BARBIE GIRL
(A three-day unit)
BY: Melissa Ratcliffe & Lori L’Heureux
(RIC Secondary Education/English Practicum students assisted by Prof Cappella)

STANDARD: Al students will be able to list strategies to overcome gender bias.. All students will be able to recognize gender bias, stereotyping, and discrimination in music lyrics and literature, and to explain the effects of these on self-esteem, relationships and behavior.

GRADE LEVEL: Ninth Grade, English

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OBJECTIVE(S):

1. Students will orally define the terms gender bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.
2. Students will identify the presence of gender bias, stereotypes, and discrimination within the song "Barbie Girl" through close analysis.
3. Students will compile a list of words/phrases that indicate the presence of gender bias, stereotypes, and discrimination found in the song, "Barbie Girl."

TIME: forty-five minutes

MATERIALS:

1. Transcripts of "Barbie Girl" song by Aqua
2. cassette player
3. tape of song "Barbie Girl"
4. magazine pictures depicting men and women
5. Handout of two poems, ("Barbie Doll" by Marge Piercy and "Ken Doll" by Mike).

NOTE: This lesson plan has several additional exercises found in the attached material. See specific procedures for each particular lesson, and attachments: Discussion Questions, Graphic Organizer, Questions, Opinionnaire, Journal writing assignment.

PROCEDURES:

Set Induction I: Each student is given several pictures from fashion magazines depicting both men and women. Ask students to examine each picture carefully and select the picture that captures their attention the most. Then ask students about the person in the picture they those: What were your initial impressions of this person? Is their portrayal realistic? Are such images prevalent in day to day life? In what way?

See attached materials for further detail. Encourage students to participate and ask them to show the rest of the class the picture that they chose.

Body: Tell students that they will be learning about gender bias, stereotyping, and discrimination through examination of pieces of literature. Ask students what they think each term means and why it might be an important issue to study. Define each term presented, give students the lyrics to the song "Barbie Girl" by Aqua. Play the song aloud, and encourage students to follow along with their written lyrics. To assess their initial thoughts about the song, ask students to choose phrases and/or words from the song that may reflect stereotypes, discrimination, and/or gender bias. Write all of the student’s responses on the board. Later, arrange the students into small groups composed of both sexes. Then pose several questions to students about the song that will stimulate classroom discussion (see discussion questions). Allow students to discuss the answers to these questions within the confines of their small group. After sufficient time is allotted, encourage students to share their thoughts orally to the entire class. At the end of class, pass out two poems to prepare students for the lesson on day 2. Ask students to read the poems for homework, emphasizing the importance of looking for any stereotypes, gender biases, and/or discrimination that may be present.

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OBJECTIVES:

1. Utilizing the graphic organizer, students will write their personal responses to both poems and relate their responses to these poems, to issues, to self-esteem.
2. Within a small group, students will articulate their responses to both poems using their graphic organizers.
3. Through class discussion, students will discuss critically the various stereotypes, biases, and discriminations that possibly exist in both poems, and how these effected not only self esteem, but also the ability to relate to others (relationships) and behaviors.

TIME: 45 minutes

MATERIALS: Opinionnaire, two poems, paper and writing implements, graphic organizers.

PROCEDURES:

Set Induction: Give each student an opinionnaire concerning their own attitudes and beliefs about stereotypes, gender bias, and discrimination. Ask students to answer each question honestly and allow a sufficient amount of time for them to do this. Tell students that the purpose of this activity is to help them to become more aware of their personal feelings concerning such an important issue. Briefly allow students to voluntarily share their responses orally to the rest of the class.

Body: Tell students to take out the two poems that they were assigned to read the night before. Ask for two volunteers to read each poem aloud in class. Immediately give each student a graphic organizer and ask them to write down their personal responses to both poems. Students will be instructed to write words, phrases, and/or sentences that describe what they are feeling about both poems. Sufficient time will be allowed for this activity to be completed. Then, arrange students into several cooperative learning groups. Encourage students to discuss their written responses with each other using their graphic organizers. Later, ask questions about both poems that will facilitate an intelligent, reflective classroom discussion. Choose questions that will enable students to identify various stereotypes, gender biases, and discriminations that may be embedded within the poems. Bring closure to the day’s lesson by reviewing the most significant aspects of the poems that the student’s generated.

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1. Students will write a journal entry concerning a personal experience involving gender bias, stereotypes, and/or discrimination. (see journal writing assignment).
2. In small groups, students will brainstorm and discuss strategies to overcome gender bias, stereotyping, and discrimination.

TIME: 45 minutes

MATERIALS: Writing implements, handout of journal questions pertaining to poems, student journals

PROCEDURE: