| Grade 7 LA |
SEVENTH GRADE
Reading and English Language Arts Standard Reading Goal: Reading Objectives Students will use skills to read for literacy experiences, read to inform and read to perform a task by: 1 identifying and using the dimensions of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, background knowledge/vocabulary, high frequency words/fluency, comprehension, writing and motivation to read); and 2 employing a wide variety of literature in developing independent readers. Strategies: Students will: RLA.7.1.3 relate common themes across a variety of literature. RLA.7.1.7 make text connections to self, to other text and to the real world. Unit and Lesson Planning May Include: Multicultural Fairy Tales: With the whole group, share the original story of Cinderella by Charles Perrault. Discuss the elements that make it a fairy tale (happened long ago, there's an element of magic, it ends with the main characters living "happily ever after", etc.) Share that many cultures through out the world have similar tales. On a wall size chart, make a matrix with the following headings going horizontally across the paper: TITLE, COUNTRY, SETTING, CHARACTERS, PROBLEM, SOLUTION, MAGIC, BEGINNING WORDS, ENDING WORDS As a whole group, fill in the columns with information from Perrault's Cinderella. Next ask children to volunteer to write the information on 4x6 cards. Each piece of information should be illustrated on the same cards. Attach each illustrated card in the appropriate column. Assign groups of 4-5 children a version of the fairy tale theme from another culture to investigate. Give them 4x6 cards to write the information and illustrate the card. For instance, the title card would have a jacket cover illustration for the story and the title written on it. The characters card would have an illustration of the characters and their names written in sentence form.(And so on for each category.) After each group has had a chance to read write and illustrate the information for their assigned version, they attach them in the appropriate places and report orally to the class on what they found. The whole class can them compare and contrast the different versions. Revisit: Use multiple versions of other fairy tales such as The 3Bears,The 3 Little Pigs or 3 Wishes stories. Enrichment: Have children write their own version representative of their environment, or have them research to find other culture's versions of the Cinderella tale. Assessment: Completed matrix (Group) Complete inquiry (individual) I can name three ways the stories were similar. I can name three ways the fairy tales were different. I can list three characteristics of fairy tales. Resources: The Rough-Face Girl; Rafe Martin The Egyptian Cinderella; S. Climo Yeh-Shen; retold by. A Louie The Korean Cinderella; S. Climo Cinderella, C. Perrault http://www.lessonplanspage.com/LAMultiFairy.htm by D. Van Zee Standard 2: Writing (RLA.S.2) Goal: Students will employ a wide range of writing strategies to communicate effectively for different purposes by: Strategies: Writing Objectives Students will: RLA.7.2.1 from a prompt, use the writing process to develop a focused composition that contains specific, relevant details and transition. Unit and Lesson Planning May Include: Brief Encounters Enduring Understandings: • Everyone has a culture. It shapes how we see ourselves, others, and the world. • Behavior is affected in large part by cultural beliefs and values. • Culture is like an iceberg. Some aspects are visible; others are beneath the surface. Invisible aspects influence and cause the visible ones. Essential Questions: • How does my culture shape the way I see myself, others, and the world? • How do my cultural values and beliefs influence the way I personally behave? • Why is it important to be aware of the invisible aspects of culture? Objectives: • Students will gain skills in observing and describing behaviors. • Students will develop an understanding of how our cultural values influence the way we view other groups. Materials: • Cultural-norms sheets for the Pandya and Chispa cultures (half of the players will receive Pandya sheets and the other half Chispa sheets) • Recorded music Introduction Science fiction fans will recognize a familiar theme as they participate in this simulation. Many science fiction authors have explored how humans will behave when we meet an alien race for the first time. “Brief Encounters” brings the question closer to home and asks students to explore the interaction of two cultures—one outgoing and casual, the other more reserved and formal—with different social norms. Instructions 1. Remove all furniture from the center of the classroom. Students will need space to move around. Explain to the class that they will adopt the cultures of two unfamiliar groups, interact with each other, and then examine their reactions. 2. Divide the participants into three groups. Two groups should be about the same size and should have roughly equal numbers of males and females, if possible. A smaller group of two or three students will act as observers. 3. Ask the observers to watch closely as two different cultural groups—the Pandyas and the Chispas—interact. They may move among the participants, but they may not touch or speak to them. Their observations will help the class view the lesson with a wider perspective during debriefing. 4. Send the Pandya and Chispa groups to opposite corners of the room. Distribute copies of the Pandya cultural-norms sheets to one group and the Chispa cultural-norms sheets to the other group. Ask the members of each culture to read these sheets and to discuss their norms among themselves. 5. Visit the Pandyas and clarify their values. Emphasize the importance of staying in character. Emphasize that the male students should be chaperoned at all times. Remind them of the Pandyas’ reluctance to initiate contacts with people of other cultures. 6. Visit the Chispas and clarify their values. Emphasize the importance of making several brief contacts rather than a few lengthy ones. Define a contact as eliciting a verbal or a nonverbal response from a member of the other culture. Remind them of their friendly, outgoing nature and their eagerness to meet people from other cultures. 7. The simulation: Announce that the two student groups from imaginary countries have been invited to a party sponsored by an international student-exchange organization. The party organizers hope the two groups will get acquainted and learn about each other. When students return to their home schools, they will present culture reports to their classmates. The students are welcome to mingle, dance, and talk. 8. Start the music and let the two cultures interact. The teacher and student observers should walk among the groups, looking for behaviors that can be described and discussed during debriefing. 9. After 10 to 12 minutes, call time and end the party. Ask the students to meet once more in opposite corners of the room and to make notes for their culture reports. 10. Give each group about 10 minutes to create a brief report. The Chispas’ report will describe Pandya behavior and the values that their classmates could expect to encounter if they visited the Pandya nation. The Pandyas will create a similar description of the Chispas’ culture. 11. Ask a representative from the Chispas to present the group’s report to the class. Then, after providing the Chispas with a copy of the Pandya cultural norms, ask a representative from the Pandyas to read that group’s norms sheet. Ask the Chispas to note how their report compared with the Pandyas’ cultural-norms sheet. 12. Repeat with a Pandya representative sharing the group’s report on the Chispas (and provide the Pandyas with the Chispas’ norm sheet). Debriefing Use questions such as the following to guide discussion of how our own cultural biases influence the way we view other groups. Be sure to ask the small group of observers for their views on the participants’ attempts to communicate across cultures and to maintain cultural norms. 1. How did you feel about the behavior of the members of your own group? Of the other group? Did your group’s culture report use positive, negative, or neutral terms to describe the other group? 2. How well did your group members observe the norms of their assigned culture? During the party, what did you do if a member of your culture did not observe a particular norm? 3. What are the real-world advantages of following cultural norms? 4. Ask students to discuss whether they agree or disagree with each of the following statements: • People have difficulty describing the behaviors of other groups in non-judgmental terms. • People acquire cultural norms fairly quickly. • Most of the group’s norms are maintained through peer pressure. • Americans tend to feel uncomfortable without eye contact, even though in many parts of the world, eye contact is considered to be rude and impolite. • The same behavior can be perceived differently depending on your group’s norms. For example, what appears friendly to Chispas seems pushy to Pandyas. 5. What are some real-world situations that were illustrated during the game? 6. Pandya women were instructed to speak for the Pandya men. In what real-world situations does one group speak for another? 7. How would the game be different for players if the Pandya men dominated the women? 8. What lessons from this activity would you want to keep in mind if you were going to spend time in an unfamiliar culture? 9. Ask students to list as many examples of cross-cultural experiences as they can. Remind them that not all cross-cultural experiences take place in other countries or between people who speak different languages or come from different racial backgrounds. Attending worship services, for example, with a friend who holds different religious beliefs is a cross-cultural experience. It’s possible that going to a new school or having dinner at the home of a friend from another culture also could be a cross-cultural experience. Brainstorm ideas about what students can do to encourage clear communication in such situations. Cultural Norms Sheets You Are a Pandya Pandya Cultural Norms • Pandyas prefer to interact with members of their own culture. • Pandyas do not initiate conversation. They speak only when spoken to. • Pandyas have very formal speech patterns. For example, they always use “sir” and “ma’am.” • Among Pandyas, women have more status than men. Men are chaperoned by Pandya women. • Pandya men avoid eye contact with women from other cultures. • Pandya men do not talk directly to women from other cultures. They respond through their chaperones. Pandya men can talk to men from other cultures. They can maintain eye contact with men from other cultures. You Are a Chispa Chispa Cultural Norms • Chispas are informal and friendly. • Among Chispas, there are no gender roles. Men and women behave the same way. • Chispas are outgoing. They love to make contact with people from other cultures. • Chispa contacts are brief and casual. • Chispas are democratic and call everyone by his or her first name. Chispas value cross-gender contacts more than same-gender contacts. http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/bridges/lesson12/index.html By Paul D. Coverdell World Wise Schools Eighth Grade Reading Language Arts Goal: Standard 1: Reading (RLA.S.1) Students will use skills to read for literacy experiences, read to inform and read to perform a task by: 1 identifying and using the dimensions of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, background knowledge/vocabulary, high frequency words/fluency, comprehension, writing and motivation to read); and 2 employing a wide variety of literature in developing independent readers. Reading Objectives Students will: RLA.8.1.2 relate literary theme to global situations. RLA.8.1.6 make text connections to self, to other text and to the real world. RLA.8.1.7 identify literary technique used to interpret literature (e.g., irony; satire; persuasive language; analogies). Unit and Lesson Planning May Include: "You Have To Live In Somebody Else's Country To Understand": A Warm-Up Activity On Outsiders Overview: The goal of this one hour warm-up is to provide students with an opportunity to explore the feelings of people who are considered outsiders in society. The alienation of individuals and groups within a school community is often a common, yet hidden problem. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to experience the feelings of outsiders, and use their experience to practice the skills of active listening, empathy, compassion, and problem solution. Materials: 1. Handout: poem, Noy Chou, "You Have To Live In Somebody Else's Country To Understand" 2. Translations of poem, Spanish provided 3. Handout, homework reading and assignment Procedure: 1. Arrange ahead of time for an adult who is literate in a second language to read the poem in this language to the class. For the purpose of this lesson, be sure that the language spoken is one that most of the students do not understand. It's even better if just a few students understand. They will provide an interesting contrast to the experience of the majority. Tell the class that they will be having a guest speaker who will be sharing a poem with them. Have the adult introduce him or herself briefly in the second language, without speaking any English. Expect students to feel mildly uncomfortable not understanding the speaker. 2. Instruct the class that they will be listening to the poem with their eyes closed so that they can fully appreciate the experience without distractions. They should also be instructed to listen quietly without talking or making comments. Have the guest read the poem to the class. 3. After the poem is read, have the guest give the following instructions in the second language to the class: "Please take out a piece of paper and complete this journal assignment in five minutes. Describe a time when you felt like an outsider, or when someone made a judgment about you based on things over which you had no control." Repeat the instructions in English. Start by saying something like, "For those of you who are non-native speakers, here are the instructions in your language." 4. Hand out copies of the poem in English and read the poem to the class. (You may want to ask the guest to read the poem in English to the students as they follow along. Do not have the guest stay much past this point in the lesson; the students should focus on their own feelings and not those of the guest.) 5. After the poem is read, have the students write a second journal entry. Students should review the text of the poem and select phrases, lines, or passages that have meaning for them and copy them. Have them give examples from their own life experiences to explain each of their choices. Allow five to ten minutes. 6. Have students share their journal entries with each other in pairs or groups of 3. 7. Debriefing: You can use an overhead for the debriefing and cluster their ideas as they speak. Ask students to share how they felt while the poem was being read, and the following are some typical responses. Label the cluster, "Feelings of Outsiders." Typical comments: ( Bored, interested at first, later felt disconnected, uncomfortable, left out, frustrated, confused, felt like leaving, angry, acted like it was funny to avoid feeling stupid, tried to listen to tone and inflection to try to figure out what was being said.) Continue the debriefing discussion with the these additional questions: • For the students who did understand the poem, how did you feel? About yourself? About the other students who couldn't understand the poem? • Who do you think are treated like "outsiders" in America today? Individuals? Groups? • What are the possible results or consequences when people feel like outsiders in their surroundings? For themselves? For others? In school, for example, how might these feelings interfere with a student's ability to learn or collaborate with other students in a group? • What did you learn from this experience and the poem that might help you to better understand the feelings of outsiders in the future? • How might you act differently toward someone when you recognize that s/he might be feeling like an outsider? 8. Homework reading and assignment. You Have to Live in Somebody Else's Country to Understand by Noy Chou What is it like to be an outsider? What is it like to sit in the class where everyone has blond hair and you have black hair? What is it like when the teacher says, "Whoever wasn't born here raise your hand." And you are the only one. Then, when you raise your hand, everybody looks at you and makes fun of you. You have to live in somebody else's country to understand. What is it like when the teacher treats you like you've been here all your life? What is it like when the teacher speaks too fast and you are the only one who can't understand what he or she is saving, and you try to tell him or her to slow down. Then when you do, everybody says, "If you don't understand, go to a lower class or get lost." You have to live in somebody else's country to understand. What is it like when you are an opposite? When you wear the clothes of your country and they think you are crazy to wear these clothes and you think they are pretty. You have to live in somebody else's country to understand. What is it like when you are always a loser. What is it like when somebody bothers you when you do nothing to them? You tell them to stop but they tell you that they didn't do anything to you. Then, when they keep doing it until you can't stand it any longer, you go up to the teacher and tell him or her to tell them to stop bothering you. They say that they didn't do anything to bother you. Then the teacher asks the person sitting next to you. He says, "Yes, she didn't do anything to her" and you have no witness to turn to. So the teacher thinks you are a liar. You have to live in somebody else's country to understand. What is it like when you try to talk and you don't pronounce the words right? They don't understand you. They laugh at you but you don't know that they are laughing at you, and you start to laugh with them. They say, "Are you crazy, laughing at yourself? Go get lost, girl." You have to live in somebody else's country without a language to understand. What is it like when you walk in the street and everybody turns around to look at you and you don't know that they are looking at you. Then, when you find out, you want to hide your face but you don't know where to hide because they are everywhere. You have to live in somebody else's country to feel it. Published in 1986 by the Anti-Defamation League in the "A World of Difference" project. TIENES QUE VIVIR EN OTRO PAIS PARA COMPRENDER by Noy Chou Como se siente ser un extrano. Como se siente sentarse en la clase donde todo el mundo tiene el cabello rubio y tu cabello es negro? Como se siente cuando el maestro pregunta, "Levanten la mano los que no hayan nacido aqui." Y tu eres el unico. Luego, cuando tu levantas la mano, todos te miran y se burlan de ti. Tienes que vivir en otro pais para comprenderlo! Como se siente cuando el maestro te trata como si tu hubieras estado aqui toda tu vida? Como se siente cuando el maestro habla muy rapido y tu eres el unico que no entiende lo que ella o el esta diciendo, y tratas de decirle que hable mas despacio. Luego cuaiido lo haces, el resto de la clase dice, "Si no entiendes ve a un nivel mas bajo o desaparece." Tienes que vivir en otro pais para comprender esto. Como se siente cuando tu eres lo opuesto? Cuando tu vistes prendas de tu pais, y los demas piensan que estas loca por vestir asi y tu piensas que la ropa que vistes es bonita. Tienes que vivir en otro pais para entender esto. Como se siente cuando tu eres siempre un perdedor? Como se siente cuando alguien te molesta y tu no hicistes nada para molestar a esa persona? Tu les dices que dejen de molestarte, pero ellos te responden que ellos no te han hecho nada. Luego cuando ellos continuan molestandote hasta que tu no lo soportas mas, vas con el maestro y le dices que les digan a ellos que te dejen de molestar. Ellos responden que no han hecho nada para molestarte. Luego el maestro le pregunta a la persona que se sienta a la par tuya El dice, "Es sierto, ellos no le han hecho nada a ella" y tu no tienes testigos que te apoyen. Entonces el maestro piensa que estas mintiendo. Tienes que vivir en otro pais para entenderlo. Como se siente cuando tratas de hablar y no pronuncias las palabras correctamente? Los demas no te entienden. Se rien de ti pero tu no sabes porque, y tu empiezas a reir con ellos. Ellos te dicen, " A caso estas loca, te ries de ti misma?" Desaparece mujer!! Tienes que vivir en otro pais sin entender el idioma para comprender esto. Como se siente cuando caminas por la calle y todo el mundo voltea para verte y tu no te das cuanta que los demas te estan observando. Luego cuando te das cuenta, tu quisieras esconder el rostro pero no sabes donde esconderte porque la gente esta por todas partes. Tienes que vivir en otro pais para sentirlo!! Homework Reading and Assignment: "When You Walk On Main Street..." Student Instructions: This letter was written by a first-generation immigrant student. After you finish the reading below, write a friendly letter to the author in response. Address the question that the writer asks: why are things so different inside and outside school? Why do teenagers seem to be more likely to treat others as outsiders? Discuss you own feelings and experiences. How do you think outsiders should be treated? How can people who understand the situation help? What can you do? Minimum length is one page. "You know, when you walk on Main Street or walk through a group of American students, and you hear them say something, or pick on you, or you see them throw something at you and do everything they want to do because they think you don't understand English or speak English, how do you feel about that? Is that hurting you or not? How do you feel when you go to school without friends? I really don't know what some people think about my friends and me. Are we animals or something? Sometimes we tried to talk to them to learn more English. Some of them helped us, and some of them just laughed and made fun of us. Sometimes when you have an American friend talk to you and be friendly and nice to you, you feel really happy. Then, the second year, it was still the same thing. . . I don't know why outside school it is very different from inside the school I say that because I have been working in a restaurant. I have a lot of friends, and they are all American. I asked them why it was different between outside and inside school They said because in school most American students are teenagers, so they don't understand about how hard conditions are for foreign people living in America. I think that's true because most of my friends in the restaurant are older than I am. I really didn't want to write this letter. I didn't feel like it. But I had to because some people want to understand, and maybe they should help or do something. I don't know. But you know something? I just want to be friendly with people. I don't want to be an enemy with anybody—just to keep cool and be nice. That's all I wish." Retrieved from the World Wide Web:http://www.pbs.org/newamericans/6.0/html/warmup.html PBS The New Americans Teacher Guide Standard 2: Writing (RLA.S.2) Goal: Students will employ a wide range of writing strategies to communicate effectively for different purposes by: 1 developing the writing process; 2 applying grammatical and mechanical properties in writing; and 3 gathering and using information for research purposes. Writing Objectives Students will: RLA.8.2.1 use the writing process to demonstrate the ability to compose a variety of written work (e.g., creative; informative; expository; persuasive; chronological explanatory; compare/contrast; cause/effect; article; essay; journal; letters; reports; poetry). RLA.8.2.2 from a prompt, develop a focused composition that contains specific, relevant details, smooth transition and vivid, precise words. Unit and Lesson Planning May Include: 'Kickin It' with Kids of other 'Kultures' Multicultural education is an important part of the learning process for all students. The following is a multicultural lesson plan implemented through speech communication emphasizing cultural diversity and cultural awareness. TITLE: Multicultural Journeys CREATED BY: Paulette Buster (in ETEC 657, Integrating Computers into the Curriculum) SUBJECT: Multicultural Education Speech Communication Reading Language Arts/English GRADE LEVEL: 7 - 12. OBJECTIVES: 1. Students will be able to (SWBAT) describe and explain significant characteristics of other cultures. 2. SWBAT compare and contrast sub-cultures in the United States. 3. SWBAT observe and identify some aspects of American sub-cultures (i.e. foods, clothing, religion, and language. 4. SWBAT analyze and evaluate the similarities and differences between different cultures. 5. SWBAT will be able to list, discuss, analyze and evaluate stereotypes of different cultures. RESOURCES/MATERIALS: • Computers. • Access to the Internet or WWW. • Software (i.e Infopedia, or other reference/resource software available). • Pencil • Journal or Notebook • Paper • Posterboard • Markers, Crayons, or Watercolors ACTIVITIES: 1. Students will list and discuss the different cultures in America 2. Students will be placed in groups of two and they will select a culture they are interested in researching. 3. Students will then go to the library and do preliminary research on the culture they selected. 4. Students will go to the computer lab and access the Internet for research on the culture they selected. 5. Students will E-mail someone from the culture they selected and maintain a open line of communication. 6. Students will keep a journal or notebook of all information and research. 7. Each group will make a portfolio to include interesting facts, interview of the person from the other culture, some cultural foods, clothing, religion, and correction of any stereotypes the students found. 