girl power
TRANSCRIPT
Girl Power
Educator Handbook 50
Introduc,on
!
Educa,on does not just happen in a classroom. It is a con,nuous process of learning. Female empowerment is a mean of con,nuing this process. Girl Power increases self-‐esteem and confidence leading to more success in academic endeavors. This workshop series provides an environment that fosters support and belonging where females can voice their opinion and have it respected. Girl Power focuses on intellect and work ethic by breaking media and cultural beauty standards. It exposes females to posi,ve female role models and how to become one themselves. Girl Power helps females develop leadership, decision making, and cri,cal thinking skills.
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Course Overview
² Girl Power is a 14+ hour Workshop Series catered for two different female age groups (5th-‐8th, 9th-‐12th grade).
² The Girl Power Workshop Series is divided up into 7 units:
• Promo5ng Self Esteem • Crea5ng a Posi5ve Self Image • Dealing with Pressure • Health and Fitness • Becoming a Posi5ve Role Model-‐ Being Connected • Planning for the Future • Closing Session
² Each Unit has four components:
• Ice Breaker Ø The icebreakers will begin the trust building process and foster
friendship amongst the Girl Power group. • Ac5vity
Ø The ac,vi,es are meant to build the girl’s personal connec,on to each Unit Theme.
• Discussion Ø The discussion allows the group to delve deeper into each Unit
Theme and are able to reflect on the Unit. • Ending Ritual
Ø The ending ritual is a secret cheer, saying, handshake, etc. that is only known by the members of the Girl Power group that create it. This gives the members of the group the feeling they are part of something special.
Course Curriculum
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Unit 1: Promo,ng Self-‐Esteem
Ice Breaker
Name Ball Objec5ve:
To get to know everyone’s name Prepara5on:
1. Gather 3 Balls (Preferably so[ for safety) 2. Get everyone in a circle
How to Pay: Have everyone in the circle go around and say their names. You will start off
with the ball and say one of the girls names and throw them the ball. Then that girl must say another girl’s name and throw her the ball, and so on. Once everyone is familiar with everyone’s names, spice it up and throw in a second ball so there are two names being called at the same ,me and the ball is going in different direc,ons. A[er a few rounds you can step it up again and add in a third ball and encourage the girls to go faster. Interview Game Objec5ve:
To get to know each other and to start building trust Prepara5on:
1. Print Interview Worksheets for every girl, pens 2. Provide enough pens/pencils for every girl
How to Play: Split everyone into pairs. Distribute the ques,on sheets and pens to each
girl. The first girl in the pair will start by asking their partner as many ques,ons from the sheet in 5 minutes. A[er the 5 minutes are up the other partner in the pair will go and do the same thing. The group will then gather together and each pair will take turns introducing each other and share what they learned about their new friend. Rules Objec5ve:
To work together and set standards for how the group will be run. Prepara5on:
1. Poster Board 2. Pen
Instruc5ons: Work together as a group and create a list of at least five rules for the Girl
Power Group. This is a great ,me to discuss privacy and confiden,ality within the group.
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steem
Interview Worksheet
1. What is your most prized possession?
2. What is your favorite color?
3. What is your favorite food?
4. Who is your role model?
5. If you were an animal, which animal would you be?
6. What is your favorite sport to play?
7. If you could have a superpower what would it be?
8. If you could visit anywhere in the world where would it be?
9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
10. What is the last book your read?
11. What is your favorite song at the moment?
12. What is a goal you want to achieve this year?
13. Where did you grow up?
14. Use one word to describe yourself
15. What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten?
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Unit 1
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steem
Ac,vity
Self-Esteem Strength Worksheet Objec5ve:
To introduce your group to the theme of self-‐esteem and have them gauge their own self-‐esteem Prepara5on:
1. Print Self-‐Esteem Worksheet 2. Pass out pencils to all the girls
Instruc5ons: Have the girls take 5-‐10 minutes to themselves to fill out the Self-‐Esteem
worksheets. Come back together as a group and have each girl share one of their strengths. Thought Capsule Objec5ve:
To become more familiar with body confidence and self-‐esteem. Prepara5on:
1. Gather Supplies-‐ (4) 1-‐liter soda boele or boxes, magazines, markers, glue, and scissors Instruc5ons:
You will create four self-‐esteem thought capsules. The girls split up into three groups called, “ My Feelings, My Shell, My Image. Give each group a large plas,c drink boele. Each group will decorate the outside of their Thought Capsule boele with pictures and words from the magazine that represent their area.
² My Feelings could have images of faces, tears, smiles, with words like love, fear, and guilt.
² My Shell could show images of lips, feet, noses, hair, skin, teeth, words like smooth, hairy, and healthy.
