Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE
The LEAGUE
- teachers
- parents
- students
- youth workers
- faith groups
- independent schools
- find lesson plans
- browse resources
Purpose:
Duration:
Three Forty-Five Minute Class Periods
Objectives:
The learner will:
- identify themes of prejudice and acceptance in songs and a story.
- define prejudice and give an example of prejudice in a newspaper or magazine.
- list causes of prejudice and describe ways to prevent or counteract prejudice.
- represent acceptance in pictorial contexts.
Service Experience:
None for this lesson.
Materials:
- Song and student copies of the lyrics to “You've Got to be Carefully Taught” from South Pacific, “Free to Be” by Bruce Cockburn, and “I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing”
- The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss
- Handmade journals of eight or more pages for the students
- Large section of bulletin board paper for the collage
Instructional Procedure(s):
Day One:
Anticipatory Set:
Play or sing the song “You've Got to be Carefully Taught” from South Pacific .
Distribute student journals and copies of the lyrics to “You've Got to be Carefully Taught”. Give each student five minutes to write a response to the song in the journal, labeling it Day One Song Response . Tell the learners to include in their response answers to the following questions:
What was the song about?
How did the song make you feel?
What is the message or theme of the song?
(Teacher Note: Replay the song if requested.)
- Have the students sit around you on the floor while you read The Sneetches aloud to them. Give the students an additional five minutes at their seats to write a journal response to the story, labeling it Day One Story Response . They should answer the same questions as they did for the song.
Bring the students back to the floor circle with their journals to share what they have written about the song and/or the story.
Assign the homework: Each student must find an article from a newspaper or magazine or the Internet (ie. tolerance.org) which reflects similar ideas to the song or story from today's lesson. The student will bring the article to school the next day, along with a written summary of the article and an explanation of the way in which it is similar to the song or story.
Day Two:
Anticipatory Set:
Play or sing Bruce Cockburn's song “Free to Be.”
Distribute the lyrics to the song. Give each student five minutes to write a response to the song in the journal, labeling it Day Two Song Response . They should answer the same questions as for the previous responses, including the message or theme. In addition, they should explain any similarities or differences to yesterday's song.
Divide the students into groups of three or four and have them share with each other the homework article they brought in and their summary/explanation. Each group should choose one of these to share with the class, the one they think best reflects the messages from the songs and story. Give them fifteen minutes for this activity.
Have one student from each group present the chosen article to the rest of the class.
Lead a class discussion of the similarities among the articles, writing key words on the board, making sure the word prejudice is included.
Have the students individually write their own definition of the word prejudice in their journal.
Assign homework: Each student must locate or create a picture that shows the opposite of prejudice to bring to class the next day.
Day Three:
Anticipatory Set:
Play or sing the song “I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing.”
Distribute the lyrics to the song and give the students five minutes to write a response in their journal, labeling it Day Three Song Response . Remind them to include the message or theme they see in the song, as well as similarities or differences to the other songs.
Divide the students into groups of three or four. Have them select a recorder. The students should share the definitions of prejudice written in their journals the previous day and choose the one they think is best or create a new one together. The recorder will write this definition at the top of a piece of paper to turn in later.
The students should discuss the causes of prejudice (reasons for prejudice) as seen in the songs, story and articles they have read/heard. They should also discuss ways they think prejudice could be prevented or overcome. The recorder will then make a chart based on these ideas, written on the same piece of paper as the definition of prejudice . The chart should contain two columns, one for causes of prejudice and the other for preventions/solutions. Each column should have at least five items. The name of each group member should be written at the top before the paper is turned in to the teacher.
As each group finishes, the students should also turn in their journals to the teacher. Then they may put their homework picture or drawing on the collage paper to make a class collage of acceptance.
Put the class collage on the bulletin board or wall. Ask the students to continue drawing and bringing in pictures throughout the unit to add to the collage.
Assessment:
This lesson can be assessed for a total of 100 points in the following manner:
School/Home Connection:
-
Interactive Parent / Student Homework:
Students should be encouraged to request parent assistance/participation in selecting articles and pictures in order to satisfy the homework requirements.
Extension:
Alternative or additional selections for the suggested songs and/or story, as long as they fulfill the needs for properly introducing the topics and themes, can be substituted.
