Race Unit: Poetry & Crime; Discussion; Master Harold & the Boys: Day 1

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Because of our snow day, this lesson will be given on Tuesday, March 6.

Lab: (until 8:00)

Read the handout of poems and the article "The Black Family in the Age of Mass Incarceration." Use your creativity to write a poem or essay draft inspired by one of these poems or what the article sparks during the shortened lab time. Portfolios are due March 28.

Suggestions:
  • Write a poem about a nickname (or racial slur) you or someone you know earned in school. 
  • Write about a time you had to declare your racial heritage.
  • Write about your parents (or a parent/relative, etc.) that had to assimilate or taught you something about your culture.
  • Write about a relative or neighbor that you know in prison.
  • Write a fictional story from the perspective of an inmate in a State or local prison or from a family member or law enforcement officer affected by crime or our prison system. To help you see the following sites:
If you finish early, use your time to write other things (see previous posts for options!), learn about Racial/Ethnic Prejudice (crash course), or read your novel. Test next class!

Classroom: 
We'll continue our discussion of the film Do the Right Thing and read the article on race & crime. For more details on black crime statistics, please look at the statistics above.

After our discussion, we'll begin looking at race around the world. We'll be reading the play Master Harold & the Boys by Athol Fugard. I'll give you more background on this play as we read or next class. The following videos/sites will be helpful in examining and learning about South Africa and Apartheid.
HOMEWORK: Please complete the reading of your chosen novel. There will be a test Thursday on the book (and a discussion with your peers). Apply the sociology and political science articles I gave you (and the article on crime from today and the videos below) to the themes and events in the book you are reading. You may use your notes and book for the test on Thursday, but you will only have 1 period to complete the test. If you are late, you will not have enough time to complete your test (no late tests or extensions will be given). Don't be late. Class starts at 7:30.
So, how do we use what we've learned to help communicate our feelings about race? Can America's race problems be solved? Why or why not?

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