² My Image would use pictures of famous people, models, and words like perfect, beauty, or cosme,c surgery.
² The fourth boele just needs a simple label saying ‘Hope and Fears’.
Once all the boeles (or boxes) are decorated, join together again as one group. Ask each person to write her thoughts about all or any of the three areas on slips of paper. The girls can write anything to do with either self-‐esteem or taking part in the ac,vi,es: What they hope to find out about themselves, the worries they have about what the ac,vi,es may be like, the fears they have about growing up or what they are looking forward to.
The slips will be gathered up and then looked at, by the girls, at the end of this course. The wrieen thoughts can be anonymous or the girls can sign them. Put the slips of paper into the ‘Hopes and Fears’ boele (or box. Explain that these boeles (or boxes) represent self-‐esteem as a combina,on of what goes on both inside and outside ourselves.
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steem
Self-‐Esteem Strength Worksheet
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steem
What do I like about who I am? ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ What am I good at; skills and talents? ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ What posi,ve characteris,cs do I have? ___________________________________________ ____________________________________________ What are the successes in my life? ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ What are some challenges I have overcome? ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ What do others say they like about me? ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________
Discussion
What is self-esteem? We all hear about the value of high self-‐esteem and that people with poor
self-‐esteem tend to experience problems in life, but what exactly is self-‐esteem? Here are some defini,ons
• How we value ourselves-‐our self-‐worth • Our aktude to ourselves-‐how happy we are with the type of person we are • Our ability to manage difficult situa,ons • Our confidence in our own abili,es • How we see ourselves in our community and society-‐how we compare ourselves to others, and connect with those around us.
High self-esteem
High self-‐esteem can mean we are comfortable with who we are. People with high self-‐esteem o[en have the confidence to influence decisions, to express their individuality and to find success in life. Low self-esteem
Low self-‐esteem means that we do not value our true worth. This can lead to feeling helpless and not being in charge of our lives, even feeling resentment or blaming others. Those with low self-‐esteem are unlikely reach their full poten,al in life. The cost of low-self esteem • With low self-‐esteem, we o[en fail to recognize what we do achieve and feel
good about it • Low self-‐esteem can make us feel excluded and disconnected from society • It can make us want to surrender our individuality and conform to stereotypes • It can make us feel we can’t handle life’s challenges or feel like a miserable
failure • It can lead to depression, destruc,ve behavior, self-‐harming, ea,ng disorders or
alcohol/drug abuse Can we develop our self-esteem?
Self-‐esteem develops during childhood. However, throughout our lives we each have the opportunity to improve our own self-‐esteem. It is core to how we act and react, make decisions and choose our path through life. This makes building self-‐esteem a fundamental life skill.
1. How did you feel during the session’s ac,vi,es? 2. What have they learned about self-‐esteem and body confidence? 3. How can you improve your self-‐esteem in this next week? In one month?
In one year?
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steem
Adapted From: “Self-‐Esteem Ac5vity Guide” hMp://www.dove.us/docs/pdf/DSEF%20Ac5vity%20Guide%20for%20Youth%20Leaders.pdf
Ending Ritual
Create an Ending Ritual As a group come up with an ending ritual for every session. This ritual is only
to be used for the Girl Power Group. Get the girls excited by telling them it is a secret thing that only whoever is part of this group can be a part of. This could be a secret handshake, a cheer, etc.
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steem
Unit 2: Crea,ng a Posi,ve Self-‐Image
Ice Breaker
Girls Vs. Boys Objec5ve:
To engage in a discussion about gender differences and inequali,es. Prepara5on:
1. Divide the white board ver,cally 2. White Board Marker
How to Play: As a group, ask the girls to write out all the things that they believe girls are beeer at than boys, and vice versa. Once completed discuss the following: 1. Do girls/boys really have greater abili,es in these areas? 2. Should girls and boys have equal opportuni,es in all aspects of life?
Ex. School, Work, Home
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Unit 2
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Ac,vity
The Image of Media Objec5ve: To understand that beauty defined by the media doesn’t always reflect what real women look like or what real beauty is all about. They will know that their self-‐worth, and how others value them, does not rely on their looks. Prepara5on:
1.Image of Media Slideshow Instruc5ons:
Magazine photographs rarely show the true likeness of any woman. They go way beyond airbrushing out ‘imperfec,ons’. Physical propor,ons are o[en adjusted, making waists smaller, busts larger and legs longer before images are published.
Show the group the Image of Media photos and have them examine each one. Then ask: 1.Can you see how people can be altered? 2.Can you see the differences? 3.What message does this portray to females?
