Contributed by: Amy Lincoln http://www.geocities.com/tacinda/  (10/25/01)

Well, I wanted to make sure I gave credit where credit is due for a really great activity last night! I took Christy's idea, modified it just a little, and had one of the best activities my beehives have had in a long time. It was fun, and I think they learned something to boot! There's also a handout idea with a poem that I wrote especially for this activity.

I think the only major part that we changed was instead of one word, the girls actually wrote phrases that described the cut-outs. As
soon as I figure out my digital camera I'll post a picture of the collage/poster that we made. The girls came up on their own with the title "Walking Billboards". We also had an interesting discussion about judging people by their clothes, which is something they've always been told they shouldn't do, but then helping them realize that it's something that we do anyway, and that all people do, so they need to be aware of it, and make sure they wear appropriate clothing. We've had a problem in our ward lately with the Young Women wearing immodest/inappropriate clothing, so this was an important step. It's usually not the beehives, but since they're at an age where they're soon going to be buying clothes that will last a long time, I felt like it would be a valuable lesson for them.

Anyway, thanks again for the great idea, Christy.... more ideas always welcome!! :)

Catalogs/magazines - trendy and conservative for contrast value
Scissors
Poster board - 1 or 2 big sheets
Glue sticks
Pens/markers
Paper strips
Tape (to attach to clothes)
Some kind of reminder for the girls, get creative! 

Another idea - mini mirrors, can theme it something about revealing the inner  princess.  There's so much you can do with this!

Outline for activity flow:

Bring girls in, settle them down,

Explain that we're going to be making a poster with clothes that the girls think are attractive, and that they should go through the magazines and cut out clothes that they would buy if they were at a store.  Maybe 3 or 4 outfits each.

Then, when they're done with that, bring out the paper strips, and have them write words that describe the outfits, and the people in the picture that they've chosen.  (Don't glue anything up yet)  Maybe switch pictures with a partner to think up the words to describe.  Also fun if it’s a smaller group, have them do it as a group for the stack of pictures.  I made sure to have some controversial outfits in the stack for the sake of discussion.

For the object lesson, get a couple volunteers, and have some of the word strips taped to them.  Then have a discussion:
Ask the girls which of the words on the people actually describe who they really are.

Ask the girls if they realize that what they wear is like wearing a billboard.  The only difference is, people will attach their OWN opinions and preconceived notions of who they are on them. 

It's better to have a billboard that represents who you are on the inside, than have people assume who and what you are by looking at your outsides.

Glue pictures to poster board with the matching word strips, have the girls help think of a good title for the poster, something along the lines of "Letting the inner me reflect on the outside too".  Our girls came up with the title “Walking Billboards”

Maybe have pictures of costumes, they're really obvious billboards... witch, clown, cowboy, ghost, cheerleader etc.... let them know that what they wear everyday also says a great deal about them.  Halloween theme?

Can do a chalkboard discussion, different groups at school and what "uniform/costume" identifies each group.  Make sure that the girls understand that like it or not they are labeled by the clothes they wear.

Give out handouts

How I appear to others rests entirely on me,
Whether good or bad, clean or not, whatever they may see,

By always dressing modestly, I'll show the world that I
Have self-respect and self-esteem and hold my head up high.

It's hard to shun the trendy clothes that those around me wear,
But I make Father proud of me when I dress like I care.

My parents and my teachers say that clothes are like a sign,
My clothing tells the world what I would have them think inside.

The clothes I wear around each day should show the best of me.
I'll show I'm trying hard to be the girl that I should be.

Contributed by: Christy Wardle"

What if you were to bring in catalogs and magazines, and have the girls go through and cut out pictures of outfits. Have them attach the cut-outs to a piece of poster board, and then have them write one-word descriptions of the clothes onto strips of paper. You can then have one or two sisters or girls stand in front and have the word strips taped to their clothes. Ask the girls which of the words on the people actually describe who they really are. Ask the girls if they realize that what they wear is like wearing a billboard. The only difference is, people will attach their OWN opinions and preconceived notions of who they are on them. It's better to have a billboard that represents who you are on the inside, than have people assume who and what you are by looking at your outsides.