Fifth Grade Plan

Lesson Plan Title: Your friend the media
Concept / Topic To Teach: How the media influences thoughts and feelings about health and behavior and how we as humans have the right to be whoever we want to be.
Standards Addressed: Standard 2: The student analyzes the influence of culture, media, technology, and other factors on health. (HE.B.2.2)
General Goal(s): To teach the children that the media has a large impact on how they want to act, dress and generally look. I want the children to realize that they are beautiful the way that they are and that they do not need to change the way they look because certain standards say so.
Specific Objectives: By the end of the lesson I want children to be able to know how to lead a healthier lifestyle, how to resist giving into pressure from peers and the media.
Required Materials: Computers, Online Magazines such as TeenBop, Tigerbeat, J-14, Teen, Television, Graph Paper.
Anticipatory Set (Lead-In): Before the actual lesson I will give an overview of how the media and ask the children who some of their favorite celebrities are, and why they are their favorite. Do they like a TV show that they are on, or the way that they look, or do they admire something that they have done for the environment?
Step-By-Step Procedures: After the Anticipatory Set:
1. Hand out magazines and have the children pick out their favorite page from the magazine.
2. Ask children to write a few sentences about why they picked the page and share with the class.
3. Ask the children who some of their role models are, and if the role models are present in the magazines.
4. If the role models are in the magazines, ask the children to explain why they think that they were chosen to be in the magazine
5. Ask the children to estimate the amount of time they spend watching T.V., surfing the Internet, and looking through magazines.
Plan For Independent Practice: For homework: Over the duration of a week, ask the children to record the amount of time they spend sleeping, attending school, watching T.V., exercising and doing homework. During this time I will ask the students to graph all of their information and discuss how sleep impacts their learning. The graphs will be used to discuss daily habits and ways to improve overall health.
Closure (Reflect Anticipatory Set): Ask the children to write down a few personal goals that they have and have them explain whether or not they believe the media ties into their goals somehow.
Assessment Based On Objectives: After the week of recording, ask the students to graph the same activities for another week and see if their habits have changed because of what they have learned.
Adaptations (For Students With Learning Disabilities): Students with learning should focus on recording just a few of the activities. For example he or she could record the time spent sleeping and watching T.V.
Extensions (For Gifted Students): For gifted students, ask them to figure out the percentage of the time they spend on each activity out of the whole day.
Possible Connections To Other Subjects: Math because of the graphs and percentages

Project Three Completed

I have completely finished project three! :)

Professor's Comments

Tricia,

Your letters look comprehensive and engaging. I like that you use your position as a writer and as some one who is familiar with the subject to prove and to display your point of view.

Overall, I think that your use of facts and stats works well.

Nice work.

Take care,

Kat

Timed Writing

Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero with a Thousand Faces” is an overall evaluation of a hero’s journey. Not only do his suggestions of a hero’s journey apply to fairytales or short stories, but everyday life as well. These steps help to explain from the very beginning of a story to the end of a story, what the hero has accomplished, overcome, and learned. Examining some of the major sections of the book such as “The Belly of the Whale” and “The Road of Trials,” one can easily fit almost any story including Joseph Conrad’s “A Heart of Darkness” and Ernest Hemingway’s “Indian Camp” into the Campbellian outline. More importantly, this idea of a hero’s journey can easily fit into one’s own life.

“The belly of the Whale” is a continuation of a hero’s journey into an unfamiliar area or new situation. During this stage, the hero must become acquainted with and familiar with his or her new surroundings in order to “go inward, to be born again” (91). This symbolization of a rebirth is a literal one, explaining that the hero is about to experience a new life with new adventures. Upon this entrance to “the belly of the whale,” the hero usually encounters a threshold guardian who guides the hero in his or her journey.