Cat Walk of Culture Objec5ve:
This ac,vity is about looking at what is considered beau,ful around the world. It can have a very posi,ve effect on girls’ self-‐esteem to realize that the standards of beauty that they live with are not the standards of beauty that someone else lives with. Looking at how beauty is ‘defined’ globally can also help them to celebrate diversity. Prepara5on:
1.Cat Walk of Culture Slideshow Instruc5ons: Our idea what is beau,ful or aerac,ve is formed by the things that we are told and what we see around us. This can be different depending on who we are and where we are from. It is important for the girls to remember that we are judged by what is considered ‘normal’ by the culture around us.
Put the girls into pairs and each pair will select one country or culture. This can be somewhere they know nothing about, or it could be from where they are born or have family links. Make sure there are no repeats. Have them spend 10 minutes about what people think is beau,ful in that country or culture. Look a the clothes worn, the shape and size of the people, and their way of life.
Come together as a class and each pair share their country and culture and what they discussed about what beauty is. Then show Exploring Standards of Beauty and Cat Walk Culture Slideshow and discuss each slide and the different views of ‘beauty’.
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Unit 2
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Image of Media Slideshow
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Unit 2
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Journalist Esther Honig wanted to see what beauty standards were like in different cultures. She could have simply bought a magazine or watched some films, but instead she decided to try an experiment. For her Before and A[er project, Honig used the power of crowdsourcing to see how different illustrators around the world see beauty in their own cultures. Honig found 40 ar,sts – a mix of amateurs and professionals – from dozens of countries, and sent them an un-‐retouched image of her head and shoulders. She paid them a small fee to fulfill one simple job: Make her "beau,ful." hep://www.people.com/ar,cle/beaty-‐standards-‐photoshop-‐esther-‐honig heps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHMyzEsLaNs
Exploring Standards of Beauty
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Unit 2
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Cat Walk of Culture Slideshow
Most Kayan women wear rings around their necks, which is considered a sign of beauty in their culture. Women of the Kayan tribe, many of which are now refugees from Burma (now Myanmar) living in Thailand, o[en
wear brass coils around their necks to give the illusion they are lengthened. Star,ng at a young age, the coils are wrapped around the neck, and more are added over the years, which pushes down the women’s shoulders, producing the effect that their neck is longer.
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Unit 2
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The tradi,on of a tribal face taeoo was has not been popular in any years. But recently it has become popular once again amongst the Maori tribe of New Zealand. Both men and women of the Maori tribe have long imprinted their face with swirling taeoos called Ta moko. Most high-‐ranking people in New
Zealand’s indigenous tribe received moko before the Europeans arrived in the country, and it was considered an important milestone between childhood and
adulthood. 65
Unit 2
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Even though the tradi,on of feet binding in China has died out, some elderly Chinese women s,ll walk around with ,ny feet due to being bound as a child.
Though foot binding is no longer a common tradi,on in China, the impact of this tradi,on – which lasted un,l the 1940s – can be seen on some elderly Chinese
women. Binding the feet involved breaking the toes and pushing them up against the sole of the feet, then ,ghtening and sewing bandages around the en,re foot. This was considered beau,ful to men, and also limited the mobility of women,
both literally and also within poli,cs and the world at large.
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Unit 2
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Indian women o[en wear colorful saris, nose rings, and dots or bindis on their foreheads as signs of femininity and some,mes marital status. No maeer the caste in India, women adorn their bodies with colorful saris, dupaeas, nose rings, bindis and henna, par,cularly for fes,vals
and celebra,ons such as weddings. Tradi,onally, being a thin woman was not thought of as aerac,ve or healthy in India. However, western influence has infiltrated in India to
the point that being skinny is becoming the beauty ideal.
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Unit 2
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In some African countries, larger women were tradi,onally thought of as more beau,ful, and many were sent as girls to “fat-‐farms” to be force-‐fed. Larger women are considered the ideal by men in the African country of Mauritania, where “fat-‐farms” s,ll exist, not to slim women down, but to beef them up. Though the prac,ce is star,ng to die out, there are s,ll seven and eight year-‐
olds being taken out of school and le[ at the farms. There, they are forced to eat faeening foods all day. Tradi,onally, a large girl or women denoted her higher class and status, therefore defining her beauty.
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Unit 2
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Tanned and curvy women are considered beau,ful in Brazil, though beauty ideals are changing toward a thinner look similar to what is
popular in the United States. Brazilian women have tradi,onally been thought of as toned, tanned, and curvy. Though not large by any
means, the ideal of beauty in Brazil included hips, a smaller chest, and a rounder backside, otherwise known as a “guitar” shape.
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Unit 2
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Skin whitening con,nues to be a popular approach in Thailand, where being whiter is considered more aerac,ve and affluent. Even as ideas of
beauty shi[ worldwide to incorporate the mul,faceted beauty of different skin colors, skin whitening s,ll is revered by some in Asia. Lighter skin signals more affluence in places ranging from Thailand to India, where skin whitening creams are sold for cheap in open air
markets. But these creams can be permanently disfiguring, as one Thai singer found out a[er using one in hopes of improving her career.