Bibliographical References:
-
Cockburn, Bruce. Circles in the Stream . Golden Mountain Music Corp. Compact Disk. ASIN: B000006X4L. ( Free to Be )
-
Kiddy Song Book, 18 June 2003, http://www.geocities.com/Teacher128/ (18 June 2003) ( music and lyrics for I'd like to Teach the World to Sing )
-
Rogers and Hammerstein. South Pacific (Original 1949 Broadway Cast) . Sony. Audio CD. ASIN: B00000DHSL (You've got to Be Carefully Taught )
-
Seuss, Dr. Sneetches and Other Stories (The) . New York: Random House, 1989. ISBN: 394800893
Lesson Developed and Piloted by:
Robin HentzMonroe County Schools
Tri-North Middle School
Bloomington, IN 47405
Handouts:
Handout 1Print Handout 1
Free to Be by Bruce Cockburn
|
Got no social graces |
|
Wired to the switchboard |
|
Never know my place |
|
Always on the move |
|
One thing I am sure of |
|
Things we love to cling to |
|
You can’t judge a man by his race |
|
But there’s nothing we can prove |
|
Birth don’t come easy |
|
You can only deal with |
|
Freedom doesn’t come cheap |
|
What’s before your face |
|
Rules and worlds get swept away |
|
And the life you’re given’s no use at all |
|
While you waste your time in sleep |
|
If you burn it up in hate |
|
|
|
|
|
Grow up you |
|
Grow up you |
|
Grow up me |
|
Grow up me |
|
Grown together |
|
Grown together |
|
Free to be |
|
Free to be |
|
|
|
|
|
There’s music in the forest |
|
|
|
Children laugh in the school yard |
|
|
|
On the skid row of the spirit |
|
|
|
Hear the ranting of the Western Guard |
|
|
|
Why don’t you cool out |
|
|
|
Can it be so hard |
|
|
|
To love yourself without thinking |
|
|
|
Someone else holds a lower card |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grow up you |
|
|
|
Grow up me |
|
|
|
Grown together |
|
|
|
Free to be |
|
|
http://cockburnproject.net/songs&music/ftbe.html
Handout 2Print Handout 2
You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught
You’ve got to be taught
To hate and fear,
You’ve got to be taught
From year to year,
It’s got to be drummed
In your dear little ear
You’ve got to be carefully taught.
You’ve got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a diff'rent shade,
You’ve got to be carefully taught.
You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate,
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
Taken from South Pacific
Handout 3Print Handout 3
I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing
I’d like to build the world a home
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees and honey bees
And snow-white turtle doves
I’d like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I’d like to hold it in my arms
And keep it company
I’d like to see the world for once
All standing hand in hand
And hear them echo through the hills
Ah, peace throughout the land
(That’s the song I hear)
(That the world sings today)
I’d like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony.
(That’s the song I hear)
(That the world sings today)
(That’s the song I hear)
(That the world sings today)
(That’s the song I hear)
(That the world sings today)
I’d like to build the world a home
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees and honey bees
And snow-white turtle doves
I’d like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I’d like to hold it in my arms
And keep it company
Unit Contents:
Overview:No More Hate and Fear—Spread the Word! Summary
Lessons:
- 1.
- You've Got to Be Taught to Hate and Fear
- 2.
- Culture Ads
- 3.
- Spread the Word!
All rights reserved. Permission is granted to freely use this information for nonprofit (noncommercial), educational purposes only. Copyright must be acknowledged on all copies.
Comments
(The positive aspects of using this lesson were) the variety within instructional procedure and the emphasis on critical thinking related to relevant life concepts. Excellent tie to Language Arts' goals - reading, writing, speaking, listening.
(The positive aspect of using this lesson was) the lessons gave my class a chance to explore their inner feelings about prejudice and intolerance.
(The positive aspect of using this lesson was) students are generating their own thoughts and ideas on acceptance and prejudice. The constructivist nature of the lesson serves to open students minds to new ideas. They are not being lectured to about prejudice and discrimination. The prevention and solution aspect is also excellent - very proactive and motivating for students.
This is a very timely lesson and I hope everyone in our country will try to put it into practice.