Level: Grades 5 to 7

Author: Adapted with permission from Snakes and Snails, by the Toronto Board of Education.

This lesson is part of USE, UNDERSTAND & ENGAGE: A Digital Media Literacy Framework for Canadian Schools.

Overview

In this lesson, students look at how male and female characters are depicted in comic books. Using a Comic Book Analysis sheet, students will record the attributes of male and female comic book characters. As a class, students will record common attributes on a master sheet and discuss what messages about men and women are reinforced. In groups, students will be asked to design and create a non-stereotypical comic book character.

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

This lesson and all associated documents (handouts, overheads, backgrounders) is available in an easy-print, pdf kit version.