For students aged 11 - 15

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Project kit title: Girls play with dolls, boys play with cars?
Topic:
Education for gender equality: we study gender related stereotypes and
attitudes, examine how gender is represented in different languages
(language education), discuss students’ own experiences and explore the
surrounding community: How are gender roles are presented at home, at
school and at work?
Based on EU’s and UN’s aim to promote equality between sexes (Agenda
2030).
School subjects: Social studies, mother tongue, ethics, history, math and English (EFL)
Age group: 11 – 13-year-olds
Level: easy/intermediate
Duration: 6 months
Project idea – short
introduction:
Students study and make observations of their surroundings from the
perspective on girls’ and boys’, women’s and men’s roles. They reflect on
their own attitudes and prejudices. They compare their observations with
their partner students and discuss e.g. upbringing and occupations from a
gender perspective in different classes across curriculum. Learning is carried
out
Teaching is carried out as far as possible in two languages using co-teaching
and/or CLIL.
Pedagogical objectives
(integration in
curriculum):
Education for gender equality, reducing segregation, dismantling of
stereotypes and inquiry-based learning
Social science:
- Students understand the importance of human rights and equality.
- Students learn to know about the everyday life of the people in their
community.
- Students find out about different opinions and values.
- Students practice the justification of one's own opinions and learn
to understand other people's opinions.
Mother tongue:
- Students use their creativity and express themselves in various ways
in communication and presentation situations.
- Students know how to act in different, including multi-media,
interactive situations.
- Students express their experiences, thoughts and opinions.
Ethics:
- Students learn conversation and listening skills. Students are able to
express their reasoned arguments and evaluate them.
- Students are able to detect relationships between different issues
and to identify errors of reasoning, as well as to correct their own
actions.
History:
- Students become familiar with their own family history. Students

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learn to understand ordinary people's everyday life in different
periods of history.
Math:
- Students understand the importance of maths in their own worlds
of experience and environment. They develop their mathematical
way of thinking.
- Students practice expressing solutions using e.g. tables and
diagrams.
- Students learn to prepare and interpret simple tables.
English (EFL):
- Students express themselves boldly and are able to work together in
pairs or small groups.
- Students practice the use of a variety of assistive devices, as well as
the use of ICT to support learning.
- Students practice communication and interaction in familiar
everyday situations.
Intercultural and
communication skills:
During the learning project students work a lot together in the TwinSpace,
share experiences and ideas in forums and web conferences (Adobe
Connect or Skype). This way communication and interaction skills develop.
During the project the local and partner country's cultures and customs are
compared, which develops intercultural skills.
ICT skills:
In the learning project a lot of different ICT tools are used for interaction,
research and publication of the results, still, the emphasis is on pedagogical
objectives and collaboration.
21st century key skills:
Thinking skills, investigative learning skills, expression, multi-literacy,
creativity, participation, as well as information search and production skills
are developed.
ICT tools:
Twinspace, Padlet, Skype or Twinspace Adobe Connect, Google forms (or
any similar tool), PowerPoint (or any similar presentation tool), Popplet (or
any similar mind mapping tool)
Learning process and
contents:
From the topic related learning activities you can choose only 1 or 2
activities for the start and agree on the continuation with the project
partner later.
However, you always start the project with introductions, discussions and
practicing to use the Twinspace tools.
Starting Activities: learning
to know each other
Duration: (approximately)
3 weeks
- Students learn to know each other by writing a short introduction
about themselves and their hobbies in the Twinspace profile and
introduction forum. In the forum posts, they also tell about their
dream jobs.
- Students read each other’s introductions and comment and/or ask for
more information/details from their partner students.
- Skype or AC web conference is held to learn to know each other in real
life. Partner class’s students ask each student two simple questions.
Topic related learning
activities

