JUNIATA COLLEGE

Huntingdon, PA 16652
LESSON PLAN
Teacher Thorben Schmidt

Subject Racism in (post)modern America

Date 11/18/15

Time 1:00 1:55pm

Grade 12th

LEARNING PROFILE OF STUDENTS

High School students, aged 18. Taking English as an intensive course
PREREQUISITE SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE NEEDED FOR THIS LESSON:
The students of this class are approaching their Highschool diploma in which they will be tested
in English. Individuals of modern society in postcolonial America is one of the topic of the
finals. The English language skill level is rather high in all four categories: reading, listening,
writing and speaking. In earlier years they have had learnt a lot about slavery and the US Civil
war so that the following unit can focus on the establishment of equal rights for blacks and recent
developments.
NATIONAL FOREIGN LANGUAGE STANDARD(S):
Standard 1.1: Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express
feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions
Standard 1.2: Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of
topics
Standard 4.2: Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through
comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVE(S):
Students question the social construction of race and reflect on the effects that this construction
has on individuals, societies and cultures.
MATERIALS AND/OR EQUIPMENT:
Teacher provided:
- Video I am not black. You are not white.
- Lyrics of the Video
- US Form
TEACHING PROCEDURES/SEQUENCE:
Anticipatory set:
- Silent impulse: Without any explanation, the teacher hands out the official US Form
and asks students to fill it in. Students will most likely tick the boxes of their own
race, some might also be irritated by this question.
- Short discussion on: Why did they mark themselves as White, Asian,Black,
How does society define race? Who is Black, Asian,?

Development:
- Video is shown to students
- Task: What is the message? How is it presented/emphasized in the video?
- Next Task: By what lyrical/textual means it the message delivered? (How? Stylistic
devices?)
Closure:
-

Discussion: Is he right?
How do labels influence our thinking/society/equality/
Personal story: Woman refuses to sit next to a terrorist (Muslim)
Outlook on the unit: History of blacks after the abolishment of slavery, Martin Luther
King (I have a dream), Has the dream come true?, Obama, #Blacklivesmatter,
recent developments, equality?
Motivating students

ADAPTATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL AND INDIVIDUAL NEEDS:

Specific adaptations do not need to be made.
Adaptations based on sight or hearing impairments can be made as necessary.
EVALUATION OF STUDENT LEARNING:
I find it hard to assess or evaluate a lesson that is based on personal opinions, perspectives and
attitudes. However, the process of thinking will be monitored as students participate in
discussions and share their opinions. Ideas/key notes will be written down on the board.
SELF-EVALUATION OF TEACHING