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Lesson Overview: 

This lesson will focus on popular Disney movies and the negative stereotypes included in these movies.  This lesson will begin with Disney's sterotyping and grouping of Native Americans and then expand into stereotyping of many cultures and races in Disney movies.  Students will then write a letter to Disney explaining to them how they are stereotyping.  They will need to explain how they make those different cultures feel and how they negativily impact those peoples. This lesson is designed to talk about the social issue of stereotyping and racism (an aspect of Rethinking Christopher Columbus - the way he treated Native Americans and people not of his race) and put into something they can see and understand through the use of Disney movies.  In addition, this lesson will talk about the inaccuracies of the cultures that Disney uses in their movies. 

 

Preperation:

 

Instruction:

 

Part 1: Discussion of incorrect information and generalizations about people of various races as well as stereotyping and racism.  

  • What is stereotyping - A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.

    • Ask studens if they can think of any examples of stereotyping.

  • What is racism - The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.

    • Ask students if they have ever seen or heard any examples of racism

  • Begin with examples of just native american false information and stereotyping in popular Disney movies.  

    • show students link (1).  

      • Begin a discussion about the differences between Princess Tiger Lily and the other Native Americans - Draw their attention to way the Indians talk, how they look, how they act.  

      • TEACHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE STEREOTYPING IN THIS PETER PAN SCENE: 

        • Tiger Lily (the only Native American that looks desirable in this scene looks like she could be caucasian if she did not have slightly darker skin - her features are caucasian.  

        • the Indians are either extremly large or extremely skinny

        • all of the faces (except Tiger Lily and the Chief) are the same - stereotype that people other than caucasians all look the same

        • The indians are goofy, barbaric, crazy, not-intelligent, talk differently (a stereotypical veiw of how a Native American would talk)

    • Show students link (2)

      • example of the way Native Americans actually look, talk and act.  

      • Talk with students about the way a person who is Native American might feel about the way their race and culture was presented in link (1) of Peter Pan.  

    • Show Students link (3) which is a picture of Pocahontas

      • discuss with the class how she looks.  Does she look caucasian like Princess Tiger Lily.  

    • Show students link (4), which is the trailor for Disney's Pocahontas.  Talk about the differences between the way Pocahontas talks versus the way her father, the cheif talks.  

      • She sounds white and talks with an American accent compared to her father - not an accurate example of Native Americans when Disney is attempting to be multi-cultural.  

  • Examples of Stereotyping and inaccuracies with not just Native Americans but also other cultures and races.  

    • Project the lyrics to "Arabian Nights" (link (5)) at the front of the class or print out a copy for students to see at their desks.  Play link (6) for students to hear "Arabian Nights" while following along with the lyrics.  

      • draw students attention to the negative (and inaccurate) comments about the Arabain race - "I come from a land...where they cut off your ear if the don't like your face, it's barbaric, but hey, it's home." 

        • tell students that this is an innacurate statement about the Arabian race and ask them, again, how this could insult a person who is Arabic if they saw or heard this about their race.  

    • Show students link (7) - Jafar - compared to link (8) - Jasmine and Aladdin

      • discuss with students the differences between Jafar (the evil and undesirable person in the movie) compared to Jasmine and Aladdin (the heros and desirable person in the movie) 

      • INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER:

        • Jafar has exagerated but traditional arabic features, while Jasmine and Aladdin have caucasion and unexaggeraged features.

 

 

Part 2: Writing a letter to Disney explaining to them the faults and stereotyping in their movies.  

  • Students will write a minimum one paragraph (6 sentence) letter on how Disney is both inaccurate in their movie and also how some of there diverse characters can be hurtful to people of that race.  Students will write a letter with the intention of persuading Disney to be more culturally sensitive in their upcoming movies.  This assessment will show the teacher that students understand the injustices in Disney moves, will allow students to practice the conventions of writing a letter, and practice writing in a persuasive way.  

  

Standards:

1.5.3.A:Write with a focus, with an understanding of topic, task, and audience.

1.5.3.B:

  • Develop content appropriate for the topic.

  • Gather and organize information, incorporating details relevant to the topic.

  • Write a series of related sentences or paragraphs with one central idea.

1.4.3.B: Write informational pieces using illustrations when relevant (e.g., descriptions, letters, reports, instructions)

Rethinking Columbus

Lesson 3: Disney and Popular Culture

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