8. Each group will make a class presentation and a fact poster on each culture researched. FOLLOW-UP: Each students will design two questions from each culture presented. The class will construct a game titled 'These Are the Facts'. At the end of all presentations, students will play the game to recall some facts about the different cultures. Each student will have to write a critique of each presentation (in order to give some constructive feedback). Also, each student will have to write a personal response of what they did or did not learn from the activities. Each student will receive an individual and group grade to be averaged together for an overall grade. Ninth Grade Reading and English Language Arts Content Standards and Objectives Goal: Standard 1: Reading (RLA.S.1) Students will use skills to read for literacy experiences, read to inform and read to perform a task by: 1 identifying and using the dimensions of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, background knowledge/vocabulary, high frequency words/fluency, comprehension, writing and motivation to read); and 2 employing a wide variety of literature in developing independent readers. Reading Objectives Students will: RLA.9.1.1 identify historical, cultural and biographical influences of literary works. Lesson and Unit Planning May Include: Heroes and Heroines in the Family By Margaret Clancy Narrative • Lesson Plan—Week One • Lesson Plan—Week Three • Lesson Plan—Week Four • Bibliography for Teachers • Bibliography for Students • Videos To Guide Entry This unit will include a study of American Indian, European, Puerto Rican, Afro-American and American tales to show the students the common themes and the universal affirmation of man’s ability to accomplish great feats by using a great deal of brain power and some brawn. My goal is to arouse in my 7th and 8th grade students a “can do” attitude towards life—an attitude of believing in themselves and their abilities—an attitude of hope—an American attitude that says everyone can be whatever he wants to be as long as he is willing to work for it. These attitudes are missing from the young, inner-city students I teach, and that worries me more than how well they are doing in my English class. I’m hoping a study of folktales will ignite some feelings of hope and confidence in my students. Initially, because all children know some fairy or folktales, I expect that introducing the unit will be exciting for them. Folktales are “user friendly”. Everyone thinks of them as light and entertaining, and, therefore, non-threatening. So I anticipate an immediate enthusiasm for reading and discussing the tales by the students. Indeed, I hope I am right because I intend to begin the unit with an open discussion by the students of their favorite tales. Because my inner-city classes break down into approximately one-third black, one third Puerto Rican, and one-third white, I also expect that this sharing will be diverse and bountiful. To get this part of the lesson going I will tell my favorite fairy tale first. I think most classes will need the teacher to go first, so the students know what is expected. During this discussion time I hope different versions of the same tale arise, because it will allow the students to experience one of the unique characteristics of folktales. That characteristic being that folktales are ever changing because they are passed down from one generation to another, and as this happens they take on the changing customs, politics, and language of the times. And more directly, that folktales change according to the storyteller. As with every-day gossip, each time the story is told the storyteller has an opportunity to add or delete bits and pieces. The English skills the students will use and develop more fully includes vocabulary development, increase in silent and oral reading skills, comprehension skills, writing skills, skills of interaction among the students, and the use of imagination. Xeroxed copies of most of the tales I use in this unit can be found in the office of the Yale New Haven Teachers’ Institute. I feel the need to do this because there are many versions of the fairy tales and folktales used in this unit. It is important that teachers and students using this unit use the same versions I used. I will teach the unit during the month of January to my 8th graders. I think this is a good time of year for the unit because students are just returning from vacation and will enjoy studying something “light” and a bit magical. Because we have team teaching at Fair Haven, I will use two periods to work on some of the lesson plans like writing a play for one of the fairy tales. Group lesson plans such as this can easily be done in a team teaching situation. For teachers not working in a team teaching situation alternate arrangements will have to be made. I have specifically selected 8th graders because their English Literature books devote a section to folktales. This unit will involve using their books, thus giving a sense of security to the student who needs to have a book in order to study. I expect to introduce the unit and teach American Indian folktales week one. Week two we will study European fairy tales, while Puerto Rican and Afro-American tales will be explored during week three. The unit will conclude with a study of American folktales. Lesson plans for this unit are at the end. After the introduction to the unit I will show the students a video tape which tells of three independent Indian Nations currently existing in America: the Onondaga in New York State, the Navajo in Arizona, and the Lumma in Washington State. As they watch this tape they will learn of the customs and culture of these American Indians, and then they will be better able to understand the Indian folktales we’ll be studying in class. By starting with the American Indian I think the class will be very cohesive, because we do not have any American Indian students and no prejudices against them appear to exist. In fact, I believe there is great sympathy for the Indian. The point of all this is that the interest of the students should continue to be high as we move along studying some Indian folklore. The first tale I will read with my students, “How Mosquitoes Came to Be”, is quite entertaining. It tells of a man-eating giant who the Indians fear. A man, the hero, tells the other Indians he thinks he can kill the giant. He is successful in killing the giant by using his intelligence and a knife, but although the giant is dead he says he will keep on eating humans forever. The hero burns the giant and throws his ashes in the air to scatter. Those flying specks become mosquitoes that suck our blood and make us itch. “While this tale has an entertaining twist to it, it also has the hero, the little guy who had the courage to face an awful giant. He uses his brains to get close and find out where the giant’s heart was located. Knowing this he then is successful in killing him. The second Indian tale I will use is “The Story of Corn Smut Girl”. This is appealing because it is similar to “Cinderella”. Many of the circumstances are quite different, but the handsome man marries a beautiful goddess, who looks dirty to others. This tale tells of how Corn Smut Girl and all her family disappear into the ground. At the spot where she went into the ground the Hopi Indians pray to her to send good crops of corn. With this tale students should grasp the importance of kindness, being true to your word, and not judging a book by its cover. In this tale, unlike “Cinderella”, no one but her family sees her as the beautiful goddess. People make fun of the handsome warrior and his dirty bride. I hope my students will see that this warrior is as much a hero as the man who slew the giant in the first tale. I also hope they see the common theme and the affirmation of man’s ability to accomplish great feats by using a great deal of brain power and some brawn, as illustrated in these two tales. I will allow time for discussion about these two heroes. I will then ask students to explain how situations in today’s world could be changed by similar actions done possibly by them. Perhaps they will begin to see that they—each individual—is important and special to himself and to society. Week two will deal with European fairy tales, because they are ones students are familiar with and comfortable reading aloud. For this part of the unit, then, I will ask students to read the tales aloud, thus increasing their skills in oral reading. To reinforce the idea that heroes and heroines come from ordinary people I’ve selected the following tales for reading: “Hansel and Gretel”, “Puss in Boots”, Rumpelstiltskin”, “Cinderella”, “Jack and the Bean Stalk”, and “Beauty and the Beast”. Each points out how an ordinary person becomes a prince, princess, or other successful character by using intelligence, wit, and charm—all qualities everyone has. I chose “Hansel and Gretel” as the first of the European fairy tales for several reasons. It deals with a brother and sister who are abandoned by their parents. Immediately, I hope all my students will relate to the tale because it concerns a boy and a girl. The issue of child abandonment is one that my students see or suffer daily along with other child abuse problems. I hope, then, to capture their interest with this tale and to bring them through the story to its virtuous conclusion that forgiveness and love are the greatest virtues of all. Upon reading this tale I will spend some time discussing the correlation between Hansel and Gretel’s fate and actions that are taking place today within our own families, neighborhoods, school, and community. Perhaps through such discussions students will understand that life can be cruel, but humans can overcome these cruelties and make a happy life for themselves without being cruel too. Of course I am not referring to the death of the witch here. That is another lesson all together. I refer to the way the children treat their father when they return. Self-reliance, ingenuity, and courage are the virtues that saved Hansel and Gretel, and I hope my students come to Understand that these same virtues can help them. “Puss in Boots”, “Rumpelstiltskin”, and “Cinderella” all deal with ordinary people who are able to improve their lot with the help of a fairy or supernatural being. I hope these selections will ignite a sense of hope in my students also, for these are examples of good working in the world. Whether my students believe in God, a guardian angel, magic, or coincidence, I hope their imaginations allow them to enjoy the stories and crave more. Following the reading of “Jack and the Bean Stalk” and “Beauty and the Beast” I will begin discussion by asking how these two tales differ from the previous three. My purpose is to have students recognize that in these selections the evil one is readily recognized by the hero or heroine, and that they move toward the evil to engage in conflict or submit. While in the previous three tales students should see that evil befalls the hero or heroine. These kinds of questions will increase the reading comprehension and reasoning powers of the students. I will begin week three by introducing Puerto Rican folktales. “The Woodsman’s Daughter and the Lion” and “Juan Bobo and the Princess Who Answered Riddles” are the two tales I’ll read to the class. In “The Woodsman’s Daughter and the Lion” the lion agrees not to eat the woodsman if he brings the lion the first thing that comes to greet him when he gets home. The woodsman agrees only to have his youngest daughter be the first to greet him. The huntsman, true to his word, returns the next day with his daughter. The lion takes the daughter while telling the man where to dig to find much golden coin. The daughter is taken to an underground palace where she is given beautiful jewelry and clothes and treated royally. Months pass and the girl becomes very unhappy, because she misses her family. The lion agrees to let her visit them, but she must return before the rooster crows. This she does. The lion lets her go to visit a second time. However, this time the girl finds her father ill. She becomes so distracted she forgets the time. The rooster crows before she gets back. As a result the girl must walk back because the coach has vanished. When she arrives she finds the entrance to the lion’s cave is sealed up. She hears the lion say that she had almost broken the evil spell that a witch had cast on him, a prince. But now that she was late she would have to walk across the world and wear iron shoes before she could find him and break the spell. She promises to do this, and, after being fitted with a pair of iron shoes, she walks across the earth for many years in search of the lion. Finally she finds him and breaks the spell. The handsome prince explains that he was under the evil spell cast by a witch, and it was broken because of her love and loyalty. Here students should see the common theme used also in “Beauty and the Beast” that illustrates how love and loyalty can bring great happiness to people, both the receivers and givers. In both of these stories the common person enjoys the rewards. I chose “Juan Bobo and the Princess Who Answered Riddles” because I believe it gives a clear example of how an ordinary, even supposedly stupid person, can achieve great things. The hero of this tale uses courage, belief in himself, and ingenuity to win the hand of the Princess. I also chose this tale because it is in the Vista Literature which the students use in class. In this folktale Juan Bobo tries to win the beautiful daughter of the King by asking her a riddle she cannot solve. His mother and friends are afraid for him because the King has declared that any man who fails to stump his daughter will be executed. But Juan Bobo, Simple John, gave the Princess a riddle she could not solve. She, in turn, begs Juan Bobo to give her the answer. He agrees if the Princess will give him her ring and one of her shoes. She agrees, and the next day she tells the court she has solved the riddle. The King is relieved because he doesn’t want his daughter to marry this bumpkin. He orders Juan’s execution. However, Juan Bobo tells the King what really happened and shows the ring and shoe as proof. The King declares that Juan Bobo will marry his beautiful daughter. That is how, years later, the fool of the town became the King of the country. Here my students see that a fool can make a good life for himself by using courage, ingenuity, and most importantly, a strong belief in himself. There is some of the shrewdness involved here as there certainly is with “Puss in Boots’. But I think both tales point out the resources man has for making a good life for himself. With these tales I hope to awaken in the minds of my Puerto Rican students the knowledge that they have the same talents as Juan Bobo or the daughter of the woodsman. I want them to realize sex, race, color, or economic position have no bearing on success. Success comes from using the talents one has. During this week we will also look at Afro-American tales. I have grouped all tales of African culture together , but “The Orphan with the Cloak of Skin” comes directly from Africa, while “Wiley, His Mama, and the Hairy Man” and “The People Could Fly” come from the black slaves of the South. “The Orphan with the Cloak of Skin” tells of the travails of the step child and can be related to “Hansel and Gretel” and “Cinderella” because of the stepchild character. Many of my students come from broken homes, second families, etc.... so they should feel hope from reading this tale. In “Wiley, His Mama, and the Hairy Man” we read a tale about a black mother and son who conquer the evil man. It will be pointed out to the students that tales like this one were about black slaves outwitting their white masters. Here. the Hairy Man probably refers to the white master. There is abundant use of charms, magic powers and ingenuity, all characteristic of the black slaves at that time. Often the only way they coped with the misery was by telling these wonderful tales of blacks outwitting whites. In this tale I hope my students will see Wiley’s use of ingenuity when he gets the Hairy Man to make all the rope in the county disappear, thus untying Wiley’s hounds who save him from the Hairy Man. or again, when Wiley’s mother gets Hairy Man to promise he will go away and leave everyone else alone if she gives him her baby. Of course she gives him a baby pig—a baby that had belonged to her before she gave it to the Hairy Dilan. As with the other tales students should see that this tale shows the importance of family and the virtues of self-reliance, ingenuity, and courage. They should also see that the individual, the common person, is able to use his abilities to conquer evil and make a good life for himself. It is important that the students understand that the person must take action to change his circumstances. All too often my students complain about something or someone without any thought of how they might change the situation. The last tale, “The People Could Fly”, is one of magic and fantasy popular with the slaves of the South, because, like all of the fairy tales and folktales we’ve read, it provides hope. In this tale the people fly away to a better life. Make-believe is a wonderful way to cope with misery, and this tale does it well. I will conclude the unit with a study of American folktales. Among those we will read are: “Davey Crockett”, “Paul Bunyan”, “John Henry”, “The Saga of Pecos Bill”, and “Captain John Smith and Pocahontas”. Many of these stories are in the Vista Literature book, and there are Xeroxed copies of the other in the office of the Yale New Haven Teachers’ Institute. As we read these American tales it will become obvious to the students that some of these things could not possibly have happened. As with the fairy tales and folktales we have already studied, students will see clearly that most, if not all, of the tales are invented. We will study the use of hyperbole and other techniques while we enjoy reading these stories. I have deliberately chosen to conclude the unit with the story of “Captain John Smith and Pocahontas” because it brings everything together by providing a tale of how America came to live and grow. The unit starts with the Indians and ends with a tale uniting them with us, the new settlers. That should leave all on a happy note of hope, optimism, courage, and self confidence. Hopefully, I will see a new attitude in my students—a “can do” attitude towards life—an American attitude that says everyone can be whatever he wants to be as long as he is willing to work for it! Lesson Plan—WEEK ONE A. Vocabulary council skinning knife pretend scatter plunge particles B. Writing Skills—Students will tell which tale they liked best and why. How would they act if they were the hero of the tale and why? C. Project—Students have the option of drawing an Indian village or making one out of paper. Lesson Plan—WEEK TWO A. Vocabulary complaisance mien virtue Ogre thither miller astonishment consumed rogue enchanted B. Writing Skills—Students will write an essay on the power of enchantment as seen in European tales. C. Storytelling—Students are to select one of the European fairy tales to tell to the class. This may be launched by me telling my favorite tale first, and then inviting guests to come to the classroom to tell a tale. These guests might include other teachers, administrators, parents, or support staff in the school. Then students will tell a tale. This exercise allows them the opportunity to stand in front of a group and experience the empowerment of a storyteller. D. Videos Students will watch the video, “Beauty and the Beast”. Students will be asked to make a list of all the similarities between the video and the tale and another list of differences. They will have to draw conclusions from this information. Are the important points of the tale also in the video? Why or Why not? LESSON PLAN—WEEK THREE A. Vocabulary pact proclamation enchanted avail preoccupied befallen desperation indignant bewitched bumpkin loyalty futile B. Class Project—A group can write, produce, and perform a play of the Puerto Rican or Afro-American tales, or they can make puppets, hand or regular, and tell one of the tales through the puppets. (I’ve chosen these activities at this time for two reasons. First, students are more than half-way through the unit of study and need some fun activities to keep their interest high. Secondly, by now students should be comfortable with the subject matter and with each other. Therefore, they should be able to work together easily. I want their work to be productive, but I also want to increase interaction among my students. This assignment will be provide the atmosphere for student sharing and interacting.) LESSON PLAN—WEEK FOUR Students will have to write their own folk or fairy tale about present day life. They will have to write of some evil that the hero or heroine overcomes and tell the audience how he or she did it. It has to be an evil or threat to safety that exists and that the audience can identify with. This assignment should generate a great deal of discussion and awareness of each student’s potential. Completed tales will be published for everyone in the classes. In this way all will share their learning and thoughts with one another. Bibliography for Teachers Abrahams, Roger. African Folktales. N.Y.: Pantheon, 1983. (This book and the next are great sources of folktales for additional reading by teachers and students.) ———. Afro-American Folktales. N.Y.: Pantheon, 1985. Alegria, Ricardo E.. The Three Wishes. N.Y.: Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc., 1060. (This is a book of Puerto Rican folktales translated into English.) Battle, Kemp P.. Great American Folklore. Garden City, NY.: Doubleday and Co., Inc., 1986. (This delightful book includes legends, tales, ballads, and superstitions from all across the United States. It is a great reference for teachers and students.) Bettleheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment. N.Y.: Vantage, 1989. (This book I found To be a very good source for reinforcing the importance folk fairy tales have in children’s literature. This book is a good reference for teachers.) Curtis, Edward S.. Indian Days of Long Ago. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1975. (This book can be used by teachers and students. It contains tales from many tribes.) Hamilton, Virginia. The People Could Fly. N.Y.: Alfred A Knopf, 1985. (This book offers some very entertaining tales told by the slaves of the South. It is already on the reading list for New Haven’s Middle School students, and it is enjoyable reading for teachers as well.) Luthi, Max. The Fairytale as Art Form and Portrait of Man. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1984. (This book is a great source of European tales for teachers to read.) Opie, Iona and Peter. The Classic Fairy Tales. N.Y.: Oxford University Press, 1974, (I have used these versions of the fairy tales in my unit.) Rovenger, Judith. “The Better to Hear You With: Making Sense of Folktales.” School Library Journal, March, 1993. (This recent article takes another look at the importance of folk fairy tales in children’s literature.) Spalding, Henry Daniel. Encyclopedia of Black Folklore and Humor. Middle Village, N.Y.: Jonathan David Publishers, Inc., 1972. (An enjoyable collection for teachers and students.) Tatar, Pilaria. The Hard Facts of the Grimms’ Fairy Tales. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1987. (The author’s thoughts on fairy tales are important for teachers to read. Very interesting.) Yolen, Jane. Favorite Folktales from Around the World. N.Y.: Pantheon, 1986. (This is a Wonderful book for teachers and students. It contains Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Russian, Italian, American Indian, Arab, and Japanese folktales.) Zipes, Jack. Breaking the Magic Spell: Radical Theories of Folk and Fairy Tales. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press, 1979. (In this book the author claims that history plays an important part in the formation of these tales. He also points out that the hero or heroine of each tale can take control of his own life by using his wit, courage and self-reliance, and that is why the tales are so popular.) Excerpted from material at the website of theYale-New Haven Teachers Institute Standard 2: Writing (RLA.S.2) Goal: Students will employ a wide range of writing strategies to communicate effectively for different purposes by: 1 developing the writing process; 2 applying grammatical and mechanical properties in writing; and 3 gathering and using information for research purposes. Writing Objectives Students will: RLA.9.2.4 create a well developed composition from a prompt. RLA.9.2.6 use a clear, logical progression of ideas (e.g., spatial order in a descriptive essay, chronological order in a process essay) to develop a composition that is focused and coherent. Unit and Lesson Planning May Include: "Teaching Tolerance Through Literature" CHARACTER EDUCATION LESSON PLAN: "GOALS, DREAMS, AND CUSTOMS" Grade Level: High School Character Trait(s): Tolerance Subject: English Time Needed: Two 90-minute periods Materials/Resources Needed: Student copies of Prentice-Hall Literature Gold text, Handout of focus questions, Sheet of paper with graphic representation of male/female student, Video of Martin Luther King, Jr. speech Goal(s): The learner will use strategies and processes that enhance control of communication skills development (metacognition and reading strategies) (Goal 1). The learner will use language for the acquisition, interpretation, and application of information (Goal 2). The learner will use language for aesthetic and personal response (Goal 4). Objective(s): • The learner will identify, collect, or select information and ideas (2.1) • The learner will analyze, synthesize, and organize information and discover related ideas, concepts, or generalizations (2.2) • The learner will apply, extend, and expand on information and concepts (2.3) • The learner will respond to personal situations and events in selections and to personal situations and events (4.1) • The learner will respond to the personal, cultural, and historical significance of selections or personal experience (4.2) • The learner will respond critically and creatively to selections or personal experiences (4.3) • To relate prior knowledge to the works presented • To summarize and reflect on reading • To recognize and record emotions expressed in the works • To connect literature to life in a meaningful way • To recognize the importance of personal freedom in the U.S.A. • To recognize the importance of diversity and differences among people Procedures/Activities: Pre-activity, Day 1: The teacher hands each student a sheet of paper with the male or female graphic in the center. Students add their names to the graphic and personalize the picture in any way they wish to do. Students are asked to describe in sentences or draw in symbols or pictures around the graphic fine things in their lives that make life meaningful to them—things without which life would not be the same. Students then share the information on their sheets with others in a small group. One group member lists the five things that are mentioned most often. Each group then shares this list with the entire class. Activity, Day 1: The teacher gives each student a copy of the focus questions to be answered individually. Answer each questions AGREE or DISAGREE. Be prepared to give reasons for each answer. 1.______________ Setting goals for yourself is a waste of time. 2.______________ If you dream of an accomplishment and work hard enough toward it, you can succeed. 3.______________ You should set your goals low so that you will not be disappointed. 4.______________ All people are born equal. 5.______________ All people in the U.S.A. deserve the same rights and freedoms. 