Robin Nelson

Professor Kellie Bliss

HDev 0025

7 December 2014

Can We Do It?

For my anti-bias activity I choose something that I felt could be relatively easy. The materials are simple and easy to acquire and I felt that the concept is very important. I choose the “What’s on the Inside” activity that can be found in our Roots and Wings textbook on page 236.  I felt that cans could be found in each of the children’s own homes and therefore create a connection between the activity and the home life and the process of opening the can with a can opener would be a great chance to teach independent living skills.

The materials include “a variety of ready-to-eat canned food with the labels removed”.

 These cans would need to be collected by the teacher so that students don’t memorize what cans were brought from home. They would be set out on the table, and with the labels off, they would all look relatively similar. I would then invite the children to try and guess what each container contains simply from looking at it or if they will like it. After the discussion, the children will open the cans and be invited to try what is inside.

After the students finished eating the canned foods, I would ask the children “How are cans and people alike?” “Can you get to know a person by how they look on the outside?” Eventually the class would come to the conclusion with the aid of the teacher that “Some people think they can tell if the will like someone, or not, based on how they look. That’s not fair. We can’t judge people by looking at them. We have to get to know them. What’s on the inside is what counts.” And if needed be, the discussion could be extended and the teacher could ask the children for examples of how people judges others based on looks and for questions that they could ask someone in order to get to know them better” (York 236).

Books that could be read alongside this activity include but are not limited to “Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon” and “Chicken Big”. These children’s books talk about the importance of not judging others by their looks and getting to know who they are on the inside. “Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon” by Patty Lovell and illustrated by David Catrow is about a very small girl who is no bigger than her dog. As she begins a new school, she shows everyone that there is more to her than her size.

“Chicken Big” is by Keith Graves follows the story of a very large chicken born alongside normal-sized animals, who are trying to guess what he is. Chicken Big saves the farm multiple times and his friends realize his bravery and selflessness are what make him a wonderful chicken.

These children books will work great alongside the Can Activity because the children’s books express the importance of not judging others by their looks. The teacher could ask the children, “How did Big Chicken feel being judged by his looks?” “What could Molly’s classmates have asked her to get to know who she is on the inside?” These books would create a wonderful companion to the activity I have chosen.

I feel that children will really get a kick out of opening cans themselves and enjoying food that they have attained on their own. In order to extend the activity, there are many things that can be done with the leftover cans. The class could make wind chimes that could be hung in the classroom, the cans could be reused to make telephone lines, or even used to walk on.The can phone would be a fun way for children to initiate asking each other questions that were brought up during the activity.

    

This activity is age appropriate because it follows common early education themes like “Friends, Feelings, Senses, Food” and fair and unfair that are important for children between the ages 5 and 6 (York 180, 18). Children at this age have developed their language skills and are able to communicate their feelings.

This activity teaches children a few of the themes on the ‘Anti-bias Activity Goal’ handout including: to “Recognize, appreciate, and respect the uniqueness, beauty, value and contribution of each child”, to “Promote respect towards others”, and to “Increase children's ability to interact, talk and play with people who are different from them”. This activity most definitely could be incorporated in a multicultural education because it teaches “respect for all people” and that “all people deserve respect” (York 140). These are important concepts for young children to learn and this activity is an appropriate means to reach anti-bias goals.
  

As soon as I read about this can activity in the Roots and Wings textbook, I knew that immediately that I wanted to do it for my blog. I love the idea of using easily obtainable and ordinary objects to teach new concepts. The cans will be stripped of their labels and the children will learn through discussion and hands on experience that you cannot judge others by appearance and that you need to know who they are on the inside. I found two children’s books, “Chicken Big” and “Molly Lou Melon, Stand Tall” as companion books for this activity because the promote the same idea about not judging by appearances. This activity has many anti-bias and multicultural themes including: to “Recognize, appreciate, and respect the uniqueness, beauty, value and contribution of each child”, to “Promote respect towards others”, to “Increase children's ability to interact, talk and play with people who are different from them”, and teaches “respect for all people” and that “all people deserve respect”.

Works Cited

"Best Books for Teaching Not Judging Others by Appearance." Books Kids Love. The Best Children's Books Organization, n.d. Web.

York, Stacey. Roots & Wings: Affirming Culture in Early Childhood Programs. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf, 1991. Print.

Not So Free Birds

Children’s Movie Analysis:

               Free Birds (2013)

                              Starring- Woody Harrelson, Owen Wilson, Amy Poehler

                              Plot Synopsis- Two turkeys, Reggie and Jake, must band together to travel back in time to prevent the tradition of turkeys being served on Thanksgiving.

                              Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxslnpqFwOs

Analysis:

               Free Birds is meant to be a lighthearted animated Thanksgiving movie with a naïve obstacle to overcome. At the very beginning of the film, it states “The following film is a work of fiction. It is loosely based on historical events and is in no way meant to be historically accurate. Except for the talking turkeys. They are real.” I thought this was a funny way to open the film, considering there is probably some well-meaning, but uneducated teacher that would play this film as part of their Thanksgiving activities. Reggie is a skinny, clever young turkey that has been pardoned by the president and Jake is a large, alpha turkey with no brains, but a strong drive to complete his mission. They travel back to Plymouth County in 1621, 3 days prior to Thanksgiving. The turkeys that they encounter in this period of time are dressed like stereotypical Indians. They have additional feathers on their head, shell necklaces, and red and blue war paint.

