Pathfinder Peer Enhancement Example
Here are some ideas for your pathfinder on India.
Caste System Activity
For older students, 9th -12th grade, I would add resources on India’s continued use of the caste system in
the more rural areas of India. I teach Pre-International Baccalaureate World History (known at my
school as Pre-IB World History) to freshmen and I teach a thorough unit on India. We explore their
history and culture from the Harappa-Mohenjo Daro civilization to the 21st century conflict between
India and Pakistan. In other words, we start in the beginning and we end in the present. I found your
pathfinder to be quite thorough. I have always included the connection to today when I teach the caste
system in India. I present the students with an activity that places them in one of the castes and allow
privileges to those in the upper castes. The activity runs as follows:
There are five main castes (we only discuss the subcastes within the untouchable [achuta] caste)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Brahmin
Kshatriya
Vaisya
Sudra
Untouchable (Achuta)
In a class of 30 for example there would be:
2 Brahmin
4 Kshatriya
6 VAisya
8 Sudra
10 Untouchables
The students randomly pick a card which identifies their caste. They sit in seats according to the
position in society that they hold. Each card gives a description of the caste, basic rules of the caste, a
task they have to complete and an award. Naturally, the untouchables have to complete the task of
cleaning my classroom which I have made a mess in before they can earn their reward. Their reward is
inferior to the upper castes, as expected.
National Geographic Resources
To make the connection to today I share National Geographic’s on-line supplement to the article in the
June 2003 issue titled Untouchables.
I show them the features of the article and some of the content first.
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0306/feature1/index.html
Then, I have them watch an interview of the photographer who worked on the article to gain insight into
lives of the Untouchables. That link is below.
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0306/feature1/assignment1.html
The response is usually shock by most students. I usually have at least one Hindu in each class and I
discuss the lesson with them before hand. They, too, tend to be critical of the continued use of the
caste system despite it being illegal. India’s constitution bans the practice of untouchability but a 2,000
year old system is tough to unravel.
I use the video link on India’s Bhangis with caution as it is an interview of members of the Bhangi caste,
one subcaste that ranks among the lowest of untouchables, and there is some inappropriate language
used. So, I would hesitate to share this in class with an immature class. But, it does provide insight into
how this group believes, to a degree, that they must be a lesser human because they have been taught
this.
I enjoyed your pathfinder on India and will likely use your resources next school year! Thanks!