Spinelli, Jerry. (1991). There’s a Girl in My Hammerlock. NY: Simon & Schuster. Fox, Ron. (1986). Wrestling Basics. NY: Simon & Schuster. Gutman, Bill. (1995). Sumo Wrestling. Kodo: Heartbeat Drummers of Musical Connection: Japanese drumming patterns Science / Math Connection: Wrestle Mania! Positive Character Traits & Values: competition; equality / acceptance; community; cooperation; loyalty; achievement / success; dexterity / coordination The fiction and non-fiction literature selections provide students with information about the sport of wrestling. Spinelli’s book, There’s a Girl in My Hammerlock, addresses some prevailing preconceptions about sex roles in an athletic program. The scene is a junior high school where female student Maisie goes out for wrestling instead of cheerleading. Maisie asks herself the question: “Why couldn’t I just be a nice, normal girl?” Utilizing the positive character traits and values of equality / acceptance as the basis, students write / respond to the adaptive question: “Why couldn’t I just be a nice, normal girl / boy?” The writing response uses the “I” voice. Included in the response writing should be a listing of supportive ideas just like Maisie stated in her response. (see pages 59-60) According to a December, 2006 publication by UNICEF, “Women and Children: The Double Dividend of Gender Equality”, it is necessary for us to eliminate gender discrimination and the disempowerment of girls and women. Gender equality promotes empowerment. According to the report, “actions to equalize educational opportunities for girls includes abolishing school fees; encouraging parents and communities to invest in girls’ education; and creating girl-friendly schools that are safe and free of bias.” Examining “gender empowerment” with students leads to a lively discussion and debate. A challenging project is to examine both the boys’ and the girls’ empowerment in the school building / community. Encourage students to work in teams in developing a list of “things” that are boy oriented and a list of “things” that are girl oriented. Students are encouraged to debate their responses with peers. The outcome of the project is to examine and recommend ideas for making the school building / school community free of gender bias. At the conclusion of the unit, a performance based assessment titled “Dear Aunt Jane” may be distributed to students. The assessment determines a student’s understanding and application of “gender equality.” In this assessment, students are asked to write a clarification letter (extended response) demonstrating their in-depth knowledge of the concept of “gender equality.” Here is a sample assessment to be distributed to students: Dear Aunt Jane…a performance based assessment Your Aunt Jane has received a letter from one of her sisters. She said you are on the wrestling team at school and that one of your favorite wrestling holds is called “gender equality.” Aunt Jane is telling her neighbors to watch you do the “gender equality” hold at your next match. Please write Aunt Jane a letter and tell her exactly what “gender equality” is and what affect it has on your school. Wrestling Basics and Sumo Wrestling are picture diagram books providing the reader with a step-by-step plan for learning wrestling. The Sumo wrestlers of As a math and science connection, students utilize the skills of prediction and probability as they participate in Wrestle Mania. The challenge is to construct a set of clothespin wrestlers and predict the outcome of each match. Students predict wins, losses, and ties. If their prediction matches the outcome of the match, then points are earned. This means that if you predict a win and your wrestler wins, you earn a point; if you predict a loss and your wrestler loses, you still earn a point; and if you predict a tie and your wrestler ties, again, you earn a point. By the same rules, if you predict a win and your wrestler loses, no points are earned; if you predict a loss and your wrestler wins, still no points are awarded; and if you predict a tie and your wrestler wins or loses, again, no points are earned. The clothespin wrestlers are easy to make and easy to store. Students decorate their clothespin wrestler with different colors and facial expressions. A hula-hoop or a piece of rope looped in a circle serve as wrestling rings and set perimeters. Using a flat rubber band, wind up the wrestlers and at the count of three, let them go. For a few moments, the clothespin wrestlers will flip each other all over the place. But, in the end, one wrestler will land on top of the other and be declared the winner. Questions to ask students: o Does it make any difference how many times the rubber band is wound? o Does it make a difference if the rubber band is short or long? Thick or thin? o Does the starting position of the wrestler make any difference? Results of the matches may be recorded using a computer generated data base or graphic organizer. Clothespin Wrestle Mania is an activity for all learners! |