Stargirl - Acts of Kindness Challenge

Have you watched the Disney Plus movie Stargirl? If not... what are you waiting for? It is perfectly cast and there are so many special moments and lessons for girls to learn about individuality, social relationships, self esteem, goal setting, acts of kindness, creativity, mindfullness and more. You could also read the book of the same title by Jerry Spinelli.

Today's blog focuses on Acts of Kindness:

In this time of distress, many of us are experiencing anxiety. Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. Sound like what we are all experiencing today!


Why not refocus our attention to ACTS OF KINDNESS? That was one of Stargirls special traits and often she never let on that she was the person initiating the Act of Kindness. She made cards, sang songs, gave secret presents and thought of original ways to make someone happy.

Stargirl Challenge.
Many people, old and young are experiencing anxiety. Many parents are stressed because the schools are closed. Be creative! What Act of Kindness can you develop and carry out?
Think of the elderly that live in your neighborhood, someone who is sick, someone who is scared... take time to put a smile on their face! The Arts are a GREAT way to accomplish this!

Post your idea at stargirl-program.blogspot.com
You will also find more activities!

Stargirl Blackout Poetry

Blackout Poetry is fun for kids and adults alike.   All you have to do is select words of interest
from a written page such as a magazine, book, or other printed material.  We used a worn Stargirl book for ours.

Blackout Poetry is about deconstruction and then reconstruction.  A blackout poet believes that there is a poem lying within the words of any page.  You just have to discover it!  Single words and short phrases, when pieced together, can form a masterpiece!  To create yours, do the following:

1.  Materials: Plenty of black sharpies, pencils, and other colored markers.

2.  Find a Stargirl book that has been worn.  Carefully rip out some of the pages. 

3. Allow the students to select several pages.

4. Instruct the students to scan the page and look for key words that might form a theme.

5. Read the page and circle words with a pencil that stand out on the page.  You may not change the order.  Do not circle more than 3 words in a row.

6. Analyze the words circled and create your poem.  Erase the words you do not want to use.

7.  Decide on an illustration to enhance your poem. Do not color over your words.

8.  Create a masterpiece.  Share your poems in a Blackout Poem Gallery.

See the examples below:

                                                                 Page 95 - Stargirl

We were alone
The only ones in school
Walking in the hall
Noise melted away
Utterly alone
Two people in a universe of space and stars.
I had dreamed!

                                                                      Noteworthy
                                                                      Interesting
                                                    Strumming, Singing, Strutting, Twirling
                                                                     She's not real!

Stargirl- Build Self Esteem and Reduce Anxiety by Creating a Star Jar (Lesson Plan)

Discussion Time: Stargirl was completely comfortable with who she was - an individual!

The Thin Ideal is the concept that describes the ideally slim female body.  The common perception of this ideal is a woman who is slender with a small waist and little body fat.  Like a Barbie Doll!  This is an important discussion to have because the media promotes the "thin idea" and this often has a negative effect on young girls resulting in poor self esteem, eating disorders and depression.

A Barbie doll was used to spark a discussion about how the media portrays girls/women and sends a message that is unattainable for many girls to reach.  A Barbie, turned into a real human, wouldn’t be able to stand, walk, or menstruate due to her weight and measurements. Body image is a huge problem for any girl or woman of any age.

View the following video: 5 Ways to Promote a Healthy Body Image for Girls

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFBZ9c9pnbw

1.  Talk About Health:  Discuss eating right and staying physically active.  Remind students that there is no one right body type.

2.  Do a Reality Check: View media posts and investigate how much photoshopping was done to create the images of the models.

3. Discuss the Bottom Line: Most images you see are designed for advertisements to sell something.

4.  Celebrate Wins: Focus on accomplishments and praise the character traits needed for achievement.  Celebrate women in history and their achievements that do not focus on body type but instead making a difference in our world.

5.Set an Example: Ban Fat Talk in your home and at school, model healthy examples.

Activity:  Create a Star Jar: A Focus on Positive Traits and Achievements

The Girls create a list of their positive traits and achievements and place them in their Star Jar to read when they are feeling down. This activity focuses on positive self esteem and empowerment.

Materials:

• One jar for each girl.  These can be purchased at Walmart.  (12 smooth jars@ $8.99)
• Strips of cut colored paper that will fit into the jar.  (The girls will roll them and tie them with twine or ribbon )
• Star Stickers to decorate the jar (A selection for girls to choose)
• Twine/ ribbon and a tagboard star cut from a template for students to write their name.
• Any other materials you would like for decoration.

Procedure:

1. Discuss the "Thin Ideal" as presented above.  (Share thoughts, ideas, and stories) 
2. Discuss:  Sometimes our focus is on negativity rather then the positive achievements and things we value about our life. 
3. Today we will create a "Star Jar." Pass out the a jar to each girl and 5- 10 slips of colored paper strips.
4. Say: Think for a minute about all the things that make you special.  
5.  Ask: If Stargirl were to do this activity, she might write?  Examples below. 

