Project: Expanding the use of the ‘Gender Equality Charter With the support of the

Mark for Schools’ across Europe. Erasmus+ programme of the

Agreement No: 2018-1-UK01-KA201-048271 European Union

Lesson Plan
Title: Gender stereotypes and prejudices

Authors: Forum for Freedom in Education 

Adaptation of materials created by Ornela Malogorski (Commercial and trade school
Bjelovar) and CESI experts

Curriculum links: Social studies, Tutor time, Citizenship, Ethics

Gender Equality Charter Mark category/subcategories: Attitudes & relationships:
Language & communication
Learning outcomes:

 To understand the difference between gender and sex

 To consider how gender stereotypes and prejudices are generated

 To become aware of their own prejudices and stereotypes

Gender equality (and/or other) concepts: Gender stereotypes and prejudices
Key vocabulary: Gender, sex, gender stereotypes, prejudice, equality
Age group: 11-18
Introduction to activity: This Lesson Plan looks at the differences between gender
and sex and then examines how gender stereotypes and prejudices are generated
and can be challenged.
Lesson Plan Development:

Starter Activity Time Resources needed

Step 1: Introductory questions: 5 mins
How prevalent is inequality in society?
Where do you notice it? Are women and
men equal? What affects it?

Main activities
Activity 1: Gender Stereotypes and Time Resources needed
Prejudices
Step 1: What is gender and what is sex? 10 mins Large sheet of paper,
Draw two columns on the large sheet of sticky notes, felt tip pens
paper. On the left, write "man" and on the
right "woman" (write it on post it notes, so
that the inscriptions can peel off).
Together with the students, we write out
all the sociological and biological

Project Partners:

Austria Croatia Finland Greece Hungary Italy Poland Slovakia UK

 Project: Expanding the use of the ‘Gender Equality Charter With the support of the
Mark for Schools’ across Europe. Erasmus+ programme of the
Agreement No: 2018-1-UK01-KA201-048271 European Union

characteristics, first for the "man" and

then for the "woman". Then replace the
column headings with "woman" instead of
"man" and vice versa. Ask the question: Do
the following characteristics now match
the title of the column?
Discussion questions can be used to begin
a discussion of what characteristics
students feel cannot be attributed to men
and women, and why. Explain that those
characteristics that are biological and that
cannot be attributed to both men and
women are considered to be sex
characteristics, and those characteristics
that are sociological in nature that are
attributable to both men and women are
gender characteristics.

Step 2: Gender stereotypes 25 mins Papers with percentage

At one end of the room, write "100%" and inscription, tape or other
at the other end "0%". materials to mark lines,
Use a tape or other materials to mark lines List of discussion
to indicate other percentages such as questions,
"20%, 40%, 60% and 80%" between. Resource table - Gender
Using the Resource Table, read the gender stereotypes
stereotypes on which students position
themselves according to the percentage of
agreement with the statement made,
indicating "100%" - completely agree, 0% -
completely disagree
Then comment on the students' claims.

Reflection / Evaluation

Students write down on a piece of paper (Post it) the key thoughts or concepts they
have memorised today and paste them on a whiteboard.

Discussion questions
1. What does it mean to be a man?
2. What does it mean to be a woman?
3. What are the gender characteristics of a man, and what are those of a woman?
4. Are gender characteristics the same?
5. Do you think men and women are raised the same way? What's the difference, if
any?

Project Partners:

Austria Croatia Finland Greece Hungary Italy Poland Slovakia UK

 Project: Expanding the use of the ‘Gender Equality Charter With the support of the
Mark for Schools’ across Europe. Erasmus+ programme of the
Agreement No: 2018-1-UK01-KA201-048271 European Union

6. Are there any differences in education between our area and other countries in the
world? Do you know some and what are they?
7. What is the role of a man in an intimate relationship?
8. What is the role of a woman?
9. How does a man express his emotions?
10. Are women and men different in the way they express / display their emotions?
11. What is the role of the male in reproduction? Is it different from the role of a
woman? In what way(s)?
 12. Do our opinions about the roles of men and women affect the opinions of our
family members and those of our friends? In what way?
13. What are stereotypes and what are prejudices? How do they come about?
14. What are the most common stereotypes in our society for a woman? And what
about a man?

Resource table
Examples of gender stereotypes:
• Pink is a feminine colour and blue is a masculine colour
• Men make all important decisions in the house
• Women should be nurses and men should be doctors
• Women are not as strong as men
• It is normal for women to make less money than men
• All men love repairing cars
• Women are not successful in sports
• Men are lazy and clumsy with housework
• When they are children, girls play with dolls and boys play with cars
 • It is not important for women to study
• Men are great at maths as opposed to women
• Women should not be involved in politics
• Men cannot go on maternity leave
• Women are most responsible for raising children
• Scientific jobs are for men
• Women should cook and do housework, not men
• Men do not wear skirts
• Women should do what they are told (commanded)
• Only men like to play video games
• Only women love to dance
• Women do not understand how to repair things
• All men are great masters
• Only men are violent

Source: Made by Ornela Malogorski, pedagogue in Commercial and trade school

Bjelovar (Croatia), according to the materials from CESI (http://www.cesi.hr/en/cesi-
team/)

Project Partners:

Austria Croatia Finland Greece Hungary Italy Poland Slovakia UK