6.______________ People who immigrate to the U.S.A. from other countries do not deserve the same rights and freedoms as those who are born in the country. 7.______________ People should just be satisfied with what they have and not try to improve their lives. 8.______________ You should not be concerned with anyone else. Just lead your life the way you want and get what you need. 9.______________ People with customs that differ from ours are just dumb. 10._____________ "The American Dream" incorporates not only life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but also comfortable housing and a good job. The teacher takes a survey by asking students to raise their hands for each agree or disagree response to the questions. Responses are recorded and discussed as a group. Activity 2: Students read the two Langston Hughes poems, "Dreams" and "Dream Deferred" silently. They also read "Sympathy" by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Students then write responses to the poems, addressing the following: • What emotions are being expressed in the poems? • Point out language that brings the emotion across to the reader. • Have you ever felt a similar emotion? Describe the situation in a few words. • Why is it important for a person to have dreams? • What do you think happens to the dreamer when his dreams don’t work out? Students share their responses with a partner. A whole-group discussion follows. Activity 3: Students watch a portion of the Martin Luther King, Jr. "I Have a Dream" speech on video, after which they write a response as follows: • What was Dr. King’s dream? • Does it differ from "The American Dream?" If so, how? • Would Dr. King be pleased with the way his dream is evolving today? Who or why not? Assignment, Day 1: Students read the story "Blues Ain’t No Mockin’ Bird" by Tone Cade Bambara. Students then write the answers to the following questions on index cards: • What evidence of stereotyping did you see in the story? • Why do you think the story is entitled as it is? • How do you feel about the invasion of privacy in the lives of public figures by the media? How do you feel about the media’s invasion into the privacy of private persons such as those in the story? • How do you feel about the way Granddaddy and Granny handled the situation? Pre-Activity, Day 2: The teacher collects the index cards and conducts a class discussion on the story read the previous day. The teacher asks, "How do you measure success in life?" Students list three criteria for success. The class discusses responses and lists them on a flip chart. Activity, Day 2: The teacher reads the essay "Of Dry Goods and Black Bow Ties" by Yoshiko Uchida to the class. This is a story about a Japanese immigrant and his business ventures. Students write answers to the following questions: • What is your opinion of Mr. Shimada? • Shat would immigrants like Mr. Shimada appreciate about the USA that we might take for granted? • Was Mr. Shimada a successful person? Does he fit the definition of success we established earlier? Why or why not? • What mistakes do you think Mr. Shimada Made in his dealings with other people? • Do you think he would agree with your opinion? Why or why not? Next, students read "The Man to Send Rainclouds" by Leslie Marmon Silko silently. This story is about Native American burial customs, and a Catholic priest who wished to bury a man in the Catholic manner. After reading, students answer the following questions in small groups: • Describe the cultural conflict in the story. • What does Father Paul learn about the Pueblo culture during the story? In the same small groups, students prepare to mime a short scene from one of the stories or the essay in this unit. During the mime, other students will write down what is happening and how the characters seem to feel in the scene. Discussion should follow. Assignment, Day 2: Students write an article to be hypothetically posted on the Internet for students in other countries to read. The article should describe an American celebrations or holiday, giving the history of the event and how it is treated in the USA. Assessment: The teacher will note the following things from observation of class: • Familiarity with text as exhibited in oral discussion and group activity • Ability of students to connect ideas from life to literature • Ability of students to recognize and discuss language, symbols, and literary devices used in the literature • Level of personal interaction with the readings and discussions • Demonstration of interpretation and evaluation of ideas presented by the teacher and state in the text The teacher will note the following things in the role-playing assignment: • Evidence of ability to relate the situation in the reading to personal experience • Evidence of understanding of feelings demonstrated by the characters • Evidence of understanding of the importance of dreams, goals, and cultural considerations in the works and life Retrieved from the World Wide Web: Mary Lou Faircloth North Carolina Character Educator of the Year for 1999 Rotary District 7730 High School Winner Clinton High School, Clinton, NC Tenth Grade Reading and English Language Arts Content Standards and Objectives Goal: Standard 1: Reading (RLA.S.1) Students will use skills to read for literacy experiences, read to inform and read to perform a task by: 1 identifying and using the dimensions of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, background knowledge/vocabulary, high frequency words/fluency, comprehension, writing and motivation to read); and 2 employing a wide variety of literature in developing independent readers. Reading Objectives Students will: RLA.10.1.1 analyze and research historical, cultural and biographical influences of literary works. Unit and Lesson Planning May Include: Lesson Plan for Multicultural Literature ("Visions of Mexico While at a Writing Symposium in Port Townsend, Washington" and The House on Mango Street) Subject/Level: English/9th grade Assumptions: No prior knowledge of Hispanic/Latino literature. Allotted Time: One week of 55 minute class periods. Special Materials: Xerox copies of Lorna Dee Cervantes' poem "Visions of Mexico While at a Writing Symposium in Port Townsend, Washington" and Sandra Cisneros' book The House on Mango Street. Unit Goals: 1. Students will be able to recognize characteristics of multicultural literature and understand why the class would be utilizing a variety of literature representing other cultural experiences. 2. Students will use writing to demonstrate his/her comprehension of multiculturalism 3. Students will maintain a journal in order to perceive his or her place in society and to reflect upon his/her personal feelings toward diversity/universality. 4. Students will reflect upon respect and understanding for others. Day One Lesson Objective 1. Students will recognize how content influences the structure and use of language. 2. Students will use reading about other cultures as a means to acquire knowledge. 3. Students will read, comprehend, discuss, and analyze a variety of literature representative of diverse ethnic cultures and traditions. 4. Students will relate to multicultural literature on the basis of personal response as well as literary analysis. Instruction 1. The students will receive a copy of Lorna Dee Cervantes' poem. This will be used to introduce the teacher's lecture on Hispanic American culture to the students: 2. Notes on Multiculturalism. Other information can be reached by students. o In the 1990 census only 9% of Americans identified themselves as Hispanic. Hispanic Americans are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population. A recent survey announced that Hispanic Americans have exceeded African Americans as the largest minority in the country. o Most Hispanic Americans live in 5 of the largest states: Texas, New Mexico, California, Florida, and New York. o The division over the name of the group is an indication of the deep-seated nature of its diversity. Californians, most New Yorkers, and Chicagoans prefer Latino. Texans and Floridians favor Hispanic. Narrowly defined groupings would be better: Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban Americans, etc. o The three largest groups are Mexican Americans (living mainly in the Southwest), Puerto Ricans (living mainly in the Northeast), and Cuban Americans (concentrated in Florida). o Mexican Americans are the oldest of the groups, having been given US citizenship in the mid-19th century. This group continues to grow, driven by economical hardships in Mexico. Most Mexican Americans are descendants of Aztec or Mayan indigenous people and the Spanish. o Puerto Ricans are US citizens by birth since Puerto Rico is a US possession. Racism and poverty have made life especially difficult for Puerto Ricans living in the US. o Cuban Americans are the newest of the major groups to emigrate to the US. Large numbers of Caucasian, educated, professional families took refuge on US soil after the 1959 Communist coup. They have gained the greatest economical, social, and political success in the US. o In the last two decades many groups from Central and South America have emigrated to the US, adding to the cultural diversity of Americans with Spanish roots. o Several words of Hispanic origin have been integrated into the English language: coyote, tomato, coca, and cola. 3. The class will read Cervantes' poem followed by a short teacher-led discussion. 4. The teacher will discuss writing styles o The teacher will introduce Sandra Cisneros' House on Mango Street with a short anticipation guide viewed on a PowerPoint presentation. PowerPoint should be distributed after presentation. Assignment: The teacher will ask the students to formulate questions based on the teacher created anticipation guide. Questions should be completed before tomorrow's class begins. Day Two Lesson Objectives 1. Students will learn that words gather meaning from their context and carry connotation. 2. Students will recognize how content influences the structure and use of language. Students will participate in the writing process. 3. Students will use reading about other cultures as a means to acquire knowledge. 4. Students will recognize different purposes and methods of writing: identify a writer's point of view, tone, and other techniques. 5. Students will read, comprehend, discuss, and analyze a variety of literature representative of diverse ethnic cultures and traditions. Instruction 1. The teacher will distribute copies of The House on Mango Street. 2. The teacher and students will read aloud The House on Mango Street . 3. The students will write in their journals for 10 minutes again. Assignment 1. The teacher will instruct the students to complete the novel before their next class. Day Three Lesson Objectives 1. Students will engage in discussion as both speakers and listeners critically and constructively interpreting, analyzing, and summarizing in the exchange of ideas. 2. Students will participate in the writing process. 3. Students will read, comprehend, discuss, and analyze a variety of literature representative of diverse ethnic cultures and traditions. 4. Students will judge multicultural literature on the basis of personal response and literary analysis. Instruction 1. The class will form cooperative groups to conduct discussions of The House on Mango Street. 2. The teacher will give each group a tape recorder and blank tape and instruct them to use the anticipation guide and/or their vocabulary words to begin their discussions. Day Four Lesson Objectives 1. Students will conceive and develop ideas about diverse cultural issues, themes, and characters for the purpose of speaking to a group; choose and organize related ideas; present them clearly; evaluate similar presentations by others. 2. Students will participate in the writing process, prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading, and publishing. 3. Students will recognize different purposes and methods of writing: identify a writer's point of view, tone, and other techniques. 4. Students will read, comprehend, discuss, and analyze a variety of literature representative of diverse ethnic cultures and traditions. Instruction 1. The students will choose a vignette from The House on Mango Street. They will script it and practice it in order to perform it the following day. 2. The teacher will pass out to each group a rubric by which their presentations will be evaluated. Assignment The teacher will announce that he/she will be available to answer any questions that the groups might have concerning the rubric and/or their presentation. Day Five Lesson Objectives 1. Students will conceive and develop ideas about diverse cultural issues, themes, and characters for the purpose of speaking to a group; choose and organize related ideas; present them clearly; evaluate similar presentations by others. Instruction 1. The students will perform their dramatic interpretations of their chosen vignettes. 2. The teacher will evaulate each group according to the prescribed rubric. Assignment The teacher will inform the students that they will spend the next class session writing in their journals which he/she will collect at the end of the class, along with the contextually defined vocabulary words. Retrieved from the World Wide Web and adapted Standard 2: Writing (RLA.S.2) Goal: Students will employ a wide range of writing strategies to communicate effectively for different purposes by: 1 developing the writing process; 2 applying grammatical and mechanical properties in writing; and 3 gathering and using information for research purposes. Strategies: Writing Objectives Students will: RLA.10.2.2 use pre_writing strategies to generate topics and plan approaches to writing by using timed writing tasks. RLA.10.2.3 use various points of view (e.g., omniscient or limited) to create a well developed composition from a writing prompt. Lesson and Unit Planning May Include: Coming To America by Betsy Maestro I. Summary This book explores the evolving history of immigration to the United States. It traces the long saga about people searching for religious and political freedom, safety, and prosperity. The story captures a wide range of immigrant experiences in America. It helps to explain the richness and diversity of the American people past and present. Key Words: immigration, nation, immigrants, Ice Age, nomads, hunters, wandered, by accident, descendants, settled, discovered, civilizations, settlers, native country, freedom, fortune, colony, slavery, Native Americans, Christopher Columbus, Africans, Scotch-Irish, Swiss, voyage, ports, frontier, Norwegians, pioneers, Chinese immigrants, Mexican immigrants, transatlantic, perils, poverty, Ellis Island, citizens, Statue of Liberty, World War I, foreign, persecution, refugees Places: Alaska, Asia, North America, South America, Atlantic Ocean, Europe, Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Wales, Africa, Scandinavia, Italy, Poland, Turkey, Greece, Hungary, Serbia, New York, Southeast Asia, Cuba, Haiti, Russia, Asia, Merdco, Central America, the Middle East, the West Indies II. Coming to America provides a wonderful introduction to American history and immigration. Have students brainstorm immigration. • What is immigration? • Who is an immigrant? • Why might people immigrate? • When do people immigrate? • Where do they immigrate to? Write information on comparison chart and/or the webbing chart. III. Suggested Language Arts Activities • Do a picture walk with students and have a discussion based on the illustrations. o Do the people look alike in the pictures? o Where did they come from? o How do you think they feel? Why do you think so? o How do you think you would feel if you had to move to another country? Why? • Have students work in small groups or pairs to compare and contrast the different groups of immigrants. • Interview grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, cousins, family friends, godparents, and so on about family history. Make a personal book about their own family history. • Read People by Peter Spier to students. Inform students, with more than four billion people in the world, it is important to see that each individual is special, different from all others. We all deserve the respect and tolerance of others. • Introduce students to the concept of their own identity by having them complete the activity What do I Call Myself? • In small groups, have students discuss their responses. SupplementaIy activities may include: o Having the students research their names (individual and family). E.G. What s your full name? Where did your name come from? Who named you and why? What do your name(s) mean or symbolize? to you? to others? What adjectives or verbs would you use to describe your name? Do you have any nicknames? Do you like your name? Would you choose another name? Why? o Have students tell a story or an experience about their name[s). Some students may like to give a history of their name (personal, cultural, generational). • Poetry: Provide a copy of the poem “Me I Am!” by Jack Prelutsky. Have students read the poem aloud. Ask students for their reactions concerning the poem. ME I AM! I am the only ME I AM who qualifies as me; no ME I AM has been before, and none Will ever be. No other ME I AM can feel the feelings I've within; no other ME I AM can fit precisely in my skin. There is no other ME I AM who thinks the thoughts I do; the world contains one ME I AM, there is no room for two. I’m the only ME I AM this earth shall ever see; that ME I AM I always am is no one else but me! by: Jack Prelutsky Prelutsky, Jack. The Random House Book of Poetry for Children. New York: Random House, 1983. What Do I Call Myself? Introduce the book People by Peter Spier. Inform students, with more than four billion people in the world, it is sometimes hard for any one of us to feel special. Ask students to contemplate this idea and discuss. Remind students that each and every one of us is a unique individual, different from all others, deserving the respect and tolerance of others. Read the book aloud to the students. Point out the wonderful illustrations in the book that convey the message of the writer. Introduce students to the concept of their own identity by having students complete the activity "What Do I Call Myself?" This activity will explore a student's self-identity by asking them to express themselves through labels. You might demonstrate by filling in the form for the class as an example. Give the students an opportunity to look over the labels and ask any questions or make remarks before they complete the activity. Explain to students that they are numbered in the order that they feel applies to them. If they feel that a label does not apply to them, then have them place a zero in the space. Allow student up to fifteen minutes to complete. In small groups, have students discuss what responses they made. Analyze the data and ask the following questions: 1. Do all students in the class identify themselves in the same way? 2. How do you account for differences in how individuals assign labels to themselves? 3. What labels can be changed? Provide a copy of the poem "Me I Am!" by Jack Prelutsky. Have students chorally read the poem aloud. Ask students for their reactions concerning the poem. Gonzales, Sylvia. Ethnic Heritage. Office of Kelly F. Blanton, Kern County Superintendent of Schools. What Do I Call Myself? by Edith King and Gary Smith Introductions: By yourself, number in order the following labels people might give to you. Think carefully about what is most important for you to be called or recognized for. For example, if you feel it is most important to be identified as a "boy" or a "girl," place the number "1" in front of that label. If you feel that a certain label does not apply to you, put a "O" in front of it. • Male • Female • Unique • Individual • Student • Athlete • Black • White • American • Mexican-American • Black-American • Native American • Other group ________ (what?) • My given name • Human being 1. First of all, I call myself _____ 2. I think others call me _____ Grandfather's Journey Written and Illustrated by Alien Say I.Summary A Japanese American man remembers his grandfather's journey to America as a young man, and his love for both Japan and the United States. He later makes the same journey and understands his grandfather's 'feelings of being torn by a love for two different countries. Key Words: journey, steamship, astonished, New World, explored, enormous, sculptures, bewildered, marveled, towering, longed (to see new places], homeland, scattered, homesick II. Record information on the comparison chart and/or the webbing chart. III. Suggested Language Arts Activities • Before reading the book, briefly brainstorm students' ideas about immigration. Read and discuss the story. • Compare and Contrast the immigration in Grandfather's Journey to the immigration stories in the other books. • Letter writing: Pretend that you have just moved to a new country. Imagine what you feel like. What would you eat? What would you do? Write a letter to your family and tell them about your experiences in your "new home." Students may wish to illustrate the letter. • Partner interviews o In pairs, have students interview each other about a time that they journeyed to a new place (permanent or temporary). How did they feel? What did they do there? How did they get there? Why did they go there? OR students may interview each other about a place where they would like to go. o Students can then record the information. o Have students trace their partner's feet and write or draw a picture of their partner's story inside the outline of the feet o Share with the class. • Book Making o Have students interview their family (i.e. grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, or family friends) about their own family's history in the United States. Have them publish their own book (cover, title page, text, illustrations, flyleaf, book plate, acknowledgment, abut the author/illustrator, index, bibliography, contents, dedication page, and so on). Possible questions: When were you born? Where were you born? What was your home town like? What was life like when you were growing up? How was life different than it is today? Do you have any stories from when you were a child? What happened? Do you have any stories abut the happiest day of your life? Do you have any stories about the saddest day of your life? What memories do you have from school? Do you have any stories about when you and grandma (or grandpa) met? Do you have any special family treasures, for example jewelry, books, pictures etc. Why are these so special? Do you have any stories about when mom (or dad) was born? Do you have any stories about when I was born? o Have a “Meet the Author” day, when authors will read a little from their book. Invite family and friends to join the class on that day. • Story Mapping http://www.intranet.csupomona.edu/~tassi/immigrate.htm Another Activity: Folk Tale Overview This lesson on folk tales will help students discover the values of different cultures while they explore literature. The students will create a folk tale using a moral they would like to teach. Assessments Each student will read several folk tales, choose one and write down the moral it teaches. Then the students will create their own folk tales using one of the morals from the folk tales that they read. Prerequisite Skills Students need to understand what a moral is. Students need to know how to write a story. Students need to know how to use a story map. Instructional Strategies Read a story with a moral to the students. (The Talking Eggs, in the Kids Explore America’s African American Heritage, p. 86.) Discuss the moral of the story. Have students read folk tales from the Kids Explore books. They may read with partners or follow along with prerecorded tapes of the stories. Have the students, working in groups, discuss and write the morals of the folk tales they have read. Share these with the class. Allow students to read several folk tales from a variety of sources. Choosing one of the folk tales they have read, decide what moral it teaches, and write it down to share with the class. Using one of the morals from these folk tales students will create their own folk tale. They may use the story map worksheet below to plan their folk tale. Encourage them to keep in mind the lesson they want to teach as they write their story. Students who know a folk tale from their own heritage may rewrite that story in their own words. When finished with the first draft of the folk tale each student should work with a partner to revise the tale, making sure that the tale can be understood by the reader and that the moral has been presented and proven in the story. When the folk tale is complete, the student should write a final copy. They may also design a cover for their folk tale. Transfer The students will demonstrate an understanding of folk tales by taking a moral and writing a new story. Have a time to share and compare and contrast the stories. What is the same and different about the folk tales and where they came from. Resources Kids Explore Books A collection of folk tales from various cultures Story map worksheet--attached Construction paper Markers Teacher Reflection Story Map Worksheet Name________________ Story map for: _____________________________________________________ Characters: ________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Setting: __________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Problem (obstacle): __________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Main Events: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Solution: ________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Moral: __________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Retrieved from the World Wide Web: Multicultural Language Arts.doc Eleventh Grade Reading and English Language Arts Content Standards and Objectives Standard 1: Reading (RLA.S.1) Students will use skills to read for literacy experiences, read to inform and read to perform a task by: 1 identifying and using the dimensions of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, background knowledge/vocabulary, high frequency words/fluency, comprehension, writing and motivation to read); and 2 employing a wide variety of literature in developing independent readers. Reading Objectives Students will: RLA.11.1.1 research, analyze and evaluate the historical, cultural and biographical influences of literary works. RLA.11.1.2 analyze literary styles according to genre. RLA.11.1.4 select and use appropriate reading strategies necessary for various reading purposes (e.g., literary experience; information; task performance). Lesson and Unit Planning May Include Multicultural Experience Time Needed to Complete Student Activities: two to three class periods Description of Activity- Students form cultural groups (not necessarily the one from which they come); study the food and other cultural features of the group; prepare and present foods and other cultural elements at a multicultural celebration they have planned; and make an oral presentation about what they have learned. Upon completion of this lesson, students will have: 1. selected goal-related activities and estimated the time required to complete them; 2. collaborated with group members solve a problem; 3. developed a better understanding of their own culture, the cultures of others and how cultures differ; 4. identified need for data and obtained it from existing sources; 5. made and oral presentation. Activity/Mode: planning, researching, preparing food, organizing presentation/small group Materials Needed: copies of The Joy Luck Club, foods and cultural materials that students bring from home. This activity is to be done after students have read The Joy Luck Club. The teacher will be a facilitator to help students plan a multicultural celebration. The teacher will briefly outline a plan for forming cultural groups that will prepare food of a particular culture and present an element of that culture to the class. With teacher help, the students will take 10-15 minutes to form their cultural groups. Students do not have to be members of that ethnicity to be in the group. Groups might be Asian, Mexican, American, Armenian, etc. Groups may vary in size. Each group will meet to, decide what food of the culture they will prepare (sources: Internet, library, parents, etc.) and what element of that culture they will present (example: Japanese kimono worn and discussed). Students will have a few days to research and prepare ethnic food and cultural information. At the multicultural celebration, students will informally sample food and give presentations. http://Language Arts Activity 11.htm Standard 2: Writing (RLA.S.2) Goal: Students will employ a wide range of writing strategies to communicate effectively for different purposes by: 1 developing the writing process; 2 applying grammatical and mechanical properties in writing; and 3 gathering and using information for research purposes. Writing Objectives Students will: RLA.11.2.1 employ writing strategies to address specific purposes and audiences (e.g., narrative; expository; descriptive and/or persuasive). RLA.11.2.2 generate topics and plan approaches to writing (e.g., graphic organizers; outlines) using pre_writing strategies. RLA.11.2.5 develop a composition that is focused and coherent and has a clear, logical progression of ideas. Unit and Lesson Planning May Include: Theme: Power vs Powerlessness in American Literature Objectives: 1. To understand the power struggles that exist within different American cultures. a. To apply how the struggle for power affects students. b. To explain in writing the connection between a story or poem and its culture. 