Target Grade Levels: High School Grades 9-12
Time required- 180 minutes
Materials Needed
Lesson Sequence
Time required- 180 minutes
Materials Needed
- sticky notes
- chart paper
- copies of resources
Lesson Sequence
- Begin by asking the students the question.
- Allow students a minute to think before brainstorming a response.
- Have students write their initial thoughts on sticky notes to be placed on a class chart titled "Initial Thoughts"
- Share a few of the responses aloud.
- Have students work with a partner to look at the the images and resources provided at the Library of Congress resources tab. They will read each source and analyze images using the Primary Source Analysis Tool.
- Additional websites and articles are provided in the additional resources tab. Have students use these resources to further their understanding.
- As students look at each artifact, have them note the date or time period. In addition, have students contextualize the significance of the artifact. Contextualization questions- (1) When and where was the document created? (2) What was different then? (3) What was the same?
(4) How might the circumstances in which the document was created affect its content? - After reviewing all sources, students will complete a three-column chart and note instances of racism and disenfranchisement of African Americans in the area of housing, employment, and prison system. Students can draw a chart or use the printable provided at the link above.
- Students will create a timeline based on the resources provided to show how institutional racism has changed or not changed over time.
- After completing the chart and creating a timeline, have students revisit the question.
What is institutional racism, and how does it affect the lives of African Americans today? - Students should write an essay to address the question. There should be at least one paragraph dedicated to their definition of institutional racism and why they arrived at that definition and how. The remaining two or three paragraphs should reflect on how institutional racism has changed from reconstruction till today. What efforts are being made to combat institutional racism? What might you suggest to acknowledge and address the issue?