Media Kids

Level: Grades 4 to 7

Overview

In this lesson, students deconstruct gender portrayal and depictions of boys and girls in the media. They begin by looking at the appearance and mannerisms of boys and girls in TV, movies, ads and comic books and identify any stereotypes that are used. In a series of group activities, students explore gender stereotypes and representation in greater depth, as well as compare these representations to their own life experiences.

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

recognize that the media construct reality
understand that the representations made by the media are not always accurate
understand how their own gender perceptions are affected by the media
become aware of how their own lives compare to how kids' are portrayed in the media

Preparation

For teaching background on the portrayal of children on television, read the Children Now Report: The Reflection on the Screen: Television's Image of Children

Tape excerpts of television shows that feature girls and boys.
Collect, or have students bring in:
- Cartoon strips featuring girls and boys.
- Magazine ads featuring girls and boys.

The Lesson

Divide the class into two groups – one of boys, the other of girls.
Begin by showing your taped film and TV excerpts, then have students look at comics and magazine ads.
From these materials, have the boys list the female characteristics and interests that they see and have the girls do the same for male characters.
As they watch the excerpts and analyze the ads and comics, ask students to note the following:
- What do these kids look like?
- What are they doing?
- In advertisements, what kind of products are they associated with?
- How do they speak, and what do they talk about?
As a class, discuss the findings of each group. Introduce, and discuss, the concept of Stereotypes.

Ask students:

What is artificial about these portrayals?
Are any of these portrayals realistic?
What is the problem with using gender stereotypes in television, advertising, movies or comic books?
What can we do to avoid stereotypical images?

Activities

Activity 1

Tell students that they are judges in an advertising contest.
For homework, boys select one ad or comic that features a realistic male image, and a second ad or comic that features a stereotypical male image of boys or teens. Girls have the same assignment, with female images.
Next class, students will present their ads to the class and students can vote on the advertisements or comics that they consider the most realistic and the most stereotypical.
Create a "rogues" gallery of the worst offenders, and a "winners" gallery of the least stereotypical ads or comics.

Activity 2

In groups of boys and groups of girls, have students' role-play a conversation or activity in which they would participate in real life, and then role-play the same activity as it might appear on TV.
Or have students take an excerpt from a television show and re-enact the scene as it would occur in real life. (This exercise lends itself particularly well to interactions between TV kids and authority figures such as parents and teachers – if your students talked to their own parents or teachers the way that TV kids do, would the reactions be the same?)

Activity 3

Have students create their own parody advertisements that mock the stereotypical images of boys and girls. (Perhaps a new perfume or cologne that instantly attracts the opposite sex, because that's all teenagers on TV seem to be interested in; or a book on "cutesy" sayings by TV kids that regular kids can incorporate into their own lives..."Amaze your friends!")

Activity 4

Have students draw or act out their interpretation of the ultimate "Media Kid." What would this kid wear? What would this kid say? How would this kid act?

Activity 5

Using the following table as an example, ask students to compare their lives to that of characters shown on a TV sitcom of their choice. Make up your own appropriate categories.

My real life Homework and taking care of six brothers and sisters, band, basketball, watching television	TV life Dates and skiing trips, Wasting your allowance, blasting the stereo, being sassy
My after-school life Very busy with homework and studying	TV after-school life Joking around, going out, playing games
My friends All different races	TV friends All white or all black.
Divorce in real life Alone with Mom	TV divorce Lots of kids, pets and noise
My real Mom Works real hard, strict	TV Mom Don't deal with real problems. Always live in nice homes without having to work

Have the students create a proposal for a sitcom that they would like to watch. One which would reflect their reality. See example below.
My TV show:
The narrator would be a 13-year-old girl of mixed race, whose best friend is a boy. Like in The Wonder Years you would hear her inner voice, her conscience talking. She would hang out with lots of different kids, from different races and backgrounds. She deals with peer pressure, conflicts with friends and jealousy because she gets good grades at school. At home, her mother is strict, she has a lot of brothers and sisters and lots of chores. Her best friend is a boy and they talk about their dreams, their goals and their problems. They also learn a lot about other ethnic groups from the other kids in the neighborhood.

This activity is from the Children Now report: Children, Values & The Entertainment Media, 1995.