Seminar 4: Segregation & Racial Violence
Name:
Pre-Assessment: On November 9 – 10, we will be viewing most of the film Do the Right Thing in class. You will
also have time to complete the Pre-Assessment on the back of this sheet.
Group Discussion: On November 12, half of the class will be assigned to Group 1 and half will be assigned to
Group 2. The class period will be divided into three sessions. The procedures for these sessions are…
Role of Group 1
Role of Group 2
Session 1
(30 min.)
Generate a discussion from an initial prompt
introduced by moderator.
Evaluate partner’s contributions according to
the Depth of Knowledge rubric
Session 2
(30 min.)
Evaluate partner’s contributions according to
the Depth of Knowledge rubric
Generate a discussion from an initial prompt
introduced by moderator.
Session 3
Everyone can join in! This is your chance to pick up on points you felt were overlooked or
contribute to a conversation you were not initially a part of.
Post-Assessment: On November 13, you will spend the class period writing a reflection focused on the PreAssessment and the Group Discussion. This reflection is your final chance to demonstrate mastery of the topic.
Grading Rubric
Teacher Comments:
Pre-Assessment
/ 30
Group Discussion
Individual Evaluation
/ 20
Group Evaluation
/ 20
Post-Assessment
/ 30
TOTAL
/ 100
S4 Pre-Assessment
Instructions – Part I: (10 pts.) While viewing Do the Right Thing, use the space below to take notes, draw
related pictures, or record your thoughts. Pay special attention to connections to what you learned in Unit 4 or
to current social issues impacting the lives of African Americans.
First half of Do the Right Thing
Second half of Do the Right Thing
Instructions – Part II: (20 pts.) After viewing the entire film, prepare five questions that you could ask during
the seminar. These should be open-ended questions!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
S4 Post-Assessment
Instructions: Write a 5-paragraph essay in response to one of the prompts below. Follow the traditional essay
format (introductory paragraph with thesis statement, three body paragraphs, concluding paragraph). Please
consider writing a brief outline using the guide provided to organize your thoughts and form a plan BEFORE
you begin writing.
OPTION 1
At the end of Do the Right Thing, Spike Lee includes statements from both Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and
Malcolm X:
Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral. It is impractical because it
is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all. The old law of an eye for an eye leaves everybody
blind. It is immoral because it seeks to humiliate the opponent rather than win his understanding; it
seeks to annihilate rather than to convert. Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than
love. It destroys a community and makes brotherhood impossible. It leaves society in monologue rather
than dialogue. Violence ends by defeating itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the
destroyers. -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
I think there are plenty of good people in America, but there are also plenty of bad people in America
and the bad ones are the ones who seem to have all the power and be in these positions to block things
that you and I need. Because this is the situation, you and I have to preserve the right to do what is
necessary to bring an end to that situation, and it doesn't mean that I advocate violence, but at the
same time I am not against using violence in self-defense. I don't even call it violence when it's selfdefense, I call it intelligence. -- Malcolm X
Which statement do you agree with more? Justify your position using examples from Do the Right Thing.
(You may also use incorporate examples from history and current events.)
OPTION 2
How does housing segregation as a result of restrictive covenants and redlining lead to racial violence?
Justify your response using examples from Do the Right Thing. (You may also incorporate examples from
history and current events.)
Sample Outline
I. Introduction = State your thesis and introduce three arguments that will prove your thesis is accurate
II. Body
A = Explain first argument and providing supporting evidence
B = Explain second argument and provide supporting evidence
C = Explain third argument and provide supporting evidence
III. Conclusion = Prove your thesis is accurate based on the evidence provided