In “The Heart of Darkness” written by Joseph Conrad is a perfect example of a character entering into an unfamiliar situation. The main character of Conrad’s story is a young boy named Daniel. Daniel is taken to a “cemetery of books” where his father tells him to choose any book he wants. At this point of the story, Daniel has no idea what the “cemetery of books” is or why his father is bringing him there. More importantly, Daniel has no idea of what he is going to face later on his journey.
A second section in Campbell’s book is “The Road of Trials”. On the road of trials, the hero will encounter and need to survive many essential tasks and responsibilities in order to continue on his or her journey. This phase of the journey is considered the “favorite phase of the myth-adventure,” filled with potential dangers and hazards (97). When the hero faces these challenges, “he soon finds himself in a landscape of symbolical figures” (101). These figures are usually ones that the hero has stumbled across in the past, which aid to some sort of personal affect.

In Ernest Hemingway’s “Indian Camp” a young male character named Nick is pulled along on a “road of trials” thanks to his father. Nick’s father being a doctor has been called to an Indian camp where he is to help a pregnant woman in need. Without realizing it, Nick is being forced into facing the real world where he will learn much about himself and the others around him. His “road of trails” includes seeing a young woman in pain, while her husband kills himself because of his wife’s pregnancy. Because the husband of the pregnant woman kills himself, Nick is left to question the meaning of life, and why the husband decided he did not want to live anymore. This example portrays how one’s personal “road of trials” aids a hero to learn more about him or herself, due to challenges that leave a lasting impression on the hero.


Being introduced to Campbell’s outlook on a hero’s journey has led me to rethink and establish my own journey and my future journey’s to come. I have realized that life is one big journey, that has little journey’s inside of it. One of my smaller journey’s has been Project Three. Before I started this project, I brainstormed and entered what Campbell would call “The Belly of the Whale”. I was not certain what topic or issue I wanted to write about and I was forced to learn about an unfamiliar issue and become acquainted with it. I chose to research the current issue of health in the fashion industry, and the negative image models in the fashion industry have on young woman. In Madrid, the fashion organizers decided to place a ban on models that had a Body Mass Index under 18. Although this restriction seemed to be a good idea, one which would have the potential to change other fashion organizers to follow in Madrid’s footsteps, the only thing this restriction did was create chaos and disagreements. Along my journey of research I was faced with a “Road of Trials” due to the fact that I was not sure which side of the debate I was on. I understood that a model’s health is very important and the image that model’s give off to young woman is a very influential one, but I also believed that fashion is an art and a model is somewhat of a canvas for designers.

Being introduced to Campbell’s “The Hero with a Thousand Faces” has led me to examine every movie I watch and story I read. On a more extreme level, I have come to realize that my everyday difficulties somehow fit into this genius outline as well. Campbell’s ideas should not be looked passed, for everything in life somehow fit’s into one little journey.

Three Self-Created Annotated Bibs

Tricia Fairclough
Analytic and Persuasive Writing
Professor Kat Robinson
Annotated Bibliography for Project 3

Source:
"Madrid Bans Waifs From Catwalks." BBC News. 13 Sept. 2006. 11 Mar. 2008 .

Summary:

Madrid fashion organizers decided to ban underweight models based upon their body mass index. They decided to ban models that have a BMI of less than 18. The organizers are suggesting that thirty-percent of models participating in this year’s fashion week will fail the test based upon their BMI level. Madrid’s local government believes that this ban will help to set a positive, healthier image of models. This image will help young woman to feel less pressure to look stick-skinny. The organizers are aware that this restriction will probably cause some outrage from various fashion week organizers from other cities, but they believe that the benefits will outweigh the detriments in the long run.

Reaction:
I was very happy to learn that there are people trying to create a worldwide change for a positive, healthy body image. I do not think that people realize how much of an affect the media, and these models have on young woman everywhere. I believe that this restriction of underweight models will surely help others to recognize how unhealthy some models are, and to create change in other major cities that hold a fashion week.

Tricia Fairclough
Analytic and Persuasive Writing
Professor Kat Robinson
Annotated Bibliography for Project 3

Source:
Taber, Kimberly C. "With Model's Death, Eating Disorders are Again in Spotlight." International Herald Tribune 20 Nov. 2006. 11 Mar. 2008 .

