Essential Question: How do gender stereotypes/roles affect one’s societal experiences and personal identity?
Target audience: Second to Third grade level students in an urban school enviroment. Diverse cultural backgrounds of students. Some students come from backgrounds were gender stereotypes have been strongly identified. Some expressions heard from students have been; “boys can’t cry”, “that’s a boy’s toy”, “you're crying like a girl”.
Purpose of text Set: This text set is an attempt to challenge societel stereotypes, norms and labels that are placed on individuals based on their gender. To open the discussion with students the difference between the sex you’re born with and the gender you identify with and ask and find answers to questions on how these labels affect our lives.
Anchor Text: Red, A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall
Anchor Text Format: Book (Fiction)
Red: A Crayon's Storyby Michael Hall |
AnnotationRed: A Crayon's Story, by Michael Hall, is about being true to your inner self and following your own path despite obstacles that may come your way. Red has a bright red label, but he is, in fact, blue. His teacher tries to help him be red (let's draw strawberries!), his mother tries to help him be red by sending him out on a playdate with a yellow classmate (go draw a nice orange!), and the scissors try to help him be red by snipping his label so that he has room to breathe. But Red is miserable. He just can't be red, no matter how hard he tries! Finally, a brand-new friend offers a brand-new perspective, and Red discovers what readers have known all along. He's blue! This is a funny and heartwarming picture book about finding the courage to be true to your inner self.
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For TeachersA good introduction to identity and how labels are formed; how our outer shell can sometimes predict what others will expect from us thus forming stereotypes. Teachers could use this text as read aloud and then open discussion. Teachers may ask students what this may reminds them of. “Are there ever instances in your life when others think you are one way but you are really another?” “How can labels affect how someone will act or feel?” “Have you ever felt like you couldn’t do something you wanted to do because you were labeled “bad at it” or that “it wasn’t for you?” Students can discuss with one another this question: “Can you tell someone is good at something or likes/dislikes something just by looking at them”
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Supporting Text Format: Book (Non-Fiction), Website and
Video
Who Are YouBy Brooke Pessin-Whedbee:
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AnnotationWebsite: www.genderspectrum.org/
Read Aloud Online: kidsguidetogender.com/ This a non-fiction text that gives students information on gender identity in an age-appropriate way. It provides a very scientific explanation of how the sex we are born with is not the same as our gender identity. It is a good follow up to Red, where our"wrapper" may or may not create our personal identity. |
For TeachersThe website provides a guide to gender identity for families and teachers. with additional read alouds and suggestions and lessons on kindness. Teachers can read the story aloud or have students watch the book talk and video online. Teachers can use the website for ideas for activities and other read alouds. Teachers could also use this as a reference to share with families.
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Supporting Text Format: Book (Realistic Narrative Fiction)
Morris Micklewhite and the
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AnnotationMorris has a great imagination. He paints amazing pictures and he loves his classroom's dress-up center, especially the tangerine dress. It reminds him of tigers, the sun and his mother's hair. The other children don't understand--dresses, they say, are for girls. And Morris certainly isn't welcome in the spaceship his classmates are building--astronauts, they say, don't wear dresses. One day Morris has a tummy ache, and his mother lets him stay home from school. He stays in bed reading about elephants, and her dreams about a space adventure with his cat, Moo. Inspired by his dream, Morris paints a fantastic picture, and everything begins to change when he takes it to school.
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Supporting Text Format: News Article (non-fiction)
Newsela Article: Children start believing gender stereotypes as young as 6, study shows: |
AnnotationThis article is based on scientific study suggesting that girls as young as 6 can be led to believe men are inherently smarter and more talented than women. The article discussed how this belief can make girls less motivated to pursue ambitious careers or activities. The article stresses how gender stereotypes affect children at such a young age. A scientist who was interviewed for the article stated; "We need to explain to children that laws were created specifically to prevent women from becoming great scientists, artists, composers, writers, explorers and leaders," "Children will then be more likely to believe in their own intellectual potential and contribute to social justice and equality by pursuing these careers themselves” I felt this was good article to read following Ruby’s Wish which brought up the subject of history and how history has shaped gender identity of today.
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For TeachersTeachers could have students read the article together or individually or take home to read with families. Newsela recommended the activity of having students writing a letter to an influential woman. Students could read biographies of women who have broken barriers and gender stereotypes and then chose either an historical or modern day woman and write a letter to them. Teachers could use this opportunity to teach into letter writing and providing students with a template for sharing thoughts and feelings about what they admire in the person whom they are writing to.
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Supporting Text Format: Book (Historical Narrative Fiction)
Ruby's Wishby Shirin Yim Bridges
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AnnotationRuby’s Wish takes place in China in the early 1900s. It is a portrait of a young girl who is full of ambition and courage growing up in a historically patriarchal home. The story is based on the inspirational true story of the author's grandmother. She wishes to attend university but has to work twice as hard to achieve it.