These turkeys are all similar to each other with very little facial characteristics setting them apart. This is a slight version of Tokenism. Tokenism is defined as “A minimal attempt to diversify that is manipulative and degrading and includes little diversity” (Roots and Wings 265 ). There were also examples of sizeism and ageism stereotypes. The big turkeys were stronger and rule over the small turkeys were cowardly and weak. The only elderly turkey that was seen during the film was the High Elder turkey. This character was blind, walked with a cane, and was very forgetful.

Stacey York states that the wise old chief is a common stereotype for Native Americans (Roots and Wings 155). You can see this stereotype in the character Chief Broadbeak. He is holds sway over the turkey masses and is self-sacrificing. What really struck me was when he said “We do not fight, we defend”. I feel as though there is a stereotype that Native Americans are submissive when it comes to fighting and this movie gave that stereotype form.  When the turkeys finally decide to fight back against the pilgrims, they use primitive, sharpened sticks as their weapons.

In the end, the audience is finally introduced to the human versions of the Native Americans for the last 5 minutes of the film wearing the inappropriate clothing for the Wampanoag tribe.

     

They join together with the pilgrims and the turkeys to enjoy pizza that are “a sign from the grandfathers”.

Controversy and Conclusion:

               This film has received very low rating from Rotten Tomatoes (18%) and the International Movie Database (5.9 out of 10). Ultimately, this movie’s attempt at creating a feel-good thanksgiving movie has fallen short of the true story. This movie gives a horribly inaccurate image of the English colonies and the life of the Native Americans. Children will walk away from this film feeling positively about the first Thanksgiving feast, when in fact the story is quite different. I would not recommend this movie at all for an education setting. I would not be upset about the false storyline, if it were not based loosely on real events. This movie’s ageism, sizeism, and blatant stereotypes make this an inappropriate movie for young children. 

An Anti-Bias World needs Anti-Bias Children

Children’s Book Analysis of-

“The Black Snowman”

               Written by: Phil Mendez

               Illustrations by: Carole Byard

               Year of Publication: 1989

               Description: Jacob Miller is a young, intercity kid who hates the fact that he is poor and black because “Everything black is bad” (Mendez 10). His views change when he and his brother accidently awaken a snowman made from black snow with the magic from a traditional African kente. As Jacob and his brother interact with the magical snowman, Jacob learns about his cultural heritage, hope, and history.

Analysis:

“The Black Snowman” is an appropriate book for children between the ages of six and eight. This book offers an inside look into the rise from disdain for the protagonist’s own race to pride and acceptance. This book would be a great addition to any school bookshelf.

               Both Mendez and Byard are members of the race depicted in the children’s book “The Black Snowman”. Their collaboration has created a wonderful coming of age story. Phil Mendez has “sold over a million copies and won numerous honors, including the coveted Martin Luther King ‘Living the Dream’ award” (Tehani). This prestigious award is “awarded to a person or persons whose work for equality and diversity makes our community a better place and celebrates the vision of Martin Luther King, Jr.” (Living the Dream Award). Carole Byard is an award-winning artist who “is committed to the interpretation of history—both African and American” (Otfinski). Both Phil Mendez and Carole Byard are experienced and gifted individuals who are qualified to tell an un-biased story.

               The illustrations in “The Black Snowman” are beautifully done. The use of various colors for the skin tones of Jacob and his family and the African ancestors can be used to initiate a thoughtful discussion. If you look closely at the artwork, Byard uses shades of purple, red, orange, and blue along with various types of brown. Jacob, his family, and the African ancestors that the Snowman conjures all have unique physical features that distinguish themselves from damaging stereotypes and are realistic.

               The storyline in children’s books are very important and leave the most lasting impression. The heroes and their lifestyle and the conflict and resolution are culturally accurate. In “The Black Snowman”, Jacob is the protagonist and overcomes his own hopelessness by embracing his heritage and his situation to save his brother. At the very beginning of the children’s book, Jacob expresses rage for his race by exclaiming that he hates being black and blames the color of skin as the reason for his family’s financial situation (Mendez 8-10). When him and his brother create a snowman made from blackened snow, they dress it with a magical kente cloth that awakens the snowman. The snowman, who holds the most wisdom in the story, teaches Jacob of his ancestors and heritage. Jacob uses his newfound pride to help him save his brother from a burning building. “The Black Snowman” teaches young readers that we should take pride in our heritage and that the pride that comes from respecting your lineage can inspire acts of courage.

               I would definitely recommend this book to teachers who are planning on teaching children about their ancestry. To be able to have good self-esteem, you need to be fully happy with every aspect of yourself and race and ancestry are important portions of our identity. In “The Black Snowman” we see a young peer grow from resentment to feeling “glad to be alive” and “good about himself” (43). These positive thoughts are what we want to instill in children, because it will help them to become better members of society and be able to pass on those ideals to the next generation.

              

              

              

              

Works Cited

Living the Dream Award. (2008, March 24). Retrieved October 11, 2014.

Mendez, P., & Byard, C. (1989). The black snowman. Broadway, NY: Scholastic Inc. Retrieved October 11, 2014

Otfinoski, S. (2011). Byrad, Carole. Retrieved October 11, 2014.

Tehrani, S. (2011, June 12). Cinema Without Borders honored the legendary artist, Phil Mendez. Retrieved October 11, 2014.

    > The Cover of “The Black Snowman”

> Ashanti Girls in Tradition Kente Clothing

 >Phil Mendez, Author

 > Carole Byard, Illustrator