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Women's Responsibility

Overview

Mrs. Margaret Ekpo was a pioneering Nigerian who did not let society's perceptions of women undermine her understanding of her reponsibilities as a human to better her community.

This lesson plan encourages students to analyze how women and girls are portrayed in the media. They are encouraged, through shared story-telling, to reinvent the images of women and girls and by celebrating the unique roles women play in society.

Materials

Access to a selection of print advertisements showing women or girls.

Procedure

1. Have each student write a paragraph describing a key female figure in their lives. It can be a mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, teacher -- anybody who they know and who is important to them. Have a few volunteers share their descriptions with the class.
2. Have them make a list of adjectives that they feel accurately represent women and girls. Write these words on the board. They may use words they have written in their paragraphs, or choose words to represent what they wrote.
3. Ask your students to name adverts or TV commercials they have seen that use women or girls to advertise the product(s). List the adverts on the board as they are named.
4. After you have about 10 or 15 different named adverts, ask the class to come up with a list of adjectives that describe the women or girls used.
5. Words like "young", "sexy", and "thin" may be among the adjectives. Ask the students if they think these adjectives adequately represent the role of women and girls in society.
6. Once the class is satisfied with the list, ask them to compare the two lists. Are there any discrepancies? There are probably more realistic adjectives in the first list.
7. Introduce the students to Margaret Ekpo, a famous Nigerian activist, or other women who made it their responsibility to make society better. You can read about Margaret Ekpo here: http://www.thegreenrnigeria.org/green_heroes_Margaret%20Ekpo.html
8. Divide the class into small groups of four or five, distribute poster paper and markers. Tell them to create an advert for one of the products they identified earlier, but using the imagery of the adjectives chosen to represent the females they wrote about at the start of the lesson.
9. Remind the class to look carefully at all advertising and help them begin to develop their own ideintity, not to rely on the identities portraye din the media.
10. Display the posters they create on the wall.