Educator's Center > Masculinity Curriculum 2009

Curriculum $299
plus $10 shipping and handling

Scenarios USA launches
What’s the REAL DEAL about Masculinity? curriculum

  • Are you a teacher or community educator who works with adolescents?
  • Do you believe students of all abilities can be active, engaged learners?
  • Could you use an interactive, multi-media curriculum that will help your students feel more connected to school and to you?

The Scenarios USA “What’s the REAL DEAL about Masculinity?” curriculum is a 9-lesson interactive, multi-media curriculum for English, Social Studies, Health and Theater teachers. The curriculum meets the national learning standards by utilizing best practices from curricula internationally.
The REAL DEAL about Masculinity curriculum uses a best practices approach

  • Inquiry-based
    The activities in this curriculum engage students in shaping their own answer to critical thinking questions through open-ended discussion questions and journal-writing prompts
  • Academically rigorous
    This curriculum engages students in the application of their higher level thinking skills
  • Holistic education
    The topics in this curriculum are complex and especially relevant to English Language Arts, Social Studies, Theater Arts and Health Education. Scenarios USA encourages schools to teach from this curriculum in interdisciplinary teams. The interactive learning activities engage students from a wide range of age and abilities, of multiple intelligences/ learning styles
  • Multi-media
    An integral part of this curriculum is the use of three Scenarios USA short films. The films are written by teens for teens. Our films are entertaining, authentic and culturally relevant, so teens identify with stories and discuss the topics enthusiastically.
  • Written by teachers, for teachers
    Expert practitioners from across the country have been involved at every stage in the writing process

The objective of all the lessons around masculinity is to equip students with the vocabulary (such as “masculinity” and “gender”) to name and use the abstract concepts necessary for critical thinking and reflection.



Duration of lessons
The lessons vary from one to three class periods.

Curriculum package
Each curriculum comes with

  • DVD of 3 Scenarios USA films: Bitter Memories, Misunderstood and MANchild [insert links to watch films pages]
  • 20 Scenarios USA writers journals

The Scenarios USA “What’s the REAL DEAL about Masculinity” curriculum has been evaluated as part of its use in a pilot program in school districts and community organizations in New York City, Cleveland, Ohio and the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas.
Key lessons show that the Scenarios USA approach:

  • Promotes higher level thinking and reflection skills
  • Helps students build confidence in their voice
  • Changes attitudes which are linked to sexual health risk and violence
  • Improves students’ overall educational experience

View inside!
Click here to see inside the curriculum



Our curriculum engages students in thinking critically about societal issues around masculinity such as:

  • A “male job description” that can pressure young males and men with unrealistic and unnecessary expectations
  • Young males and men being driven to succeed in the economy, academics, sports and leadership in ways that are not always feasible or desirable
  • How young people’s attitudes and behaviors toward sex, sexuality and intimate relationships that are formed during adolescence can affect other areas of health and wellbeing
  • The media sending young people and adults of both genders clear and calculated messages about what it means to be desirable, masculine or a “real man”
  • Different societal pressures that may drive young people to gangs and violence or unhealthy relationships
  • The impact of racism and economic downturn on the life chances of young men and women
  • The possibility for reflection and alternative role models to redirect the course of a young person’s life


These issues related to masculinity have shaped the lessons in this “What’s the REAL DEAL about Masculinity?” curriculum. They provide the following entry points into a discussion of how gender norms affect sexual health outcomes, and of the societal expectations placed on young males and men associated with:

  • Jobs, pay checks and the economy
  • Sexuality and intimate relationships
  • How masculinity is portrayed in the media
  • Gender-based violence
  • Fatherhood

Young people who participate in this curriculum are able to discuss, reflect and analyze masculinity and gender through writing and discussion. Through this process, students can express their underlying beliefs and attitudes and start to share ideas and challenge peer social norms.

The central role that educators play in this process of discovery cannot be overstated. This is why Scenarios USA has created the “What’s the REAL DEAL about Masculinity?” curriculum: to support the educators who are in the classroom day in and day out affecting positive change for their students and for all of us.

Curriculum $299
plus $10 shipping and handling