In Another Life...
Learning Objectives
- To challenge stereotypes about cultures and issues unfamiliar to us
- To expand awareness of the range of factors that help constitute a cultural identity
- To research, organize, and present information about everyday life in an unfamiliar culture
- To create an imaginative firsthand account of life in an unfamiliar culture.
Lesson Description
Have students research the customs, traditions, and daily life of Native Americans. Have students create a series of questions to guide their research into an unfamiliar culture. Their aim will be to produce a questionnaire that profiles the knowledge and experience of a person their own age. Some topics they might cover include: form of government, leaders, international relations, historic milestones, great works of art and literature, religious traditions, family life, educational system, foods, climate, challenges, and environment. They can choose to research different time periods if they wish (i.e.. Before European Contact, 1800s, present-day). You may choose to give specific websites for them to research to help keep information authentic and students on track. They will research their questions and important issues of their chosen time period, and what life was like for Native Americans of that time.
After researching the life of Aboriginals in their time period, they will write a specified number of diary entries as if they were a Native American living in that time period and experiencing the things they learned about through their research.
Upon completion of these diary entries, students should be encouraged to share their thoughts and/or entries with the class.
Note: This website offers a similar activity. Students can take on the persona of a young Native American, learn as they journey through a week in the 1800s, and write journals as they learn and experience new things.
http://warrensburg.k12.mo.us/iadventure/4314Fall04/LChapmaniAdv/index.html
After researching the life of Aboriginals in their time period, they will write a specified number of diary entries as if they were a Native American living in that time period and experiencing the things they learned about through their research.
Upon completion of these diary entries, students should be encouraged to share their thoughts and/or entries with the class.
Note: This website offers a similar activity. Students can take on the persona of a young Native American, learn as they journey through a week in the 1800s, and write journals as they learn and experience new things.
http://warrensburg.k12.mo.us/iadventure/4314Fall04/LChapmaniAdv/index.html
Provide students with a definition of prejudice and then ask them to consider how prejudicial thinking is frequently based on stereotypes. The following is a suggested definition:
"A preconceived judgment or opinion formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge. Prejudicial thinking is frequently based on stereotypes."
Ask them to reflect on whether they think or feel differently now that they know more about Native American history.
This open mindedness can be used to encourage acceptance of other differences in the classroom such as speech or language disability.
This lesson could also be done so that students research a speech/language disability and write journal entries from the point of view of someone suffering from one. Also, videos could be shown of first-hand accounts about what it is like to have a disability, how work is being done to overcome it, or how great it is to feel accepted and liked in a classroom, despite the challenges that disorders bring to an individual.
An example is the following video clip which features a 14 year old child who stutters but is still living an enjoyable and fulfilling life:
An example is the following video clip which features a 14 year old child who stutters but is still living an enjoyable and fulfilling life:
Another example is a 13 year rapper old who stutters but is being supported by, among many others, music artists, the GlobalTV, and MuchMusic. It is so inspirational to see a child embracing and working with his stuttering, and being noticed on such a high level of social and multimedia. Below is a video clip, as well as the link to a news article from the Metro.
http://metronews.ca/scene/290858/rap-music-helps-toronto-boy-overcome-stutter/
Some Discussion Questions That May Be Addressed:
- Do you think that prejudice is often a result of judging a person or group on the basis of things over which they have no control? (e.g., skin color, size, gender, speech habits, language disorders) Elicit examples.
- Is it fair to judge people by such characteristics? If not, why do you think it happens so often?
- What are some ways that people learn prejudices? What are some reasons why prejudice is so difficult to “unlearn?”
Building Community and Combating Hate
- Have you ever felt excluded? Explain the situation and how you felt. Do you think that the exclusion was based on prejudice or something else? How did you decide whether or not prejudice was the reason for the exclusion?
- What is the difference between prejudice and a legitimate reason for not liking someone? Give an example of each that illustrates how they differ.
- Do you think that there are people or groups of people in this school or community who feel excluded? Explain your answer.
- How is everyone ultimately hurt when some people are made to feel excluded?
"A positive school climate exists when all students feel comfortable, wanted, valued, accepted, and secure in an environment where they can interact with caring people they trust. "
(This Activity Designed By: Jade Nipp)