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Unit 2
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Discussion
Who says what makes us beautiful?
Every ,me we turn on the TV, open a magazine or walk down the high street, we see dozens of images of ‘perfect’ women and expecta,ons of what our lives should be like. As girls and young women look around for help in understanding what they could become, they can be heavily influenced by these media images. But how many of these images portray real life and real women? And how do girls define beauty? Indeed, who defines beauty? Some women appear to be beau,ful on the outside, but they may feel as preey on the inside.
Even when images have not been retouched, the media carefully selects who it portrays. There’s no doubt looks are important, but stories about women can have a different focus to similar stories about men. Learning to make objec,ve judgments and seeing how the media can manipulate us, are part of understanding how we value ourselves and others.
1. How can we break this beauty cycle that media has inflicted on women? 2. Do looks even maeer? Should women be judged by how they are as a person and what they do with their life then to be judged by their looks?
The Beauty of Culture
Our ideas about what are beau,ful or aerac,ve are formed by what we are told and the things that we see around us. This can be different depending on who we are and where we are from – we are usually judged by the standards of those around us.
We only have to flip through women’s magazines to see that we are encouraged to feel that thin is beeer than fat, long hair is ‘preker’ than short, young is beeer than old and hairless nicer than hairy. We make judgments on people based on things like hair color, bust size or clothing choice. The conclusions we reach depend on our values, culture and lifestyle – as well as our ,me in history.
1. Which culture do you think has the best idea of beauty? Do you all agree? 2. How did you come to this decision? 3..How do our thoughts on ‘beauty’ differ around the world? 4 .Should we all think the same things are beau,ful? 5. Can you see how beauty is different everywhere? 6. What one thing would you like to remember from this ac,vity?
End the session by doing the closing ritual the group came up with last session.
Ending Ritual 71
Unit 2
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Unit 3: Becoming a Posi,ve Role Model
Ice Breaker
Alien Attack Objec5ve:
To get the group feeling even more comfortable by being silly with each other. Prepara5on:
1. Move the desk to the back of the classroom to clear a space for moving How to Play:
Someone has an imaginary alien that they throw at someone else. When it lands on their face, they can be as crazy as they want to act gekng it off and throwing it at someone else. Sound effects are encouraged! Human Knot Objec5ve:
To work together as a team. Prepara5on:
1. Move the desk to the back of the classroom to clear a space for moving. How to Play:
If the group is really big, split them up into smaller groups. If there are too
many people in a human knot it becomes extremely difficult. Groups of 10-‐12 are ideal. Arrange group members in a circle, standing shoulder to shoulder. Tell everyone to put their right hand up in the air, and then grab the hand of someone across the circle from them. Everyone then puts their le[ hand up in the air and grabs the hand of a different person. Check to make sure that everyone is holding the hands of two different people and that they are not holding hands with someone directly next to them. Tell group members to untangle themselves to make a circle without breaking the chain of hands. If group members break the chain they need to start over. 72
Unit 5
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Ac,vity
Identifying Role Models
Objec5ve: To be able to ar,culate the importance of role models, especially those that
exemplify posi,ve characteris,cs and know how to become a role model themselves. Prepara5on:
1. Get Role Model Slideshow set up on the projector. Instruc5ons:
Discuss as a group: 1. What quali,es make someone a role model? 2. Who are your role models and why? 3. Are you a role model for anyone? A younger brother, sister, friend?
• Show the Role Model slideshow as a group and discuss the reasons why each person in the photo is a role model for our society.
As a whole group, make a list of the people students iden,fied as role models
using two columns to group the examples, one column for posi,ve role models and one for nega,ve role models. Ask students in their groups to discuss the two lists and decide what the people have in common that makes them a posi,ve or nega,ve role model. As a whole group, chart the common characteris,cs in each category. Lead a whole class discussion and be prepared to use their informa,on as you make sure that students understand that:
Ø Role models are powerful tools for finding our own success in life. Ø Role models can be defined differently for each person. Ø Role models can be defined as a person that has survived situa,ons you are
struggling with. Ø They can also be chosen because of their overall view of life and its
significance. Ø Some,mes role models are iden,fied because of a shared interest. Ø Finding someone with a strong character and posi,ve values to share can
create a bond that can truly impact your life. Discovering someone with these types of quali,es can have a huge effect on your outlook and your ac,ons
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Role Model Slideshow
Beyoncé is driven, talented, intelligent, focused, and someone who keeps on pushing herself harder. She’s also managing to juggle the pressures of being a mother and
wife and has had a decade-‐long string of successful solo hits and albums. 74
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Aung San Suu Kyi gained interna,onal fame and recogni,on when she campaigned for democracy in Burma, earning herself a spot amongst the great female role models. Suu Kyi lead the Na,onal League for Democracy for many years and gained huge global respect and praise for her con,nued stance,
despite being a poli,cal prisoner under house arrest for over 20 years before her release. Suu Kyi is planning to run for President in her na,ve Burma in 2015, and if she does, it will be a massive victory for one of life’s superb female role
models. 75
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Quietly powerful, strong, and forceful, Angelou changed a genera,on and subsequent genera,ons with her poetry and wri,ng, speaking from a life,me full of highs and lows, and with a quiet, warm spirituality that has made her a go-‐to heroine
and poet for all.