2. To gain a broader knowledge of the cultures which exist within America. a. To be able to identify with one of the character's struggles in any of the works studied. b. To be able to empathize with a "powerless" person of their choice in American culture. 3. To understand the concept of "power vs powerlessness" as a theme in literature. a. To explain, in writing, how a work applies to the theme of "power vs powerlessness." b. To recognize the theme of "power vs powerlessness" in literature. 4. To gain a sense of the historical background that has led to power struggles as depicted in American literature. a. To explain the origins of power struggles within a culture. b. To recognize the historical influential advocates in power struggles in various cultures. c. To explain why certain groups hold more power. 5. To understand the similarities and differences between various groups struggling for power. a. To be able to compare and contrast two characters struggling for power. b. To be able to compare and contrast two characters with power. Activities: 1. Introductory: (S) Pre-assessment: initial journal entry on power vs powerlessness. (T) Describe general outline of unit. (S/T) Discussion on power vs powerlessness. 2. Developmental: (S) Journals. Every day students will be given 15 minutes to write a reaction to their reading from the night before. (S) Journals. Students will have five in-depth take-home journal questions over the course of the unit. These questions will involve more thinking and writing than the reaction journal entries. (T) Journals. The teacher will collect journals weekly for grading. Journals will be returned the following week. (S) Assigned Reading. Each student will read a book from the following selections: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou; The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath; The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan; Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck; The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. (S) Group Work: Students reading a specific title will form groups to work on their project/presentation. Each member of the group will speak during their presentation. Students will be given class time to work on their projects. (S)Paper Students will write a 2-3 page paer on the outside reading book they chose. The paper will give a brief explanation of the main character's struggle with power vs powerlessness. (S/T) Read Aloud Read aloud Arthur Miller's The Crucible. (S) Homework Read Gustavas Vassa's slave narrative. (S) Homework Take-home journal topic: Write five questions you would like to ask Dr. Brice-Finch about Gustavas Vassa's narrative or "power vs powerlessness" in African-American literature. (S/T) Discussion Discuss materials read in class the preceding day. (S/T) Guest Speaker Have a professor of African American literature as a guest speaker. (T) Book Talk Book talk the five books for the independent reading project. (S) Homework Read Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" and Mary E. Wilkins Freeman's "The Revolt of Mother." (S) Take home journal topic #2: How are the husbands in "The Yellow Wallpaper" and "The Revolt of Mother" alike? How do they exercise power over their wives? Are they the only ones with power in the story? (S) Discussion Discuss materials read for class that day. (S) Art Activity Students will creat an artistic representation of how the yellow wallpaper looks in the story. (S) Homework Read Kate Chopin's "The Awakening." (S) Homework Take home journal topic #3: Some say the ending of "The Awakening" is ambiguous. What is your personal opinion of Edna's suicide? Explain your thoughts. (S/T) Discussion Discussions on material read for class that day. (S/T) Discussion/Party Class will have a Victorian tea party and discuss the role of women in Victorian society. (S) Homework Read Emily Dickinson's poems, "Because I Could Not Stop for Death," "He Fumbles at Your Spirit," "To Fight Aloud Is Very Brave." (S) Poetry Discussion Each student will explain to the class how one of the assigned poems reflects the theme of power vs powerlessness. Groups will have individuals in the group assigned as recorder, leader, encourager, devil' advocate, etc. (S) Homework Read Dorothy Parker's "The Waltz." (S/T) Discussion Discuss homework assignment. (S/T) Workshop Workshop on how to waltz and the social customs of the 1920's (flappers, gangsters, prohibition, etc.) (S) Homework Read Langston Hughes' poems, "Theme for English B," "Ruby Brown," Claude McKay's "If We Must Die," and Michael S. Harper's "Last Affair: Bessie's Blue Song." (S) Homework Take-home journal topic #4: Which of these poems gives the subject the most power? Why? Which of these poems gives the subject the least power? Why? (S/T) Discussion Discuss assigned readings. (S/T) Lecture/Demonstration Teacher will play jazz and blues songs. Lecture on history of jazz and blues. Students will discuss how it influenced poems of the Harlem Renaissance. (S) Homework Student will read excerpts from Native Son by Richard Wright and Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. (S/T) Discussion Discuss assigned readings. (S) Homework Read Eugenia Collier's Marigold. (S/T) Discussion Discuss assigned readings. (S/T) Music Presentation Teacher and students will listen to 1960's protest music and how it relates to the theme. (S) Homework Read Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery." (S/T) Discussion Discuss assigned reading. (S/T) Technology Students will use computer lab to work on their outside reading papers. Students will use Workperfect 6.1 to word process. (S/T) In-class Activity Teacher will hold lottery in class to give the class an appreciation of how powerless the characters in the story felt. (S) HomeworkRead Sylvia Plath's poems, "Daddy," "Lady Lazarus," and "Ariel." (S) Homework Take home journal topic #5: Write your own poem dealing with either your feelings of power or powerlessness in a specific situation. (S/T) Discussion Discuss assigned readings. Concluding Activities (S) Group reports on how the novels they read outside of class deal with the power vx powerlessness theme. (S) Unit Test. Activity Two: Migration & Immigration: How does Moving Affect Me and My Community? © Latin America Data Base, Latin American Institute (/retanet/plans/) Lesson plan by Jessamyn Young Jessamyn Young Rationale This unit will encourage students to reflect upon the changes occurring within their own community, Albuquerque's West Mesa, where rapid development (example: Rio Rancho) and economic expansion (example: Intel) have resulted in heavy migration and immigration to the area. Along with newcomers and change come conflicts and questions concerning economics, identity and politics. Students will gain a global perspective on the phenomenon by investigating and comparing similar experiences of other communities in the Americas. Since the majority of students at West Mesa are Latino, comparisons with other Latin American nations should help to emphasize the commonalities among peoples of the Americas and break down some of the stereotypes that result in isolation, prejudice and sometimes violence in our community. Background The 10th grade class in question is the first year of West Mesa High School's Pegasus Program. 10th, 11th and 12th grades are linked by a common theme,"Imagen e Identidad." The 10th grade focuses on the self and its relation to the community. The 11th grade focuses on the larger community of the nation and its encounters with other nations, resulting in the themes of conflict, revolution, rebellion and change. 12th grade focuses on global interdependence, the role of sanctuary, ritual and cooperation. Unit: Identity, Migration and Community- Who are we? Why did we come here? Unit Overview During the course of this nine week unit, students will explore the themes of identity and migration. They will interview each other and family members to gather information about why people have moved to Albuquerque, how moving has affected them and what difficulties people may encounter when moving into a new community, and conversely, how the influx of newcomers to Albuquerque has affected long standing communities. Using a variety of reading materials, videos and interviews, they will compare the experiences of people throughout the Americas, but focusing particularly on Mexico and Guatemala, who migrate for various reasons--economic, political, voluntary and forced. They will explore the theme of identity through literature, art, poetry and song, comparing their own self-concepts with those of teenagers in Latin America. Students will write essays, poems, plays and short non-fiction pieces on these themes, in both Spanish and English, and will use e-mail to share perspectives with students in Mexico and Argentina. For the final evaluation, students will do individual multi-media presentations to answer the questions, "Who am I?," "How/Why did I come here?," and "How has moving affected me?." Time Needed 9 weeks Themes and Topics • • Isolation (homeless, religious or language differences, physical-i.e. infrastructure) • • Cooperation (Neighborhoods against crime, • • Marginalization (poverty, ghettos, minority ethnicity/religion/"otherness") • • Participation (church, sports, politics, school, etc..) • • Assimilation (clothing and food style, adoption of dominant language, religion, etc.) • • Acculturation • • Migration • • Immigration • • Economic Impact/Competition • • Identity Lesson Plan 1: Class Interviews Objectives • • Identify reasons for moving • • Share/ Compare feelings about moving • • Share/ Compare feelings about newcomers in the community • • Create a community in the classroom Skills • • Write a five paragraph essay • • Peer Review • • Interview Techniques Procedures This lesson will begin during the first week of school, and will serve to introduce students more intimately to one another as well as providing focus for the nine week unit. The objectives and skills covered in the lesson will be written on the board. First, the teacher should explain the purpose of an introduction, whether written or oral, as when you introduce a friend to your parents. In other words, you cannot introduce either a person or a subject properly if you know nothing about them/it. Therefore, interviews will be necessary before students can introduce each other properly. Then, the teacher should point out that any decent interview should have a purpose--what do you want to know about this person? Point out that the nine week unit's focus is migration, identity and community and that these interviews will be the beginning of exploring those themes. Ask for a show of hands of students who have moved in the past five years. Ask for a show of hands of students whose parents were born here. Refine the time margins until you can divide the class in half, newcomers and old-timers. Pair newcomers with old-timers, explaining that each partner will play both roles of interviewer and interviewee. Before beginning the interviews, take students through basic interviewing techniques, i.e., developing questions beforehand, making sure that the questions leave room for explanation, NOT 'yes', 'no' questions. Model nonverbal responses such as head nodding, leaning forward, and eye contact to keep the interviewee at ease and forthcoming with anecdotal information. Model shorthand techniques that can make note taking easier. Give students about 5-10 minutes to prepare a minimum of 10 good interview questions. Then allow students 20 minutes to conduct interviews. At the end of the twenty minutes, ask students how successful their questions and techniques were. Take two or three minutes to make any adjustments in remaining questions, and partners switch roles for twenty more minutes. The following day, review the writing process of brainstorming, rough draft, revision and 2nd draft. Students should use their interview notes to web and then write a draft introductory paragraph with a thesis statement about their interview subject. When the drafts are complete, students should exchange the paragraphs with their partners who will provide written feedback for improvement. Students will then revise, edit and write 2nd drafts. Bring a camera to class and have each student photograph her partner. When the introductions are complete, pair off class into groups of 6, three partnerships in each. Have group elect a recorder and a reporter. Allow students about 10 minutes to list all the different reasons for moving that they heard, and to discuss the effects of moving into a new community and the effects of newcomers on an established community. Reporters will then share results with class while recorders add their findings to a chart on a piece of butcher paper. When all groups have reported, ask students to group reasons under categories such as: economic, political, personal, natural disaster. Ask students if they know of anyone who has had to move for any of those reasons, if there should be a blank category. Discussing reasons for moving can be a good way to assess the class's base of prior knowledge. Ask them what reasons Latin Americans might have for moving to the United States, or to Albuquerque. Post the introductory paragraphs and photographs on the bulletin board. Keep the chart with reasons for moving and effects in a visible spot throughout the nine weeks. Follow up Activities This activity should be followed-up by another interview done with a parent or older family member, asking about why the family moved to Albuquerque, what they miss about where they came from, how they hope to fit into the community, or whether they plan to move again and why; or in the case of a several-generation interviewee, how the community has changed, what they miss about how things used to be, what they think of the newcomers, why do they think people are coming here and whether they plan to move themselves. Hang a blank world map on the wall and record the trail of migration/ immigration to Albuquerque for each student. Retrieved from the World Wide Web: Unit by Lori Reaser and Liberty Wetherill for Dr. Violet Allain's SEED 371B class. Twelfth Grade Reading and English Language Arts Content Standards and Objectives Standard 1: Reading (RLA.S.1) Students will use skills to read for literacy experiences, read to inform and read to perform a task by: 1 identifying and using the dimensions of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, background knowledge/vocabulary, high frequency words/fluency, comprehension, writing and motivation to read); and 2 employing a wide variety of literature in developing independent readers. Strategies: Reading Objectives Students will: RLA.12.1.1 research, analyze and evaluate the historical, cultural and biographical influences to determine the impact on literary works. RLA.12.1.6 construct supportable conclusions, make inferences and generalizations, and interpret character traits from explicit and implicit ideas. RLA.12.1.10 analyze and evaluate types of text according to content, structure and tone. . Unit and Lesson Planning May Include: Moving Words: Asian Immigration • Lesson I: Terminology • Lesson II: Poetry • Lesson III: Primary Sources • Lesson IV: Current Events The sources are the textbook, Strangers from a Different Shore, by Ronald Takaki, the lectures by faculty and visitors, and class discussion. The lessons concerning terminology (I) and media (IV) on Asia and immigration are characterized by their emphasis on the transient. Our twentieth century is experiencing unprecedented shifts of population, and societies are coping with constant change. The words and meanings we apply to even the most basic concepts and the events our media present on a twenty-four hour basis are constantly evolving. As citizens of the world, we need to be aware of what is going on and how we can best communicate with one another. The lessons figuring on poetry (II) and primary source material (III) encourage students to analyze past events in the Asian experience and connect them to the present. With their emphasis on the universality of human experience and the moving personal consequences of cultural dislocation, these works in both fictional and documentary form, demand participation from the reader. Like an extended family, literature through the ages provides context and continuity. Students need to recognize these universal themes are they are reflected in their own lives. Lesson I • Objective - Students become familiar with terms - academic and informal - that deal with issues of Asia and immigration. • Activities 1. Add some more words and phrases to this list. 2. Create a new list of helpful words and phrases for another ethnic group. 3. Matching: number word entries, alphabetize meanings, and have students match the words and their meanings. 4. Develop your own surveying techniques. Find out which Moving Words are well-known. Graph the results. Write a paragraph stating your conclusions (cross-curricular). 5. Write a short story using Moving Words. See how well you can blend fact and fiction. Title your work. Moving Words: A short list of historical and contemporary phrases concerning Asia and Immigration anchor child teenagers sponsored to come to the U.S. whose parents are still in refugee camps and dependent on their children for money. Familial needs may lead kids to illegal activities to raise money quickly. Angel Island immigration station in San Francisco Bay from 1910-1940 to check legal status of Chinese immigrants bamboo joints of life stages of life, Korean banana yellow on the outside, white on the inside. Term for Americanized Asians. bend, don't break assimilate or adjust to the challenges that life brings bi-lingual sometimes defined as the ability to think separately in each language boat people many Vietnamese left their homeland in 1975 at the end of the war. A second wave of refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos in the late 1970s fled their countries and tried to come to the U.S. by boat under great hardships. Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 prohibited U.S. immigration of Chinese laborers. First time U.S. denied a specific ethnic group naturalization and citizen rights. color blind current term favored to describe diversity in the U.S. cross-over writer when a minority author chooses to write about something other than minority issues culture-burden when immigrants, especially young ones, want to be rid of their cultural traditions Ellis Island major immigration station for the nation from 1892 to 1943 in New York Harbor four treasures of calligraphy writing materials necessary to the scholar: ink, ink stone, paper, and brushes FOB newly arrived immigrants, "fresh off the boat" FOJ newly arrived immigrants, "fresh off the jet" Gentlemen's Agreement 1908 Japanese agree to restrict immigration of laborers to U.S. but allow family members to join males already there glass ceiling invisible barrier holding minorities from promotion regardless of qualifications Gold Mountain Chinese metaphor for the California gold rush gye when a group of Koreans individually contribute money and allow a member to borrow from the fund (Chinese and Japanese have similar groups) hollow bamboo being of Asian origin but giving up many traditions hyphenization when your culture of birth is hyphenated with American, for example, Asian-American Immigration Act of 1924 cut off U.S. immigration from Asian countries Immigration Act of 1965 allowed a quota of 20,000 immigrants from specific countries. Immediate family members allowed on a non-quota basis. internment camps Executive Order 9066 of 1942 deprived Japanese of their constitutional rights. 120,000 internees, 50% of them American citizens, throughout the western U.S. during WWII issei first generation immigrant from Japan kibei second generation Japanese who went back to Japan to study and then return to U.S. Konglish mixture of Korean and English languages Little Buddha urban Chinese families restrict to one child. These children can be spoiled. Little Dragons Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore, so called because of their economic prowess Little Saigon a section of Westminster, California, officially designated in 1988. Assures that Vietnamese living in Orange County have necessary services without having to use English. minority within a minority a minority group which has to deal not only with a majority, but also another dominant minority model minority general assumption that Asians will succeed in education and career choices mosaic current term favored to describe diverse character of the U.S. nisei second generation of Japanese-Americans no no boys Japanese responding negatively to loyalty questionnaires issued in internment camps in WWII. Orient referential term meaning east; suggests Europe as geographical center one point five generation those who are born in a foreign country and brought to the U.S. as infants. They often feel uninformed of their birthplace. out marriage marriage crossing one's racial or cultural heritage paper sons and daughters the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 destroyed many immigration records; some Chinese then purchased or created documents claiming U.S. citizenship and the right to sponsor their Chinese-born children. Those without children sold their slots, and thus immigrants arrived with identities other than their own. parachute kids students, especially from Asia, sent to the U.S. for education while their parents remain in the homeland picture brides marriage of Japanese immigrant women arranged partially through a photograph push/pull theory theory of immigration: "pushed" by unfavorable conditions in the homeland; "pulled" by host country's economic needs racial uniform physiological qualities, basis for racism salad bowl/symphony two terms suggested to replace the "melting pot" metaphor long used to designate racial and ethnic diversity in the U.S. sansei third generation of Japanese-Americans thousand pieces of gold term of endearment of a Chinese father to his daughter tong Chinese organization based on mutual need and protectiono urban warrior Korean immigrants with a reputation for being tough in business and unafraid to locate in high risk areas Yappie young Asian professional Lesson II: Poetry from Distant Shores • Objective - Students analyze poems with theme of dislocation. • Activities 1. List the reasons that compel people to immigrate. 2. Read the first two pages of poems in the packet. What are these poems about? Who is writing? Who is receiving? Where is the poet? Where is the recipient? What are the universal themes in these poems? Read the eighth century poem of Li Po and answer the same questions. Read the twentieth century poem of Pat Mora and answer the same questions. Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast three different poems. Write a paper using your diagram as a prewrite. 