Student-centered and student-paced, this guided media exploration and analysis can be experienced in or out of the classroom. In this module, you will examine examples of gender and sexuality representation in media and its impact on viewers using Genially, Padlet, Miro, and H5P. You will explore interactive multi-modal texts as you make your observations, thoughts, connections, and conclusions visible, using Project Zero's (2016) visible thinking routines. The digital learning resource above is meant to provide you with a means to structure your exploration and the multi-modal nature is meant to mirror the varying ways our mediated world creates narratives that guide our world view.

Essential Questions

• • What messages do media spread as truth and normal?

  • Whose story is being told and who is telling it?

  • What values, identities, and actions are media messages sending?

  • What is the impact of these messages on individuals & society?

  • What counter messages are present in media?

  • What impact does symbolic communication have on our understanding of gender and sexual orientation?

You will explore three lessons in this module

1. Stereotypes

   • Bias, Prejudice and Discrimination

2. Gender Representation

   • Gendered Toys & Products

   • Gendered Social Media comments & Poetry

   • Tropes in Videogames

3. Queer Coding

   • Tropes in Videogames, TV and Movies

Discussion Whiteboards: Pausing to make our Thinking Visible

Feel free to extend any or all of the discussions and reflections by sharing ideas in small group or as a whole class, face-to-face rather than (or in addition to) the online whiteboards embedded within the learning resource above. Here is a list of the different whiteboard discussions you will find within the module (and links):

• Reflection on Grouping Activity

• Word Splash: Stereotypes, Bias, Prejudice, Discrimination

• Stereotype Discussion

• Gender Discussion: Word - Phrase - Image

• Queer Coding Discussion

• Analysis: Values - Identity - Actions

• Boycott Graphic Organizer (based on the BC Literacy 10-12 Assessments)

• It's Getting Better: Compare & Contrast

• Reflection: I used to think... but now I think

Extension

Looking for a way to extend your understanding of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) representation in media by applying your learning? Want to share your knowledge with a real audience and make a difference, like Anita Sarkeesian, creator of Feminist Frequency? Check out the inquiry project page for steps and examples of what this could look like!