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1. activity:
Jobs:
How gendered are pupils’
favourite jobs?
What about job titles in
English and the languages
of partner countries -are
they gendered?
Duration: (approximately)
4 weeks
- Students tell about their favourite jobs on a Padlet wall. They put the
name of the job as title and tell why this job appeals to them. They also
upload pictures of the jobs. Two separate walls are made, one for boys
and the other for girls.
- When students from both/all countries have added their favourite
jobs, boys’ and girls’ choices are studied and compared.
- Students reply to the Google questionnaires (annex 1). There are
separate (but similar) questionnaires for girls and boys from all
participating countries. This way differences between genders and
cultures can be compared. The questionnaire is in English (EFL) and
thus relatively simple language.
- Diagrams and percentages are studied and their meanings discussed.
Students are divided into groups of 3 - 4. One part of the groups make
observations about differences and similarities between genders and
one differences and similarities between cultures. Students present
their findings in English.
- The findings of partner schools are joined into two (PowerPoint)
presentations that are published in Twinspace
- The presentations are presented in an AC meeting in which additional
questions about the culture and customs of the partner country can be
asked. Students ponder and discuss what could be the reasons for the
differences in Boys’ and girls’ choices.
- Topic is discussed in special forum in Twinspace.
- A list is prepared of gendered job names e.g. policeman or waitress in
the native language of each partner country. Lists are compared. What
similarities and differences are there?
2. activity:
Adjectives and
statements
Duration: (approximately)
4 weeks
- Students are divided into same sex groups. Boys make three different
mind maps, one describing what girls are like, the second what they
like and the third what they do. They can use e.g. Popplet. Girls make
similar mind maps of boys.
- Students reply in Google questionnaire (annex 2). There are separate
(but similar) questionnaires for girls and boys from all participating
countries. This way differences between genders and cultures can be
compared. The questionnaire is in English (EFL) and thus relatively
simple language.
- Boys examine the mind maps made by girls and vice versa.
- The results of the questionnaires are studied and compared with
respect to gender and country. Diagrams and percentages are studied
and discussed.
- Students are divided into mixed groups with representatives of
different cultures and genders. They think and discuss the results.
What happens if you go against grain?
- Students prepare PowerPoint presentations in which the mind maps
are presented including group comments.
- The presentations and mind maps are discussed in a Skype or AC
meeting.
- Topic is discussed in special forum in Twinspace.
3. activity: Students can choose one of the following research activities:

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Research project
Duration: (approximately)
4 weeks
- Some students examine the gender distribution of the different
professions in their community e.g. by studying their schools (teachers,
counsellors, cleaners, cooks and janitors) or by interviewing their
parents (parents' job, relatives’ and neighbours’ occupations). In
addition, to find out the gender distribution of the town council and
the parliament. Thus, examining what’s the actual gender distribution
of different at the moment (so far we have studied opinions and
images). A summary of the research results in partner countries are
made separately.
- Some of the students look for individuals who violate traditional
gender roles in a positive way in their own neighbourhoods, in
magazines and in the Internet. A Padlet-wall is made including these
people with a picture and a brief description of the person and how
he/she is breaking stereotypes ore role models.
- Some of the students examine this theme through making videos
which consist of small scripted scenes from everyday life as well as
connecting authentic images and texts related to the theme.
- For each research topic groups of 4 - 6 members are made with
representatives from all partner countries
- The products and results of all groups are examined and discussed in
forums and in web conferences.
4. Conclusion, assessment
and reflection
- Students reply to a feedback questionnaire.
- Students discuss in mixed groups what they have learned during the
project and reflect on whether their attitudes have changed. Students
write down the thoughts emerged in the discussions.
- Students think what they would like to examine next and how/why.
They suggest ideas and topics to continue the project or collaboration.
- Teachers involved in the project discuss the project and write down
pros and cons and suggest improvements.
- Skype or AC meeting to reflect on the results and celebrate the
achievements.
- In assessing you can use the European language portfolio. It’s available
in different languages: http://kielisalkku.edu.fi/fi/luokat-4-6/
Outcomes –
documentation
- Statistical data on pupils’ conceptions of gender roles and stereotypes
- PowerPoint presentations and mind maps, that can be used as
reference material for similar projects
- Videos dealing with the topic
Follow up options:
Expand the topic to equality in respect with cultural diversity and different
minority groups.
Links to materials,
resources and tools:
http://popplet.com/
https://padlet.com/
https://www.skype.com
http://www.eycb.coe.int/compasito/chapter_5/7.html
Human rights education for children:
http://www.eycb.coe.int/compasito/

