Girls Empowerment Group Curriculum Plan

Session #1: Theme:

What does it mean to be Pretty Tough?
Internal/External Beauty

Objective(s):
● To facilitate a conversation about internal and external beauty.
● To introduce and foster positive thoughts about each participant’s body.
● To re-define the word “beautiful.”
● To encourage participants to create and enforce self-generated “rules” for their
bodies and their health.

Materials:
● Attendance record and name tags.
● Dove Commercial video
● Hand project cards and
markers/scissors.
● Pretty tough ground rules sheet.
Activities:
● Self Esteem Test:
http://www.counseling.ufl.edu/cwc/uploads
/docs/Sorensen_Self-Esteem_Test.pdf
● Dove Commercial discussion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY
hCn0jf46U
● Hand activity

Procedures:

1. Pretty Tough Icebreaker- Take a piece of paper and have two minutes to either
illustrate or write in words what “Pretty Tough” means to you. You may not use cell
phones or speak to anyone in the room. Be prepared to share with the group.

2. Review rules-
○ Upon arrivals, all cell phones must be turned off and placed in the basket.
○ We start on time and end on time
○ If you are going to miss a meeting, you must let the advisor know ahead of
time.
○ We speak for ourselves and ONLY for ourselves.
○ The person holding the ________ gets to speak. This will ensure that only
one person speaks at a time with NO interruptions and no judgements. We
listen to each other and react with respect, even if we disagree.
○ Sensitivity to diversity- We will remember that people in the group may differ
in cultural background, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity or gender
expression and will be careful about making insensitive or careless remarks.
○ Openness- We will be as open and honest as possible without disclosing others’
(family, neighbors, or friends) personal or private issues. It is okay to discuss
 situations, but we won’t use names or other ID.
○ Confidentiality: what happens in small group stays in small group.
3. Participants gather in a circle and fill out their name tags.

4. Instructor's model an introduction by saying, “My name is [insert name here] and I am
pretty tough.” Participants are encouraged to practice saying that often at home, in
school and in varied settings.

5. Show the participants the DOVE commercial video. Encourage feedback.

6. Ask the participants, “Who is a girl or woman you know or see on TV/movies who you
believe is pretty tough? What makes her pretty tough to you? Why? Do you admire
the example(s) you chose and why?”

7. Provide each participant with a hand project card. “One of the most beautiful things
about me is…” should be facing up. Ask the participants to hold up the hand they write
with (dominant hand). Then ask the participants to trace that hand; allow time for
them to problem solve and eventually ask a friend for assistance. When paper hands
are traced and cut out, ask the participants to write one of the most beautiful things
about them. Elicit responses about their abilities, talents, and preferences. Validate
these response with specific praise.

8. Ask the participants to turn the hands over to, “One of the most beautiful parts of my
body is my…” Prompt the participants to close their eyes and imagine themselves as
they step into or out of the shower. Ask them to identity a body part below their chin.
Encourage the participants to regard a body party with kindness and appreciation.

9. Explain to the participants that females often hear, “I love your hair” or “You have
beautiful eyes.” We ask the participants to spend time thinking about their own
bodies with positive regard.

10. Discuss the many females are comfortable with their bodies when they are very
young, but that as they grow older and their bodies change, they often develop
different feelings. Some females hide their bodies and feel uncomfortable. Females
often report they prefer to look like everyone else. We challenge the participants to
think about all the wonderful things their bodies do for them.

11. We encourage the participants to protect their bodies with exercise, healthy foods
and rules. Talk with the participants about how important it is for people, teams,
families, schools, etc. to have rules. Ask the participants, “What rules do you have for
yourself? What rules do you have for your body? Do you talk with your mom? Your
dad? Or siblings? About these rules? With your friends?

12. Ask the participants to take the paper hand cards home and tape them to their
 bathroom mirrors. Ask the participants to read the “hand” aloud whenever they brush
their teeth. The participants may want to ask the people they live with to write on a
paper hand and tape it to the mirror too.

13. Please give each participant a Session 1 handout.

Session #2 AND #3: Theme:

Building Self-Esteem

Objective:
● To understand that empowering music can have a positive impact on
behavior
● To develop a collaborative theme statement that reflects the goals of the
group.

Materials: Activities:
● Attendance record and name ● Music design template (with
tags. lyrics)
● Intro- Chorus of Beautiful by: ● Collaborative theme activity
Christina Aguilera
● Music design template.
● Glitter glue/pencils/colored
pencils
● White paper.
● Camera to take photo

Procedures:

1. Participants gather in a circle and fill out their name tags.

2. Instructors model an introduction by saying, “My name is [insert name

here] and I am pretty tough.” Participants are encouraged to practice
saying that often at home, in school, and in varied settings.

