1st General Lyceum of Ilion
“Preparing for life in the 21st century”
by Vasiliki Kosmatou
64cosmvan@gmail.com
Name: “The mirror has two faces ”
Topic: basic eating disorders, body image, self –esteem, bulimia, anorexia, obesity.
Materials: tablets, smartphones, pc, interactive white board
Number of students: 20 boys and girls
Age: 17
In this lesson, students will study and investigate how culture, family and media influence their ideas about body image. They will be introduced in the concept of “avatars” in digital and video games. Avatars in digital games show a different body image,which in many cases influence teenagers approach on “ideal” body image.
Which is the role of social norms about physical size and appearance? There is a prejudice on body image. If you want to be successful, happy, popular you have to be thin and there is a kind of bulling and societal stigma to overweight people. Which is the ideal weight and identify how the perception of body image can lead to eating disorders.
Finally, a basic idea of this lesson plan is students approach experiential and interdisciplinary identity of body image and its role in their feelings and self-esteem.
Learning Objectives:
- Societal prejudices against overweight people.
- Increase awareness about the beliefs about body size and shape
- Understand the role of media and how media image affect in their feelings.
- Define body image and explore how media impacts this
- Discuss how anxiety over physical appearance can lead teens to lowered self-esteem
AIMS: The lesson is designed to foster the learning of 21st century skills of students which are:
- critical thinking
- communication
- collaboration
- ICT literacy
- problem solving.
Outcomes
Comprehension: Students will be able to define the terms “avatars”, “prejudice”, “eating disorters”, “body image”, and argue about issues around them.
Synthesis: Students by developing their critical thinking, will be able to create original works.
Psychomotorskills: Cultivation of empathy.
Knowledge: Develop the 21st century skills. Critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, global awareness and citizenship. Develop their ICT skills.
Evaluation: The project will be announced in the school webpage, at school’s facebook group.
Design: Students will create their avatars. They are going to use their tablets and smartphones.
Procedure
In the class there are 20 students, aged 17, boys and girls. We are going to use schools pc lab, an interactive white board, tablets and smart phones.
Students have some knowledge concerning body image from media: Internet, fashion magazines, tv.
Activity 1
In the white board students watch the video: « The perfect body » https://youtu.be/PsL7W-GHhJA
I ask from students to take a moment and think about their own self-image. What do they believe about their appearance? Are they satisfied? Do they feel comfortable with their image? Do they compare themselves with his/her friends? Do they admire the image of a famous actor or athlete? I ask students to reevaluate their beliefs concerning their body image after the end of the lesson.
Activity 2
Students using their smart phones or tablets , create an avatar(www.weemee.com). They design two avatars of themselves. One avatar how they “see” their image and one avatar how they would like to be.
They sent anonymous in a padlet a snapshot of their avatars and that way we create a list of real and fiction images.
After that activity students will answer in questions like:
- Why do you think body image is important to most people?
- When looking in a mirror, do you think most people are happy with what they see?
- What does self-love mean to you?
- Do you think that media images influence how we see ourselves?
- What are three things you like about the way you look?
- Why is there so much focus in our society on body image?
Students write their thoughts in a journal.
Activity 3
Students using their qrcode app in their tablets and smart phones watch the video :”Dove evolution”
On the white board I write the phrase: “Beauty is…..” and have a class brainstorm on what beauty is and how media guide our thoughts.
Activity 4
Split students into three groups.
Each group has an eating disorder to investigate. There is a basic description on each type.
Group1: bulimia. Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by frequent episodes of binge eating, followed by frantic efforts to avoid gaining weight. It affects men and women of all ages.
Students during their work have to answer in questions like:
- How can I help friends and family be healthy and fit?
- What factors influence bulimia in our country?
- Are there any socio-cultural context of bulimia eating disorder in our country?
Group2: obesity. Obesity is a condition where a person has accumulated so much body fat that it might have a negative effect on their health. Students have to answer in questions like:
- How can I help friends and family be healthy and fit?
- Are working parents and specialy mother are responsible for childhood obesity?
- What factors influence obesity in our country?
- Are there any socio-cultural context of obesity eating disorder in our country?
- Are Junk food habits drive to Obesity?
Group3: anorexia nevrosa .Anorexia Nervosa is a psychological and possibly life-threatening eating disorder defined by an extremely low body weight . Students have to answer in questions like:
- How food dominates a teenager’s life?
- How does Anorexia Nervosa fit with personal values?
- Are there any socio-cultural context of anorexia nervosa eating disorder in our country?
- How can I help friends and family be healthy abd fit?
- What factors influence anorexia nevrosa in our country?
Activity 5.Presentation- Evaluation
Each group creates a 5 minutes online presentation with its findings to the class and all students understand the basics of eating disorders.
Students construct a body image survey using google forms. They upload the survey in their facebook profile. They include various different age groups (young children, older adults).
