Description

Girls throughout the world face higher rates of violence, poverty, discrimination. There is a growing recognition around the world that support for girls and their basic human rights is key for healthy communities. This lesson will address the lives, roles and power of the female gender. LESSON: 1) Reflect on the word POWERFUL and consider the quotes which present ideas of power. Analyze the following quotes and how the word power is used in them. a) The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire. Ferdinand Foch b) Powerful people cannot afford to educate the people that they oppress, because once you are truly educated, you will not ask for power. You will take it. John Henrik Clarke c) If you could only love enough, you could be the most powerful person in the world. Emmet Fox 2) Jot down words, ideas or thoughts that you associate with the word powerful and meaning of the quotes. Share your ideas or thoughts with the person beside you. Share with the class some of the ideas that you discussed with your partner. 3) Make a list of people that you feel represent powerful ideals. 4) As a class, develop a criteria or list of factors that might determine or influence the level of power in which a person has (i.e.. wealth, education, support, beauty, knowledge, resources, gender, race, achievement, country of origin, passion, opportunity etc.) 5) Watch the video I am Powerful (2:51) Did this short video shifted, altered or added to your perception of the term ‘Powerful’ - If so, how? Did it conjure up any or new questions for you? 7) Do you think that girls in today’s world are given the same opportunities as boys to strive and become powerful individuals? Why or why not? 8) In groups of four, discuss and brainstorm challenges that girls might face in the pursuit of becoming powerful individuals - Consider the challenges that may exist locally and internationally. 9) Watch the following short videos VIDEOS She’s just a girl (0:48) A Better Choice for girls (1:16) Because I am a girl (2:13)

Task

For the following class, come prepared with assignment, ‘Telling of a Girl’. Research, describe and reflect upon the actual life story of a girl. The female chosen to be researched could be a girl or woman found in a film, newspaper or a book. You also have the option of interviewing your mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, family friend etc.. Please submit the research and/or interview in a report, transcript, story or essay formate. Don't be afraid to get creative by adding pictures or newspaper articles to better present the information. You can also chose to present your work in a book, presentation board, through a a powerpoint presentation, or a video. You can also choose include a recording of the interview as part of their assignment. Make sure you that your research and/or interview answers the following questions. The research and/or interview is not limited to these questions. Also remember that some questions may not be relevant or possible to answer for every scenario. a) Who is the person? Where are they from? How old are they? b) How has their geographical location or cultural context shaped their life experience thus far? (Economic status, level of education, quality of life etc.) c) What traditions in their upbringing have shaped their personal role in the home and in society? Do they feel valued for the role in which they fill? d) What is/was the greatest challenge or suffering experienced in correlation to their gender? e) What is a great strength of being a female? What do they feel is the one of the greatest challenges that females face presently? f) What are their hopes for girls and women of future generations? g) What ideas/values/practices/strategies do they believe can help the lives of young girls internationally?

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