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Annex 1
Questionnaire – 1. activity: jobs
Tool: Google Forms
Implementation: Separately for boys and girls and pupils from different countries
1. When you were a child playing, did you play that you were? (You can choose several alternatives.)
□ a housewife (a mother at home)
□ a homemaker (a father at home)
□ a nurse
□ a doctor
□ a teacher
□ an excavator driver
□ a car repairman
□ a kindergarten teacher
□ an engineer
□ a policeman
□ a pop star
□ a shop keeper
□ a cook
□ a truck driver
□ a pilot
□ a farmer
□ a professional athlete
□ a dancer
□ a fireman
□ something else, what ________________________
2. Are the following professions better suitable for men, women, or both?
a policeman □ for men □ for women □ for both
a doctor □ for men □ for women □ for both
a car repairman □ for men □ for women □ for both
a nurse □ for men □ for women □ for both
an engineer □ for men □ for women □ for both
a pilot □ for men □ for women □ for both
a cook □ for men □ for women □ for both
a teacher □ for men □ for women □ for both
a pop star □ for men □ for women □ for both
a model □ for men □ for women □ for both
a footballer □ for men □ for women □ for both
a professional athlete □ for men □ for women □ for both
a kindergarten teacher □ for men □ for women □ for both
a shop keeper □ for men □ for women □ for both
a dancer □ for men □ for women □ for both
a fireman □ for men □ for women □ for both
a cook □ for men □ for women □ for both

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Annex 2
Questionnaire – 2. activity: stereotypes
Tool: Google Forms
Implementation: Separately for boys and girls and pupils from different countries
1. Which of the following adjectives would you use to describe yourself? (Choose max. 4 adjectives.)
□ brave
□ sensitive
□ ambitious
□ curious
□ timid
□ obedient
□ adventurous
□ polite
□ kind
□ helpful
□ clever
□ cheeky
□ noisy
□ sporty
□ strong
□ hard working
2. Are the following adjectives better suitable for boys, girls, or both?
sensitive □ boys □ girls □ both
noisy □ boys □ girls □ both
adventurous □ boys □ girls □ both
kind □ boys □ girls □ both
cute □ boys □ girls □ both
wild □ boys □ girls □ both
helpful □ boys □ girls □ both
clever □ boys □ girls □ both
sporty □ boys □ girls □ both
timid □ boys □ girls □ both
strong □ boys □ girls □ both
obedient □ boys □ girls □ both
polite □ boys □ girls □ both
restless □ boys □ girls □ both
brave □ boys □ girls □ both
3. Are the following statements better suitable for boys, girls, or both?
X’s got a long hair. □ boys □ girls □ both

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X helps mother. □ boys □ girls □ both
X likes to build and do wood work. □ boys □ girls □ both
X likes beautiful clothes. □ boys □ girls □ both
X gossips. □ boys □ girls □ both
X gets into fights. □ boys □ girls □ both
X likes sports. □ boys □ girls □ both
X is interested in cars. □ boys □ girls □ both
X drives a truck. □ boys □ girls □ both
X cleans and washes the laundry. □ boys □ girls □ both
X likes reading. □ boys □ girls □ both
X goes to work. □ boys □ girls □ both
X cries easily. □ boys □ girls □ both
X is afraid of bugs. □ boys □ girls □ both
X cooks food. □ boys □ girls □ both