Summary:
On November 15, 2006 Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston died of kidney malfunction due to anorexia and bulimia nervosa. She had been on a diet consisting only of apples and tomatoes and weighed 88 pounds at the time of her death. According to the World Health Organization a body mass index below 16 is considered starvation, Ana’s was about 13.4. The fashion industry's promotion of beauty as meaning super thin is damaging to teenagers self image and to their health, Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said in a statement. "Young girls aspire to look like the catwalk models. When those models are unhealthily underweight, it pressurizes girls to starve themselves to look the same."

Reaction:
Sadly, a lot of us worry about how we look or we know someone who is obsessed with the way that they look. I don’t like knowing that the people I love are suffering internally from an eating disorder, or feel great amounts of pressure to look like their favorite celebrities and models. However, I have to admit that I feel very influenced by he media and how beautiful being thin is. I think that by Madrid creating regulations, not only will it eliminate unnecessary deaths and health issues but it will also set a better example for teenagers who look up to these models.



Tricia Fairclough
Analytic and Persuasive Writing
Professor Kat Robinson
Annotated Bibliography for Project 3

Source:
Trebay, Guy. "Taking the Fall for Fashion." The New York Times 29 Sept. 2005. 13 Mar. 2008 .

Summary:

In New York, The Council of Fashion Designers of America recommended that designers schedule photo shoots during daylight hours so models get more sleep, provide healthier backstage catering, and identify models with eating disorders. A New York fashion show organizer, Kelly Heller is shooting the ideas down even before they're formally approved. She said: "I think these are completely ridiculous. Models getting more sleep are a great idea, but if they're anorexic, they're not going to eat healthier food at the service table, anyway. And who is going to be the one identifying the people who having eating disorders? You need specialists and experts to do that."

Reaction:
Some designers are beginning to realize that the image of beauty, elegance, and health in fashion shows is not necessarily positive. However, other designers such as Singaporean designer Ashley Isham wore a T-shirt reading “I’m a size 00” alongside two models at the end of his show during London Fashion Week. Not only does this problem of thin models affect the models and fashion industry itself; but also it affects teenagers who look up to these models.

How I mailed my letters

I sent two letters through the mail, and I sumbitted one of my letters on an organizations website

April 25th, 2008


To Whom It May Concern,

I am an 18 year-old female writing to address your refusal of implementing weight restrictions for fashion models in your festivals and shows. I believe that fashion is all about expressing oneself, however expressing oneself should not be harmful to anyone. I have researched the rules Madrid has put into place, not allowing any model to walk if their Body Mass Index is below 18 and I was just wondering why you decided to refuse those same restrictions?

Last year in Madrid a ban was placed on super skinny models. According to a CBS news report ultra thin models were banned to appear in Madrid fashion week. The article describes, “Madrid's regional government, which sponsors the show and imposed restrictions, said it did not blame designers and models for anorexia. It said the fashion industry had a responsibility to portray healthy body images.” Fashion week organizers rejected models with an index below 18. According to BMI, if number results between 18.5 and 24.9, they are normal exemplifying that a 5-foot-8 inch model must weigh at least 120 pounds. Although Madrid is cracking down on “super thin” models and eating disorders, your organization is not following the lead.

When you heard about the death of Ana Carolina Reston, the 21-year old model from Brazil, how could you not see what this industry is doing to its employees? She had been on a diet consisting only of apples and tomatoes and weighed eighty-eight pounds at the time of her death. Girls should not be dying because they need to be extremely thin in order to wear clothing. What ever happened to a woman’s curves being sexy and beautiful?

I do not support you in your decision to send girls down the runway that are blatantly unhealthy. Not only does this decision have a negative affect for the model herself, but for young girls everywhere in the world looking at her stick-think frame. Seeing a model so thin pressures young girls to look just like them, ultimately developing eating disorders that could end in death.

Please contact me with a response that will help me understand your reasoning behind your decisions to continue to send unhealthy girls down the runway.

Sincerely,


Patricia Fairclough