Scenario (paste your chosen scenario here)

Jill has been working in an early childhood centre for a decade. She takes a keen interest in
how children learn and display gender norms in her class. She recently reorganised her
learning environment in response to the problem of boys taking over the computers,
which pushed the girls to the bookshelf. She thought that maybe some of the issue
stems from the other staff in the centre who tend to treat the boys and girls differently,
or seem to expect different things of them because of their sex. The girls would be
encouraged to read certain books and play with certain toys. She often hears he co-workers
make the comment that, Oh, theyre just boys being boys. She also noticed that when
displaying the childrens work, the co-workers would use pink decorations for girls, and
blue for boys. Jill thinks the staff is unaware of their behaviour. Jills concern escalates
with her recent observation: one morning Richard, a four year old in Jills centre, observes
John, another four year old, being dropped off at school by his two mothers, Patricia and
Cassandra. At one point in the day, Richard and three of his friends confront John and his
friends. He points at John and says, Yuk, you have two mothers. Thats weird. John
looks upset by Richards comments. His friends grab both his hands and they run away. Jill,
who has been observing at a distance, thinks that maybe the children do not understand
the changing nature of families, communities and gender norms, or the importance of
celebrating difference and diversity.

Learning experience/curriculum plan template (Early Childhood)

LEARNING INTENTIONS

EARLY YEARS LEARNING FRAMEWORK

What are the learning intentions of the

Principles: Which principles are or will be

learning experience?

evident in your learning experience/s?

The intentions of the learning experience is

to raise awareness of gender stereotypes

Ongoing learning and reflection

Partnerships
Respect for diversity

and how they can make a person feel. The

learning experience will progress through
three stages, boys stereotypes, girls
stereotypes and same-sex parents.
Discussing in details gender and what
influences the way individuals feel about their
gender. The questions being asked are
designed to make children re-think their own
gender stereotypes as well as gain an
understanding of same sex marriages.
Noting on paper their original understandings
and their new knowledge.
RESOURCES

Practice: Which elements of practice are or

Create a short list of resources you or your

will be evident in the experience?

students will use.

Dogs dont do ballet- Anna Kemp
Super Daisy Kes Gray
This is my family; a first look into same sex

Intentional teaching
Valuing the social and cultural context
of children and their families

families Pat Thomas

2 coloured markers and 3 pieces of poster
paper
ASSESSMENT

Learning Outcomes: Which learning

How will you evaluate the students learning?

outcomes are relevant to your learning

experience?

The students learning will be visible on the

Being - Childhood is a time to be, to seek and

posters looking at what they know and what

make meaning of the world

they have learnt throughout the activity. This

Children have a strong sense of identity when they

could be extended into a KWL chart

monitoring what children Know, Want to

develop knowledgeable and confident selfidentities. This is evident when they feel recognised
and respected for who they are. We promote this

know and have Learnt

learning when we demonstrate deep understanding

of each child, their family and community contexts
in planning for children's learning.

Learning experience
Describe the learning experience/s or activity either in paragraph form, or step by step.
- Transition children to the mat for a group time
- Discuss with the children characteristics What words do you think about when you
-

think of boys? and What words do you think about when you think of girls?
Note down the answers on paper then display them where the children can see them.
Children will say things such as (Boys- strong, sporty and likes blue) (Girls- loves

pink, dancing and playing with dolls)

Begin reading story one. Dogs dont do ballet (Anna Kemp) afterwards follow with the
story Super Daisy (Kes Gray)
After reading both texts discuss and make notes on the same papers
Was Daisy strong? Yes.
Was Daisy sporty? Yes.
Did Daisy like to run and jump and fly, like batman or Spiderman? Yes.
Was Daisy a boy? No.
Was Daisy a girl? Yes.
Looking at the boys poster I can see strong, sporty and likes running, but Daisy is a
girl. Should we also add strong, sporty and likes running to the girls poster? Add the

new words to the girls poster in a new colour.

Did Biff like dancing? Yes
Did Biff like singing? Yes
Did Biff like all colours? Yes
Was Biff a girl? No.
Biff liked different things from other dogs, would we still be Biffs friend? Yes.
So people are allowed to like different things and we will still be there friend? Yes.
Add dancing, singing and likes all colours to the boys poster in another colour.
Discuss with the children comparing the posters how the boys poster and the girls
poster are similar in what they like, emphasising how boys and girls can like all things
and do all things.

Before reading the next story take the last piece of paper and write on it things we think of
when we think of our parents?
-

Encourage the children to say characteristics of their parents eg (loving, caring,

helpful, bath us rather than focusing on the gender of their parents

Place the poster where it can be seen then read the third story This is my family, a

first look into same sex families- Pat Thomas.

The story talks about a variety of families including same sex families, adoptive

families and inter racial families.

After the story look at the poster with the children asking questioning the words

Eg) did all the parents love their children? Yes

Did all the parents feed and bath their children? Yes
Did all the parents give them cuddles and kisses? Yes
-

Then go on to discuss the differences So even though some children had two mums
and dads they still loved them and cared for them the same as your mummy and
daddy? Yes