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For TeachersThis text provides an historical perspective and opens discussion of “can people change” “can our thinking change about what we believe is true about identity because it’s what our ancestors or family believes.” It also opens the discussion of having courage to face adversity for what we believe in. Teachers can use this text as a read aloud or students could read it independently. Teachers could also use this text to explore the history of our relatives. How was life different for our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents? How have gender stereotypes changed throughout history? Do we still need to make changes or is it okay now? Students could also write poetry like Ruby.
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Supporting Text Format: Book (Fiction) and Short
Video (non-fiction)
Ballerino Nateby Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
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AnnotationBallerino Nate by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is about a boy named Nate (actually a raccoon) who begs his mom to sign him up for ballet class. Nate’s brother teases him and Nate starts to doubt himself a bit. Nate’s mother remains supportive of his interest and encourages him. Nate sticks with it, especially after meeting a professional male ballet dancer, a “ballerino”.
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For TeachersAfter reading the story aloud, teachers can share the video with students. The video is a clip about three real life triplets from Cuba who are dancers. They interview a professional male dancer; someone they aspire to be one day. This could be a prompt for students writing about what they want to be or what their passion for learning is.
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Supporting Text Format: Book (Realistic Fiction)
Elena's Seranadeby Campbell Geeslin and Ana Juan
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AnnotationThis is the story of a young girl from Mexico who wants to be glass blower. But she questions herself as do others “girls can’t be glassblowers, can they?” “Who ever heard of a girl glassblower?” is what they ask. Elena takes a journey to Monterrey-home of the great glassblowers. Breaking down the gender role barriers and giving providing children with the tools to advocate for what they believe is their true calling in life regardless of what others believe to be the truth.
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For TeachersTeachers can provide information about what glassblowing is and Monterrey, Mexico- geographically and culturally. As with Ballerino Nate, Teachers can discuss how gender roles can hold us back from what we want to achieve. Teachers can discuss different ethnic cultures how do gender identity change with ethnic identity? Do they affect each other? Students could reflect through writing or verbally with partners; “When do you feel the freest to be yourself?”
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Supporting Text Format: Book (Fiction) and Song
Book: Tough Borisby Mem Fox and Kathryn Brown
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AnnotationThis is a great read aloud for discussing how when someone does follow a gender stereotype how sometimes they do cross stereotype boundries in certain situations. the thought that boys can’t/don’t cry. Mem Fox writes about Boris von der Borch. She depicts him as a mean, greedy old pirate--tough as nails, through and through, like all pirates. However, as the story progresses, we began to see that he is actually soft too. He has a sensitive side which is shown when he loses his pet parrot and cries. A young boy who has snuck onto Boris's ship, sees that Boris and his mates aren't quite what he expected. A good read aloud for discussing perspective and how what we believe to be true about someone may not always be true.
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For TeachersAfter the read aloud; teachers and students can listen and learn the lyrics to the song; “It’s alright to cry.” A song that supports the thought that everyone has feelings and sadness and that we all experience sadness. Also supports the idea that sensitivity is not just for girls.
“It’s alright to cry” original version performed by Rosey Grier on the Free to Be You and Me Soundtrack. See: Newer version with video by Lisa Loeb and Craig Robinson: |
Supporting Text Format: Book (Realistic Fiction)
The Boy and the Bindiby Vivek Shraya and Rajni Perera)
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AnnotationThis is the story about of a boy’s relationship with his mother with an introduction to one element of South Asian culture. His mother let’s the boy wear her bindi. It is about difference and shares something about the world told through the lens of a child from another place having experiences of the body, mind, and spirit similar to the ones children from around the world have.
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For TeachersTeachers could use this book as a read aloud, peer supported or as an individual read aloud. Teachers may want to activate background knowledge about Indian culture and what a bindi is. Teachers could use photographs of people wearing bindis. They could do a book walk with students and ask what, why, when question; “What is going on here?” “Who is this?” “Why does the character look so excited?” “When is this story taking place?” “Where did the character come from?”
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Supporting Text Format: Book (Realistic Fiction)
Amazing Graceby Mary Hoffman and Caroline Binch
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AnnotationGrace loves stories, whether they're from books, movies, or the kind her grandmother tells. So when she gets a chance to play a part in Peter Pan, she knows exactly who she wants to be however she is told by others that she can’t be Peter Pan because she is black and because she is a girl. Her mother supports her by telling her that the others just don’t know what they are talking about. This encourages Grace to pursue the part in the play. She is cast as Peter Pan.
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For TeachersA read aloud that supports the essential question. Teachers could discuss with students; “How did the student’s get the idea that Grace could not be Peter Pan?” “How can change help everyone?” Students could reflect in writing or verbally. Do you know anyone else who wants to see change in the world? Anyone who doesn't?
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Supporting Text Format: Ebook (Free from the author)
Artsy Boys and Smelly Girlsby by Elise Gravel
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AnnotationA short e-book with engaging illustrations from artist/author Elise Gravel. Once downloaded, each colorful page can be printed or presented digitally. Each page has one word (a describing adjective) that describes the action being taken by the girl or the boy. Each one debunks the traditional stereotypical or gender norm of that particular behavior such as “loud” or “sensitive”.
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For TeachersTeachers can share the pages or place them around the room as a visuals that supports the text set.
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