Judith D. Dixon
I'm preparing this unit to give my students a better understanding of themselves and those that are of a different ethnic group. I also hope to bridge the generation gap between the students and their parents.
This unit can be taught to students from grades 4-6. For the fourth and fifth grade students, the novels I have chosen can be read by both grade levels. The sixth grade students will need their reading materials adjusted to fit their reading levels. However there may be some 6th grade students who could possibly be on a 4th or 5th grade reading level. This unit will be taught for one marking period, which in our school district is 45 days. The lessons will be taught by integrating Language Arts (reading, grammar, and expository writing), and Social Studies (History, Geography). Part of the fifth grade curriculum for the New Haven school district is to study the history of New Haven.
My unit will focus on ethnicity. I will explore the cultural values of the majority of the populations I teach. This will include African American and Latino students. They will investigate how the two groups are similar and different from each other. They will learn how immigration began in America, connecting the two ethnic groups as to when they migrated to New Haven. Students will learn how generations of peoples' values have changed and/or stayed the same from 1975-2005. The students will make connections to their own families. They'll be involved in making generational comparisons about clothing, hairstyles, music, movies, and art.
