This lesson can be used with classes from middle through high school to enable students to understand how stereotypical portrayals are embedded into various entertainment outlets. Classes can use one of a variety of Hollywood productions as a vehicle for uncovering and discussing the effects of stereotypes at a particular period in time. Another option is to view a variety of different samples released over longer periods of time to gain a sense of the evolution of media representation of Arabs, Islam, and the Middle East.

A supplementary resource and lesson on stereotypes (mentioned in this lesson) from PBS' Global Connections, is accompanied here with this resource.