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Peng Liyuan is not only China’s pop-‐folk icon, she is the wife of Current China President Xi Jinping. She comes in with big hair and a brassy diva aktude which revolu,onized the stereotype of women married to men in power. She helped the survivors of the Sichuan earthquake and stands on pla}orms of the dangers of smoking and
unprotected sex.
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Malala Yousifazi survived an aeempt on her life and who is now an outspoken advocate of female rights and female educa,on in the Middle East, Since moving to the UK to live and work, she has bravely spoken in the United Na,ons and con,nues to fight for girls to get an educa,on in
all corners of the globe.
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Elaine Chow is a Chinese-‐American poli,cian who served as the Secretary of Labor under the George W. Bush
Administra,on. She was the first Asian Pacific woman and first Chinese American to be appointed to a President’s
cabinet in American history. 79
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Michelle Obama is one of the most powerful women in the world and thankfully uses it to wonderful effect, helping to change a na,on for the beeer and focusing on programs and projects around the world, such as an,-‐obesity ini,a,ves and pushes for women to received
educa,on around the globe. A fashion icon, a devoted mother, and an accomplished lawyer and writer,
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Discussion
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Identifying Role Models
Everyone has the capability to become a role model. You may already play that role for someone and not even know it. You don’t have to beau,ful, famous celebrity, a brilliant scien,st or a published author to be a role model for other adults. Here are some of the top quali,es a posi,ve role model should posses:
• Passion and Ability to Inspire Role models show passion for their work and have the capacity to infect others with their passion. • Clear Set of Values Role models live their values in the world. People admire people who act in ways that support their beliefs. • Commitment to Community Role models are other-‐focused as opposed to self-‐focused. They are usually ac,ve in their communi,es, freely giving of their ,me and talents to benefit people • Selflessness and Acceptance of Others Role models are admired by people for their selflessness and acceptance of others who were different from them. • Ability to Overcome Obstacles Success is to be measured not by the posi,on that one has reached in life but success is measure by the obstacles which one has overcome. Role models show others that they have faced obstacles in their life, however they have overcame and learned from the obstacle. 1. What are some of the characteris,cs of a posi,ve role model you came up
with for the Iden,fy Role Model ac,vity? 2. Do you currently have any of these characteris,cs ? If not, how would you
obtain these posi,ve characteris,cs so that you can become a posi,ve role model?
3. Who is one of your role models and why?
Ending Ritual
Close the session with the ending ritual.
Unit 4: Dealing with Pressure
Ice Breaker
Truth or Dare Objec5ve:
Encourage girls to speak up with confidence and build trust. Prepara5on:
1. Before your group meets, write out a selec,on of ‘truths’ and ‘dares’ on slips of paper and put them in separate labeled containers.
How to Play:
Get the group in a circle. Have each girl choose one piece of paper and does what it says! Here are some sugges,ons:
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Ac,vity
Dealing with Pressure Objec5ve:
To understand what types of stress and pressure there are in a teen girl’s life, and ways they can help deal with that pressure. Prepara5on: 1. Prepare video: Teen Stress/Pressure Documentary heps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPE5ObuxYSE Instruc5ons:
Before playing the video, discuss the following ques,ons as a group: 1. What pressures are you under? 2. Is all pressure bad, or can some pressures be good? Name some good pressures. Why are those good? Name some bad pressures. Why are those bad ?How do you tell the difference between good and bad pressures? 3. In what ways are the pressures on you changing as you get older? 4. What are the most serious pressures you are feeling? 5. Are most of the pressures you feel internal pressures or external pressures? What's the difference? 6. Can you think of a ,me when you felt like you were gekng a lot of pressure from others, but it turned out that you were actually pukng that pressure on yourself? 7. Do you ever put so much pressure on yourself that it makes it hard to enjoy what you're doing? 8. Do you ever put unfair pressure on yourself because you can't say "no" to people? Is that good? How could you change that? 9. Do your parents compare you with other kids? How does that make you feel? What are some ways you can deal with it? 10. Do you ever put pressure on yourself by comparing yourself with others? Is that good? 11. What's the worst way you've ever dealt with a pressure? How could you have handled it beeer? 12. What's the best way you've ever dealt with a pressure? What did you learn from that? 13. Do you think pressure some,mes affects the way you make choices? In what way? 14. How do you know when pressure is gekng to be too much? 15. When you're having a big problem do you always try to work it out on your own or do you ever reach out for help? Why? When might it be best to reach out for help? 16. Does pressure some,mes make you lose perspec,ve? (It may help to have a discussion here about perspec,ve) How does losing perspec,ve affect the choices you make? Watch the 3 minute video then answer the following ques,ons: 17. Did anybody in this video say anything you disagree with? How would you answer that person? 18. What was most meaningful to you in this video?
