Teachers Guide: A Lesson Plan for Examining Sterotypes
Session Three: Awareness
The Day’s Theme: Stereotypes can distort the truth about Muslim individuals and communities.
Objectives: To help students understand how stereotypes can influence public opinion. By the end of this lesson students will:
- Identify the common stereotypes and misperceptions about Islam and Muslims
- Reflect on ways to combat stereotypes in general and of Muslims in particular
Materials:
- Computer with high speed internet access
- LED projector with screen and sound capability, depending on the size of your group
- One copy of the context for the video Analogy, written by Anisa Mehdi, and found on ChangeTheStory.net
- Newsprint and markers
Preparation and Procedure:
1. Prepare for this session by watching the videos, What is American?, Scout Leader, Muslim While Flying and Analogy on ChangeTheStory.net. Also, read and print out one copy of the context statement for Analogy by Anisa Mehdi. Ask yourself how these videos make you feel. What are the most powerful images for you? What are the most revealing statements?
2. Once your group is gathered, ask what are the sources that create stereotypes (family, society, media, personal experience, community, friends, etc.)? List these on newsprint.
3. Watch the two short clips What Is American and Muslim While Flying. Ask class members how the second video makes them feel? What impact does humor have on the point the filmmaker is trying to make? Ask if anyone in the class has ever been accused lof something they didn’t do. How did they feel about the experience?
4. Then watch Scout Leader. While the point of this video is the same as Muslim While Flying, the tone is decidedly different. How does the difference in tone affect the film’s impact?
5. Then watch the Analogy. Ask members of the group how the video makes them feel. Then ask someone in your group to read aloud Anisa Mehdi’s comment on Analogy. How does this reading cast a different light on the video? Suggest that one way to combat stereotypes is through education, learning the facts about different cultures and faiths, and not relying on extremists as a source of understanding.
6. Make a list on newsprint of positive actions that one can take to minimize stereotyping in our society.
Additional questions for discussion:
- Has anyone had to deal with stereotypes or prejudice in their own lives?
- How did it make you feel?
- How did you respond? Was it effective? Was there a better way of responding?
- What would you say to a Muslim friend asking for advice
- How can we free ourselves from stereotyping one another?
