I. Curricular Framework

Concept:

Social Inequality

Essential Question:

How can knowledge of the factors that led up to the separation of the races be important in terms o

Bridge:

Symbols of Discrimination

Content:

World Injustice: Caste System and Civil Rights Movement

Outcomes:

II. Standards Aligned

III. Instruction and Assessment

1. Connect: Connecting to the Concept Experientially

Objective: To create an experience in the classroom where a certain group of students experience social discrimination and isolation.

Activity: Upon entering the classroom, students will be asked to draw a colored circle of paper and a safety pin from a box held by the teacher. Students will be instructed to pin this circle to the front of their shirt. When they go to find their seats, only those with the green (or whatever color you choose) circles will be allowed to sit in their desks. All others must sit on the floor. Thoses in the desks will receive a soft drink or other extra incentives while those on the floor receive nothing. The teacher should begin to conduct class as normal over the loud protests from students on the floor. The teacher should explain to them that because they have a different color that they will be treated differently. This scenario should continue for around five minutes.

Assessment: The effectiveness of the activity in alienating one group of students and having that group express their feelings of inequality and unfairness.

2. Attend: Attending to the Connection

Objective: To discuss what happened in the activity and share feelins and reactions from both groups involved in the simulation.

Activity: Allow students from both groups to share their perspectives on the activity in an organized, teacher led class discussion. Ask students in each group how they felt about their position and the factors that led them to be labeled as a part of a certain group (luck of the draw). Have students express their views on why this simulation was held in the first place and what they learned from this activity.

Assessment: The ability of the students to express their feelings and views on the inequality that existed between each group.

Assessment, Phase One, Level of Engagement, Fascination:

3. Image: Creating a Mental Picture

Objective: To have students visualize the various ways in which societies separate and discriminate against certain groups of people.

Activity: Students will be organized into groups of 3-4 people. Each group will be given a poster board and a set of markers. Each group is to create visual representations of ways in which certain groups in society experience inequality. The teacher must isolate the groups so that no groups swap ideas or suggestions. Students may not use words or letters, only images. This activity requires students to think about the activity a bit more in depth. When finished, each group will present their work to the class and discuss their depictions of societal inequality. Eighth graders can be very insighful and should develop a variety of useful images. Lower ability classes may need a bit of guidance from the teacher in the form of examples.

Assessment: The creation of images and the insight shared by the students on inequality in society.

Assessment, Phase Two, Seeing the Big Picture:

4. Inform: Receiving Facts & Knowledge

Objective: To teach textbook material on India and the caste system and to introduce material about the Civil Rights Movement.

Activity: Use a variety of instructional methods to teach curriculum material including lecture, charts and graphs, textbook information and a video presentation on the caste system in India. Students will understand how this system began, why it persists, who makes up it’s various components and how at one point in the history of the United States we had a system that in may ways was very similar to the caste system in India.

Assessment: Verbal discussions with students and a possible quiz or written assignment to check for knowledge.

Assessment, Phase Three, Success with Acquiring Knowledge:

5. Practice: Developing Skills

Objective: To check for student retention of content knowledge.

Activity: The teacher should hold a review session and supplement the lesson with activities designed to generate and stimulate higher order thinking skills. A test should then be administered for an overall evaluation. Reteach material if necessary.

Assessment: Objective test.

Assessment, Phase Four, Success with Acquiring Skills:

6. Extend: Extending Learning to the Outside World

Objective: To allow students an opportunity to discover how social inequality has had a great impact on their own society and community and discover factors that caused this social split between races.

Activity: Students will be organized into groups of 3-4. Each students will receive a teacher created handout that supplies basic background information on certain events that occurred in the United States which demonstrate how racial segregation was used in our society. Students will read these in their groups and answer 3-5 questions at the bottom of the page based on their reading. Each group will then prepare a short presentation to the class based on their event. Students will then swap group members and will be assigned to research key events and figures of the Civil Rights Movement. Students must prepare a five-minute oral and visual presentation using charts, posters, and costumes to present their information to the class. Students must e able to relate this experience in American history to caste system of India in use today.

Assessment: Shared knowledge on causes of the Civil Rights Movement and student information shared with the class.

7. Refine: Refining the Extension

Objective: To present student created and organized lessons on key events and figures of the Civil Rights Movement and to tie this activity in with information presented on the caste system of India.

Activity: In their groups, students will present their research activities to the class. Students must present the information orally and visually.

Assessment: The ability of the students to present a well organized and researched presentation to the class using visual aids to stimulate interest in the activity.

8. Perform: Creative Manifestation of Material Learned

Objective: To allow students to broaded their knowledge and overall persepctive on the Civil Rights Movement..

Activity: A class field trip to a Civil Rights Institute will be organized. Students will be required to listen to the oral history of one person involved in the Civil Rights Movement. By completing this assignment, students get the opportunity to actually hear a first-hand account of the struggles endured by those who endured through these turbulent times in our history. Students will bring their information back to class and will have the opportunity to share what they discovered with other class members.

Assessment: The ability of the students to choose, organize and research a topic through a field trip. Quality of the presentation.

Assessment, Phase Five,Performance, Creative Use of Material Learned: