding of and/or advanced
content content understanding of
content
Journal Journal doesn’t reflect Journal relays little Journal reflects an Journal reflects a
upon media practices reflection upon media understanding of deep understanding
discussed in class and practices discussed media practices and of media practices
fails to draw upon and draws upon basic builds meaningful and builds solid and
relative life experience life experiences making connections with life thoughtful
connecting with the weak connections with experiences and connections with life
content the content. content with examples experiences and
content with
examples and
elaboration

24. 1 2 3 4
Below Standards Approaching Meets Standards Exceeds
Standards Standards
Presentation Student didn’t add Student added Student added All components of
significant content to some content to significant content (3) and used
presentation or was presentation, and to presentation, sophisticated
unprepared. was clear and was clear in their technology and
concise in their message, creativity
message. demonstrating
application of skills
and integrating
acquired
vocabulary and
ideas
Group Did not actively Worked Worked All components of
participate or engage cooperatively but cooperatively, took (3) and served as a
with group or failed to didn’t contribute initiative, made mediator and
be cooperative. actively/consistentl meaningful guide.
y within group decisions taking all
group members
into consideration.
Overall Media Student failed to adopt Student adopted Students adopted All components of
Understanding the media-relevant some media media relevant (3) and
and Acquisition vocabulary and didn’t relevant vocabulary and demonstrated the
make associations with vocabulary and understood many understand the
specified media and understood some of the ways in ways in which
personal life ways in which which media can media has the
experiences media can be be “read” and power to influence
“read” interpreted. societal beliefs.