3. Teachers please talk about last week’s activities. Did the participants talk
with anyone about the activities?

4. Intro: Show lyrics to a song and discuss

I am beautiful
 No matter what they say
Words can't bring me down
I am beautiful
In every single way
Yes words can't bring me down
Oh no
So don't you bring me down today

5. Activity I- Music Lyric Activity- Students will bring in a lyric or phrase from
a song that empowers them. Each girl will display and explain the lyrics
meaning and the rationale behind her choice. Once each girl shares the
meaning of their chosen lyric, they will write it on the music lyric design
template and decorate them.

6. Activity II - Collaborative Theme Statement: combining words/phrases

from song lyrics. Each girl will pick one or word or phrase from their song
lyric that stands out to her and writes it on a sheet of white paper.
Participants will get up and stand in a line to rearrange their words into a
phrase. The teacher will facilitate this activity rearranging girls and adding
in words “and, the, is, etc.” as necessary.

7. Once the phrase is completed, take a group picture of all of the girls and
the statement.
Session #4: Theme:
Perception versus Reality
Self Esteem changes over time
Gender differences and expectations

Objective:
● To identify when self esteem changes and discuss why.
● To foster the ability to build self-esteem.
● To realize that men and women are capable of accomplishing the same goals.

Materials: Activities:
● Attendance record and name tags. ● “Like a Girl” activity and discussion
● “Like a Girl” video ● Gender differences activity
● Large post its (with boxes)

Procedures:

1. Participants gather in a circle and fill out their name tags.

2. Instructors model an introduction by saying, “My name is [insert name here] and I
am pretty tough.” Participants are encouraged to practice saying that often at home,
in school, and in varied settings.

3. Teachers please talk about last week’s activities. Did the participants talk with
anyone about the activities?
 4. Intro: Give the following sentence to each girl and have each participant complete
the missing blank with a verb:

“Sometimes, I __________________ like a girl”.

5. Once each girl completes the sentence, go around the room and have each
participant share out. Ask the following question: “How did you know what I was
asking?”

6. Show the “Like a Girl” video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=95&v=XjJQBjWYDTs

7. Discussion with girls about the video. At what age does “acting like a girl” becomes
negative? What do you think causes the change in perception? How do we stop?

8. Girls often get most of the attention when it comes to self-esteem. However, boys
struggle just as much as girls, usually starting in adolescence. They often have a
more difficult time in school, high expectations for athletic ability and physical
attributes like height and build, and are often expected to “be a man” and “suck it up”
when it comes to emotional issues.

9. Introduce Activity: (Two boxes on the board)

- Act like a man box

- Act like a lady box

"Act Like a Man" Box 1. Ask if anyone has ever heard someone being told to “act like a man”.
What does it mean to “act like a man?” What are the expectations (which may not be the
reality. Give girls a few minutes to write on a post-it what they think it means to “act like a
man.” The girls will come up to the board and post their post-its within the box.

Discuss with girls:

● How are men supposed to be different from women? (ex: stronger, tougher, in
control).
● What feelings is a “real man” supposed to have? (Anger, superiority, confidence).
● What feelings is a “real man” supposed to have? (Yelling, fighting, silence).
● How are “real men” supposed to act with girls? (Aggressive, Dominant with women).
Have girls write on another post-it qualities that would fit outside the box. Discuss with
girls, “what happens physically to people outside the box?” (Harassed, abused, ignored, etc.)

"Act Like a Lady" Box 2. Ask if anyone has ever been told or heard someone being told to
“act like a lady”. Ask “what does it mean to “act like a lady” – what are the expectations
(which may not be the reality). Allow girls to write on two separate post-its things that can
go inside the box and things that can go outside the box.

● How are women supposed to be different from men? (Nicer, weaker, more gossip)
● What feelings is a "real woman" supposed to have? (Fear, sadness, low self-esteem)
● How do "real women" express their feelings? (Crying, screaming, hysteria)
● How are "real women" supposed to act with men? With woman? (Follow the man)

Discussion- Is it okay to be outside of the box?

Session #5: Theme: Social Media and Cyberbullying

Objective:
● To foster the ability to build self-esteem.
● To realize that cyberbullying happens all the time.
● Create and discuss ways to avoid and defuse cyber situations before they escalate.
● Learn to empower each other
● To positively react to situations related to the internet and social media.

