Counter-Narratives :
Counter-Narratives from Childhood: Super Heroes
Lesson Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Explain why counter-narratives are important for all of our growth and development
- Identify specific counter-narratives from childhood that have influenced their—and/or other young people’s— growth and aspirations
Learning Standards
- LfJ 5. Students will recognize traits of the dominant culture, their home culture and other cultures and understand how they negotiate their own identity in multiple spaces.
- LfJ 13. Students will analyze the harmful impact of bias and injustice on the world, historically and today.
- LfJ 14. Students will recognize that power and privilege influence relationships on interpersonal, intergroup and institutional levels and consider how they have been affected by those dynamics.
Learning Activities: If you have 15 minutes
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Greeting:
What is the best gift you have ever received?
Reading:
“You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.” --Angela Davis
Ask Students:
- What does this quotation get you thinking about?
Initiative:
Walk students through definitions of dominant narratives and counter narratives.
Ask Students:
- What do you remember about Superman?
- What does Superman stand for?
Initiative:
Explain that for much of the 20th century, Superman’s motto and catchphrase was: "Truth, Justice, the American Way."
Ask Students (Slide 16):
- In what ways might that catchphrase represent a dominant narrative about the United States?
Learning Activities (continued): If you have 45 minutes
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Initiative:
Explain that in 2021 DC Comics decided to change Superman’s motto to: “Truth, Justice and a Better Tomorrow”
Ask Students:
- What’s different about this new motto?
- Does this new motto change what Superman represents?
- What do you think of this change?
Ask Students:
- In what ways does Superman’s 21st century motto represent a counter narrative about the United States?
Ask Students:
- What in 2021 might have prompted this change in Superman’s motto?
Learning Activities (continued): If you have 2 hours
Print
Initiative:
Share with students 2014 Coca Cola commercial.
In 2014 Coca Cola ran a television advertisement during the Super Bowl that featured people singing America the Beautiful in multiple languages.
Ask Students:
- How do you think this commercial represented a type of counter-narrative about America?
- What does the title (“It’s Beautiful”) refer to?
Initiative:
Share with students some of the online backlash to this advertisement.
Share with students one of the online defenders of this advertisement.
Ask Students:
- Why do you think some people responded so negatively to this commercial?
Debrief:
- What did you like about today’s lesson?
- Did you learn anything new about yourself or anyone else?
- What could make it better?