For many, Barbie is a symbol for many of feminism, independence and creativity. As the world’s oldest doll, she has taken many forms, and with every passing year she pushes the boundaries even further.
The Barbie Movie has been a worldwide hit, and for teachers this offers a unique way of using Barbie in an education setting. Below is a set lesson plan you can use with the Barbie Movie, or a similar one from the past, to capitalize on this growing interest.
Title: Exploring Empowerment and Diversity through the Barbie Movie
Age: 9-12 year olds.
Objective: Students will analyze the Barbie movie to understand its themes of empowerment and diversity. They will learn about the importance of embracing individuality and challenging stereotypes. Through discussions, activities, and creative exercises, students will reflect on the movie’s messages and apply them to real-life situations.
Duration: 3-4 class periods (45-60 minutes each)
Materials:
- Barbie movie, or access to a Barbie movie that emphasizes empowerment and diversity, such as “Barbie Princess Charm School” or “Barbie: Star Light Adventure.”
- Video projection equipment
- Whiteboard or chalkboard with markers/chalk
- Art supplies (colored pencils, markers, craft paper, etc.)
- Handouts with discussion questions and creative exercises
Lesson Plan:
Day 1: Introducing the Barbie Movie
- Begin by introducing the Barbie movie and its central themes of empowerment and diversity. Briefly discuss what these terms mean and how they relate to our lives.
- Show the selected Barbie movie to the students. Encourage them to pay attention to the characters, their actions, and the overall message of the movie.
- After the movie, have a short reflection session where students can share their initial thoughts and impressions.
Day 2: Empowerment and Individuality
- Start the class with a discussion about empowerment and individuality. Ask the students to share examples of characters from the Barbie movie who demonstrated these qualities.
- Divide the class into small groups and provide them with handouts containing questions related to empowerment and individuality in the movie. Have each group discuss and come up with their answers.
- Bring the class back together and have representatives from each group share their findings with the rest of the class.
Day 3: Embracing Diversity and Challenging Stereotypes
- Begin by discussing the concepts of diversity and stereotypes. Ask the students to identify different characters from the Barbie movie and how they represent diversity in various ways.
- Have a class activity where students create collages or drawings of diverse characters, challenging traditional stereotypes.
- Encourage students to share their artworks and explain how they would promote diversity and challenge stereotypes if they were part of the Barbie movie’s production team.
Day 4: Real-Life Application and Creative Expression
- Have a class discussion about how the messages from the Barbie movie can be applied to real-life situations. Encourage students to share personal experiences or examples from their communities.
- In small groups, have the students brainstorm and develop short skits or stories that incorporate the themes of empowerment, individuality, diversity, and challenging stereotypes.
- Allow each group to present their skits or stories to the rest of the class.
Conclusion:
Conclude the lesson by summarizing the key messages from the Barbie movie and the importance of empowerment, diversity, and challenging stereotypes in our lives. Encourage students to continue embracing their individuality and supporting diversity in their communities.
Consider displaying the students’ artwork and skits in the classroom or school to celebrate their creativity and understanding of the lesson’s themes.
