Jay M. Brown
Faces Don’t Tell A Story
Objectives
This lesson demonstrates that we cannot tell very much about an individual by just looking at the person or by viewing a picture of the person and knowing only their last name.
Equipment and Materials Needed
Teacher-prepared pages of pictures showing only faces of individuals. Each page should contain approximately 16 pictures divided into groups of four per section.
Presenting the Lesson
Part I
Picture pages should be distributed to students in student groups. On a separate sheet of paper each student in the group is to select one picture from each group of four and write a brief description of the person in the picture. The description should include the following information:
What type of person is pictured?
Where does the person live?
What does the person do for a living?
How would you feel if this person lived next door to you?
Under each picture is a letter and number. Use these letters and numbers as your heading for the individual paragraphs.
Part II
A few days after the above lesson, students are given the same pictures and told to write a description about the persons they previously selected in the above exercise, but now each person pictured will have been given by the teacher an ethnic-sounding name. Names should sound Jewish, Irish, Italian, etc. Students will write descriptions as in Part I.
Summary and Evaluation
Student’s writings will be compared (Part I with Part II) to show that we cannot judge a person by just looking at him or by just knowing their last name. A full discussion on how we should judge people should ensue.
Vocabulary Words to Know
|
Antilocution
|
Nativist
|
|
Avoidance
|
Opinion
|
|
Bigot
|
Physical Attack
|
|
Brotherhood
|
Prejudge
|
|
Discrimination
|
Prejudice
|
|
Equality
|
Race
|
|
Ethnic
|
Racism
|
|
Ethnocentrism
|
Rumors
|
|
Extermination
|
Scapegoat
|
|
Fact
|
Segregation
|
|
Generalization
|
Stereotype
|
|
Integration
|
Stereotyping
|
|
Intolerance
|
Tolerate
|
Student Activities
Homework:
Essay:
“How I Think My Life Would Be Different If I Had Been Born—White, Puerto Rican, Black, Jewish, Irish.” Students select one of the ethnic groups he or she does not belong to. (250-300 words.)
Viewing TV Ads:
Students will view approximately 25 television ads to understand and be able to clarify the value conflicts reflected in the many incidents of prejudice and discrimination shown on television, particularly in the ads. (Example: Frito-Lay ad with the “Frito-Bandito” shows Mexicans as sneaky thieves.)
Posters:
Students with artistic ability will have the opportunity to show various forms of prejudice through a visual display.
Inter-Racial, Intercultural, Values Questionnaire:
Students will answer the questions in groups during regular class after giving their individual answers. Students will have members of their own family take the same test, at home, to compare the students’ answers with their family, and to show the similarity and possibly differences in attitudes.
Reading Assignment:
Selection of book from student’s bibliography to be used as basis for class discussion.
