Twilight : The Loss of the Independent Woman

1. Twilight: The Loss of the Independent Woman By Brooks, Leopold, McPherson and Zenovic

2. Ask the Audience • Who here is a fan of Twilight? • Why? • Have you ever heard of anyone using Twilight in school? • Would you think this could be a relevant topic for curriculum?

3. Background of The Twilight Series • Twilight is a story about a girl named Bella Swan who falls in love with a vampire named Edward Cullen who is inhumanly powerful in physical strength and speed. • In many instances Bella is in trouble and depends on Edward to save her. • The series has sold over 100 million copies worldwide and has been compared to Harry Potter.

4. Rationale • The focus of this curriculum is a series that is very popular among youth and student engagement will be easily obtained. • Student buy-in is achieved through relevant content and choice in what direction the students go in further exploring the content. • Dewey claimed that "Passivity was the opposite of thought" and this curriculum teaches students to critically analyze the texts and social norms that they normally passively consume for entertainment.

5. Rationale • The topic of gender roles is a relevant social issue that can be examined cross-culturally and throughout history. • Skills and knowledge needed by every citizen in a democratic society will be taught such as socialization and collaboration with peers, debate, challenging the status quo or social norms, and exercising tolerance. • Most importantly, students will think relfectively and evaluate how they critically examine any texts that they read.

6. Description of Curriculum Slides • Challenge students to question the social norms put in place for them • Use Social Studies classes to look at how society, and the role each gender has played within them has changed • Use English classes to look at how authors instill different values and traits to its audience members perceived as being the best/correct role for that gender

8. Activities for the Curriculum • Employment of Innovative Technology • Video Satire to Expose the Issues in Gender Roles • Employment of Multicultural Education • Research Project on Gender Roles Through the World

9. Assessment • Hands-on assessment, opposed to formal test • Cooperative learning occurs, as students are asked to work in groups • Goal of assessment: Learn that the gender roles depicted in Twilight are outdated and detrimental to students' concept of gender roles

10. Assessment of Video Satire • Video satire will be completed in English class and worth 15% of the students' grade • Video includes a negative gender role and creatively analyzing the scene by adding elements of satire • Paper expectation of 2-3 pages describing the scene • A rubric will assess the video and the paper.

11. Assessment of Multicultural Project • Assigned in students' social studies class • Students will be evaluated by their performance during their 8-10 minute presentation • Students will be assessed on how they discovered how gender roles are depicted in other countries • A rubric will be created to assess the overall presentation

12. Conclusion Our long-term goal in this curriculum project is to show the detrimental gender roles featured in Twilight and through these projects we believe students accomplish this goal. Other goals include having students being able to critically examine literature and utilizing technology through cooperative learning.

13. Questions?