How does identity influence the way people respond to events? That is the central question class members grapple with as they examine a political cartoon, read a vignette by Sandra Cisneros, watch of video of police officers discussing race, and analyze the results of a poll of reactions to the shooting of Michael Brown. The activity ends with individuals reflecting on how their identity influences their reaction to events.

Concepts

racism, news reporting, identity, self identity

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Begin by having individuals review the class contract and reflecting in their journals about what they saw as the strengths and challenges in the previous days' discussion

Classroom Considerations

• Requires either a projected copy or individual copies of the vignette, "Those Who Don't" from Sandra Cisneros's The House on Mango Street
• Second exercise in an 11-lesson unit the uses the reporting of the shooting of Michael Brown as a case study

Pros

• The final journal asks class members to reflect on how identity influences their responses
• Provides links to all required materials
• Includes step-by-step directions for the lesson

Cons

• None

Common Core

RI.9-10.7 RI.11-12.7