Jennifer Eliezer

TL 508 – Yasko Kanno

December 15th, 2017
Backward Design Unit Plan

Unit Overview
Background

Intended Class and Students:

In an attempt to better serve the minority language speaking student population at Fenway
High School, a new system has ben implemented where the ESL students also take their
Humanities class grouped by English language development level. This unit is for the level 2
Humanities section mixed with 9th and 10th graders. All students share an L1 of Spanish. The
students come from various Spanish speaking countries with the majority from the Dominican
Republic or El Salvador. In a class of 14 students, it is evenly split by gender

The overarching them and essential question is What Does It Mean to be Human? The first
unit was Defining Human and currently students are immersed in the Philosophy unit covering
topics such as Metaphysics, Free Will vs Determinism, Epistemology, and Ethics. Units to
follow include Psychology, Language, Sociology, Religion, and The Future of Humanity. This
unit is designed to fall under Sociology covering the topic of race.

Brief Description of the Unit:

Race as a social construct, how societies create social inequity, and various social movements
are three main topics the unit will cover. Students will be examining their own beliefs on race
and the role it plays in social and cultural contexts. As this point in the unit, lessons will have
included topics and activities identifying the definition of race and personal experiences with
racial identity and now begin to explore the topic on a broader scope. The lessons described
below include the very first lesson and two consecutive lessons a bit further into the unit.

Length of the Unit:

The unit will last for about 5 weeks. Students meet for 5 periods a week only 4 days a week.
This unit will be about 25 lessons averaging about 1hr 5min each. Each week, there is a double
block when students will meet for 1hr, break for lunch, and come back for another 1hr 20min
block.

Stage 1: Desired Results of the Unit Lesson

MA Curriculum Framework Standards or WIDA Can Do Descriptors:
Reading Strand: Text Analysis
Describe conflicts in points of view within and among cultures, as reflected in informational or
expository text, and discuss how proposed resolutions reflect cultural and individual
perspectives.
Listening Can Do: Level 2 Beginning
Match or classify oral descriptions to real-life experiences or visually-represented, content-
related examples.

Understandings:
• Students will understand that race is a social construct.
• Students will understand that race is not equivalent to ethnicity.
• Students will understand that race has contributed to social inequity around the world.

Content Objectives of the Unit: Language Objectives of the Unit:

• Students will be able to explain the
social construction of race and gender.
• Students will be able to analyze the
way societies create social inequality
and the impact that hierarchy has on
target groups.
• Students will be able to research a
social movement, its purpose,
execution, and impact on society.
• Students will be able to use key
vocabulary orally and in written work
to describe characteristics of race.
• Students will be able to summarize
informational and expository texts
independently and in groups using
appropriate supports.
• Students will be able to paraphrase
complex texts to support or refute
claims with relevant detail using.

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence

Forms of Assessment:
• Exit tickets
• Circulating among students during pair/group work
• Annotation of assigned readings
• Oral participation during full class activities
• Class worksheet(s)
• Group skit
Stage 3: Learning Plan

Brief Description of Each Lesson:

Lesson 1: The introduction to race is the focus of this lesson. Students will share their thoughts
on a few “buzz words” and their personal definitions of race. They will read an article defining
race as a social construct and compare it to how they originally defined it.
Lesson 2: Further into the unit, we will explore implicit bias. Students will watch part of a
video then make judgments about various scenarios and whether or not they exemplify
implicit bias. They will begin preparation for group skits and have the opportunity to bring in
prior knowledge.
Lesson 3: This is a workshop lesson with the main focus being on students working on their
skits.
Lesson 1
Stage 1: Desired Results of the Unit Lesson
Content Objectives of the Lesson: Language Objectives of the Lesson:
• Students will be able to explain what • Students will be able to define key
race is as a social construct. vocabulary words from the text.

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence to be Used during the Lesson

Forms of Assessment:
• Written contributions to “Chalk Talk” activity
• Oral participation during teacher read aloud and annotation
• Oral participation during circulating during group discussion

Stage 3: Learning Plan

Learning Activities:
Introduction (5min)
Once the students and instructor have settled in for the class session, the instructor should go
over the objective for the day. Ideally, a student should read it aloud. Give students an
opportunity to theorize about what a social construct is before sharing the definition.
Chalk Talk (20min)
Here, there will be four words up on display in different parts of the room: Black, White,
Race, and Racist. If there is enough white board space, that is preferred. Otherwise, use chart
paper. Students will be evenly distributed at each word and given two minutes to comment on
their knowledge, beliefs, questions, or experiences related to that word. There are no right or
wrong response. We will be discussing these terms later in the lesson and unit. After the two
minutes, the groups should rotate clockwise until everyone has been to every word. Students
should then be given time to rotate back around and read what their peers have shared. This is
a silent activity. If students want to respond to what a classmate has written, the may do so by
drawing an arrow and responding in writing. Each student should have two markers: one blue
or original thoughts and ideas, one red in the event they want to write a response to someone.
Students should do their best to write in English.
Discussion (10min)
The class conversation following chalk talk should focus on the following
questions/statements:
1. Please share something you wrote under one of the words.
2. Do you have any questions about anything you read?
3. Did someone else write something you agree with or can relate to?
Next, the focus should turn to the word Race and what was written under that word
specifically. Select volunteers to read the various responses. Students may share opinions and
reactions if they choose. If hesitant to share as a whole class, impose a Turn & Talk. Lastly, if
time allows, a debrief on the nature of the activity, completely silent, is encouraged. Students
should be given the choice to speak in English or in Spanish.
Read Aloud (25min)
Before reading the article, review the definition of social construct reiterating the language
used at the start of the lesson. One key question: how does the class’ definitions/thoughts on
race compare to the social construct definition. Then, the instructor should briefly introduce
the publication, the author, and the article before beginning. The article will be projected onto
the board and students will have a hard copy to follow along. As the teacher reads, they should
model how to annotate and require that students follow the example, highlighting, underlining,
circling, and noting exactly what the teacher notes. The teacher should pause to gauge
comprehension and explain key vocabulary. Comprehension checks should include asking
students to summarize what you have read so far, asking for examples of content covered,
asking students to repeat or describe specific sentences in their own words.
Key vocabulary: inferiority, irreconcilable, sought, ancestry, census
Wrap Up (3min)
Students should end the class by completing the exit ticket and asking any lingering questions
about the lesson’s topics or activities.
Homework
Re read article independently reviewing annotations from class read aloud.