3. The Statue of Liberty has welcomed immigrants to Ellis Island since 1886. What monument would you have designed for Angel Island? Why? Please draw. Takaki, Ronald. Poems from Strangers from a Different Shore. New York: Penguin Books, 1989. Dear husband, ever since you sojourned in a foreign land, I've lost interest in all matters. All day long, I stay inside the bedroom, my brows knitted; Ten thousand thoughts bring me endless remorse. In grief, in silence. I cannot fall asleep on my lonely pillow. With tears in my eyes I turn back to my homeland Taking one last look. Mine a Meiji voice, Crossing the Pacific sea, It has grown husky. Ribbons of farewell I hold between my fingers Feeling blood flow through. You were still waving, beloved When I left you To journey to another land A white kerchief You held Drenched with tears You couldn't hep crying I promised it'll be short while perhaps And I will be back home... My husband cuts the cane stalks And I trim their leaves With sweat and tears we both work For our means. For a little while Encountering a person Who was anti-Japanese, I rubbed against a spirit Out of harmony with mine. A wasted grassland Turned to fertile fields by sweat Of cultivation: But I, made dry and fallow By tolerating insults. Working together Making effort faithfully Till they all grow up. Alien hardships Made bearable by the hope I hold for my children. "The River Merchant's Wife: A Letter" by Li Po, eighth century While my hair was still cut straight across my forehead I played about the front gate, pulling flowers You came by on bamboo stilts, playing horse, You walked about my seat, playing with blue plums, And we went on living in the village Chokan: Two small people, without dislike or suspicion. At fourteen I married My Lord you. I never laughed, being bashful. Lowering my head, I looked at the wall. Called to, a thousand times, I never looked back. At fifteen I stopped scowing, I desired my dust to be mingled with yours, For ever and for ever and for ever. Why should I climb the lookout? At sixteen you departed, You went into far Ku-to-yen, by the river of swirling eddies, And you have been gone five months. The monkeys make sorrowful noise overhead. You dragged your feet when you went out. By the gate now, the moss is grown, the different mosses, Too deep to clear them away! The leaves fall early this autumn, in wind. The paired butterflies are already yellow with August Over the grass in the West garden; They hurt me. I grow older. If you are coming down through the narrows of the river Kiang, Please let me know beforehand, And I will come out to meet you, As far as Cho-fu-sa. "Elena" by Pat Mora My Spanish isn't enough. I remember how I'd smile listening to my little ones, understanding every word they'd say, their jokes, their songs, their plots. Vamos a pedirle dulces a mama. Vamos. But that was in Mexico. Now my children go to American high schools. They speak ENglish. At night they sit around the kitchen table, laugh with one another. I stand by the stove and feel dumb, alone. I bought a book to learn English. My husband frowned, drank more beer. My oldest said, "Mama, he doesn't want you to be smarter than he is." I'm forty, embarassed at mispronouncing words, embarassed at the laughter of my children, the grocer, the mailman. Sometimes I take my English book and lock myself in the bathroom, say the thick words softly, for if I stop trying, I will be deaf when my children need my help. Lessons III: Primary Sources - Field Basic Documentation Records, File Box 90, Folder: Education Reports, Records of the War Relocation Authority, Record Group 210 Chieko Hirata • Objective - Students experience point of view and the impact that historical events have on the individual. • Activities 1. Found Poem - each student has the document to read and highlights words and phrases. Organized in groups, each person receives three or four strips of paper and writes a highlighted word or phrase on each paper. Students try to "find" a poem in the collective strips. 2. You are the governor of a state that held internment camps in WWII. Write a letter to a Japanese-American family that was transported to one of these camps. 3. Have students write a sentence beginning with the word "prejudice." No "be" verb allowed. Then have students rise together and each one read his/her sentence, sitting quietly after taking a turn reading. Current Events - Newspapers, Magazines • Objectives - Students increase awareness of multicultural reportage and perceive increasing interdependence of the global (cultural) marketplace. • Activities 1. Political cartoon in the Los Angeles Times (4/16/96): "There is a young lady who lives in a shoe; the company makes millions, she only makes two." 2. Article on fortune cookies by Tara Mack, The Washington Post (7/9/96): "Predicting A Future We Can All Relate To" 3. Essay by Pico Iyer, Time magazine (4/1/96): "Spring Break, Here We Come" Retrieved from th World Wide Web: Http://TASSI Moving Words.htm Changing Attitudes in America by Carolyn Kinder In spite of the progress that has been made in the United States since the Civil Rights Movement toward achieving racial justice, racism remains the single most destructive force in American society. Social problems such as poverty, unemployment, urban decay, deteriorating educational opportunities, crime and violence are all elevated by the persistence of racism in our society. To reduce all forms of discrimination including racism, it is important that we keep moving forward with the necessary legal reforms. But past history reveals that we cannot legislate an end to racism. People must address racism in personal relationships and in their daily lives. Racism must be challenged in our workplace, schools, the media, and in every institution of our society. The purpose of this unit on CHANGING ATTITUDES IN AMERICA is to facilitate and foster greater interracial understanding, friendship and cooperation. It will include proactive projects and activities to reduce racism and build a community of citizenry. This unit designed for grades 5-6 allow students to discuss strategies for confronting destructive stereotypes and mythologies, as well as promoting racial understanding in children. The students will look at problems of African Americans stemming from racism. Brown v. Topeka, Kansas Board of Education, immigration and racial diversity put emphasis on America as a family working on common ground as a nation of diverse peoples. The unit’s vision is to help students understand their important roles in this society of immigrants, “the great experiment.” The unit has content with specific objectives that give students skills to do critical thinking and problem solving, as well as vocabulary, a survey, lesson plans, a resource list that include field trips, speakers, reading materials and a bibliography. It is hoped that teachers and other educators might find this unit helpful in promoting cultural diversity among our youths and other adults. Let us begin our journey in discussing “CHANGING ATTITUDES IN AMERICA.” Racism Racism is the theory or idea that there is a link between inherited physical traits and certain traits of personality, intellect, or culture combined with the notion that some races are inherently superior to others.1 The theory of racism is a helpful rationalization for conquest and expansion. When the Spaniards first came to America, writers supplied them with the excuses for taking the land away from the Indians and for treating them with a complete lack of consideration. They developed the theory that Indians had an entirely different origin from that of the Spaniards. They were not human in the same sense and, therefore, there was no need to accord them the same treatment as fellow human beings. The familiar refrain of the “white man’s burden,” which was mainly manufactured and found its literary expression in the writings of Thomas Carlyle, James A. Foude, Charles Kingsley and most strongly and clearly, in those of Rudyard Kipling, made imperialism a noble activity destined to bring civilization to the benighted member of other races. The French justified the maintenance of their colonial empire on the basis of their mission: to bring civilization to the backward peoples of the world.1 In all of these colonizing empires, there were undoubtedly many individuals honestly convinced of the nobility of their motives and their enterprise. At the same time, the feelings of racial superiority that accompanied colonialism played an important part in developing resentments among the colonized which even emancipation and independence have not always made it possible to overcome. However, the recognition that treatment of ethnic minorities may have important implications for international relations has focused attention upon the need to improve intergroup relations in general. In the United States the movement to provide greater equality of opportunity for all ethnic groups was progressive. The first dramatic expression of this tendency was furnished by the unanimous decision of the U.S. Supreme Court on May 17, 1954. The court decision, based in part on social-science research, stated that enforced segregation of black school children in certain states and localities was contrary to the principles of the U.S. Constitution.2 Scientific Racism In scientific racism intent may also be invisible and its existence difficult to prove. Any false scientific view of race that equates racial differences with racial superiority or inferiority may be defined as scientific racism. The authority of science as a discipline of study has long been called into such debatable areas as the relative importance of heredity versus environment. Whether institutional or scientific, racism has deep roots in European and American pasts. Winthrop D. Jordan in an important 1968 study (White Over Black: American Attitudes Toward the Negro, 1550-1812) provided conclusive evidence that American racism is traces to the prejudices of Elizabethan Englishmen. Their attitudes toward blacks were shaped by their own needs for national self-consciousness and identity. With great mastery of details, the author points out that racism preceded rather than originated with slavery, and that it persisted as a psychological as well as an economic system of exploitation. In effect, the author’s central theme is that the idea of white supremacy over blacks served to provide a sense of social purpose and control for whites. The principle reason for the persistence of antiblack racism and concomitant policies of segregation and discrimination is historical. They are too elemental and vigorous a part of the national heritage to die of their own accord. American society has always been structured along white supremacy lines, and Americans absorb the racial values of their society just as they do its economics, politics, and other values. Here are the practical consequences of antiblack racism and a major reason for its endurance. Segregation creates a vicious cycle, a self-fulfilling prophecy. Its consequences become its justification. White Americans think of their national experience as a success story. To them, America is a land of hope and opportunity, of economic abundance, of social mobility, and of political equality. They see their society as one that cultivates initiative, individualism, self-reliance, and self-sacrifice. They see America as a nation whose institutions are benevolent: the law protects everyone from oppression and is not itself oppressive. The fundamental rights of citizens are spelled out in the U.S. Constitution and guaranteed to all. The right of trial by an impartial jury of one’s peers is so basic as to be common place. Every man respects his fellowman, his freedom of expression and movement. This picture, of course, is overdrawn in the popular imagination, but there is an element of truth in it for whites. For blacks the story is different because ideals are honored more in the breach than in the observation. Furthermore, for many whites, white supremacy has been of their center ideals. From 1890 to the mid-1960’s blacks were legally relegated to a world of more or less rigid segregation and a deadening second class status that saps the energies of all but the most persevering. The racial meaning of this must be understood, for the conditions thus produced have persisted. Segregation is the most important fact in the history of African-Americans in the twentieth century dominating their experience as political freedom, economic opportunity, and social mobility dominated the white man. Segregation excluded African-Americans from a normal way of life. It tended to cultivate in them personal and social traits and moral and ethical values which adds up to a way of life notably different from that of whites. Not all African-American were so affected, but a significant amount were. However the compliance was carried out by institutions that subscribed to the notion of African Americans as second class citizens. Measured by the standards of the larger society, the “good” African-American was one who was humble, ingratiating, and childlike. The African-American’s experience did not reward thrift and self-sacrifice as the white man’s did. It offered him little hope for a better tomorrow. It encouraged irresponsibility, ignorance, servility, helplessness, and hopelessness- qualities that White Americans despised. His political and social status was ill-designed to inculcate respect for law and government, property rights, middle class morality, family, and even his fellow African-Americans. To the African-American, government often seemed little more than an organized tyranny; law, a device for denying him the fruits of his labor; and society, a system permitting women to be compromised, children to be exploited, and honor and self respect to be undermined. Yet, even though they were subjected to tyrannical laws, many African Americans developed work ethics and moral standards that equaled or exceeded those of most whites. Again, the racial significance of this must be stressed. For most whites, segregation was not an inconvenience and for many it was a great boon; for African-Americans it made race the supreme fact of life. At every turn it subjected the African-American to an invidious racial veil, circumscribed his liberties, stifled his talents, and thwarted his ambition. He found it impossible, or virtually so, to exercise the responsibilities of citizenship or reap the rewards of the good life. He could not readily achieve a position of self-respect, or of independence, or of virtue. What this means is that segregation creates some ostensibly objective evidence to collaborate the segregationist view of African-Americans. That at least is the conclusion white Americans have reached. Whites everywhere are perceived as superior to African-Americans. They are better educated, live better, and control the instruments of power and prestige. African-Americans often seem to deviate from acceptable standards of conduct. They become, in the view of whites, a race prone to violence, illegitimacy, venereal disease, broken homes, a people who threaten property value, make low scores on intelligence tests, and lower standards in public schools. The impact of this legacy of white injustice has been overwhelming. White Americans are preconditioned to think of African-Americans in racial terms, and they accordingly conclude that the African-American’s condition is explainable only in those terms. White attitudes toward African-Americans have always reflected as well as reinforced the status of the race in this country, varying from time to time and section to section according to the status or condition of African-Americans in a given time or section. The history of antiblack thought in America seems to follow this pattern. African-Americans achieve or are relegated to a certain status for economic, political, or psychological motives. Whites develop a systematic rationale to justify this status. Only after African-Americans were enslaved did white Americans conclude that slavery was the natural status of the race. And, only after the slave system came under systematic abolitionist attack were the most elaborate scientific, historical, and scriptural authorities cultivated to legitimize it. When African-Americans were segregated, the process occurred again. Racists then recognized segregation as the natural status for African-Americans and again cultivated authorities to support their conclusion. The slow liberalization of racial ideas over the last generation has followed closely upon the rise of an African-American middle class, the emergence of independent black Africa, and new or heightened black awareness. The difficulty is that white attitudes are changing more slowly than black achievement and the aspiration that achievement inspires. If this analysis is correct, whites will not believe essentially in racial equality until blacks actually achieve equality. Only then will the fallacies of racist thought be apparent. But the major obstacle to equality is the white man’s belief in inequality and the complexities of racial policies that rest upon that belief. The way out this impasse would seem to involve social changes fundamental enough to enable Blacks to achieve actual equality. This, would require Whites to devise social policies that run counter to deeply held racial convictions and economic, social, and political arrangements designed in their interests. That they will do so, with or without further violence, is problematical. The traditions of racism are strong and enduring. Institutional Racism Institutional racism is a term which describes practices in the United States nearly as old as the nation itself. The term, however, appears to be of recent coinage, possibly first used by Stokely Carmichael and Charles V. Hamilton in their widely read book, Black Power.3 Institutions have great power to reward and penalize. They reward by providing career opportunities for some people and foreclosing them for others. They reward as well by the way social goods and services are distributed-by deciding who receives training and a skills, medical care, formal education, political influence, moral support, productive employment, fair treatment by the law, decent housing, and the promise of a secure future for self and children, which can lead to self respect and self confidence. No society will distribute social benefits in a perfectly equitable way. But no society need use race as a criterion to determine who will be rewarded and who punished. Any nation that permits race to affect the distribution of benefits from social policies is racist. With desegregation in the armed forces and the passage of various civil rights bills in the 1960’s, institutional racism no longer has the status of law. It is perpetuated nonetheless, sometimes by frightened and bigoted individuals, sometimes by good citizens merely carrying on business as usual, and sometimes by well-intentioned but naive reformers. An attack on institutional racism is clearly the task for Americans, who hope to obtain for their children a society less tense. To detect institutional racism, especially when it is unintentional or when it is disguised, is a very different task. And even when institutional racism is detected, it is seldom clear who is at fault. How can we say who is responsible for residential segregation, for poor education in schools, for extraordinarily high unemployment among black men, for racial stereotypes in history textbooks, for the concentration of political power in white society? Institutional racism may not necessarily involve intent because it may be submerged in the history, structure, and function of the institution. The fact that there are, for example, institutionalized white suburbs and black ghettos does not necessarily mean that dwellers in either are racists. It is to be sure, conceivable and highly probable that an ample share of racists live in both. Most dwellers would have no intent or knowledge of their being so, and would resent being called racists. Yet institutionalized racism exists and has existed in the structure and function of residential housing in the United States. Affluent directors of an insurance companies who live in the suburbs would be likely to frown on the ghetto as a poor business risk. But, they may have no intent to practice any kind of racism. The fact that the economics of racial discrimination has prevailed and does prevail in the ghetto may be viewed as an institutionalized way of life. Thus, it may be defined as institutional racism. It seems that too much time is spent on the separateness of our people, which leads to tension and misunderstandings. The Supreme Court landmark decision in 1954, Brown v. Topeka, Kansas Board of Education-which examined the impact of the desegregation of America’s public schools-forces us forty years later to look at how Brown benefited blacks in modern times. Brown of course was suppose to strike down the legal structure of American apartheid and its effects. Although it was an education case, its implications go well beyond education. It was the case that broke the back of American apartheid.4 From the first Supreme Court school desegregation decision in 1954 to President Johnson’s War on Poverty, the federal government has compiled a record of civil rights action with an impressive appearance. The use of federal troops in Little Rock and the forcible desegregation of southern schools in several other areas convinced many Americans that the government was ready to put force behind its pronounced policies. In 1964, President Johnson committed the nation to an “unconditional War of Poverty” to conquer it.5 In the private sector of American life, business, labor, religious organizations, and other national institutions have echoed in their statements the government’s concern to eliminate segregation and discrimination. Virtually all openly racist clauses have been removed from union charters and real estate contracts. The large industries have committed themselves to equal opportunity hiring practices and in some cases to job training programs for the unemployed. With all the legislation and policy changes of the past years the country appears to have made major progress toward solving the racial problem. But appearances are deceptive; behind the highly publicized victories for racial justice there exists a vast reservoir of ineffectiveness. The impact of the series of civil rights laws has been greatly reduced from what it could have been because many of the individuals and institutions affected by the laws have refused to comply. There is sufficient evidence to demonstrate change on the part of local centers of power is aided and abetted by a corresponding reluctance within the federal government to enforce its own laws. Examples of paper decrees are numerous in every area associated with human and civil rights-in justice, welfare, law enforcement, and employment, to name a few. A good example of non compliance can be found in the campaign for integrated schools, the issue that first brought civil rights to national attention. In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled that separate facilities were inherently unequal and that segregated schools would no longer be legal. Another generation of children passed through the schools before Congress finally admitted that nothing was being done and passed the 1964 Civil Rights Act. According to the 1964 Act, a school district that did not desegregate was subject to the penalty of loss of all federal funds.6 The Brown Case is still relevant in the sense that school boards or governmental agents cannot intentionally segregate African American students in public education. We’ve moved well beyond Brown in some respects as the practices that deprive black students or any student of equal education and opportunities have become much more subtle and much more complex.7 Our experience in this country has been that most segregation, whether it is in schools or residential areas, is not the choice of black people. It is something that is imposed upon us by others. If one looks at black communities across the country, one will basically find the same thing: black people disproportionately poor, living in inferior housing, segregated schools and segregated communities. There are some exceptions, but all of this is not the result of circumstance. It is the consequence of years or more of social engineering on the part of white people in government, in collusion with those in the private sector, that has created the pattern that we see today. An example of this is public housing. Public housing was required to be segregated by the federal government when it first got into the business of building public housing in the 1930’s. That continued well into the 1950’s. Many states enforced restrictive covenants up until 1948 when the Supreme Court declared them unconstitutional. Restrictive covenants are agreements that run with the deeds when somebody buys a piece of property that you’re not going to sell that piece of property to someone of African American or Jewish descent. Those restrictive covenants contributed to how communities developed. After World War II, the whole surbanization process took place. The suburbanization process was underwritten very heavily by the federal government which insured most Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgages at the time. The FHA had a policy that did not allow the federal government to underwrite mortgages or insure mortgages in heterogeneous areas. So in a word, it underwrote segregated suburbanization in the United States. Discrimination and segregation practices that occurred 50 years ago and, in many instances, have either never been adequately addressed or have snowballed. This continues to produce problems today: blacks in poor communities in our country have been locked out of educational opportunities, locked out of upward mobility, consigned to inferior housing and inferior job choices. The result is one that creates an economy that allows minimal and/or negative kinds of opportunities. For urban areas that economy has been a drug economy. Desegregation is a desirable goal because public school education should be a process of preparing young people to live in a multiracial society. And when African American students are isolated in public schools, they are isolated from opportunity. School desegregation, in some senses, makes it more likely that African American students will not be given a different and more inferior education than white students are receiving. The Supreme Court in 1973 said two things, both of which are very important and unrealized by most people. First is that education is not a fundamental right. Therefore, education does not receive the highest degree of Constitutional protection. Secondly, wealth or class is not a suspect classification. That means that it is unconstitutional to discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion,etc. However, it is not unconstitutional to discriminate against people on the basis of their economic status. As a consequence, what one sees is at least extensive lack of protection for poor people under the Federal Constitution.8 The Case Milliken v. Bradley involved the Detroit Public Schools and made it very difficult to desegregate across school district boundary lines. In other words, suburban schools can not be forced into a desegregation plan. Given this, it is almost guaranteed that separate and unequal education will exist in many of these urban and northern school districts.9 One of the major issues that we face in terms of providing black children with equal opportunities in is tracking. Labeling children is a form of discrimination. We have got to change this system. But even in 1994, we do not want to send cases to the Supreme Court because it is a conservative court that’s not inclined to do much for us in these areas. Immigration and Racial Diversity is Changing America Today Except for Native Americans, no one is from America. It is estimated that at least 170 ethnic groups live in the United States. The capacity of this country to absorb so many different people and at the same time, forge binding ties among them is an incredible feat.10 Throughout America’s history, waves of immigrants have changed this nation. Until