Education Standards

Introducing Gender Expression, K-2 Lesson 2

Introducing Gender Expression,  K-2 Lesson 2

Overview

Students will explore the concept of gender expression through a sorting activity. Students will discuss showing respect for others.

Introducing Gender Expression- K-2 Lesson 2

Lesson Description

Grade Level        K-2

Suggested Time        30-60 minutes

Author of the Lesson   Educators from Yamhill County Schools

Objectives

  • Students will be able to define gender expression.
  • Students will be able to define stereotypes.
  • Students will be able to reference multiple ways to express gender.

Aligned Standards, Performance Indicators, and Essential Questions

Standards Covered

Standard 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.

Standard 2: Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors. 

Standard 4: Students will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks.

Performance Indicators Covered

  • HE.1.1.7 Explain that there are many ways to express gender.
  • HE.1.2.7 Recognize differences and similarities of how individuals identify regarding gender.
  • HE.1.K.8 Recognize the importance of treating others with respect including gender expression.
  • HE.2.K.4 Provide examples of how friends and family influence how people think they should act on the basis of their gender.
  • HE.2.1.4 Provide examples of how friends and family influence how people think they should act on the basis of their gender.
  • HE.2.2.4 Provide examples of how friends, family, media, society and culture influence how people think they should act on the basis of their gender.
  • HE.4.K.5 Discuss ways to communicate respectfully with and about people of all gender identities, gender expressions and sexual orientations.
  • HE.4.1.5 Discuss ways to communicate respectfully with and about people of all gender identities, gender expressions and sexual orientations.
  • HE.4.2.5 List ways to communicate respectfully with and about people of all gender identities, gender expressions and sexual orientations.

Essential Question(s) Covered

  • What is gender expression?
  • What are stereotypes?
  • In what ways do people express gender?
  • Is there a wrong way to express gender?

Culturally Responsive Practices

  • This lesson introduces the concept of gender expression.
  • This lesson introduces the concept that one can express gender in a variety of ways.
  • This lesson intentionally represents people of diverse races, body types, ability levels, and genders.
  • This lesson intentionally creates space for classroom norms and expectations for all students.
  • This lesson invites whole-class discourse and collaboration.
  • This lesson invites self-reflection and self-assessment.
  • This lesson is adaptable for students of all skill levels and abilities.
  • This lesson is adaptable for all levels of technology access.

Information & Resources for Educators

Information for Educators

  • There are group expectations, knowledge pre-checks, activations of prior learning, and checks for understanding embedded within the lesson.
  • We understand that this can be a hard topic to teach. Students live in families and communities with different beliefs and cultural practices. Some community and cultural values will come into the classroom that reinforce limiting gender expression. This lesson will reinforce ways in which all gender students can be supported and affirmed, as required by the Human Sexuality Education Rule OAR 581-022-2050.

Lesson Overview

Before the Lesson

  • Prior to the delivery of the lesson, teachers should review the lesson materials to become familiar with the topic, language, and lesson layout.

During the Lesson

Step 1: Setting Group Norms and Activating and Pre-Checking for Prior Knowledge - 5 minutes

  • Review the established group norms of respect for others and respect for ourselves. Classroom norms allow for safe discussion, even if we have different opinions. Discuss what respect means in your classroom and how students can demonstrate respect. 
  • Check for knowledge: "What is gender?"
  • Student answers will vary, and may include “when you are a boy or a girl.” In the K-2 grade band, student understanding of gender will vary based on their discussions at home.
    • "Gender is the word we use when we talk about if you are a boy or a girl. Some people feel like both genders or neither genders".
  • Check for knowledge: "What is expression?"
  • Student answers will vary. Prompt: What does it mean if I say that I express myself through music? Through art?
    • "Expression is how we outwardly share ourselves with the world."
  • Check for knowledge: "What are stereotypes?"
  • Student answers may vary, and may include “all girls like to play with dolls” and other gender-based stereotypes. Remember to discuss non-gender based stereotypes, such as “all children love chocolate chip cookies.”
    • "A stereotype is something that people believe about a group of people, but it is not true for everyone in that group"
  • Discussion: "Some stereotypes may be true for an individual! For example, you may love chocolate chip cookies. You love chocolate chip cookies not because you are a child (that is a stereotype) but because you are you!"

