Angelo J. Pompano
Title: Friendship's Field
Grade Level/Subject: 7-9; Language Arts and Diversity
Objective(s): to learn about prejudice and stereotyping.
Materials:
Video Friendship's Field
This video may be obtained from:
Feature Films For Families
P.O. Box 572410
Murray, UT 84157-2410
1-800-326-4598)
Summary of Video:
Friendship's Field
Featuring Kate Maberly and Jonathan Hernandez.
Executive producer Forrest s. Baker III
Written and directed by Bruce Neibaur
Director Mathew Williams
This is the story of an eleven year-old Anglo-American girl named Ira and a Mexican boy named Oscar who developed a friendship in spite of their coming from different cultures. In 1965 when Ira's father hired migrant Mexican workers to help on his beet farm many people in the town who held stereotypical views of Mexicans became hostile. Ira, on the other hand, was able to embrace diversity and stood up for her beliefs by befriending Oscar. This video runs 84 minutes and may be shown in two class periods.
Activities and Procedures:
1. Before viewing the movie the teacher should discuss the meaning of the following terms:
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• migrant worker
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• stereotype
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• prejudice
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• beliefs
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2. The students should use a map to locate Mexico as well as Texas and California and other areas of the United States where migrant workers from Mexico work. It can also be pointed out that other groups besides Mexicans do migrant work and in our area individuals from Puerto Rico work on farms in Branford, Guilford and North Haven as well as in the tobacco fields of Windsor Locks, Connecticut. Some of the students may have relatives who have worked in these places. Further, it can be pointed out that at one time some African Americans came from the south to work on farms in Connecticut. The students should then locate Puerto Rico, the southern states, and Connecticut.
3. After the movie is viewed, the teacher should lead the class in a discussion about the prejudices that the people in the town in the movie had against the Mexicans. The teacher may ask the students where they think that the people learned these prejudices. If the students do not come up with the suggestion that some of the people of the town may have learned their prejudices from television and movies, the teacher may want to direct the discussion in that direction.
Ask the students what they know about Mexicans and if they know anyone from Mexico.
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• If they do not personally know anyone from Mexico, ask them where they learned what they know about Mexicans. Find out if it was from television.
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• Have the students make a list of the ethnic groups that they may have seen stereotyped on television and in the movies. Include race and gender stereotypes. After discussing the list, save it for the next lesson.
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• The people of the town were afraid of the Mexicans because they were different. Why was this so? Find out if the students have ever been afraid of someone who was different because of looks, language, or physical handicap.
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• Lead the class in a discussion of how understanding and friendship can overcome prejudice.
This lesson conforms to the following content standards for grades 5-8. The following standards were taken from the New Haven Public Schools Web Site.