the second half of this century, most immigrants arrived from Europe. In the 1980 more than half of all immigrants were Asians. Many others from the Philippines, Korea, Vietnam, and India along with Mexico are the chief sources of immigration. China, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba follow close behind.11 The flow of people from those countries continues to change America gradually. For example, African Americans are currently the largest minority group, making up 12 percent of the total population. Hispanic are the second largest racial minority. They make up seven percent of the population. However, Hispanics are expected to become the largest ethnic minority in the United States.12 Most people came to America because of economic hardship, religious persecution and political oppression. Over the last 50 years, people of European ancestry have blended almost completely into the melting pot. About 80 percent of all Polish, Italian, and Irish-American now marry someone outside their ethnic group. This is also true for 50 percent of Jews and Greek-Americans . Thirty percent of Asian-Americans and Hispanic are marrying outside their ethnic groups. Blacks have the smallest percentage, 1-2 percent, marrying outside their ethnic group. In 1991, however, the Census Bureau estimated almost 230,000 interracial marriages between blacks and whites.13 Putting religion with ethnicity is common in the United States. Religious freedom in this country is one of the major reasons so many ethnic groups can live together peacefully. This represents a victory for the American experiment. Because of the amount of immigrants in this nation, the United States has a diversity that has changed the concept of what it means to be an American. This diversity makes us more interesting and viable than any one group by itself. In 1792, when the motto “ E. Pluribus Unum,” was adopted, it referred to the union forged from 13 separate colonies. Subsequently, it has come to suggest the ties that bind the remarkable array of diverse people who have settled here. Even though many different American nationalities exist, that does not mean all Americans are exactly alike or must become uniform to be real Americans. It simply means that a genuine national community does exist and that it has its own distinctive principle of unity, its own history, and its own appropriate sense of belonging. However, since that time we have developed a common culture in America. This culture allows us to respect all nationalities as real Americans. If America is to be free, this must be so. Our Common Culture The many generations of immigrants to this nation have been people of courage, endurance, and determination. We all have faced, but some more than others, ethnic, cultural, financial, educational, language, and social barriers when settling in the United States. Our belief in faith, freedom, family, work, and country has strengthened our national life and culture. Regardless of race, most Americans’ common culture is composed of three central elements: The democratic ethic, the work ethic, and the Judeo-Christian ethic or similar religious ethic. The democratic ethic has its roots in the Declaration of Independence. This ethic recognizes the truth of human equality and the fact that all people are endowed by their creator with inalienable rights. The democratic ethic emphasizes freedom, tolerance, and respect for the rights of all. It also encourages everyone to develop his or her potential to the utmost. The work ethic emphasizes the virtues of industry and diligence, a passion for excellence, respect for personal effort. Economic success in this country tends to promote respect rather than resentment and envy, and this has fostered a hearty spirit of enterprise. The Judeo Christian ethic provides the fundamental ideals that historically shaped our entire political and social system. These ideals help make us a genuine community, but we are officially a secular nation. Historically our culture was manufactured by the upper stratum of society. However, this is no longer true. One thing unique about our common culture is that it is not something manufactured solely by the upper stratum of society. It holds truths that all Americans can recognize and examine for themselves. These truths are passed from generation to generation: in the family, classroom, and religious institutions. Our common culture remains strong and healthy. It will remain so as long as its fundamental premises are transmitted to succeeding generations. One way to do that is through our educational system. Here we can sharpen our students’ understanding of America, its history, and the opportunities and responsibilities of citizenship in a free society. Americans do not share a common ancestry and/or a common blood. What we share in common is a system of laws and beliefs that shaped the establishment of this country. Our society won’t survive without the values of tolerance. And, cultural tolerance amounts to nothing without cultural understanding. The challenge facing America will be the shaping of a truly common culture that is responsive to the long-silenced cultures of color. If we give up the ideal of America as a plural nation, we’ve abandoned the very experiment America represents. This is too great a price to pay. We must remember that America is a family. There may be differences and disputes in our family, but we must not allow it to be broken into pieces. We need to find strength in our diversities. We need to fight racism and get rid of it once and for all. Signs of open prejudice continues to appear among the people of America. It is not a warfare among ethnic groups as we see in other parts of the world, but suddenly words like “turf” have become part of our language. America is not a melting pot. We are heterogeneous. We are a pluralistic society engaged in a great experiment whereby people of different ethnic backgrounds, ancestry, religions, and race come together as one ever new society. LESSON PLAN I Objective: student will explore how we have developed stereotyped ideas about color. What do we mean when we say, for example, “I am blue”? Blue is sad. (I am blue) Yellow means cowardice (I am yellow) Green means young or unskilled. (I am green) Ask students to consider how stereotyped ideas might have developed. If there are students in the class from different backgrounds, they may have very different associations with these colors. Discuss how such stereotypes can vary from culture to culture. If White Means Good, Then Black Means . . . Children quickly learn to make the association between white— good, black—evil, and to transfer this association to people. The many references in our society that represent black as evil or bad serve to reinforce this association. Help students become more aware of how their attitudes are conditioned by discussing expressions that include black. List examples given by students. How many of them are positive, how many negative? blackmail blackeye blackhead black market black flag black lie black-hearted black mark black rage black mood black magic black humor blackball blackout black sheep in the black black death in black and white blacken black depression What does black mean in each of these expressions? What does black mean when we are talking about a person’s skin color? Does the word black used in Black Power and Black is beautiful have any connection with the expression listed? These are important questions for students to discuss in order to eliminate the stereotype that black is bad. LESSON PLAN II Human Rights Day Celebration Objective: Student will celebrate “Human Rights Day” Activity: Human Rights Day celebrates the Proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations (1948). This day provides an opportunity for students to discuss what Hunan Rights are. Ask each one to complete this sentence: Every human being has the right to . . . Related to Human rights is the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution. A group of students can present the Bill of Rights as part of a special program. They can prepare it as a reader’s theater presentation. Reference Sheet Use this reference to do lesson plan II. The United States Bill of Rights (figure available in print form) LESSON PLAN III UNDERSTAND INSTITUTIONAL RACISM Objective: Students will determine the views of community leaders. Procedure: Students will interview a local leader regarding racism in their community. Below is a list of people in your community that can be interviewed. INTERVIEW WHAT IS SAID WHAT IS DONE MAYOR MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY ATTORNEY PRESIDENTS OF THE LARGEST BANKS COLLEGE PRESIDENT SCHOOL PRINCIPALS LEADERS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS EDITORS OF LOCAL NEWSPAPERS During your interview, remember to maintain a healthy objective in listening to the responses of local leaders. Evaluate what is being said about efforts to end racism with what is actually being done. Record the responses of these leaders in the chart. Discuss your interview in the class as a group. Write your feelings or opinion about the interview. Does this change your vision? LESSON PLAN IV Objective: Student will make a wanted poster for the ideal American WANTED! THE IDEAL AMERICAN You are to make a Wanted Poster for The Ideal American in a particular period of history. By using history books and other sources, you are to describe the perfect American for one of the periods of history listed below: (check the one you will do) _______ 1700 _______ 1900 _______ 1750 _______ 1950 _______ 1800 _______ 1970 _______ 1850 _______ 1980 _______ 2000 Remember, this does nothave to be a real person! The person should, however, represent the ideal person for the period which you choose. A. Place a drawing, photograph or magazine picture of the ideal American on a sheet of colored construction paper. Put the answers for B below the picture. B. Supply the following information about your Ideal American: ____Age ____Sex ____Religion ____Address ____Race ____Occupation ____Economic class ____Married? Single? Divorced? ____Number of children ____Years of schooling ____Interests or hobbies ____Ten qualities or personality characteristics which make this person the Ideal American for this period of history LESSON PLAN V Develop a Global Vision of Eliminating Racism Objective: Students will create a vision statement of the importance of eliminating racism. Do This: Discuss: What is racism? Procedure: In a vision statement students will describe their feelings about the global significance of lending racism and honoring diversity. A global vision statement can be an extension of the personal, family, community, and national vision statements. As with the other vision statements, this global statement is a tool of empowerment, helping students find a larger context for the individual actions they can take. This vision statement can also be an affirmation, a poem, a song, a painting, a ritual, or other forms of creative expressions. Students will share their vision with each other. Students can also communicate through use of technology by way of internet or other use of technology to broaden their information base. This can be done inter-district or globally. FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES: HOMEWORK 1. Create a collage of people around the world of different colors, ways of life, and faiths. Use a magazine like TIME or National Geographic. 2. Place your global vision statement in some prominent location (a refrigerator, door, bathroom, mirror, etc.) 3. Take time to read your statement daily. 4. Change your vision statement as you learn more about the global efforts to end racism and honor diversity. TEACHER COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS LESSON PLAN VI DISCOVER YOUR FAMILY’S ETHNIC BACKGROUND Objective: Students will accept their own uniqueness to accept the uniqueness of others. Discuss: Diversity/Uniqueness/Ethnicity Activities: -The students will create a family tree. They will start by recalling their relatives they know, then ask those that are living to recall the relatives they know. When possible, they will collect stories about their relatives. -The students will read about the history of the ethnic groups within their families heritage. -The students will make a list of what they like most about their ethnic background. -The students will collect photographs of their ancestors. -The students will consider what stereotypes their ethnic background that they would most like to release. SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY Please record Yes or No responses to each of the following questions. Yes No 1. Do your principal, teachers and other staff members use language that is free from racial, ethnic, and sexual slurs at all times? 2. Does your school have a policy that explicitly condemns racially, sexually, and ethnically biased behavior? 3. Does your school routinely collect achievement data by race, gender, and ethnicity? 4. Does the planning for all school events awards, and programs reflect the diversity of people in the school by race, gender, and ethnicity? 5. Do all students and staff understand the meaning of the term culture? 6. Does your school have a plan for improving intergroup relations? 7. Have you thought about your own gender, racial, ethnic and social class identity and the various ways in which you are similar to, yet different from, the demographic groups to which you belong? 8. Have you thought about how your own gender, race, ethnicity and social class have influenced your learning? 9. Do you honestly believe that you are capable of succeeding, regardless of your racial or ethnic group, and gender? 10. Are you honestly willing to change your behavior from ways that are comfortable to you, to ways that may be more helpful to people who are different from you? Record ten points for each yes answer that you have recorded. Then calculate your score. 90-100 is excellent, 89-80 is good, 79-70 is fair. Your school has many of the components that contribute to a positive pluralistic culture. Recognize your success and identity those areas that still need work. Its likely that you need better coordination and institutionalization of your efforts. If your score is lower than 70, you have a great deal of work to do. Give yourself some time for introspection. You may find that its easier to talk this over with someone whose background is similar to yours first. Without meaning to harm others, you may be unconsciously perpetuating some culturally biased behaviors. VOCABULARY WORD LIST 1. Attitude is a position assumed for a specific purpose. 2. Brown v. Topeka, Kansas Board of Education examined the impact of the desegregation of America’s Public schools. The Supreme Court ruled that separate facilities were inherently unequal and that segregated schools would no longer be legal. 3. Case Milliken v. Bradley involved the Detroit public schools and made it very difficult to desegregate across school district boundary lines. Suburban schools can not be forced into a desegregation plan. 4. Change is to become different in a position that has been assumed for a specific purpose. 5. Civil Rights is private, non-political privileges: specifically, exemption from involuntary servitude, as established by the 13th and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution and by certain acts of Congress. 6. Culture is the sum total the attainment and activities of any specific period, race, or people, including their implements, handicrafts, agriculture, economics, music, art, religious beliefs, traditions, language, and story. 7. Democratic ethic recognizes the truth of human equality and the fact that all people are endowed by their creator with inalienable rights. 8. Desegregation is the act of ending segregation of races in schools and public facilities. 9. Discrimination means to show differential treatment or bias: sometimes, unjust distinction. 10. Diversity means capable of various forms or variety. 11. Immigration is the total number of aliens entering a country for permanent residence during a stated period. 12. Institutionalize Racism is any institution that permits race to affect the distribution of benefits from social policies. 13. Judeo Christian ethic provides the fundamental ideals that historically shaped our entire political and social system. 14. Pluralistic is the existence within a society of diverse groups as in religion, race, or ethnic origin, which contribute to the cultural matrix of the society while retaining their distinctive characters. 15. Prejudice is a judgment or opinion, favorable or unfavorable, formed beforehand or without examination. 16. Racism is an excessive and irrational belief in or advocacy of the superiority of a given group, people, or nation, on racial grounds alone. 17. Scientific Racism is any false view of race that equates racial differences with racial superiority or inferiority. 18. Segregation is the provision for separate facilities, as in housing, schools, and transportation, for whites and non-whites. 19. Stereotype is the act of reducing the complex, multidimensional nature as human beings, or other things, to a single statement, image, or attitude. 20. Work ethic emphasizes the virtues of industry and diligence, a passion for excellence, respect for personal effort. Notes 1. Rethimon Otter, “Racism” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encycllopaedia Inc., 1989, pp. 800-81. 2. Ibid., p. 881. 3. Stokley Carmichael and Charles Hamilton, Black Power: The Politics of Liberation in America (New York: Vintage Books, 1967), p. 4. 4. Lori S. Robinson, Emerge, “Court Cases Are Still Key”, (Arlington, VA: Emerge Communications Inc., 1994), p. 26. 5. Louis L. Knowles, Institutional Racism In America, “From No Response to False Response,” New Jersey, Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1969), p. 115. 6. Ibid., p. 28. 7. Lori S. Robinson, Emerge, Court Cases Are Still Key”, (Arlington, VA: Emerge Communications, Inc. 1994), p. 28. 8. Ibid., p. 28. 9. Ibid., p. 28. 10. Patrick Fischetti, Leadership, “Diversity Awareness” (New York: Publishers Associates, March 1993), p. 16. 11. Ibid., p. 16. 12. Ibid., p. 17. 13. Ibid., p. 17. Resource List Bennett, Lerone, Jr. Before the Mayflower: A History of Black America. Chicago: Johnson Publishing Co., Inc. 1988 Burgest, D. “Racist Use of the English Language.” Black Scholar, Vol. 4 (September), pp. 37-45. California Library Association. 1741 Solano Ave., Berkeley, Ca. 94707. An American Negro in Contemporary Society, an annotated list of 121 titles, (free). Daniels, Roger. Coming to America: A History of Immigration and Ethnicity in American Life. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc., 1990. Free Library of Philapelphia. 19th Vine Sts., Pa 19103. To Be Black in America, a bibliographic essay arranged in broad categories; materials included suitable for use by junior and senior high school students. (free). Multicultural Lesson Plans- A resource book of 25 lesson plans promoting multicultural awareness for use in elementary, middle, junior and senior high school classrooms. To receive a copy, send a check for $4.00 payable to: Lifetouch Multicultural Lesson Plans, c/o Mail’n Box, 13722 Nicollet Avenue South, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337. National Education Association, 1201 Sixteenth St., Nw., Washington, D.C. 20036. Index to Multiethnic Teaching Materials and Teacher Resources, an annotated bibliography in four sections. Proud to be me! A collection of Concepts for Building Self-Esteem in the Classroom-A resource book for elementary, middle and junior high school teachers containing 40 award-winning lesson plans designed to develop self-esteem, in addition to 50 “classroom classics” ideas submitted by teachers. Toreceive a copy, send a check for $8.95 payable to: Lifetouch Proud to be me! c/o Mail’n Box, 13722 Nicollet Avenue South, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337. Ryan, William, “Blaming the Victim.” Racism and Sexism: An Integrated Study, ed. P.S. Rothernberg: New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1988. Takaki, Ronald T. A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. Boston: Little Brown, 1993. Takaki, Ronald T. Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans. Boston: Little Brown, 1989. U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare. American Potpouri: Multi-ethnic Books for Children and Young Adults. A bibliography. Bibliography Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 1969, pp. 9, 31-39. Au, Kathryn H. “Using the Experience. Text Relationship Method with Minority Children.” Reading Teacher 32 (1979): pp. 677-679 Barbara Fields, “Slavery, Race and Ideology in the United States of America”, 1990, pp. 10-14. Shaw, Theodore,” Emerge Black America’s Newsmagazines” Court Cases Are Still Key. Emerge Communication, Inc. Vol. V., No. VIII, Arlington, Va. Ford, Cyyde W., We Can All Get Along, Bantam. Doubleday dell Publishing Group, Inc. New York, New York, 1994. Knowles, Lewis L., Institutional Racism in America, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood, N. J. 1969. Leadership, “Diversity Awareness”, vol. 21, no. 7, issn-5399, March 1993, pp. 16-23. Lewis, Valerie, Instructor, “The multicultural Connection”, Scholastic, pp. 37-42. Lifetouch, Connecting Classroom and Community, Lifetouch Enrichment Grants Program, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1994. Newsweek, “The New Politics of Race”, pp. 22-30, May 6, 1991. Schlesinger, Arthur M. Jr., America Education, “The Disuniting of America”, Winter 1991. Tiedt, Pamela, Multicultural Teaching, Allyn and Bacon, Inc., Boston, 1989. Time, “Changing New Face of America”, Issn0040-781x, Time Inc., New York, N.Y., Fall 1993, pp. 3-9. Retrieved from the World Wide Web Standard 2: Writing (RLA.S.2) Goal: Students will employ a wide range of writing strategies to communicate effectively for different purposes by: 1 developing the writing process; 2 applying grammatical and mechanical properties in writing; and 3 gathering and using information for research purposes. Strategies: Writing Objectives Students will: RLA.12.2.1 employ writing strategies to address specific purposes (e.g., narrative; expository; persuasive; research; creative). RLA.12.2.4 develop a focused composition that has a clear and logical progression of ideas supported by relevant details. Unit and Lesson Planning May Include: . Journeying to Create Lesson Objectives By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: 1. Understand through watching a video interview the ways that a journey can change an individual. 2. Write a descriptive paragraph about a place that uses imagery and tone to create an effect. 3. Alter the effect of a paragraph by making different language choices. 4. Explain the meaning of connotation in language. 5. Explain how both inward and outward journeys can be a source of creativity. 6. Write a journal about a trip that influenced them. 7. Evaluate the journal as a potential source for a creative project. Related National Standards Language Arts Standards Writing, Standard 1 Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process. Writing, Standard 2 Uses the stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing. Writing, Standard 3 Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions. Reading, Standard 5 Uses the general skills and strategies of the reading process. Level IV, Benchmark 4 Understands writing techniques used to influence the reader and accomplish an author's purpose (e.g., organizational patterns, such as cause-and-effect or chronological order; imagery, personification, figures of speech, sounds in poetry; literary and technical language; formal and informal language; point of view; characterization; irony; narrator). Viewing, Standard 9 Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media. Level IV, Benchmark 1 Uses a range of strategies to interpret visual media (e.g., draws conclusions, makes generalizations, synthesizes materials viewed, refers to images or information in visual media to support point of view, deconstructs media to determine the main idea). Estimated Time to Complete Lesson Four 50-minute class periods. (Note: While this lesson plan can stand alone, it is recommended that it be used to lead in to one or more of the Extensions for this lesson that allow students to further showcase their own creativity while addressing additional national standards benchmarks.) Materials Needed Part I (3 Days) • World map • U.S. map • Pushpins, one for each student in class plus 2 • Index cards • Student notebooks • Copy of 11/29/02 NOW WITH BILL MOYERS interviews with Gregory Nava, Julie Taymor, and Sherman Alexie (Note: A free transcript of this program is available on the NOW Web site. Teachers may also tape the broadcast off-air and use it in the classroom for one year. Alternatively, programs are available for purchase from ShopPBS (http://shop.pbs.org).) • TV/VCR Part II (1 day) • Student notebooks • Copy of 11/29/02 NOW WITH BIll MOYERS broadcast (see Part 1) • TV/VCR • Slides or transparencies of paintings by Frida Kahlo Backgrounder for Teachers This lesson looks at the concept of where creativity comes from by focusing on the impact of inward and outward journeys. The November 29, 2002 NOW WITH BILL MOYERS broadcast features the thinking of three artists who talk about specific journeys they have taken and the impact it has had on their creative work. (Note: A free transcript of this program is available on the NOW Web site. Teachers may also tape the broadcast off-air and use it in the classroom for one year. Alternatively, programs are available for purchase from ShopPBS (http://shop.pbs.org).) The first artist interviewed is Julie Taymor, who directed the films FRIDA and TITUS ANDRONICUS. She also won two Tony awards for her work on THE LION KING on Broadway, serving as director and also designer of the production's fantastical masks and costumes. Please note that Bill Moyers also interviewed Taymor on the October 25, 2002 broadcast (see related transcript). The second artist is Gregory Nava, who may be best known for the classic film EL NORTE, a movie that told the story of a brother and sister struggling to make it to California from Central America. In 1996 he directed SELENA, based on the Latino pop star and starring Jennifer Lopez. Recently, his activities focused on the PBS TV series AMERICAN FAMILY - the first ever to feature an all-Latino cast. Please note that Bill Moyers also interviewed Nava on the February 15, 2002 broadcast (see related transcript). The final artist featured is Sherman Alexie, a writer of novels, short stories, and poems. He has also turned his work into acclaimed movies, including SMOKE SIGNALS and THE BUSINESS OF FANCY DANCING. For more information on Alexie and his work, see NOW's list of recommended Web sites. While this lesson plan can stand alone, it is recommended that it be used to lead in to one or more of the Extensions for this lesson that allow students to further showcase their own creativity while addressing additional national standards benchmarks. Assumed Student Prior Knowledge Students will have some familiarity with map use and general geographical knowledge. They will also understand the basic elements for writing a good paragraph. Teaching Strategy Part One: Traveling Outwards (Three 50-minute class periods) Day One: The NOW interviews (Taymor and Nava) 1. Put a map of the United States and a world map on your bulletin board, with a pushpin or tack in each marking the location of your school. Have additional pushpins ready, one for each student. 