Content Area: Health and Physical Education

 

Index: 2.1F Grade 4 CPI 7

 

Standard: 2.1 - Wellness

 

Strand: F -  Social and Emotional Health 

 

Cumulative Progress Indicator: 7 - The student will explain how stereotypes influence personal growth and behavior.

 

Grade: 4

 

Sample Activities:

 

·        TV FAMILIES IN ACTION -  Provide students and their parents with a list of television shows that illustrate various family configurations. Students watch one family television show. After viewing the show, each student writes a description of the television family (e.g., structure, characters, ages, gender, race/ethnic group). Students note where the television family lives and develop a summary of the issue or problem featured on the show. Identify the shows watched, then divide the class into groups by show. After discussing the important elements of the show, each group selects three words that describe the television family. Each group presents its ideas and observations, focusing on the three descriptive words.

Variation: Discuss how real families solve problems and compare the process with that used by television families.

 

      Variation: Use the following questions to trigger discussion or journal writing: “What roles are played in the various TV families? Do any of the television parents hold nontraditional jobs? What problems do the TV families face? Did any of the families have the same problem but reach a different solution?

 

·        THE MEDIA AND GENDER - Students keep a television log for one week. The log includes observations of shows, commercials, infomercials, and music videos. Students log the name of the show or product, note the time it is shown, and describe its portrayal of males and females. After one week, students share impressions of males and females on TV and respond to the following: “What messages were presented about being a man or a women? Is the information real and accurate? Why or why not?”

 

      Variation: Students examine magazine ads for evidence of stereotyping and respond to the following questions:
-        What is the real message?
-        What are they trying to sell?
-      Is the product related to the person in the ad?

Variation: Share examples of stereotypes and have students locate examples in magazines or on television. Discuss myths and misconceptions regarding stereotypes and how they are harmful. Students identify examples of male and female role balance (e.g., women serving as police officers, men working
at home or playing with children, male and female athletes) and answer the following: “Is it difficult to find balanced representations in the media? Why? How can stereotypes be eliminated?”

Variation: Students rewrite a biased or stereotypical television or print ad in unbiased style.

 

·        WHO DOES WHAT? - All family members have tasks or roles to help keep the family healthy. Brainstorm family tasks (e.g., cooking, cleaning, walking the dog, cleaning the toilet, changing diapers). Create a chart similar to the one below. Students complete the first column. The second column is completed with the help of the student’s parent/guardian. The final two columns are completed after the student has watched two different family television shows.

 

Students share their answers and discuss how the family size, culture, and structure influence how the tasks are accomplished. Students complete the activity by writing a brief essay entitled “Keeping Family Balance: We All Do Our Part.”