Lesson 4- Critical Awareness

Key Idea: The media puts a slant on gender for the purposes of influencing our decisions and
we need to be aware of this. Children need to be critical about why certain products are
advertised in the way they are.
Year level: Year 3 & 4

Achievement Objectives:

Health and Physical Education: Level 2 Social Sciences: Level 2

Personal Health & physical Development Students will gain knowledge, skills, and
Personal identity experiences to:
Students will identify personal qualities that Understand that people have social,
contribute to a sense of self-worth. cultural, and economic roles, rights and
Relationships with Other People responsibilities.
Identity, sensitivity, and respect Students will describe how Understand how people make choices
individuals and groups share characteristics and are also to meet their needs and wants.
unique. Understand how cultural practices
Interpersonal skills reflect and express peoples customs,
Students will express their ideas, needs, wants, traditions, and values.
and feelings appropriately and listen sensitively to Understand how time and change
other people and affirm them. affect peoples lives.
Healthy Communities and Environments
Societal attitudes and values
Students will explore how peoples attitudes,
values, and actions contribute to healthy physical
and social environments.

Bi-cultural aspect: Engaging with whanau.

Kupu: tnetanga, tne, tamiti tne, w
ahine, hine, hunga ppho, rorohiko, ipapa, video

Thinking Using language, symbols, Managing Relating to Participating and

and texts self others contributing

Specific Learning Outcomes Assessment Ideas

Children recognise features in media Self-assessment against agreed

representations that target specific gender success criteria
stereotypes peer assessment
Develop a critical understanding of why the media display/share end product
use gender stereotyping teacher observation
 Lesson 4- Critical Awareness
Activity sequence
Activity 1:TV advertisements. View Youtube clip A Different Perspective on Gender Roles Within the
Media Discuss in groups the key features. What do you notice? How has media influenced gender roles?
Compile a list using Google Docs. How would you construct an advertisement that is not gender specific?
Working collaboratively in your group, construct an animated video depicting females in non-gender roles
using Powtoon Why do you need to be wary of media slants?

Activity 2: Cherie & Charlottes questionnaires. Working with a buddy, read Charlotte and Cheries
questionnaires. What are the main issues for them working in traditional male roles? How does media
influence this? Choose one of the many messages Cherie and Charlotte discuss regarding gender
stereotypes in either questionnaire. For example, no women being allowed on fishing boats, having to work
smarter, following your passion. How has media put a slant on this? Research using Google, for example,
No women allowed on fishing boats

Create a Toondoo cartoon with your buddy using the information you have found. Present to class.

Activity 3: Watch clip Sociology Project: Changing gender roles What are the key messages in the video?
What influences have the media played in this? What if you could swap roles for a week? How would you
spend your day? What are the role expectations in your family? Brainstorm ideas in groups of 5-6.

As a group, search Google images for photos to construct a video showing how you would spend your week
in a swapped gender-role using Biteable platform. (Photos and simple messages). Share with class.

Activity 4: Sporting heroes. Use Google images to choose a NZ male sports hero. Discuss in groups
how they are depicted in the media and the reasons for this. Compare to how women sporting heroes are
depicted. How are they the same/different? What are the reasons for this and why do you need to be wary of
media influences?

Create a Superstar magazine cover for a sports hero of your choice (photo from Google images) using
bighugelabs Take a screenshot of your photo and make a group slideshow using Weebly. Present findings
to class.