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Modern Minstrelsy: Exploring Racist Stereotypes in Literature and Life
Satires may be designed to expose a bias to ridicule but if misunderstood can they reinforce that bias? Langston Hughes poem, “Minstrel Man” opens a discussion of racist stereotypes, the minstrel tradition, and the musical, “The...
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Beyond Black and White
Students critically examine the portrayal of minorities in video games and other forms of entertainment and assess the role of racial stereotyping. They keep a log of media minority portrayals and respond to their findings.
Media Smarts
Images of Learning: Secondary
Make your scholars more aware of stereotypical portrayals in film and television. Discuss the definition of "stereotypes" and how they are used to present a story. High schoolers look at specific television shows and complete a chart...
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Miscast and Seldom Seen
Consider how well students' favorite TV shows, movies and video games reflect the diversity of society. The instructional activity introduces your class to several media literacy concepts, such as how media conveys values and messages,...
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HIV and AIDS: Rights & Responsibilities
Address myths and stereotypes surrounding HIV and AIDS in this lesson plan. Students discuss how the disease is transmitted, how to properly apply a condom, and how to handle real life situations. Note: A number of extension activities,...
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Gender Stereotypes and Body Image
Learners discuss and become aware of the dangers of gender stereotyping and the media's role in perpetuating gender stereotypes. They view magazine advertisements and make entries in their journals after guided discussion.
Media Smarts
The Impact of Gender Role Stereotypes
One of three lessons on gender stereotype, this resource from the Media Awareness Network discusses the violence that is inflicted on men and women as they try to live up to the stereotypes of their gender. The section on women focuses...
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Understanding Stereotypes
Pupils confront age-related stereotypes, explore how stereotyping impacts their lives, and discuss how they can make changes to reduce over-generalizations, unfair assumptions, and critical judgments about people groups. They use a...
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Labels: What Do They Mean?
Ninth graders brainstorm words they typically use to label each other, discuss effects of labeling, including reinforcement of stereotypes, and experience potentially harming and limiting effects that labels have by participating in...
Media Smarts
Gender Messages in Alcohol Advertising
Make your students critical consumers of media, and foster an awareness of how culture is reflected and shaped by media. This resource covers how alcohol advertising presents and promotes gender stereotypes. After a discussion on...
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Gender Roles: Exposing Stereotypes
A series of activities help middle- and high-schoolers identify and explore gender stereotypes and how they can lead to violence and abuse. Use think-pair-share to activate whole class brainstorming about what it means to "be a man" and...
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Bias and Crime in Media
Critical thinking and social justice are central themes for this resource on bias and crime in media. The class views and discusses an incisive PSA that highlights assumptions based on race. Small groups read newspaper opinion pieces...
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Keep Your English Up to Date: Chav
Take a look at linguistics and stereotypes in Great Britian with a word study of "chav." Learners find out what terms are pejoratives and what they are meant to convey. Geared toward British culture, study the ever-changing English...
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Immigration
This 3-day immigration study draws on historical trends and current events. A worksheet accompanies initial research on one group's U.S. immigration history, giving opportunity for collaborative learning through sharing findings. Groups...
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Social Class Stereotypes
Encourage your students to think about how and why people and categorized in terms of social class. They decide what "class" they belong to, and then brainstorm about the indicators that society uses to define class and to categorize...
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Urban Legends
Irony, hyperbole, and other rhetorical devices are at play in this presentation about urban legends. Several examples of urban legends help to clarify the analysis, making it valuable for those who have a hard time wrapping their mind...
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Humor and Anthropology/Ethnic Humor
By posing controversial questions about racially charged words and jokes, this presentation explores the function and use of ethnic humor. Sure to inspire debates and discussions in your sociology or anthropology class, the slideshow...
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Ethnic Humor
Uncovering the function and forms of ethnic jokes, this presentation with enlighten your students as it explores the concept of "insiders vs. outsiders" and various examples of ethnic stereotypes in literature and society. The...
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Bursting Stereotypes
Ninth graders discuss the importance of respecting others. After popping balloons, they use paper strips to write words representing stereotypes for men and women. In groups, they share their list and identify those that could be used...
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Myths and Reality of Old Age
Students use a glossary of terms to learn about mature adults. They examine common stereotypes in aging. They create awareness of language that contributes to age discrimination and stereotyping. They discuss the social, psychological,...
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Explore Cultural Diversity Through Art
Explore cultural diversity and build tolerance. Learners view art representing various cultures by Canadian painters. (Adapt with images or artists that reflect your demographics.) The class creates a collage or mural depicting cultural...
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Hidden Children
Eleventh graders explore, analyze and study a specific genocidal event in twentieth-century history, The Holocaust. They evaluate a variety of historical artifacts and synthesize the information gathered into their own in order to...
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Energy Crisis: Then and Now
Using political cartoons, scholars analyze the energy crisis of the 1970s and '80s, comparing and contrasting it to current tensions with oil. Display the 6 cartoons (linked) to the class, and demonstrate analysis using the worksheet...
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Sex Stereotypes in Society
Students analyze a collection of advertisements or photographs in a text or magazine and identify the stereotypes used or possible biases of the editors. They discuss how these stereotypes are formed, and the ways in which they impact...