4th Grade Science Cappelen-Damm

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Chapter 5 «Who am I?» #

Summary #

Students are introduced to “gender identity” and learn that they can feel like “boy, girl, both or neither”, as well as the introduction of the pronoun “hen” for those who identify as “non-binary”, i.e. neither male nor female. Transgender people are introduced as children who identify as a gender other than their biological gender.

The book asks students “what makes you feel like a boy, a girl, or neither,” and then the book reinforces that students are what they feel like. In addition, students should think about whether they would change gender for a year, or like a reka changing gender halfway through life. Metemark is introduced into the mix of confusion that it is hermaphrodite.

The book picks up again on the “norm critique” that was introduced in Mylder 3, and talks about “gender expectations” and “gender roles,” which students must learn to break away from and not relate to. The teacher’s guide is intended to “activate prior knowledge” about gender identity through a series of probing and charged questions, where the definitive answer is queer theory, gender is what the student feels.

Excerpt from the book pages 75 – 86 #

Click on the images for full size.

1) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

The chapter is called "Who am I?" and the first thing written is that the earthworm has two sexes and can mate itself. The second question to ponder is whether a boy is a girl if he wears a dress. Further down the page you can read what the teacher's guide answers to that. After the children have been introduced to "gender identity", they learn that gender is about what you feel you are. The children learn that they can feel like a boy, a girl, both or neither or something completely different. Then the children are asked to talk about what makes them feel like a boy or a girl (or other things?). To conclude the section on gender identity, the children are given a dilemma to think about: would they change gender like a shrimp or be a different gender for a year?.

This image of gender identity undeniably creates narrow gender roles as this can mean that feminine boys and masculine girls in the class can experience both internal and external pressures that challenge them as if they were born in the wrong body.

The chapter also introduces the question "what is gender" and presents the biological reality briefly and simply, but there is a common thread throughout the chapter that influence and expectations based on gender are wrong.

What is gender and expectations of gender page 76 #

2) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

In the first introduction to biological sex, there is a strange sentence: "When a child is born, people often ask if it was a boy or a girl. The question is about the fact that we can have different expectations of how girls and boys should be, dress and behave". Then, "expectations and influences" based on gender are introduced.

Girls, boys and the influence of society? #

3) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

In addition to warning about expectations and influence, the textbook presents that "films, magazines and television programs often show men as strong and tough, and women as concerned with their appearance, clothes, makeup and child.» And that this affects the way society communicates and enforces gender roles. This is a criticism of the stereotyping of gender roles. But the reality is that there is a difference between men's and women's interests.

Norway has actively pursued gender equality work through, among other things, differential treatment in terms of bonus points for 110 fields of study if you are a woman, compared to only 10 fields of study that give bonus points if you are a man. Even after a major investment in this, men and women still often choose very differently. The answer to this indicates that are visible biological differences that also have an impact on interests such as choice of education and how one chooses a partner. While the textbook largely assumes that it is expectations from others and external influence that are the cause of this. Yes, influence is real, but biological differences are also real. Because the more equal a country is, the greater the differences in what the sexes choose in education. Women still choose professions that are more focused on people and children. Men choose more directions that focus on things.

What is also not mentioned is the massive investment that the world's largest film companies and streaming channels are making, such as Netflix and Disney, etc. to highlight diversity. For example, by introducing LGBT+ people with queer scenes and queer love. New series and films have turned gender roles upside down and give great space to diversity. Well-known and beloved fictional characters have today changed both "race" and orientation. In other words, one can say that society conveys and enforces a very high representation of diversity through the sexual orientation and gender of minorities.

Cappelen-Damm's summary #

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4) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

As described earlier, there is a common thread throughout the chapter that the influence and expectations of others are a major factor in their lives that children must be careful not to force them in directions they do not want. In other words, the textbook attempts to be a greater influencer than the children's parents. Children's greatest role models are their parents, and the parents' professions are an important factor in children's choice of education and profession. This is natural, and has been natural for thousands of years. But this textbook places heavy emphasis on the fact that it can be a negative influence, because the children must choose what they want for themselves and not be influenced by anyone, except the textbook?

