Media Stereotypes Lesson Plan
Level: Grades 3 to 6
Author: Matthew Johnson, Director of Education, MediaSmarts
This lesson is part of USE, UNDERSTAND & ENGAGE: A Digital Media Literacy Framework for Canadian Schools.
Overview
This lesson familiarises students with stereotypes and helps them understand the role that stereotypes play in television’s portrayal of life. The lesson begins with a discussion about the types of stereotypes that are common in media, why stereotypes are used in media, and the possible negative influences of stereotyping. Students will analyze a media character in terms of stereotypes and then create their own character as a way of demonstrating their awareness of stereotyping. To further increase their awareness of stereotypes, students will participate in a number of writing, drawing and viewing activities that include deconstructing segments from television programs, drawing stereotypical and non-stereotypical figures, and writing a poem about stereotypes.
Learning Outcomes
Big ideas/key concepts: Students will understand that...
Media have social and political implications
- Media works can be “mirrors” that show us images of ourselves or “windows” that show us images of others.
- Stereotypes can influence how we see ourselves and how we act.
Key questions:
- Why do media works often have stereotypes?
- How do stereotypes influence us?
- What can we do about stereotypes?
Essential knowledge: Students will know...
- Media representation: Different common stereotypes; reasons why stereotypes may happen in media, such as merchandising
- Key vocabulary: Stereotype; window and mirror texts
Performance tasks: Students will be able to...
- Identify examples of stereotypes in media
- Imagine and empathize with the experience of being stereotyped
This lesson and all associated documents (handouts, overheads, backgrounders) is available in an easy-print, pdf kit version.