LP# 4C Media Stereotypes: How Differences Divide

Respect and harmony in a multicultural society depends on people's ability to understand and recognize the difference between a generalization (a flexible observation) and a stereotype (a rigid conclusion). The goal of this activity is for students to recognize the role media play in creating and perpetuating stereotypes. Using gender as the subject of inquiry, students collect and analyze pictures of females and males from magazines and then write a generalization and a stereotype for each image. By creating their own generalizations and stereotypes students sharpen their awareness of the difference between the two and become more sensitive to the values and points of view implicit in media portrayals.

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NOTE: This lesson plan is one of 25 cornerstone lesson plans for media literacy education available in Five Key Questions that Can Change the World, published by the Center for Media Literacy. To access the full collection, click here