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Discussion
How to deal with pressure
Pressures are a normal part of life. And entering middle school and becoming a teenager brings a whole batch of new pressures. What really maeers, though, is not how much pressure you have, but how well you keep it all in perspec,ve and deal with it. Here are some posi,ve, healthful ways of dealing with pressures.
• Take ,me out. • Do something else for a while -‐ exercise, read, see a movie, listen to music. • Talk to someone -‐ friends, parents, a teacher or counselor. • Ask for help. • Take a fresh look; brainstorm new solu,ons. • Don't be overly cri,cal of yourself; give yourself a break. • Think of your past accomplishments. • Think about your good quali,es. • Learn your limits; don't take on more than you can handle. • Put things in perspec,ve; pressures usually pass. • Write in a journal. Pressure Journal Have each girl write in a piece of paper at least three pressures in their lives.
Then as a group each girl will read aloud her pressures and together you will find solu,ons on how to cope with the pressures. This will allow to build a more comfortable support system within the Girl Power group.
Ending Ritual
Close the session with the ending ritual.
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Unit 5: Health and Fitness
Ice Breaker
Simon Says Objec5ve:
To get the body and mind moving and to understand it is alright to make mistakes. Prepara5on: Move the desk to the back of the classroom to clear a space for moving How to play:
Choose who will lead this exercise, e.g. by spinning a boele. The leader carries out an ac,on and instructs the rest to copy. However they only copy her if she says “Simon says” before her instruc,on. A[er the game ask the girls:
1. How did it feel to make a mistake? Is it okay to make mistakes? Feel the Pulse Objec5ve: To have to group feel as one person, one spirit, united as a group! Prepara5on: Stand in a circle and hold each other’s hands. How to play: Everyone stands in a circle holding hands. One person starts the pulse by squeezing the hand of one of their neighbors. This gets passed on around the circle. Then the direc,on can be changed with a fast double squeeze.
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and
Fitn
ess
Ac,vity
Good Health Factors
Objec5ve: To understand how important maintaining a healthy lifestyle is to live a quality life. Prepara5on:
1. Print out Good Health Factor worksheet for every girl. 2. Pass out a pen/pencil to everyone
Instruc5ons: Discuss with the girls the importance of living a healthy, balanced life.
Some,mes school and other obliga,ons get in our way of our healthiness and ul,mately our happiness. Ask the girls if they feel they cover all the categories below every week. Start by doing the worksheet together as a class filling what they find is op,mal healthy lifestyle. Individually have the girls take 10-‐15 minutes filling out their worksheet. Come together and share as a class how each person can improve on their health. Break down the six categories and discuss each one in depth.
1. Exercise Ø What type of exercise are there and what is each one good
for? • Cardio, Strength training, Aerobic, etc.
2. Fresh Air Ø Pollu,on and the air vs. China and America Ø Outdoor ac,vi,es-‐ Camping, games, importance of outdoor
to American culture Ø Lifestyle in a city in China Vs. living in a rural village
3. Sleep Ø Benefits of Sleep Ø Nega,ve effects of not gekng enough sleep (Not focused,
may not do well on a test, etc.) 4. Balanced Meals
Ø Difference between western and Chinese diets Ø Size Por,ons, Dairy Vs. Not Dairy Ø What snacks and food do they like to eat? Ø Importance of fruit and vegetables
5. Recrea5on Ø Solitary Vs. Group Play Ø Different hobbies, sports, culture, entertainment, etc.
6. Quiet Time Ø How do you like to spend your alone ,me? Ø Reading, wri,ng, computer games, etc. Ø Is quiet ,me important to you?
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Unit 4
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Good Health Factors Worksheet
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Unit 4
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Health Factors
Exercise: Amount of ,me spent exercising
Fresh Air: Amount of ,me spent outside
Sleep: Hours of sleep a night
Balanced Meals:
Did you eat more fresh foods or junk food today?