Children are taught that biology has nothing to do with anything. But that is more of an ideological belief than a reality. Because statistics show the opposite. Biology matters, and it is important that parents have an impact on children's lives as role models. It is not taught that becoming like your parents can be positive.

One could say that in the chapter on gender, the book encourages breaking norms based on gender. And in queer theory, breaking norms is a criterion for calling oneself queer.

What does the teacher's guide say? #

Answer to introductory question 2) "Is a boy who wears a dress a girl?"«

5) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

It is undeniably confusing that the textbook conveys that "gender identity is what we feel like" and in most cases we will express this. According to science Aschehoug Solaris 3-4 class teaches students that how one dresses and hairstyles are signs of what gender identity one may feel like.«What you show may be the same or different from what gender you are.» the text ends with to make the confusion total.

The children learn that if a boy wears a dress, he is not girl. But at the same time he can feel like a girl. And then is yes, the boy is a girl according to gender identity theory. This is the queer theory conveyed in most textbooks that gender is expressed through clothing and hairstyle and the performance of the gender role one identifies with. Thus, the answer to this question may as well be "yes", to the effect that a boy who goes to the gym is a girl if he feels that way.

Exercises to explore whether there is a difference between girls and boys. #

6) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

The teacher's guide reinforces the common thread that biological sex is linked to unhealthy expectations and gender roles. In the assignment in the teacher's guide, students will probably end up thinking that everyone can be everything and that gender has no meaning for anything. This will then be reinforced by the fact that expectations and influence are the reason why we believe the choices we make have to do with gender. The textbook thus suggests that only you know what you want, and that you should find something for yourself as a student that cannot be traced to influence. This suggests a kind of distance from parents, an opposition. That what parents want for you is about influence that can be unhealthy. There is little focus on healthy influence from healthy role models.

Activities and external resources related to the chapter #

7) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

Activating prior knowledge takes children into a thought process where biological sex is a separate thing from identity, but if you mix gender and identity, you get gender identity. Two familiar things that are not connected suddenly make sense. It seems logical, but there is no science behind this teaching. Gender identity and concepts from queer theory are introduced and taken as a given. Not pluralistic, but as a new reality. "Non-binary" and transgender are explained as all identities that do not match the gender you were born with. These are radical theories.

Furthermore, the students, 9-year-olds, are challenged to find out who Espen Esther Pirelli Benestad is and Emma Ellingsen. Benestad is the country's leading trans activist (self-proclaimed) with a fluid gender identity, while Emma is a celebrity influencer born a boy. A simple search tells us that Emma's story is that as a little boy he played with "girl things" like dolls and he liked dresses, which is why they realized he was a girl. While Pirelli Benestad describes himself as a gender fluid who has made a movie about 7 genders.

If the textbook encourages documenting these two stories and their perception of gender, the textbook should really also include someone who has regretted their "gender change" to get the whole picture. That someone regrets and realizes that there was nothing wrong with their body or other gender identity. It is connected to this story if the students are going to document the lives of others.

What can you do? #

We are part of a large group of committed parents, teachers, local politicians, professionals, professors and pastors who are working to expose queer theory in society. Support our work, sign the petition and help protect children from confusing theories about who they are. You can stop your municipality from purchasing textbooks with queer theory and you have the right to demand accountability and scientificity in your school's teaching about gender.

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4th Grade Science Cappelen-Damm

Chapter 5 «Who am I?» #

Summary #

Excerpt from the book pages 75 – 86 #

1) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

What is gender and expectations of gender page 76 #

2) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

Girls, boys and the influence of society? #

3) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

Cappelen-Damm's summary #

4) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

What does the teacher's guide say? #

5) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

Exercises to explore whether there is a difference between girls and boys. #

6) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

Activities and external resources related to the chapter #

7) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

What can you do? #

Findings from the textbooks are posted in the overview below and are updated regularly.

Chapter 5 «Who am I?» #

Summary #

Excerpt from the book pages 75 – 86 #

1) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

What is gender and expectations of gender page 76 #

2) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

Girls, boys and the influence of society? #

3) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

Cappelen-Damm's summary #

4) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

What does the teacher's guide say? #

5) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

Exercises to explore whether there is a difference between girls and boys. #

6) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

Activities and external resources related to the chapter #

7) Comment on the content of the textbook: #

What can you do? #

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