Supplementary Materials Used:

• White boards or chart paper
• Dry erase or washable markers (2 for each student)
• Hard copies of the article: What We Mean When We Say 'Race Is a Social Construct'
by Ta-Nehisi Coates (Appendix A)
• Hard copies of the exit ticket (Appendix B)
• Projector
 Lesson 2
Stage 1: Desired Results of the Unit Lesson
Content Objectives of the Lesson: Language Objectives of the Lesson:
• Students will be able to explain and • Students will be able to, through aural
identify examples of implicit bias. input, summarize implicit bias.

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence to be Used during the Lesson

Forms of Assessment:
• Written response
• Note taking during video
• Oral participation in group activities
• Brainstorm worksheet

Stage 3: Learning Plan

Learning Activities:
Introduction (5min)
Once the students and instructor have settled in for the class session, the instructor should go
over the objective for the day. Ideally, a student should read it aloud. Give students an
opportunity to theorize about what implicit is before diving into the lesson.
Writing
Students will write an informal reflection on the following prompt: How does race play a role
in or affect your life? This should be a silent activity. Students should write in English. Invite
students to share what they have written with their table. One or two may share when the
whole class regroups.
Video
Next, the class will watch part of a video titled Racial/Ethnic Prejudice & Discrimination.
Students are accustomed to watching full videos of this sort independently on individual
Chrome books, however, because the clip is short, the class should watch as a group on the
projector. Watch video until 05:25. Students are encouraged to take notes one lines paper as
they watch.
Discussion
The class conversation following the video should focus on the following
questions/statements:
1. What is the difference between explicit and implicit?
2. What is a stereotype?
3. Can anyone explain what institutional racism is?
Game
This game will give students the opportunity practice identifying explicit and implicit bias.
The students will work in teams at their table. A scenario/action will appear on the screen
(Appendix C) and they will have 15 seconds to decide if it is implicit or explicit. Each correct
answer is worth five points. Each incorrect answer is minus two points. The winning team will
win a “prize.”
Group Work
Using the some of the examples from the game as a starting point, students will then begin
brainstorming ideas for a group skit (Appendix D). During this time, they should focus on
solidifying the scenario and assigning character roles to each team member. Print outs of the
slides should be made available for groups to reference. The slides should also remain
projected.
Wrap Up
Students should end the class by completing the exit ticket and asking any lingering questions
about the lesson’s topics or activities.
Homework
If students have time and access to internet, they should finish watching the video.

Supplementary Materials Used

• Projector
• Print out of slides
• Hard copies of exit ticket (Appendix E)
 Lesson 3
Stage 1: Desired Results of the Unit Lesson
Content Objectives of the Lesson: Language Objectives of the Lesson:
• Students will be able to explain and • Students will be able to use key
identify examples of implicit bias vocabulary in group skit.

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence to be Used during the Lesson

Forms of Assessment:
• Oral participation during group work
• Skit script
• Skit performance

Stage 3: Learning Plan

Learning Activities:
Once the students and instructor have settled in for the class session, the instructor should go
over the objective for the day. Ideally, a student should read it aloud. A different student
volunteer should then explain the definition of implicit bias.
Group work
Students will spend the majority of the class period working on their skits. Students should
revisit the brainstorming worksheet. Each group can choose to work collaboratively in a single
google doc on the script. It is important the instructions are clearly explained and
comprehension checks are administered periodically.
Presentation
Groups will then present their skits to the class. The winning team gets to choose in which
order they perform.

Supplementary Materials Used (attach in Appendix):

• Chrome books
Appendix A

See article link in references

Appendix B

Exit Ticket

Name: _____________________________ Date: _________________

Define ‘race’:

What is your race? ____________________________________________

Appendix C

See slides at the end of document

Appendix D

Group Skit Brainstorming Sheet

Name: _____________________________ Date: _________________

Describe implicit bias in your own words:

Describe two incidents when someone Describe two incidents when you acted on
acted on their implicit bias: your implicit bias:
Appendix E
Exit Ticket

Name: _____________________________ Date: _________________

What character are you playing in your group skit?

 References

Coates, Ta-Nehisi. “What We Mean When We Say 'Race Is a Social Construct'.” The Atlantic,
Atlantic Media Company, 15 May 2013, www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/05/what-
we-mean-when-we-say-race-is-a-social-construct/275872/.

Crash Course. “Racial/Ethnic Prejudice & Discrimination: Crash Course Sociology #35.”
YouTube, YouTube, 27 Nov. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSddUPkVD24.

“Talking About Race and Racism.” Teaching Tolerance, 15 Aug. 2017,

www.tolerance.org/classroom-resources/tolerance-lessons/talking-about-race-and-racism.
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