Curriculum Unit
Nancy Ventresca
Exploring Cultural Identity and Race in the Elementary Classroom
Title Author
KEY LEARNING, ENDURING UNDERSTANDING, ETC.
Students will: recognize and value diversity among their classmates, understand similarities and differences between themselves and others, and hopefully they will build an appreciation for the diverse backgrounds and stories of children from other countries. They may find that their cultures are different but they may also be surprised to find some commonalities.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S) for the UNIT
What does diversity mean to me?
How can I appreciate the differences of others?
What is social injustice and what can I do about it?
CONCEPT A CONCEPT B CONCEPT C
We must learn from our past and build a better future for all citizens, regardless of race.
It is important to respect and appreciate our differences.
America is a diverse country.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS A ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS B ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS C
What is social justice and what can I do about it?
What can we learn from our past?
What can be done to keep us from repeating the past?
What makes me different?
How can I appreciate the differences of others?
What does diversity mean to me?
How is my school community like America?
VOCABULARY A VOCABULARY A VOCABULARY A
Inequity, prejudice, social injustice, advocacy, human rights, mistreatment
Culture, tradition, racism, equity
Diversity, race, ethnicity, perspective
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/MATERIAL/TEXT/FILM/RESOURCES
Chaffee, Sydney. “How Teachers Can Help Kids Find Their Political Voices.” TED, November 2017. HYPERLINK "https://www.ted.com/talks/sydney_chaffee_social_justice_belongs_in_our_schools" https://www.ted.com/talks/sydney_chaffee_social_justice_belongs_in_our_schools
DiAngelo, Robin J. White Fragility: Why It’s so Hard for White People to Talk about Racism. London: Allen Lane, an imprint of Penguin Books, 2019
Kendi, Ibram X. Stamped from the Beginning the Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. London: The Bodley Head, 2017
LOEWEN, JAMES W. LIES MY TEACHER TOLD ME: Everything American History Textbooks Get Wrong. NEW YORK: NEW PRESS, 2019.