•  I am an individual.  I do not conform to what others expect me to be at school.  I am my true to myself.  
• I do kind things for others like creating special cards, adding to their collections.
• I play the ukulele and love music.  I even sing happy birthday during lunchtime in the cafeteria to the other students..
• I am artistic.  On Valentines Day, I create special valentines for everyone in my class.
• I am creative:  Sometimes I wear costumes to school.  I love to dance in the rain.
• I love animals and even have a pet rat.

2.  Mirror Messages: Read about a campaign started to help promote positive esteem.  Brainstorm and implement solutions of your own.

https://www.dosomething.org/us/campaigns/mirror-messages?source=facts/11-facts-about-body-image.

3.  Start you own campaign! Brainstorm ways that you might get the word out!   Create an Action Plan and implement your ideas.  

4.  Share them on this blog

Pictures from our Stargirl Meeting.

Get Ready Language Arts Teachers for Stargirl on Disney +- Middle School Teachers and Girl's Clubs

We are all so excited for the Stargirl movie on Disney+, so get ready Language Arts teachers perhaps as early as February!  My Stargirl Program hopes to have a Stargirl Movie Celebration to watch it.

Here are some links to insights about the movie for Girls Clubs and Middle School Teachers:


Meet Grace Vanderwaal - The perfect Stargirl and hear what she has to say about playing this role.

                                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TW_OCUKnCc


An Introduction to  Stargirl Grace Vanderwaal from  Disney +
Note the movie will be released early in 2020.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSLRDrAEqiQ

Leo and Stargirl discuss their roles in the movie Stargirl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnvptKkpnAI

Stargirl Quotes - What Fits You Best!

This activity helped students to connect with the character Stargirl.  What traits and values do they possess that are similar to Stargirl's personality?

Materials:  Poster Paper and Markers

1.  A set of quotes from the book provided to each individual girl.  

Quotes can be found at the following websites:

https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/963221-stargirl

https://astargirl.weebly.com/quotations.html

2.  Each of the students thought about their own personality and how they related to Stargirl.  They   

     each selected a personal quote.

3.  Each girl shared her quote with the group.

4.  Those girls with the same quote combined to create a poster.  Some students worked individually.

5.  The girls created Stargirl Quotation Posters.  See below.

Stargirl Theme Song

Creating a theme for the new Stargirl school year sets the stage for an interdisciplinary
goal setting learning experience.  Here are the steps to follow:

1.  Select a Theme Song.  Ideas below:

• When You Wish Upon a Star (Disney)
• Your a Shining Star (Chicago)
• Hey Now, Your an All Star (Smash Mouth)
• A Star is Born (Hercules)

2.  Select quotes for your newsletter or to hang and post where you meet.  Encourage Stargirls to write their own original quotes.  Ideas below:

• Starlight, Star bright, first star I see tonight.  I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.                                                                                                     - Disney
• For my part, I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of stars makes me dream.                                                                                                                               - Van Gogh
• One must have chaos in order to give birth to a dancing star.  - Friedrich Nietzsche
• Hitch your wagon to a star.  -Ralph Waldo Emerson     

     
 3.  Stars have always served as guiding lights for travelers.  Stargirls will create 
      original Constellation.  

• Use a star template and cut out five stars for each Stargirl. 
• Stargirls will write one goal for each of the stars and decorate them.
• Create a Star Mobile using a hanger and yarn or paste the stars on construction paper and create a bulletin board.

4.  Research for a Star 
     Select a person you admire because he/she has conquered impossible situation.

• Write a story, poem, or song about the person you selected.
• Tell how this person inspired you.  How would your like to be more like this person?
• Make a class presentation.  Create a “Reach for the Stars” bulletin board.

5.  Remember to make time for checkpoints along the way.  
     Play the song from Disney's Frog Prince called  Almost There.  
     Post the lyrics to the song for the Stargirls to follow along.   Discuss:

• Who has accomplish one of the goals they set at the beginning of the year.  Share and celebrate success.
• Who is "almost there?"  What further steps need to be taken to accomplish your goal?
• What "trials and tribulations" were faced along the way?
  

Create a Stargirl Happy Wagon

When Archie was visiting Stargirl, he noticed an item on her bookshelf (Chapter 22).  It was a tiny wagon about the size of his fist.  It was made of wood and looked like an antique toy.  It was piled high with pebbles.  Several other pebbles lay about the wagon wheels.  Stargirl explained, "It's my Happy Wagon, although it could also be called my Unhappy Wagon, but I prefer happy.  When  something makes me happy, I put a pebble in the wagon. If I am unhappy, I take a pebble out.  There are 20 pebbles in all.

Ideas fo Materials:

1. Small buckets or boxes can be purchased at a hobby store.  (See picture, be creative!)
2. Use small gem stones or Warm Fuzzys (Purchased at a hobby store)
3. Permanent Sharpies can be used for decorations

Procedure:

1. Read the segment from Chapter 22 of the Stargirl Book.
2. Book Connection:   Throughout the Stargirl book, what made Stargirl happy or sad?
3. Brainstorm a List:  Things that make us happy?  Things that make us sad?
4. Create a list.
5. Pass out the materials selected for the Happy Wagon.
6. Creation Time!

Closure/Reflection:

1. Stargirls will take home their Happy Wagon and follow Stargirl's lead.
2. Conduct a follow up discussion at a later meeting.