Step 2: Set up Activity - 5 minutes

  • Gather students in a large circle.
  • Place three empty, labeled boxes in the center of the circle.
  • Place a pile of items to sort into the boxes near you.
  • Explain the activity: We are going to file these items by gender.  When I hold up an item, raise your hand and tell me if I should file the item in the box labeled Girl, Boy, or Everyone.

Step 3: Activity - 20 minutes

  • One at a time, raise an item and ask in which box to place the item.
  • After a few items have been sorted, introduce questions to explore the choices students made in selecting boxes.
  • Why did you choose to place this item in the ____ box?
  • Is it ok to like/wear this item/color if you are a boy/girl?
  • Would you wear this color if you were a boy/girl?

Step 4: Discussion & Wrap Up - 10 minutes

  • While some students may gradually come to the understanding that all genders may use/wear all of the items, other students may disagree and have strong feelings that certain items are “boy” items or “girl” items.
  • Remove or cross off the labels on the boxes. Ask the students what it means when we try not to label items as “boy” or “girl.”.
  • Discussion: Would your choices change if the labels on the boxes read “All Girls, All Boys”? Are there any items that “all girls” or all boys” like?
  • Discussion: Would your choices change if you had a box labeled with your own name? What would you put in your box? Could you only choose items that were stereotypical items for certain genders?
  • Discussion: What do we say to others when their boxes hold different items than ours hold? Educators can ask leading questions in response, including: How would we treat a boy if they chose to wear an item that you feel should only be worn by a girl? Can we be kind to people who make different choices than we do? How can we show respect?
  • Question to students: Do you know what gender expression means? Do you know what stereotypes are?

Read: Everyone chooses how they express themselves with their appearance and actions. For example, we can choose certain clothes, makeup, and hairstyles.

People may choose to express their gender differently on different days or in different places. People deserve to feel safe no matter how they choose to express themselves. Everyone expresses their gender differently, incluiding boys, girls, and nonbinary kids - those that do not consider themselves boys or girls.

 

Further questions for group discussion:

  • How can we show respect for people when they are expressing themselves?
  • What can we do if someone expresses their gender differently than us?
  • What is one way we can express our gender? (The educator or student helper can make a list.)

After the Lesson

Additional Extension Activities

To continue this lesson throughout the week, educators can read from the following books:

  • The Boy & the Bindi by Vivek Shraya and Rajni Perera
  • Annie’s Plaid Shirt by Stacy B. Davids
  • I am Jazz by Jessica Herthel, Jazz Jennings, et al.
  • It Feels Good to Be Yourself by Theresa Thorn and Noah Grigni
  • Jack (not Jackie) by Erica Silverman
  • Worm Loves Worm by JJ Austrian
  • Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
  • Neither by Airlie Anderson
  • Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall
  • From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea by Kai Cheng Thom and Kai Yun Ching
  • Introducing Teddy: A gentle story about gender and friendship by Jessica Walton
  • Be Who You Are by Todd Parr
  • Jacob's New Dress by Sarah and Ian Hoffman, illustrated by Chris Case
  • One of a Kind, Like Me / Único como yo by Laurin Mayeno, illustrated by Robert Liu-Trujillo
  • Annie's Plaid Shirt by Stacy B. Davids, illustrated by Rachael Balsaitis
  • My Shadow is Pink by Scott Stuart
  • I Love My Purse by Belle Demont, illustrated by Sonja Wimmer
  • Pink is for Boys by Robb Pearlman

After a reading, educators can:

  1. Review the concept of gender expression: what is gender expression? How is the main character expressing their gender?
  2. Hand out paper/multi-colored markers Ask students to draw the main character focusing on their gender expression. Share their drawings with a small group. Ask respectful questions of the drawings.