Unit II: Multiculturalism

Subject area: Social Studies Grade level: Secondary Outcomes: Students will demonstrate more understanding of their own race, ethnicity, gender and that of others. Students will demonstrate an understanding of fairness, justice, rights and responsibilities. Note: This lesson was originally designed for use in the study of Japanese Americans in Hawaii and in conjunction with an exhibition about Japanese Americans in Hawaii and has been adapted for use here. There is some reference to a “kit” or “resource box.” Educators are asked to improvise and obtain resources locally. Introduction What does living in a multicultural society mean? What lessons does history teach us about the way diverse groups have lived, worked and played together? What kind of a society will our children create? These lessons ask students to think about the concept of multiculturalism by examining the experiences of ethnic groups in their own communities. Students will identify the traditions, customs, and values that give a group its distinct character, and that serve to unify people living in a democratic society. Students begin with an awareness stage that focuses on their own ethnic group and culture. In the exploration stage, students learn about Japanese Americans using materials collected by the students and teacher. The next stage, inquiry, asks students to expand investigations through research using traditional classroom/library resources and electronic resources on the world wide web. Students then move out of the classroom and use the community to develop oral histories. The final stage, application, challenges students to design and implement action plans to promote the cause of multiculturalism Procedures Awareness Introduce or review the concept of culture. Ask students to define the concept and list general components that characterize a culture, such as housing, communication, division of labor, beliefs, etc. (Do not limit culture to just the material culture we normally think of when we hear the word.) Have students apply the concept of culture by reflecting and examining their own ethnic backgrounds. Students may work in teams composed of similar characteristics or in teams with a representation of different ethnic origins. Following team discussions, have students complete a worksheet in which they will list the components of culture, give personal examples of each component and state what values are held by their ethnic group. For example, students may note education as a component. A personal example would be attending school, and the value associated with education that it is deemed important to shape a successful future. Exploration Once photos of the groups being studied are posted around the classroom, students then begin to explore. Photos can come from various sources. It is important for students to be involved in bringing photos for display. As students view each photograph, have them describe what they see. Group students into teams. Have students compare, contrast and discuss descriptions. Using a worksheet similar to the one used in the awareness activity, have students repeat the procedure of listing components of culture, and giving examples of each using information gleaned from the photographs. Introduce the artifacts. Encourage students to handle and discuss the significance of each artifact, i.e., use of chopsticks. Students can mark the chronological process of acculturation and assimilation of the group they are studying by identifying major events in the group’s history. Have students note similarities or differences between the cultures based on the kinds of games and toys different cultures have. Another variation is to pick one culture and look at games and toys from one generation to another. Did they or their parents make or use games and toys using natural resources or recycled materials? To complete the worksheet, have students hypothesize about the values held by the group they are studying based on the information provided by the resource material. Inquiry In this stage, students will expand their investigation of culture and the immigrant experience through research and the use of oral histories. Begin by having students compare and contrast their own ethnic culture to that of the Japanese American in Hawaii. In what ways are the cultures similar, different? What makes one culture different from another? Are there patterns of human behavior among all cultures? (A suggested graphic organizer to help students visually understand similarities and differences is a Venn diagram.) Discuss possible topics for research. Students may elect to focus on a theme, event, issue or personality. Suggestions (for Japanese American study) include: Executive Order 9066 and social injustice, Supreme Court cases — Korematsu v. United States, Japanese Americans in Hawaii, Japanese Americans in the continental US, Hawaiian plantation life, gender roles, Senator Daniel Inouye, Representative Patsy Mink, Ellison Onizuka, Gordon Hirabayashi, Hawaii’s ethnic diversity and demography. Learning materials for this stage include traditional classroom/library resources and electronic world wide web resources. Students and teachers wishing to focus on the Japanese American experience can access the Japanese American National Museum’s website at http://www.lausd.Kl2.caus./janm/ Introduce oral histories and the unique perspectives they give about the past. Students may interview family members and/or members of the larger community as primary sources to capture the hardships, sacrifices, successes and contributions of these people. Students might address questions such as: How many different ethnic groups live in the community? Attend your school? What role does each group play in the community? What was the immigrant experience like? How did different groups adjust? What did they give up? What did they gain? How would one describe contemporary race relations? To conclude, have students plan, develop and defend their findings to different audiences. Application In the inquiry stage, students are asked to look at their communities with a critical eye. In this final stage, students are asked to create an action plan which illustrates their understanding of multiculturalism and the need to develop a society that is just and kind. Students should be encouraged to think of ways to improve group relationships in the classroom, school, and community. In this stage, student voices are especially valued and respected; action plans should be shared with teachers, administrators, parents and others. Students may consider submitting plans to local school boards, neighborhood organizations, youth groups, etc. Assessment In this lesson, formative assessment occurs at each stage of learning. The final or summative assessment consists of a rubric to evaluate student action plans. Stages Formative Assessment Methods Evaluator awareness worksheet observation teaming process teacher teacher students exploration worksheet observation teacher teacher inquiry research process audio/video interview transcripts oral presentation teacher teacher/student/ interviewer audience teacher/student/ audience application action plan teacher/student/others