Materials: Activities:
● Attendance record and name tags. ● It’s not your job to like me. It’s mine.”
● “You’re Ugly” You Tube Could use the quote to introduce
● Scholastic Action - Cyberbullying video.
Article
● Cyberbullying Scenarios Handout ● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
S61DWBdgcJQ
 ● Read and respond to questions about
the Scholastic article comparing two
situations where students were
involved in or victims of cyberbullying.
● “What to do?” Read all possible
situations on the “Cyberbullying
Scenarios Handout” with students and
discuss their reactions and next steps.

Procedures:

1. Participants gather in a circle and fill out their name tags.

2. Pretty tough instructors model an introduction by saying, “My name is [insert name
here] and I am pretty tough.” Participants are encouraged to practice saying that
often at home, in school, and in varied settings.

3. Teachers please talk about last week’s activities. Ask the participants if they placed
the doll where others could see them. Did the participants talk with anyone about
the doll activity?

4. Warm up: Look at the following quote : “It’s not your job to like me. It’s mine.” What
do you think about this? What message is being conveyed?
5. “It’s not your job to like me.” video.
6. Discuss video and quote. How has your opinion of the quote changed?Ask
participants to open the box and write a compliment to themselves on the inside
cover.

7. Teacher reads and discusses the Scholastic Article about Cyberbullying with
participants. They will be asked to respond to a few questions comparing two
situations where students were victims of cyberbullying.

8. Next, participants will discuss personal experiences with cyberbullying. Were you a
victim of cyberbullying? Have you ever participated in cyberbullying?

9. Participants will read and discuss scenarios listed on the “Cyberbullying Scenarios
Handout.”
Session #6 Theme: Friendship Weapons

Objective:
● To foster the ability to build healthy friendships.
● To realize that not all bullying looks like bullying from the outside.
● Create and discuss ways to avoid and defuse issues within friendships.

Materials:
● Attendance record and name tags.
● Friendship weapons/relational
aggression videos (Links in
worksheet)
● http://girlsguidetoendbullying.org/
Relational_RecognizeBullying.html
● Relational aggression role play sheet
Activities:
● Weekly check in.
● Review and discuss quote.
● Introduce friendship weapons
● View “exclusion” video
● Students react to 6 relational
aggression situations and share
out.

Procedures:

1. Participants gather in a circle and fill out their name tags.

2. Instructors model an introduction by saying, “My name is [insert name here]

and I am pretty tough.” Participants are encouraged to practice saying that
often at home, in school, and in varied settings.

3. Teachers please talk about last week’s activities. Did the participants talk with
anyone about the activities?

4. Warm up: Look at the following quote : “As we grow up, we realize it becomes
less important to have a ton of friends, and more important to have real ones.”
How do you think this quote relates to your current friendships?

5. Distribute (or project) the list of friendship weapons. Have students identify 1-2
of the weapons they have experienced first hand or through a friend.

6. View the exclusion video (link in relating worksheet)

7. Discuss questions.

8. View “How to deal with mean girls.”

9. Relational aggression scenarios discussion.

Session #7: Strong is the New Pretty Theme: Strong is the new Pretty
A celebration of girls being themselves

Objective(s):
● To facilitate a conversation about what it means to be “strong and pretty.”
● To encourage participants to discuss their thoughts and feelings about inner/outer
beauty
● To encourage participants to understand words: confident, resilient, determined,
fearless, independent

Materials: Activities:
● Strong is the New Pretty ● Reading/analyzing quotes providing
 Book/Excerpts from the book text-to-self and text-to-world
● Strong is the New Pretty Activity connections
Book **WAS PRE-ORDERED. Will ● Creating a strong/powerful/pretty
update LP when book comes in. quote and a visual to represent them
● Link to first 35 pages in Strong is
the New Pretty Book:
https://books.google.com/books/
about/Strong_Is_the_New_Pretty.
html?id=mshADQAAQBAJ&printsec
=frontcover&source=kp_read_butt
on#v=onepage&q&f=false

Procedures:
1) Read Introduction section of book. This explains why the author, Kate T. Parker
decided to write this book. (Feel free to pull sections from it if you do not want to
read the entire thing).
2) There are 9 chapters in this book. Each chapter has a few paragraph introduction
along with a quote on the opposing side. Feel free to choose a few of the nine. The
chapters are:
a) Confident is strong
b) Wild is strong
c) Resilient is strong
d) Creative is strong
e) Determined is strong
f) Kind is strong
g) Fearless is strong
h) Joyful is strong
i) Independent is strong

3) Within the chapters are several pictures of girls. Feel free to take a few pictures to
gear the girls to to discuss.