Recrea5on: Amount of
,me spending on
doing something you enjoy
Quiet Time:
Amount of ,me spent alone to
reflect and relax.
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Discussion
Why is being healthy important?
Your teenage years come with a lot of pressures, including the pressures to fit in and do well in school. With school, sports, and ac,vi,es, finding the ,me to lead a healthy lifestyle can be difficult. As a teen, it is important to remember that the healthy habits you adopt now will carry with you throughout the rest of your life. Taking care of your body and mind is important in maintaining good health long-‐term.
What are some things you can improve on in your health? Brainstorm as a class of how you can help support each other in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Some Examples:
• Drink more water • Have a regular sleep paeern • Eat breakfast everyday • Avoid junk food • Snack • Exercise • Keep good posture • Maintain a hygiene regimen • Believe in yourself • Build a more comfortable support system within the Girl Power group.
Ending Ritual
Close the session with the ending ritual.
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Unit 6: Planning for the Future
Ice Breaker
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Unit 6
: Future
Magic Word Objec5ve:
The girls will learn to focus and listen carefully. It will provide a space for the girls to step up in front of the group and build confidence in speaking. Prepara5on:
1. Clear the chairs to have enough space to form a large circle How to Play:
The group stands in a circle with one person in the center. Each person around the circle hold their right hand out open toward the person on their right. With their le[ hand they point their pointer finger down toward the open palm of the person on their le[.
The group gives the person in the center a magic word. It can be anything: “ice cream”; “mood walk”, “bubble gum”, “happy.” The person in the center then begins telling a story. When he/she says the magic word, the people around the circle have to simultaneously try to grab the person on their right’s finger while pulling their le[ finger away from the person on their le[.
The person in the center gets to con,nue their story un,l they’ve said the magic word three or four ,mes. They then pick a new person for the center. The new person gets a new magic word.
Ac,vity
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Unit 6
: Future
Crystal Ball Objec5ve:
To introduce the importance of planning a future while teaching the skills of strategic ac,on planning.
Prepara5on:
1. Crystal Ball Worksheets 2. Pens/Pencils
Instruc5ons: Give each girl a Crystal Ball Worksheet and a pen/pencil. Ask each girl to
think about themselves as it is today and how they want the themselves to be in the future. Have them write four things on their crystal ball they would like to accomplish (Grades, School, Job, Travel, etc.)
A[er each person has wrieen four notes, gather the group and say, “ As you look in the crystal ball, what would you like to see? Have each person share their four things. Each youth will narrow down to one dream for the next ac,vity. Dream Action Plan Objec5ve:
To have the girls create an dream ac,on plan on how they will achieve one of their dreams that they can follow to reach that dream.
Prepara5on:
1. Dream Ac,on Plan 2. Pens/Pencils
Instruc5ons: Give each girl a Dream Ac,on Plan. Have them fill out the Dream Ac,on Plan
with the main dream they chose during the Crystal Ball ac,vity.
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Crystal Ball Worksheet
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Dream Ac5on Plan
What is my dream? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Why is this my dream? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ When do I want to accomplish this dream? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What steps do I need to take to accomplish this dream? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Are there any resources I can use along the way? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What are obstacles I will face? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Are there any people/collaborators who can help me reach this dream? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Discussion
Ending Ritual
Close the session with the ending ritual.
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Unit 6
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The Future
Between school, sports and friends, you have a lot going on in your life. It’s exci,ng and new and most of all, fun! And probably the last thing you want to do is sit down and make a plan. But here’s the deal: You need some idea of how you want your life to unfold. For instance, do you want to go to college? What kind of career do you want?
It takes a lot of work to have a fulfilled future, which is why it is important to have a life plan. A life plan can keep you on track to stay healthy so that you can reach your goals. Ask the group:
² Where do you see yourself in two year? ² Where do you see yourself in the next five years? ² Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years? Married? Single? In
school? Working? How much educa,on do you want? Where? When? Do you plan on having a career? Where do you want to work?
There is a world of possibili,es out there for you, that you can make it to
college and have a fulfilling career. You need encouragement and support, so it's important for your parents and friends to discuss your college, career, and life goals early and o[en. Don't wait un,l your senior year to begin thinking about your future plans. Ins,ll a vision of going to college and becoming successful can start at any age and concrete planning can begin as early as middle school.
Remember to set goals that are challenging, yet achievable. I also want to encourage you to enjoy life by exploring hobbies and leisure ac,vi,es, even if it does not overlap with your future. It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that maeers, in the end. Enjoy your life! You only have one!
Unit 7: Closing Session
Ice Breaker
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Unit 6
: Future
Person Bingo Objec5ve:
Allow the girls to learn similari,es and differences about each other.
