Nicole Yun

12/2/07

English 112B

Unit Plan                                                                                            Dr. Mary Warner

 

 

            As a future high school English teacher hopeful, I know that it is important to structure lesson plans in relevance to a central theme. For my unit plan, I would like to address the topic of interracial friendships/racial tensions. Many people may argue that interracial friendships may not be an important topic because it is so common nowadays, however, in other parts of the country it may still be an issue in regards to racism. Throughout the course of the semester we have read several young adult novels that teens can relate to. Looking at the topic of interracial friendships/racism, a couple books may come to mind. Chris Crutcher’s, Whale talk; Karen Hesse’s, Witness; and a collection of short stories in, First Crossing.

            To launch my unit, I would approach the topic by having my students think back to a time they first became friends with someone of a different race than their own. How did they feel? Was it any different than becoming friends with someone who shared the same cultures as their own? I remember having the desire to be-friend individuals who weren’t of the same race as me because I was hoping that I would grow to be more open minded in relation to other cultures and beliefs.

            This unit can also closely relate to culture because with interracial friendships comes exposure to different cultures. Students can be given an assignment that connects to interracial interactions and different cultures to expand their knowledge on those areas. From launching this unit, I am hoping that my students would ultimately feel as though they have been made aware of the issues surrounding interracial friendships and also see that there can be perks from such friendships as well. This is a topic that everyone can relate to because who can really say that they only have friends/acquaintances all of the same race? I am hoping that the assignments I give my students in this unit are engaging and relevant to them, so that they have a strong desire to participate.

 

Launching the Unit:

1.)   Read Elsa Marston’s short story “Lines of Scrimmage” from the First Crossing out loud as a class.

2.)   Have a discussion of the story and have the students pin-point the main issues, problems that Armeen encounters.

 

3.)   Next, have students do a sustained silent writing on their own personal experiences with racial encounters/friendships (both positive and negative)

 

4.)   For the students who are comfortable doing so, have them share their stories with the class, which will then further the discussion.

 

*Approaching the Theme/topic UNIVERSALLY*

 

 

Personal Creativity Activity:

 

1.)   Tell students to get into small groups to write poetry.

 

2.)   Based on experiences they share, have students write poetry in regards to their emotions they share in relation to racism and friendship.

 

3.)   Have groups read their poems aloud with each student reading a couple lines then switching off.

 

Research for homework:

 

1.)   For homework, have students research famous historical figures who have dealt with racism and write a short description of how they were able to overcome such issues.

 

2.)   Students can also conduct interviews on their grandparents/parents who can share stories of growing up in a different era in regards to racial tensions. Did they have interracial friendships? If so, what kinds of adversity did they experience?

 

 

 

Sources:

 

1.)   Crutcher, Chris. (2001) Whale Talk. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.

Chris Crutcher looks at the character of Tao Jones as a bi-racial teen struggling

to fit in and make a mark in his school.

 

2.)   Gallo, Donald. (2004) First Crossing. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

In this collection of short stories, we explore the journey that young teens must

take part in to become a part of mainstream society. All these teens come from

different cultures/countries making it difficult to overcoming adversities.

 

3.)   Hesse, Karen. (2001) Witness. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

The character of Leonora Sutter is trying to understand where she stands in

society due to the color of her skin. She is somewhat banished from her town

because of where she comes from. The idea of friendship between Leonora

and Mr. Field is brought into play.

 

4.)   Qualey, Marsha. (1993) Revolutions of the Heart. Houghton Mifflin Books.

     The story of a young girl who loses her mother. Cory meets a young Native

      American boy and falls in love. Because Cory is white, she endures through

harassment.

 

5.) Smith, Cynthia. (2001) Rain is Not My Indian Name. New York: Harper

Collins Inc.

Cassidy lives in a mostly white community when an issue arises in regards to

Her aunt’s Indian camp. This novel relates to interracial individuals, families

and their relationships, and covers different racial backgrounds.