With an awareness of gender, this unit teaches critical thinking skills through detective fiction using series novels. The unit makes use of math, science, literature, and social studies skills. The unit culminates in the students writing a short detective novel of their own.
95.01.08
"Tough Guys for Tough Guys" focuses on virtuous tough guys who can always be counted on to do the right thing. The lesson included focuses on Tony Hillerman's Skinwalkers and its use of Navaho oral tradition and custom. Maps, back issues of National Geographic, and various newspaper clippings are used to emphasize the Navaho sense of "placeness."
95.01.10
This unit offers teachers (school wide) an opportunity to work collectively with the library media specialist to teach questioning skills and to use the information they receive intelligently. Activities include cross-content integration, lessons in literal, interpretive and critical thinking skills as well as relating newly acquired information to their own life.
95.02.03
This unit incorporates research into the history of black dance with actual student performance. It proposes a final product that combines dance, living still lives, and poetry in a video production.
95.02.04
In this unit students examine the depiction of women in film especially since the 1950s. Includes a variety of questions for both oral and written response.
95.02.06
This unit involves an understanding of the relationship between blacks and whites from late slavery to the Civil War. Specifically, the writings of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass are analyzed as leaders of their respective races. The unit takes an interdisciplinary approach combining U.S. History, politics, American Literature, and film within the historical context 1840-1865.
95.02.07
This unit concentrates on dance class projects for high school students. It is designed to be filmed. Among the various projects, the unit includes a ballet production of Sula by Toni Morrison to an audience who would otherwise not read the book.
95.03.02
While focusing on the Bill of Rights and related Constitutional law, this unit attempts to make the Constitution relevant to the everyday lives of students. Special emphasis is placed on criminal justice, especially in Urban America, in a way that fosters understanding and solutions.
95.03.03
The primary focus of this unit is to raise the students' level of awareness of our criminal justice system before they actually participate in illegal activity. The activities are centered around role playing, creative problem solving, and journal writing.
95.03.04
This unit seeks to provide students with a better understanding of how the legal system handles minorities. The unit examines the police, bail, jury selection, jury plea bargaining systems, and the death penalty as they relate to African Americans and members of the majority. Analysis of film and guest speakers are the focus of key activities in this unit.
95.03.08
Popular arguments surrounding criminal justice and its system of capital punishment in America are to be examined in this unit. This unit seeks the abolition of the death penalty in support of life imprisonment. Activities include future problem solving, debate and role playing.
95.04.01
Merging the topics of literature and food of the Caribbean, this unit leads students studying Spanish toward an understanding of Caribbean culture, with an emphasis on Puerto Rico. Hands-on activities and the use of food is appealing.
95.04.02
This unit uses prose, poetry, and art to enable elementary students to examine the issues of self-awareness, family, community, and friends. Contains an interesting math lesson on diversity.
95.04.03
Activities attempt to improve self-image of male students, especially those who are African American. Using African American literature, establishing a system of interrelated responsibility, and utilizing the writing process are key elements.
95.04.04
Hands-on art activities lead children to understand the historic and social connections of African Americans to quilt making. Lessons are designed to actively involve students.
95.04.05
Explores the art of Africa, Mexico, and the Caribbean as a reflection of the Latin and African American culture. The unit contains historical background information and suggestions for related art activities.
95.04.06
This unit uses poetry, short stories, essays, and excerpts from selected novels of African, African American, Latin American, Native American, and Asian American writers to develop a curriculum for creative writing. Materials cover a wide range of information and suggestions for lessons.
95.04.07
By examining the arts and literature of African Americans, Latin Americans, and Native Americans, pupils will gain a more concise understanding of United States history and the impact that these cultures have had on our history. Creative lessons develop these concepts. The lessons provided make effective use of the computer and videos.
95.04.08
This unit further develops the ideas of a previous unit in African American Autobiography (91.03) by examining two novels centering on Latin American and Native American life. The unit considers historical places, problems, and the contributions of each group.