2. On an index card, have students list places they have traveled to; give them two to three minutes. Then ask them to circle the place that seems the farthest away to them. 3. Have students share the farthest locations to which they have traveled. As each student answers, locate the place on the map and insert pushpin. Who has traveled the farthest from home? 4. Optional activity: Before you take the maps down, have several students who are detail-oriented and reasonably good in math measure the distances, consult the map key, and calculate the class total distance traveled. This does not have to be done during this period, however. 5. Explain to students that we take many journeys in our lives and that these journeys can shape who we are. Give them ten-fifteen minutes to write a journal entry about a journey when they encountered someone or something that affected them profoundly. Make clear that this journey might not be the same one they have talked about. Collect the journals. 6. Introduce the video by saying that they are now going to meet two individuals whose travels have shaped the way they live their lives. Explain that the first person they will see is Julie Taymor, who directed the film, FRIDA, as well as THE LION KING on Broadway. She also designed the fantastical masks and costumes for THE LION KING. Remind students to watch for any journeys described, lessons learned, and personal changes noted. Ask them to also note what the role of art is in the lives of the people she encounters in her travels. Then, play just the section of the Taymor interview where she describes her own influences and travel, especially her trip to Bali. (To help cue the tape, please see the transcript.) 7. Locate Bali on the world map. Explain its existence as a Hindu island in an overwhelmingly Muslim country. Unfortunately, the recent bombing in Bali may have made this area more familiar to students. 8. Discussion questions on Taymor: a. How did Taymor's accident and the subsequent rebuilding of her touring group in Bali affect her? b. What elements of Balinese culture does she describe? c. What is the role of art in the lives of the Balinese? d. How did her experiences there shape her perception of her own work? 9. Explain that the next person they will watch is filmmaker Gregory Nava, whose work includes the films, EL NORTE, SELENA, and the PBS TV series, AMERICAN FAMILY. Focus student viewing by asking them to note any journeys described by Nava, what he learned, and how he changed as a result. Then, play the interview of Gregory Nava. 10. Locate San Diego, California, and Mexico on the world map. 11. Discussion questions: a. Why did Nava go to Mexico? b. What did he study there? c. What are some of the things that he learned about pre-Colombian mythology? d. How did these new insights shape his life? e. Is the concept of 'ollin' still valid for us in America today? How could we use it to shape our own lives? (N.B. If students are not able to answer these questions fully, you may wish to replay the interview to help them.) 12. Assignment: Imagine that your teacher has won a million dollar lottery, and he/she has decided to give each of you $10,000 to travel to some place you've always wanted to see. Choose the destination that you would most like to travel to and research to see what it is really like. Come prepared to write or talk about it tomorrow. Day Two: An imaginary journey 1. Have students turn to a new sheet in their notebooks. 2. Dictate the following questions, giving students time to write the answers in their notebooks. a. Imagine that you are standing in the destination that you have chosen. (See the Assignment from Day One.) Close your eyes and imagine what you can see around you. [Make sure students understand that they should visualize a. A single location, not an entire country or even a town-just what they can see from where they are standing.] What do you see from where you are? b. What sounds do you hear? c. What is the weather like? Temperature? Wind conditions? d. What kind of building do you see in this location? Describe it. e. If you were to eat a meal there, what kind of food would it be? f. What distinctive smells might you notice in this place? g. What kind of music might you hear? h. If you had a pet while you were there, what kind of pet would be most suitable? Why? 3. Have the students share their ideas in groups of three or four. 4. Explain that students have just created images. Review meaning of imagery and stress the importance of using concrete detail. 5. Have students write a draft of a 6-8-sentence paragraph describing their destination and trying to make it sound very appealing. Day Three: Altering tone 1. Group students in pairs. 2. Have students read each other's drafts of paragraphs. 3. Explain the concept of positive and negative connotations of words. Connotation is the emotional impact of a word, the emotional baggage it carries. 4. Illustrate connotation by putting the word "thin" on the board. Then brainstorm synonyms: "skinny," "slim," "slender," "svelte," "emaciated," etc. Which words are positive? Which are negative? Which get chosen for the names of dietetic foods? The difference in these words is what we mean by connotation. 5. Give students fifteen minutes to re-write their partners' papers, using the same place, the same elements, etc., but using words with negative connotations to create a picture of a very unappealing place. 6. Ask for volunteers to read their pairs of papers in front of the class. Define tone: the author's attitude toward his subject. Discuss how language choices have altered tone in these paragraphs. 7. Assignment: Of the two paragraphs you have written personally (from Day Two, step 5 and Day Three, step 5), select the one you like better. Write another draft, improving it with concrete words and details so that you create a single, unified impression on the reader. Part Two: Journeying Inward (One 50-minute class period) 1. Review the previous days' activities with students. They have listened to a video with two artists explaining how their travels have shaped their lives. They have created descriptive paragraphs of the places they would most like to journey to. But what would happen if you couldn't travel far? 2. Play the video segment by Sherman Alexie, "Open All Night." Focus student viewing by asking them to take notes on the journey described by Alexie and the impact it has on him. Discuss: a. What is an insomniac? [You might do some vocabulary work here, using etymological root words and spin-off words like "somnolent" and "somnambulist."] b. Why is Alexie an insomniac? c. Where does he go when he can't sleep? Whom does he talk to? d. How does his insomnia influence his creative process? e. Are there any costs to him because he works this way? 3. Ask students: What if you couldn't go out at all? Would you have any other way to travel? 4. Tell students about writers and artists who could not travel far: Emily Dickinson in Amherst; Anne Frank in her hiding place; the paralyzed Christy Brown or Christopher Reeve; Martin Luther King writing his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" or Thoreau writing his "Essay on Civil Disobedience" after being locked up for nonpayment of taxes as an antiwar protest; Thomas Merton in his monastery. Explain that sometimes journeys can be inward. Are Sherman Alexie's night wanderings an example of outward journeying, inward journeying, or both? 5. Remind students of Julie Taymor's journeys. Remind students that Taymor has made a new movie on the life of a well-known female artist, Frida Kahlo. Tell them that you are going to show another piece of Bill Moyers' interview with her in which she tells about Kahlo's inspirations. Play that section of the tape, asking students to note what influenced Kahlo's creative process. (To help cue the tape, please see the transcript.) 6. Discuss: a. Why did Kahlo have to find her inspiration from within when she first started painting? b. How did that influence her later work? 7. Show students some slides or transparencies of Kahlo's work. For each screen, have them free-write (jot down ideas in rapid sequence without worrying about punctuation, spelling, even evaluation-just write!) in their notebooks about what they observe, their reactions to the paintings, the effect that they think the artist was trying to achieve. 8. Go back through the paintings and have students share their ideas. 9. Discuss: What other sources can you think of for creativity? What sources do you have for your own creativity? 10. Pass out the journal entries that students did on the first day. Have them brainstorm how they could use that journal as a source for a creative project. 11. Closure: Use exit cards: Have students write down three important things they have learned from the last four days. Hand the cards in as a ticket to get out of class, or post in central location for students to read later. Assessment Suggestions Evaluate student thinking, writing skills, and participation by assigning points for: 1. Classroom discussion 2. Journal entry from Day One 3. Rough drafts of two and final draft of one descriptive paragraph(s) 4. Exit cards Extension Ideas It is recommended that the teaching strategy above be used as an introduction for one or more of the following interdisciplinary activities: 1. The island of Bali in Indonesia is a unique Hindu culture in an archipelago that is predominantly Muslim. As Julie Taymor noted in her interview, art is an integral part of the lives of the Balinese people. Each village has a distinctive dance tradition, with roles often handed down within families; dances are performed for religious reasons, rather than primarily as showpieces for tourists. Stone and wood sculpture is a specialty of Balinese craftsmen and the making of batiks is another art for which they are well known. Here are some activities using multiple intelligences that will help your students show their own creativity: a. Hindu mythology is extraordinarily complex. Begin by researching and retelling to the class the story of Rama and Sita, the two royal Indian lovers who left their palace and lived simply in the forest until Sita was kidnapped by a demon and carried off to captivity on Sri Lanka. Rama's rescue of his wife with the assistance of his best friend and a living bridge of monkeys will appeal to many students. The story can be found in the Hindu epic, "The Ramayana." For useful information on "The Ramayana," see the online resources provided by Syracuse University. b. Work with an art teacher to help students create Indonesian-style shadow puppets for the characters in the tale of Rama and Sita. (Shadow puppets were one of the sources of inspiration for Taymor.) Student groups could also make shadow puppets to represent characters in other literature, film, and myth. Have students write a script for their shadow puppets. Work with a drama teacher to perform them for the class. Consider having the students perform the shadow plays for a local elementary school. An introduction to Shadow Puppetry in Indonesia is available at The World of Puppets. (Be sure to scroll down to the section on Indonesia.) c. If possible, work with an art teacher to have students create small batiks, using wax and dye. In Bali, the wax is applied with a small pipe called a 'tjantung', but there are other possible techniques. Obviously, this is more of an undertaking than the shadow puppets. Alternatively, you might invite a batik artist from your community into your classroom to demonstrate the art. For more information on Balinese batiks and how they are created, please see http://www.balinetwork.com/textile/ and http://www.textiletechniques.co.uk/balinese.asp. d. Villages in Bali have gamelon orchestras that accompany dance rituals with their specialized gongs. Have a student research the history and nature of these orchestras. Give students an opportunity to listen to their music. Listening samples of such music can be accessed at: http://hallmusic.com/international/106.html e. Students might be interested in researching Balinese dance, included story lines, costume, and traditional movements. The Kechak dance, with dancers portraying monkeys and a Balinese lion, is particularly interesting. Have students explain the results of their research in a Power-Point presentation. 2. Taymor's work on THE LION KING should be of interest to students. The story of Simba is a Disney adaptation of an ancient African epic from Mali, the story of Sundiata. The concept of the journey is central to this epic. There is an excellent picture book version called SUNDIATA, by paper artist David Wisniewski. Read the story to the class, allowing them time to look at the pictures. (If they have worked with shadow puppets, they will really appreciate the cutting and layering that Wisniewski did to create his scenes of the ancient African kingdom.) The story, of a boy who is physically handicapped but who triumphs over all odds to become a great king, will appeal to students. Have students compare, in a chart or an essay, the similarities and differences between SUNDIATA and THE LION KING; they might also explore how basic storylines might be adapted for different audiences and eras. (If time allows, you could let students watch the Disney video, but most of them are probably familiar with it.) Or you could invite your students to take the same theme and write a short story using that theme with other characters in another setting. 3. Use the theme of the journey to introduce students to a major work of literature about how characters are transformed by a journey. For example, you could consider the following: a. Homer's ODYSSEY b. Mark Twain's ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN. You might also consider some of his non-fiction travel writing, such as ROUGHING IT (his travels by stagecoach through the mid-nineteenth-century American West), LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI (the tale of how he learned to be a riverboat pilot) and INNOCENTS ABROAD (his adventures as a young reporter in Europe and Palestine). c. For very strong AP students, James Joyce's ULYSSES. d. For younger students, a selection of fairy tales that involve journeys: HANSEL AND GRETEL, PINOCCHIO, THE LITTLE TAILOR, PETER PAN. e. Malory's MORTE D'ARTUR, the quintessential book of journeying by assorted knights. More modern versions are T.S. White's ONCE AND FUTURE KING, Marion Zinsser Bradley's MISTS OF AVALON, and Thomas Berger's ARTHUR REX. f. Native American literature often uses the journey as a motif, usually leading to transformation. Leslie Marmon Silko's CEREMONY and N. Scott Momaday's HOUSE MADE OF DAWN, as well as Momaday's THE WAY TO RAINY MOUNTAIN, would work well. g. Many science fiction and fantasy works deal with the subject of journeys. Students will certainly be able to suggest some, but you can also consider classic novels like H. G. Wells' THE TIME MACHINE or Jules Verne's JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. This might be an opportune time to try the technique of literature circles in your classroom. (See http://www.literaturecircles.com for additional guidance.) A science fiction film like the original STAR WARS or E.T. is another possibility. 4. After students have seen the "Open All Night" piece by Sherman Alexie, have them view the film SMOKE SIGNALS, which is based on three stories from his collection THE LONE RANGER AND TONTO FISTFIGHT IN HEAVEN. In discussion, have them explore how each of the main characters, the nerdy Thomas and the over-confident Victor, is transformed by their journey from the Spokane Indian reservation to Phoenix to claim Victor's father's remains. It sounds depressing, but it is actually a film with great humor and tremendously appealing characters. 5. After students have viewed the interview with Gregory Nava, have them view his film, EL NORTE. Have your students write three one-page diary entries from the point of view of either the brother or sister. The first entry should be dated the day they leave Guatemala, the second, one day of their journey, and the third, a day after their arrival in the United States. This assignment could be easily expanded. Have students try to project the events described from that character's point of view, choosing language that reflects the character's feelings. 6. Students who are interested in art might visit a gallery to view paintings by Kahlo or other female artists. If no such trip is feasible, there are numerous Web sites that provide online galleries, such as the Artchive (http://artchive.com). At this user-friendly site you can find works by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, their biographies, and links to additional female artists. 7. Have students research the traditions of the Mexican Day of the Dead. One elementary school in Maryland uses that day to recognize formally the relatives and friends that students have lost and the experience seems to be a very positive one to help students deal with their loss. Many links to the Dia de los Muertos can be found at: http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/feature/daydeadindex.html. 8. Invite to your classroom someone who has made a long journey to get to the United States, either an immigrant or a foreign exchange student; be sure to find someone who is comfortable making such a presentation. Have your class brainstorm questions well before the interview, phrasing questions that will promote more than one-word answers. You might consider giving your guest a list of questions beforehand, with the understanding that impromptu follow-up questions might be asked. Plan with your class how the interview will be conducted: who will ask which questions, who will introduce the guest, who will take care of refreshments if any, what manners are expected, who will write a thank you note afterwards. 9. You might follow suggestion #8 with an American guest who has lived or traveled extensively overseas: an exchange student, a member of the military, or a returned Peace Corps volunteer. (The Peace Corps has a list of volunteers who are available for speaking assignments.) The Peace Corps Web site provides a set of non-fiction stories by former Peace Corps volunteers, appropriate for middle and high school students. The stories explore cultural differences encountered by volunteers who traveled from the United States to a country in Africa, Latin America, the Pacific Islands, and Eastern Europe. This activity featuring an American who has spent time overseas might also be a chance for some of your own students to gain some special recognition. 10. Frida Kahlo's relationship with the artist Diego Rivera was a loving one, even if it was rather unconventional. Have your students research other relationships that shaped artists' and writers' lives. Some examples are Edouard Manet and Berthe Morisot, Camille Claudel and Auguste Rodin, Will and Ariel Durant, Donald Hall and Jane Kenyon, Michael Dorris and Louise Erdrich, many of the pre-Raphaelite painters, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. They can present their findings orally or in a short research paper. Related Resources In addition to the extensive resources referenced in the Teaching Strategy and Extensions sections of this lesson, please see the following: NOW WITH BILL MOYERS: Creativity An extensive collection of author interviews, poetry, visual arts, mythology resources, theater, and photography. Resources include the interviews of Gregory Nava, Julie Taymor, and Sherman Alexie featured in this lesson. Aztec Folk Tales The San Diego County Office of Education publishes numerous "Cyberguides" to useful materials for middle and high school students. One, on Aztec legends, would tie in nicely with the Nava interview. It includes many creative activities for students, such as creating a diamante poem, writing a poem about a volcano, composing a persuasive letter as an Aztec noble or Christian missionary, and creating a folk tale poster. About the Author Eileen M. Mattingly has been teaching English and social studies since 1968. She currently teaches and chairs the English department at McDonough High School in Pomfret, Maryland. She has developed teaching materials for multicultural literature for Charles County, Maryland and has presented a workshop on Native American literature for the National Council of Teachers of English. She is currently working on a Teacher's Guide to the novel "Ceremony" for The Center for Learning and serves as a curriculum consultant for the Peace Corps "Voices from the Field" project. Women in Traditional China and their Portrayal in Chinese Folktales by Gale Billingsley http://www.cis.yale.edu/ynhti/ • Introduction • Course Content • Notes • Lesson Plan #1 • Lesson Plan #2 • Student Bibliography • Teacher Bibliography To Guide Entry Introduction China is a vast, sprawling country that has long been an enigma to the Western world. The Westerner’s view of the Chinese has been greatly colored by the media. The screen has portrayed Chinese men as Confucius-spouting Charlie Chan types or violent and cold-blooded torturers that are well versed in the martial arts. Most Americans and Europeans are familiar with the eternal image of Dr. Fu Manchu and his friends who are callous, opium-smoking criminals. Then of course, there are the commonly known jokes about Chinese delicacies and the preference for unborn mice, monkey brains hot from hacked-off heads, hundred year old eggs and snakes cooked alive in boiling rice. Finally, there is the West’s conception of the Oriental woman. In the American films of the 1920s and ‘30s, she was depicted as the delicate and suppliant concubine who was carried about by her servants. This image has given way to that of the modern Chinese woman in Mao inspired clothing who might refer to her fellow worker as comrade. She is supposedly liberated from the bondage of the past, but still considered docile, gentle, and respondent to a man’s needs and pleasures. The role of women in traditional China is a curious one. Though they were expected to be totally subservient to men and had no legal rights in the society, there were Chinese women who wielded great power and influence. There are the legendary stories of the concubine who used her beauty and charm to gain political and economic power. China’s traditional attitudes toward women as reflected in folktales will be the focus of this unit. Folktales will be the medium through which Chinese women will be examined because they provide a rich source of information for understanding a people. Folklore and folktales are an important component in the culture of any given people. It is a fabric into which has been woven the institutions, traditions, customs, beliefs and attitudes of a people. It is important to recognize that the folktale serves as more than a quaint, entertaining tale. Alan Dundes in his well-known book, The Study of Folklore points out that folklore has several important functions: 1. It aids in the education of the young. 2. It provides a group’s feeling of solidarity. 3. Folklore provides a socially sanctioned way for the individual to act superior or censure the group. 4. It serves as a vehicle for social protest.1 It is important that students be given some introduction to the cultural, political and social history of China before delving into the literary material. Familiarization with the time honored traditions and social customs of China will help students gain a richer meaning from the readings. Since the mayor emphasis of this unit will be the traditional views and attitudes toward women in Chinese folktales, it is hoped that students will not only gain a better understanding of Chinese culture and society but will come to realize that a nation’s legacy is very much tied up in its storytelling. As noted, author Roger D. Abrahams so aptly states, “storytelling is a fundamental way of codifying hard-won truths and dramatizing the rationale behind traditions.”2 Rationale This unit is intended for use among intermediate students at the high school level. Because the folktales make for enjoyable and relatively easy reading, this unit could work well for the reluctant reader. Although this unit is not designed to provide students with an in-depth study of the social and political history of China, it is hoped that by the end of this unit, students will be sensitive to the fact that the social studies and/or geography text is not the only source book for understanding the peoples of the world. This unit is intended for use in an English course. However, it certainly could be used in conjunction with the materials in a geography or world cultures class and perhaps become part of an interdisciplinary course. It is suggested that this unit be used over a four to six week period. However, a classroom teacher may opt to devote a longer or shorter time to the material presented. Because of the scope of this unit, I have only focused on several folktales but the suggested student bibliography contains a wealth of stories. In addition, I have chosen folktales about women largely because they have been frequently bypassed in studies of Chinese history or culture. They were often seen as only incidental to Chinese studies and not as an important force in Chinese history. It is my hope that students will come to see that women who have been the largest disinherited group in China and all but written out of the traditional Chinese history texts, could gain notoriety and acclaim through the legends and folktales which were passed on orally. Objectives 1. Students will be able to identify the elements of a folktale plot, narrator, character, theme and/or moral. In addition to understanding the meanings of the terminology, they will be able to discuss and write about these terms in relation to individual folktales. 2. Students will be able to make comparisons between two or more stories on the basis of the terminology given in objective number one. They will be required to do this orally and in writing. 3. Students will be asked to apply what they have learned about Chinese social customs and traditions in the lectures and reading to their interpretation of the folktales. They will be expected to apply their acquired knowledge of Chinese culture to their understanding of the events, character motivation and theme in a particular story. 