Prepara5on: 1. Print out Bingo Cards
How to Play: Give each girl a bingo card and a pen. Ask each person to aeempt to find
someone to sign each box on their card. They must approach other people and see if they can find any statements that apply to that person. If they find one, the other person signs their name in that box. When a youth has a full card, they can shout bingo.
A[er the game gather the group in a circle and ask the following ques,ons: 1. Did you find this game difficult? Was it hard asking people personal
ques,ons? 2. Were you surprised at someone’s answer? Do you now see a person(s)
differently? 3. Was there anyone who you thought was different but you realized had
some similari,es to you? Did you find differences as well?
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Person Bingo
Speaks a second language
Likes spicy food
Favorite color is blue
Does not have a cell phone
Owns a dog Plays on a sports team
Has traveled outside of America
Likes to clean Is leb handed
Is a morning person
Doesn’t like ice cream
Has read all the Harry PoMer
Books
Ac,vity
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Unit 6
: Future
Dream Catcher Objec5ve:
To obtain instant feedback on what the girls learned from the workshop, and what they intend to do differently as a result. As well as deepen the sense of connec,on and community and provide a strong sense of closure Girl Power Workshop Series Prepara5on:
1. Ball of string 2. Everyone stand in a closer circle, shoulder to shoulder
How to Play:
When a person has the ball of string they need to share with the group. “One thing I have learned is… And therefore I will…” You will hold onto an end of the string and then throw the ball across the circle
to a another person. This person shares something they have learned and what they intend to do differently as a result. Once they have finished speaking, they hold onto the string and throw the ball across the circle to another person. This con,nues on, un,l everyone goes, at which point it comes back to you (the teacher) who likewise shares what they have learned and therefore what they will do.
Then you should restate some of the key learning's and planned ac,ons from the group, and ask what the shape of the string suggests. Youth will o[en say something like “a spider’s web” and you can make reference to the strength of a web coming from its structure and its interconnectedness. An explicit link should be made to the connec,on that has formed in the group over the course of this Workshop Series and the need for the support and strength that the group has generated to con,nue. You can also share that this shape references how people have shared some of their inner selves with the group and how they have shared some personal dreams and ideas with it – and how powerful this can be if the individuals of the group con,nue to support each other’s dreams in the future.
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Thought Capsule Objec5ve:
To reflect on the past five sessions and see how each girl has grown through the Girl Power process
Prepara5on:
1. Gather up the four Thought Capsule (Feelings, Image, Shell, Hope and Fears) that you did in Session 1: Self-‐Esteem 2. Gather the group in a circle
Instruc5ons: In a circle pass around each Thought Capsule and discuss the outside of each
one. Ask the group: ² Why did you choose to put these photo or draw this picture on capsule? ² What does it represent? Do you feel this is a correct representa,on of
how you feel now? ² How have your thought changed, how have they stayed the same? Together look at the messages inside the ‘Hopes and Fears’ capsule. Read
out the comments and chat about how the hope or fear has been addressed throughout the Girl Power Workshop Series.
Discussion
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Unit 6
: Future
Emeralds and Slugs Objec5ve:
The girls can provide feedback about the workshop in a fun and engaging way. Prepara5on:
1. Gather in a circle How to Play:
Popcorn style (people can start to speak whenever they feel comfortable), youth are invited to say emeralds for things they liked about the workshop and slugs for things that were challenges. For example “emeralds for the fun ac,vi,es,” “slugs for the ,mes I had to speak up and voice my opinion when I was not comfortable .”
Allow the conversa,on to flow without interrup,on and if people offer things that have really bothered them about the workshop, follow up with a group discussion on how these issues can be improved. Individual Statues Objec5ve:
Girls can process their thoughts and feelings about the workshop using physical movement. Prepara5on:
1. Clear the desk to the side of the classroom. How to Play:
Ask the girls to walk around the room slowly. Ask them to stop and take a pose to represent something:
u Your best moment of the workshop u Your most challenging moment u Something you learned A[er each pose ask them to walk around the room slowly again and then ask
for a different post Tip: You can vary this by asking half of the group to walk around and have a look at the ‘statues’.
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Ending Ritual
That’s so True Objec5ve:
To prac,ce accep,ng compliments, whether we believe them or not. Our own limi,ng beliefs can get in the way of an apprecia,on or other posi,ve offering. Prepara5on:
1. Gather group in a circle
How to Play: The first person says their name, something they appreciate about
themselves, and then something they appreciate about the person beside them. That person says, “thank you. That’s so true.” Then they say their own name, something they appreciate about themselves, and then something they appreciate about the person beside them un,l you complete the circle. **It’s very important that the compliments be sincere, so don’t use this ac,vity in a highly charged moment of your group’s development, where there is a possibility of put-‐downs or sarcasm.** Ending Ritual Close the session with the ending ritual.