Confronting Stereotypes

Grade: 3rd
Essential Questions:
What are stereotypes?
How can they be unfair or hurtful?
Where do we encounter stereotypes?

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1.B
Provide reasons that support the opinion.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.8
Recall information from experiences or gather information from
print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort
evidence into provided categories.

Objectives:

Students will be able to define the term stereotype on the lesson

exit slip
Students will be able to give examples different types of
stereotypes (such as racial, gender, religion, age, disability,
appearance etc.) from their own experiences or information
gathered from other sources in class discussion and group work
(W.3.8)
Students will demonstrate an understanding of how stereotypes
can be hurtful to others by providing an example from personal
experience in their response to a short writing prompt (W.3.1.B)

Materials:
Chart Paper
Markers
Notecards
Writing utensils
Copies of Exit Slip

Hook:
The teacher will display chart paper with a t-chart drawn across the
front. On one side of the T-chart will be written GIRL and on the other
side will be written BOY. Under GIRL will be written PINK, under BOY will
be written BLUE. The teacher will say: Often times we have labels,
characteristics, or ideas that come to mind when we think about certain
groups of people. Everyone does this! For example, when we think of

girls we might think of the color pink. Or when we think of boys we might
think of the color blue. I wrote these ideas up on our t-chart already.
What are some other ideas or labels you can come up with that could go
under the category GIRL or BOY?
Students will then take turns raising their hand and coming up with
terms to go under the categories GIRL or BOY.
The t-chart may look something like this:
GIRL
BOY
PINK
BLUE
PRETTY
SPORTS
DRESS
TOOLS
MAKEUP
DAD
COOK
BUSNIESS MAN
NURSE
POLICEMAN
MOM
FIRE FIGHTER
CARING
PRESIDENT
BABIES
DIRTY
The teacher will then ask the students the following discussion questions
adapted from http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lessonplans/understanding-stereotypes.cfm

Can the traits under the term GIRL describe ALL girls? Can the
traits under the term BOY describe ALL boys?

Would most people come up with these same ideas when they think
about boys or girls? Why or why not?

Are any one of these terms 100% true of all girls or boys?

How do the ideas our class came up with affect the way we act
towards boys or girls?

The teacher will then say: When we come up with traits or

characteristics about a WHOLE group of people, in our example we used
boys and girls, we are making assumptions about those people.
Assumptions are when we think someone is a certain way just because
they are apart of a certain group. For example, today we made
assumptions about boys and girls. We said girls like pink just because
they are girls! We know not ALL girls really like pink. We also could make
assumptions about rich or poor people, black or white people, fat or
skinny people. We could make assumptions about anything! The things we
assume about other people are called stereotypes. So the idea that boys

like blue or girls like pink is a stereotype. What are some other
stereotypes we came up with about girls and boys?
Teacher will write the following definitions on the board while explaining
the terms.
Definitions:
Assumption: Believing that all people of a group (i.e. boy, girl,
black, white, fat, skinny) are a certain way without proof
Stereotype: The things we ASSUME about a certain group of
people (i.e. girls want to be moms, boys are good at sports)

Lesson Procedures:
(Students will be sitting in 4 or 5 groups)
The teacher will say to the class Today we are going to continue to
make assumptions about groups of people. We are going to come up with
as many stereotypes for groups of people that we can. Each group is
going to receive a t-chart like we created on the board. The t-chart will
have 2 terms like BOY & GIRL. You will then write stereotypes under
those terms like we did as a class. You will have 3 minutes with your tchart and then you will pass it to the next group. This way each group
will add to each t-chart. We want to come up with as many stereotypes
we can think of. The teacher will move from group to group to provide
assistance and answer questions.
Examples of what t-charts can say:
{Rich}{Poor}
{Black}{White} (Races may change depending on student population and
what they are familiar with)
{Fat}{Skinny}
{Christian}{Muslim} (Religions may change depending on student
population and what they are familiar with. Also this category may be
changed if inappropriate for age group.)
{Person who is deaf}{Person who has Down Syndrome}
(Disabilities may change depending on student population and what they
are familiar with. Also this category may be changed if inappropriate for
age group.)

Teacher can add any other stereotypes relevant to their student

population.
After students have completed the activity in their group the teacher
will display the t-charts on the board. The teacher will ask the students
to take 5 minutes to come up to the board and look over each t-chart.

After the students have read each chart the teacher will ask the
following questions for students to discuss in their groups and then
share with the class.
Questions adapted from:
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lessonplans/understanding-stereotypes.cfm

How do the stereotypes recorded by the class make you feel?

What do you notice about the stereotypes listed? (Pay attention to

good or bad adjectives, similarities or differences between
different categories)

Where have you seen these stereotypes portrayed in everyday

life? (TV, movies, books, Ads, gossip etc.)

How do you think a stereotype might cause someone to act

unfairly towards another person?

Lesson Closure:
Next, each student will be given a notecard. The teacher will ask each
student to write an example of how he or she or someone they know
were treated unfairly due to a stereotype. This could be because you
are a boy or girl, because you are black or white, because of where you
come from, how much money you have, what language you speak etc.
The teacher should give an example from his or her own life to get the
ball rolling.
The teacher will tell the students that they do not have to write their
name on the notecard. Moreover, the teacher will ask the students to
star their notecard if it is ok to share their example with the class. After
the students have completed their notecards the teacher will collect
them. The teacher will then pass out the starred notecards to mature
students in the class. The teacher will then ask the students with the
starred notecards to read the example on their notecard to the class.
After this exercise the teacher will ask the class
Is it fair to judge people based on stereotypes?
How does it make others feel?

Concept Evaluation:
At the end of the lesson students will be given an exit slip asking them to
define stereotype in their own words and to give an example of a
stereotype.

Name:
Define stereotype in your own words and give an example of
a stereotype.

Students will also be formatively assessed throughout the lesson plan.

The teacher will do this by evaluating if students can provide examples of
stereotypes on t-charts and if they can provide an example of how a
stereotype caused someone to be treated unfairly in their own life.

Gear up:
Gifted Students
In addition to being asked to define and give an example of a stereotype
on their exit slip, gifted students will be asked to explain how
stereotypes cause people to be treated unfairly.

Gear down:
Struggling Students & ELL Students
Struggling students will be given a job within their group. This could be
recording the groups ideas on the t-chart, or being the speaker for the
groups answers for the discussion questions. These jobs keep the
student involved and empowered, however since they will be working in a
group there is less pressure. If the student is stuck they can use the
group for support. For example, they dont have to come up with the
answers to the discussion questions alone. However, the do have to pay
attention to their groups discussion so they can report to the class.
If there is another student in the class who speaks the same language as
the ELL student the teacher should make sure they are in a group
together so they can help each other with translation. Furthermore the

ELL student depending on their level of English could write their

personal experience and exit slip in their native language (if translator
available) or using a drawing. Moreover, if the student can read some
English their exit slip could be in multiple-choice form. Additionally, their
personal experience could be written in simple bullet points.

Resources
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lessonplans/understanding-stereotypes.cfm