Learning Outcome 12: Foster respect for individual's abilities and disabilities
and an understanding of and appreciation of variations of ethnicity, culture,
language, gender, age, class, and sexual orientation
In order to establish respect and understanding of diversity, students must be able
to see the ramifications that occur when people do the opposite. In order to
enlighten students and to begin to build an understanding of variations of ethnicity,
culture, language, gender, age, class and sexual orientation, I embarked on teaching
my 8th grade students a lesson on discrimination.
The students come in contact with discrimination everyday and would encounter
the topic as they read To Kill a Mockingbird. I wanted to foster a positive discussion
that allowed students to speak freely and think critically about the world.
The following lesson plan acts as evidence that I have engaged students in the act of
beginning to understand and appreciate various groups in society.
As seen in the Learning Context section, the students had been grappling with
historical content that was full of racial discrimination. I noticed that the students
had strong reactions to these lessons and made the ultimate decision to have a
lesson driven by discussion of discrimination in the contemporary world.
The Procedure section shows that students were asked to determine different types
of discrimination as it exists in social media – a medium they are exposed to day in
and day out. During small group discussions of the images, students were engaged
in analyzing racial discrimination, gender discrimination, discrimination of
ethnicity, and discrimination of sexuality.
During the larger class discussion, students were examining the diverse sectors of
society and their plight as minority groups. Students openly discussed their
thoughts and analysis of current events as well, including gay marriage, Trayvon
Martin, and school bullying issues. They also brought to light political debates with
the presidential election nearing.
The questions that the students were asked propelled them to think critically about
the topic of discrimination in America and to use their background knowledge and
experiences.
This discussion led to the general shock and indignation by most students at the
discrimination that occurred. Many of them decided that they could no longer sit
back and watch that occur. They stated they wished to be advocates for all types of
people, no matter their color, ethnicity, sexuality, or gender.
This lesson was a prime way to execute Learning Outcome 12 and only the tip of the
iceberg since students continued to reference discrimination.
Teacher: Samantha Slavin Class: English Date: 10/26/2012
Grade Level: 8 Room Number: 222 Period: 3, 4, 7
Unit: To Kill a Mockingbird Topic: Discrimination
Context: Students have just learned about the Scottsboro Trials, Jim Crow Laws, the
KKK, and have studied the murder of Emmett Till to gain a historical background for
To Kill A Mockingbird. This is the last front loading lesson before beginning the
novel.
Objectives:
Short-range Learning Objective:
 Students will be able to identify acts of discrimination in social media
 Students will be able to discuss discrimination using personal, textual, and
worldly evidence
Long-range Learning Objective:
 Students will be able to analyze discrimination in To Kill A Mockingbird
 Students will be able to analyze the world critically for acts of discrimination
NYS Common Core Standards:
Speaking and Listening Standards (8th Grade)
Comprehension and Collaboration
1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacherled) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and
issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
b. Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track
progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual
roles as needed.
d. Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when
warranted, qualify or justify their own views in light of the evidence
presented.
e. Seek to understand other perspectives and cultures and
communicate effectively with audiences or individuals from varied
backgrounds.
2. Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and
formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g.,
social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.
a. Use their experience and their knowledge of language and logic, as
well as culture, to think analytically, address problems creatively, and
advocate persuasively.
Procedure:
Anticipatory Set:
 Do Now: What was your reaction to one of the following:
o Emmett Till
o Scottsboro Trials
o Jim Crow Laws
o KKK
 After students write out their reactions they will share out their responses
(Students had very strong emotional responses to the Emmett Till DVD)
Instruction:
 Provide students with a rubric for discussions
o Accountable Talk
o Flow of Conversation
o On- Topic
o Time Met
o Participation

Tell them what is expected for a mature and effective conversation to take
place in a classroom setting about a sensitive topic
o Appropriate language
o Practicing empathy
Define Discrimination: The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of
people or things, esp. on the grounds of race, age, or sex
Guided Practice:
 Place students in groups of 3-4 and provide each group with an image from
social media
o Most images are examples of many different type of discrimination
while some show messages that we are overcoming it.
 Allow students 5 minutes to discuss the answers to these questions in their
groups:
o What is the message of the image?
o Is this any different from the discrimination we studied with Emmett
Till?
o Is it ok for people to say these things?
 After students discuss this we will open up to a class discussion with a focus
on these questions:
o Will America ever be completely void of discrimination? Why or why
not?
o
How can we overcome discrimination?
Independent Practice:
o For homework students will write a reflection of the lesson in their reading
journals.
Closure:
 The only way to defeat discrimination is to educate ourselves. To read and
learn and become less ignorant. Having these conversations, and reading
books like To Kill a Mockingbird, and critically reading things we see on social
media - this is how we being to move past it.
 What did you learn today?
Reflection on Lesson:
This lesson had a profound impact on the kids. They were eager to share their
opinions and discuss something that was relevant to their lives. Even though some
kids needed to be reminded of empathy and the effect of their words, most kids
were open to discussing discrimination in many forms - gender, race, culture,
sexuality, and religion. They really thought critically about the world around them
and the texts they were reading.