4) Give the students a piece of cardstock, construction paper, or give them

laptops/iPads and allow them to create one for themselves. Think: If I was going to
be in this book, what would I say and what picture would I put in to represent me. Have
them share out if there’s time. If more time is needed, have them finish it at home and have
them share at the beginning of Session #8.
Session #8: Theme:
Giving and receiving compliments
Positive self-talk

Objective:
● To introduce the concept of meaningful compliments.
● To foster the ability to recognize the good in others and share with others.
● To practice the ability to receive the meaning and intent of compliments.
 ● To introduce the concept of “self-talk” and share that our individual thoughts are an
option.

Materials: Activities:
● Beautiful Me attendance record and ● “A Little Compliment Goes a Long
name tags. Way” story and discussion.
● “A Little Compliment Goes a Long ● Conflict resolution activity.
Way” story. ● Compliment box activity.
● Conflict resolution examples. ● Self-esteem post test.
● Compliment box, compliment paper,
and markers.
● Session 3 handout.

Procedures:

1. Participants gather in a circle and fill out their name tags.

2. Pretty tough instructors model an introduction by saying, “My name is [insert name
here] and I am pretty tough.” Participants are encouraged to practice saying that
often at home, in school, and in varied settings.

3. Teachers please talk about last week’s activities. Ask the participants if they placed
the doll where others could see them. Did the participants talk with anyone about
the doll activity?

4. The participants will be asked to listen to “A Little Compliment Goes a Long Way.”
Teachers will ask for a volunteer to read one of the conflict resolution examples.
Groups will explore possible solutions to the example. (See conflict resolution
examples.)

5. Provide each participant with a compliment box and ask them to decorate the box.
Introduce the concept of “self-talk.” Explain that individuals can remember the
compliments/praise given by others. This can be helpful when we feel anxious,
lonely, challenged, etc. “Self-talk” can help get the participants through challenging
situations for the rest of their lives!

6. Ask participants to open the box and write a compliment to themselves on the inside
cover.

7. Ask the participant to take enough pieces of paper so that they can write (or
illustrate) compliments specific to every participant. Encourage the participants to
 take a moment and write something that is genuine and honest about the other
individuals in the group. Instructors will participate in this activity. Remind the
participants to sign each compliment.

8. Explain that we are often comfortable giving superficial compliments (such as “good
job!” or “you’re good at that!”) but it takes time and effort to give specific and unique
compliments. Recognizing the good in others allows us to connect to the good in
ourselves.

9. We encourage the participants to practice accepting compliments, with appropriate

eye contact and consistent body language. Encourage the participants to stand up
and read one or two compliments while practicing acknowledging the person who
wrote the compliment.

10. Please introduce the phrase “say what you mean and mean what you say.” Explain all
that this entails; it is a powerful rule for communication!

11. Encourage the participants to take the compliments home and share with the people
they live with.

12. Self-esteem post test.

Session #5: Theme: Social Media and Cyberbullying

Objective:
● To foster the ability to build self-esteem.
● To realize that cyberbullying happens all the time.
● Create and discuss ways to avoid and defuse cyber situations before they escalate.
● Learn to empower each other
● To positively react to situations related to the internet and social media.
Materials: Activities:
● Attendance record and name tags. ● It’s not your job to like me. It’s mine.”
● “You’re Ugly” You Tube Could use the quote to introduce
● Scholastic Action - Cyberbullying video.
Article
● Cyberbullying Scenarios Handout ● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
S61DWBdgcJQ

● Read and respond to questions about

the Scholastic article comparing two
situations where students were
involved in or victims of cyberbullying.
● “What to do?” Read all possible
situations on the “Cyberbullying
Scenarios Handout” with students and
discuss their reactions and next steps.

Procedures:

1. Participants gather in a circle and fill out their name tags.

2. Pretty tough instructors model an introduction by saying, “My name is [insert name
here] and I am pretty tough.” Participants are encouraged to practice saying that
often at home, in school, and in varied settings.

3. Teachers please talk about last week’s activities. Ask the participants if they placed
the doll where others could see them. Did the participants talk with anyone about
the doll activity?

4. Warm up: Look at the following quote : “It’s not your job to like me. It’s mine.” What
do you think about this? What message is being conveyed?
5. “It’s not your job to like me.” video.
6. Discuss video and quote. How has your opinion of the quote changed?Ask
participants to open the box and write a compliment to themselves on the inside
cover.

7. Teacher reads and discusses the Scholastic Article about Cyberbullying with
participants. They will be asked to respond to a few questions comparing two
situations where students were victims of cyberbullying.
8. Next, participants will discuss personal experiences with cyberbullying. Were you a
victim of cyberbullying? Have you ever participated in cyberbullying?

9. Participants will read and discuss scenarios listed on the “Cyberbullying Scenarios
Handout.”