Teachers’ Notes
ISM/ Look at initial images. What do class notice? Which fashion is most/least relevant to modern society?
Read through letter. On paper, class can underline main points of complaint. Teacher to elicit these. Can be written on whiteboard.
Open up debate on fashion. Have any pupils had experience of this attitude? Can anyone sympathise with Mr Sharp? What aspects of his argument do you agree with? Try to establish some rationale for his argument.
Activity 1
/ Images 1: Answer – Picture 4 (Rockabilly) other three images connected to teddy boys. Class might stray towards Kind Edward…elicit as many responses as possible…interesting to see how connection with royalty influence a youth culture’s fashion.
Images 2: Answer – Picture 2 (Victoria Beckham) for other three white skin is desirable and a sign of beauty. Different responses are likely here – looking at different cultures and ages. Worth mentioning how tans only became desirable from late 1920s onwards – booming in 50s and 60s. Will health risks affect desirability in future? Importance of social and health factors e.g. cheaper foreign holidays.
Images 3: Answer – Picture 4 (Girl holding present) for other three tattooing is an essential part of life – for the girl it is actual illegal. This task may be easier for class although there may be some confusion as to why the horse is there. Pedigree racing horses are tattooed. Worth looking at cultures such as Maoris where tattooing is culturally significant. Also bring in legal issues. What age can someone have a tattoo? (18 in UK, 21 in some states in USA, 16 in New Zealand) Reasons for restricting minors. How do class feel about this? In Holland it is legal at 16 with parent’s permission. What role should parental permission have?
Activity 2
. / Encourage class to look at images BEFORE playing. What reasons do you think they will give for presenting themselves as they do? This could be done as a stereotyping ‘game’. Name, favourite band, film etc..Play animations.
After animations, ask class to discuss and note down all the factors that influence their fashion choices. This will lead sensibly into Activity 3.
Activity 3
/ Class should have their own cut-out cards if they don’t have a PC – or at least key words to organize. Put words into diamond rank order. Work individually first – then can work as a pair or even into larger group to discuss and decide a common ranking (although this could defeat purpose of fashion being an individual choice). Could look at gender difference here. Look at how girls’ factors might vary from boys. Cultural background may also affect factors. Might be worth looking at factors which are least important, and why. Would this ranking be shared by your parents, teachers etc…
Activity 4
/ After last activity class will have discussed some social pressures on their fashion choices. Teacher will have to model the axis graph with a couple of labels (dyed hair and hoodie should be interesting for teachers to do!) as the graph might be confusing for pupils initially. Again this is best tackled individually working towards comparing and contrasting in pair or larger group afterwards. Encourage one boy and one girl to show their ideas on board.
Extension
/ Both tasks can lead to two or three weeks work where they can work as marketing teams competing against other groups. This can lead to a presentation plenary where teacher/outside agency (bring in some older pupils in role of band) can judge the best marketing idea. Marketing can include: band name, logo, fashion mock-ups, promo-poster for gig and new single, CD cover…even web-site fanzine.
Might give opportunity for a school band to be used for stimulus rather than the music given.