4. Students will develop a broad overview of Chinese culture based on the factual material presented and begin to eliminate some previous stereotypes about Chinese culture and people. Strategies In addition to providing students with enjoyable reading, these selected folktales will point up every society’s need to inculcate its members with the values, mores and attitudes of the culture. Classroom discussions and activities are designed to give students some understanding of the folktale as a medium through which values and beliefs are transmitted. As a beginning point, students will be introduced to Chinese history through lectures and selected readings that have been included in the bibliography. It is my intention to use the Yale-China Association as a resource. They can provide films and other materials which could prove fascinating to the student. Having a speaker come in will also prove helpful in whetting the students’ appetite for the folktales which will follow. Teachers are encouraged to draw upon area resources in order to provide students with background information about Chinese history and culture. The folktales will be discussed in class and literal and interpretive questions will be assigned in order to frame the discussion. Initially, one or two folktales will be read aloud in class to better acquaint students with the fact that folktales were first told orally by a storyteller. It would be helpful to select those students to read orally who can do so with expression and animation or for the teacher to read a few tales to the class. Throughout the course, the folktale presented will parallel some fact or information concerning customs, traditions or anecdotes which relate to Chinese women. Students will be assigned essays in which they will be required to relate information about women’s roles in traditional Chinese culture to particular stories. In addition to a unit exam, students will be required to write their own Chinese folktale, one which reflects the traditional view of women. It will be essential to make provisions for weekly quizzes in order to insure that students are doing the assigned reading at home and to ascertain how well they understand the literal and thematic material presented in the unit. Course Content The traditional role of women in Chinese society was one of subservience and humility. Chinese folklore is peppered with such phrases as “girls are maggots in the rice,” “it is more profitable to raise geese than daughters.” Females were considered dispensable; it was the birth of a son that was cause for celebration. Chinese girls were more likely than boys to suffer infanticide in poor families. An early marriage which had been arranged by the female’s parents made a girl’s stay in her parents house short-lived. There was the attitude that nothing need be done to enrich the intellect or existence of the female since after her marriage she would take up residence with her husband’s parents. A daughter was referred to as an outsider because she would no longer bring any economic benefit to the family. Dennis Bloodworth’s The Chinese Looking Glass contains two very informative and easy to read chapters on the role of women in traditional China. He elucidates the Chinese customs surrounding marriage and the role of women in the home. These selections are important in helping students to understand the importance of tradition and custom in Chinese culture and how the entire Chinese society was structured to keep women in an inferior position. The two chapters contain terminology which will be useful to students’ understanding of women in traditional Chinese culture. (See Sample Lesson 1.) For a firsthand account of the tyranny of the Chinese attitude toward women and its impact, The Woman Warrior is must reading for students. Teachers may use their own discretion as to whether they wish students to read all or parts of the book. The author, a first generation Chinese American, writes of her parents’ folk beliefs, traditions and views of life and how they affected her. Her mother, who returned to medical school in the Orient after the age of thirty, is a strong symbol in the author’s life. The novel also acquaints students with the power of the oral tradition as a way of keeping a culture’s folklore alive. Students should read the first chapter “No Name Woman” for it begins with the author’s (also the narrator) mother telling her a family story which has been kept a secret. The story details the horrors of a young woman who becomes pregnant out of wedlock and throws herself and her new born baby to the bottom of the well after her family’s home is vandalized by outraged and avenging villagers. Suicide by Chinese women was not uncommon. The pressures of an unhappy arranged marriage, a tyrannical and sometimes cruel mother-in-law or simply the burdens of life were often the causes. The stark reality of the narrator’s aunt’s suicide is in sharp contrast to the sentimental and romantic side of Chinese womanhood. The popular notion that the Chinese maiden and her lover killed themselves because a marriage was forbidden did not represent the reality. Few, if any, young men or women disobeyed their parents’ marriage choice. However, this myth found its way into many of the folktales and into Chinese holidays. Even the origin of the Feast of Hungry Ghosts and All Souls Night of China lies in the sad little tale of two disconsolate lovers who, separated by disapproving parents, flung themselves in a river and drowned. The folktale, “Faithful Even in Death,” reflects the inability of women to get a formal education in China without resorting to deceit and depicts the romanticized notion of two lovers who take their lives in order to attain eternal love. Discussion Questions 1. Why was it necessary for Yingt’ai to disguise herself as a boy in order to be able to go away to school? 2. What might her disguise suggest about a woman’s ability to get an education in traditional Chinese society? 3. What things did Yingt’ai do while at school in order to conceal her femaleness? 4. How did Yingt’ai’s sister respond when Yingt’ai expressed her love for Hsienpo? 5. How did Hsienpo learn that Yingt’ai had been disguised as a male? 6. Why do you think that up until this point, Hsienpo did not realize that Yingt’ai was his childhood friend? 7. Describe Yingt’ai’s actions on the day of her arranged marriage day. 8. How did the couple attain eternal love? 9. Would Yingt’ai have been allowed the opportunity to become a scholar or government official had she not taken her life? 10. Which is the romantic tale, “Faithful Even in Death” or “No Name Woman”? Explain your answer. 11. Could “No Name Woman” also have been titled “Faithful Even in Death” because the aunt refuses to name the man who impregnated her? Explain your answer. The superstitions, legends and customs of China are fascinating. They abound in the supernatural. It was a common practice for rural women to give birth in pigsties in order to fool the jealous gods who do not snatch piglets but newborn babies. (The Chinese explanation of crib death perhaps.) Some of the folklore which surrounded Chinese beliefs about birth is recounted in the chapter “Shaman,” from The Woman Warrior. Resorting to her “talk-story,” the narrator’s mother, Brave Orchid, tells her daughter of her experiences as a doctor, midwife and “exorcist,” in a tiny village in Canton. “Shaman” is a spellbinding tale which weaves together many of the folk beliefs of traditional China. There is a vivid account of young girls being sold as slaves because their families can no longer feed them. There is also a reference to the common practice of a midwife or relative preparing a box of clean ashes beside the birth-bed if the newborn were a baby girl. If that were the case the baby’s face might be turned in the ashes and smothered. Students will also be intrigued by the ghost stories which Brave Orchid tells in “Shaman” as well as the many references to rural folk beliefs and customs. The folktale, “The Infection” is based upon the actual folk custom of ritual defloration of young girls. Ritual defloration is still widely known in South China, Southeast Asia and the Tibetan-Chinese border areas. The ritual also follows the custom of premarital freedom until the end of the first pregnancy. The second child is regarded as the first “real child.” In this tale it is the custom for a grown up girl to lie with a man before her marriage. The first man who sleeps with her receives the poison in her body and in a short time dies. The young heroine in this story refuses to sleep with a potential victim so she in turn falls violently ill. The folktale is a reflection of a rather negative view of women. Discussion Questions 1. Where is the setting for this story? 2. Why did Ma agree to sleep with the girl? 3. Why do you think the girl sacrificed her life for Ma? 4. Why, in this story, is it considered shameful for young girls to be chaste? (From what you know about Chinese culture is there anything odd about this?) 5. Why do you think the father was very shamed and angry at having a daughter who was chaste? 6. Whom does the girl encounter when she becomes ill? 7. How is the girl made well? 8. Why is it the belief in this story that the man to whom a young girl gives up her virginity becomes ill and dies? 9. What attitude toward women might be conveyed by this tale. Explain your answer. There is the myth that all women in traditional China were passive and unambitious. However, the history of China negates this. The courtesan was perhaps the only truly free woman in China. She could use her wit, talent and beauty to gain political advantage. Although China was predominately a man’s world, there were times when a woman was the actual power behind the throne; occasionally she was the sovereign. In the chapter “More Gentle Sex” from The Chinese Looking Glass, Bloodworth gives a vivid account of the ruthless ambitions of such well-known concubines as Wu Cha, who masterminded several plots in order to become supreme empress. Twelve hundred years later, she was followed by Tzu Hsi, another woman with strong ambitions. Students will be intrigued by the descriptions of their bloody deeds and acts of violence that will rival any drive-in horror movie. Seemingly docile, modest and demure, the Chinese woman treated her husband with silence and deference but knew how to use every weapon she could lay her hands on in order to remain mistress in her own house. If her husband was infatuated with her, she might sell her favors for greater powers. If he was a fool, she would start keeping his accounts, then advise, then manage him.3 Such is the case in the well-known folktale, “The Clever Wife.” There were quite a few Han folktales about a clever woman where as the man was a dullard, or at least no match for her. As a wife, mother or mother-in-law, the woman frequently exerted a powerful influence on the family. In “The Clever Wife,” the woman outwits the local magistrate and thus saves her husband from severe punishment. Discussion Questions 1. To what did the man in the story attribute his happiness? 2. What did the man do to glorify his wife? 3. Why did the magistrate send two officials to the master of the house? 4. Why was the magistrate upset with what he saw? 5. What three things did the magistrate require of the man? 6. What advice did the clever woman give her husband? 7. Why did the magistrate believe that the man had obtained information from the wife? 8. Apply the German proverb “A woman is indispensable to a man’s happiness” to the folktale “The Clever Woman.” 9. What do you think is the moral of this story? Even as a daughter, Chinese women could be forceful. One such instance was the famed heroine, Mu Lan. Unusually skillful and clever with a sword, she went to war instead of her ailing father. He, having no sons, trained her since childhood in the martial arts. General Mu Lan was offered the hand of an emperor’s daughter as a reward for twelve years of outstanding military service. This honor obliged General Lan to confess that he was really a she. The heroic deeds of the swordswoman Mu Lan are recounted in “White Tigers” from The Woman Warrior. The narrator conjures up a vivid image of this woman after one of her mother’s “talk story.” The chapter depicts Mu Lan’s prowess in battle and her endurance. The language and imagery are immensely powerful. This section will appeal to high school student’s love of the fantastic and their fascination with the martial arts. No doubt students will be curious about the current status of women in China. This is an issue which should be discussed with your students. Old habits die hard and much the same can be said for the beliefs and attitudes toward women in China that have had a stronghold for centuries. As long as folktales continue to be told in China and neighbors banter about old wives’ tales and superstitions, women will probably remain second class citizens in China. When the Communists came to their revolution, they moved quickly to win the favor of this very large and politically, socially and economically disinherited group by implementing certain policies. They gave women total emancipation and the right to participate in productive labor. Consequently, in the countryside, women now work in the fields but they are usually assigned the most backbreaking labor. The stereotypes about women not needing an education because they will simply move away after marriage still persist in rural areas. Villagers still refer to girl babies as “a thousand ounces of gold”; but a boy child is called “ten thousand ounces of gold.” The chapter “Holding Up Half the Sky” from Butterfield’s China Alive in the Bitter Sea should be read by students to give them a sense of what life is like for many women in Contemporary China. The power of the folk tradition may be brought home to them when, after reading this selection, they realize that the attitudes toward women which were reflected in the folktales still exist in China today. Notes 1Alan Dundes, ed., The Study of Folklore. (New Jersey, 1965), p. 26. 2Roger D. Abrahams, ed., African Folktales-Traditional Stories of the Black World. (New York, 1983), p. xvi. 3Dennis Bloodworth, The Chinese Looking Glass. (New York, 1966), p. 96. Lesson Plan #1 After reading “The Female of the Species” (chapter 8) and “More Gentle Sex” (chapter 9) from Chinese Looking Glass define each of the following terms. 1. footbinding 2. dowry 3. concubine 4. bride-money 5. Yang Kuei-Fei 6. chastity 7. eunuch 8. Confucius 9. polygamy 10. courtesan Lesson Plan #2 In “Shaman” there is a reference to the selling of females into slavery and the killing of baby girls. Explain why the society did not value the lives of females. As part of your explanation, state why infanticide may have been considered a necessary action on the part of a Chinese mother. or Write an essay from the point of view of a Chinese mother in which she explains why it was necessary for her to allow her three-month-old infant daughter to be sold as a servant to a wealthy merchant and his family. Student Bibliography Bloodworth, Dennis. “The Female of the Species,” The Chinese Looking Glass. New York, 1966, pp. 71-86. ———. “More Gentle Sex,” The Chinese Looking Glass. New York, 1966, pp. 87-100. Butterfield, Fox. “Holding up Half the Sky Women,” China Alive in the Bitter Sea. New York, 1982, pp. 62-178. Eberhard, Wolfram, ed. “Faithful Even in Death,” Folktales of China. Chicago, 1965, pp. 24-26. ———. “The Infection,” Folktales of China. Chicago, 1965, pp. 26-29. Kingston, Maxine Hong. The Woman Warrior. New York, 1976. Kuo, Louies and Yuan, Hsi, ed. “The Clever Wife,” Chinese Folktales. California, 1976, pp. 58-60. Teacher Bibliography Bloodworth, Dennis. The Chinese Looking Glass. New York, 1966. An illuminating book about China and what makes its people tick. Fascinating. Bonavia, David. The Chinese. New York, 1980. A fascinating and intimate view of a people caught up in the most massive revolution in history. Butterfield, Fox. China Alive in the Bitter Sea. New York, 1982. Through anecdotes and profiles, Butterfield reexamines many of the clichés about China. Dundee, Alan, ed. The Study of Folklore. New Jersey, 1965. A collection of essays on folklore. This informative and insightful book will prove helpful to the classroom teacher. Dyer, Thiselton T. F. Folklore of Women. Chicago, 1960. An examination of proverbs about women that have come from different cultures. Kingston, Maxine Hong. The Woman Warrior. New York, 1976. A first generation Chinese American woman’s account of her mother’s life in China in the 1920s. Spence, Jonathan D. The Gate of Heavenly Peace The Chinese and their Revolution, 1895-1980. New York, 1981. This informative book follows the story of the Chinese revolution from the 1800s to the present. Von Franz, Marie Louen. Problems of the Feminine in Folktales. New York, 1972. This book examines women as symbols in literature from a psychological perspective. Retrived from the World Wide Web: NOW with Bill Moyers http://www.pbs.org/now/printable/classroom_create_print.html This lesson is designed for English classrooms, grades 9-12 Theatre Content Standards Standard 2: Acting (TH.S.2) Goal: Students will act by developing, communicating, and sustaining characters in improvisations and informal or formal productions. TH1.2.4 depict characters in selected contemporary styles of theatre/drama. Standard 3: Goal: Designing and Producing (TH.S.3) TH 1.3.2 read a variety of dramatic texts from cultural and historical perspectives to determine production requirements. Standard 5: Researching (TH.S.5) Goal: Students will research by utilizing cultural and historical information to support artistic choices. Strategies: TH 1.5.1 recognize and explore cultural, historical, and symbolic clues in dramatic texts and determine the practicality of the information to assist in making artistic choices for use in informal and formal productions. Unit and Lesson Planning May Include: Caribbean Voices: Dramatic Scenes Influenced by Latino Culture, by Michelle E. Sepulveda In the proposed curriculum unit, Caribbean Voices: Dramatic Scenes Influenced by Latino Culture, students will practice using the writing process and create dramatic scenes. The scenes will depict a historical event or other topic of choice that depicts aspects of Latino culture. A number of stages—prewriting, drafting and composing, revising and proofreading, publishing (as well as performing)—will guide the students through the assignment. Special emphasis will be given to dialogue, character descriptions, and stage directions. This curriculum is intended for use with my seventh grade drama students. In their regular English classes, they practice character descriptions, a skill which will also help develop dramatic scenes produced by the students. Special attention will be given to three Latin Caribbean cultures: Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. Nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and plays will be utilized. Our selections will represent the experiences of many people, including second generation Latin American authors. The literature used will help the students gain insight to the uniqueness and commonality of Latino Caribbean cultures. It will also help students develop accurate and realistic characters and settings for their dramatic scenes. Activity two: The Alien Planet Useful for group in new school Objectives To make students aware of their place in relation to others To make them consider attitudes to others Lesson One Get all students to relax on the floor, take as long over this as lesson time allows. Using imagination let them create their bedrooms around them in their minds eye. Question them on simple things like, type of covers, carpet color, view from window etc. This helps to improve concentration and helps them focus. Each pupil then is told to imagine that they are woken by their radio alarm with the following message (given by teacher in role): “The meteorological office have just informed us that a huge tidal wave/hurricane/earthquake is about to hit the town/state/island of _____________and the world as we know it will be no more. Would all local inhabitants pack one small suitcase and go to the airport where a specially designed shuttle will take you to a safe planet, recently discovered by our top scientists." In mime each pupil packs the case and gets ready to leave time out for discussion of what is in case and why teacher in role then becomes person in charge at airport the shuttle made from chairs should be ready prepared with one to few seats for number in class students asked to board in orderly fashion only to discover one too few seats -time out for discussion on how to solve the problem, rules I insist on are that no one can sit on anyone else’s lap, some groups ditch luggage, some choose to ditch people! End lesson by telling everyone to come to next lesson with clear outline of their character and why they should be allowed to go. Lesson Two Start with recap of last week. In groups of about six they reveal their characters and why they should be allowed to go. Groups choose 4 of six that would be most useful to New World. Remaining few then try to justify a place on the shuttle. Eventually all are allowed to go! If there is time left the group should be taken on journey by relaxing on the floor as before and imagining what they find when the shuttle lands -time out to discuss what the planet looks like. Lesson Three Students will need pencil and paper. Start with relaxation on floor and a recap about the planet. Tell all students to imagine that they are exploring the island on their own, as you take them around it stop and ask what they can see. Suddenly they meet an alien, they can see the alien but he can’t see them, what is he/she doing, what is he/she wearing, what does he/she look like, are they alone? Last thing the alien does is to look around and look directly at you so that face is clear. Run. Back in group circle students will explain what their alien looked like, you might ask why they ran away. Everyone draws the alien and this can be used as a base for masks if time and facilities allow. Lesson Four Meeting an alien, it is realised that the only way to live here is to get to know the aliens. How do they greet each other, examine the ways humans do, handshakes, kisses, hugs etc. In pairs explore how many ways you can think of to greet each other that we don’t usually use. Choosing two favourites each pair demonstrates, group as a whole chooses favourite to be alien greeting. Everyone practices this. Language is the next problem – in pairs choose two sounds each and using only those sounds improvise short scene about one of the following – a car accident, someone is lost, buying a hat. Watch these – how easy were they to understand? If some were easier than others were, why? (body language, facial expression etc.) Choose a few sounds to make up alien language With partner improvise the first meeting – it may go well but it doesn’t have to. Lesson Five Sometime later – improvisation in groups of four or five showing how two groups now are living together – discuss options for this. They may get on well, humans may have taught aliens English, two sides may live together but apart etc. Watch improvisations and discuss realism of situations. This can be followed up by reading the play Scapegoats which leads in nicely to work on racial prejudice. Retrieved from the World Wide Web: http://www.geocities.com/Shalyndria13/Alien.htm Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/guides/1997/1/97.01.09.x.html This plan was generously donated by Rose Farish. Speech I Standard 1: The Communication Process Goal: Students will recognize elements of the communications process as it applies to interpersonal and group communication. Students will: Strategies: SP1.1.11 identify the effects of cultural diversity on communication. Standard 2: Research Goal: Students will research topics to develop focused and coherent speeches. Strategies: Students will: SP1.2.1 use library resources to identify and research the main ideas about a topic. Standard 3: Organization and Delivery Goal: Students will participate in a variety of communication activities using appropriate organization, standard American English and effective vocal control. Students will: Strategies: SP1.3.1 participate in a variety of formal and informal speaking experiences (e.g., impromptu, extemporaneous, manuscript, memorization, introductions, business calls, group problem-solving, conflict mediation). Unit and Lesson Planning May Include: Multicultural education is an important part of the learning process for all students. The following are multicultural lesson plans implemented through speech communication emphasizing cultural diversity. . TITLE: Multicultural Journeys. SUBJECT: Multicultural Education, Speech Communication, Reading, Language Arts/English GRADE LEVEL: 7 - 12. OBJECTIVES: 1. Students will be able to (SWBAT) describe and explain significant characteristics of other countries. 2. SWBAT compare and contrast other countries with the United States. 3. SWBAT observe and identify some cultural aspects of other countries (i.e. foods, clothing, religion, and language. 4. SWBAT analyze and evaluate the similarities and differences between the cultures of other countries. RESOURCES/MATERIALS: • Computers. • Access to the Internet or WWW. • Software (i.e Infopedia, or other reference/resource software available). • Pencil • Journal or Notebook • Paper • Posterboard • Markers, Crayons, or Watercolors ACTIVITIES: 1. Students will be placed in groups (no more than 3 per group) and they will select a country they are interested in researching. 2. Students will then go to the library and do preliminary research on the country they selected and outline the information in three parts ( a part for each group member to research). 3. Students will go to the computer lab and access the Internet for research on the their country. 4. Students will E-mail the country's tourist department for information about the country or write a traditional letter of interest. 5. Students will keep a journal or notebook of all information and research. 6. Each group will make a presentation in the form of an advertising campaign for the country they selected (including a poster, slogan and jingle) this will be presented to the class. FOLLOW-UP: Students will design two questions from each presentation for World Jeopardy (a spin off of the television game show Jeopardy). At the end of all presentations, students will play World Jeopardy to recall some facts about the different countries. Each student will have to write a critique of each presentation (in order to give some constructive feedback). Also, each student will have to write a personal response of what they did or did not learn from the activities. Each student will receive an individual and group grade to be averaged together for an overall grade. Retrieved from the World Wide Web: CREATED BY: Paulette Buster (in ETEC 657, Integrating Computers into the Curriculum) |