Eden C. Stein
This unit introduces the topic of economics and economic inequality to 8th grade students through the use of nonfiction texts and films, and also asks students to examine, interpret and evaluate data independently, thus acquiring one of the most important skills for critical literacy in the 21st century. The recent young adult book,
Economic Inequality: The American Dream Under Siege,
by Coral Celeste Frazer
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will be the central text for this curriculum unit and each student will have a copy of the text to read in class.
In her book, Ms. Frazer has written for both teens and adults and studied economic inequality extensively; she has made her text understandable for eighth graders at the same time as providing data and bibliographic references. The book contains many helpful text features such as photographs, colorful charts and graphs displaying the data that illustrate economic inequality, text boxes that display important concepts and insets with individuals’ stories to make the facts more understandable and relatable. There is also a glossary and a guide to where students may find further information. The objective is for each student to read most of this text and also focus more closely on one particular proposed solution to the problem of economic inequality facing our society today.
Since the implementation of the Common Core State Standards beginning in 2010, there has been a push to increase the reading and writing of nonfiction in the English Language Arts classroom. In our urban district we have seen the curriculum change so that at least 50% of our core reading and required writing tasks consist of nonfiction. There has been an effort to find texts that are both interesting and challenging in order to maximize student engagement and prepare students for the challenges of higher education and life in the 21st century. In fact, the preeminent reading researchers and authors Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst have noted, “For our kids to become the readers our ever-changing society needs-our
democracy
needs-they must become responsive readers.”
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They want students to become responsible both to the text and themselves, and they argue that doing so requires the use of relevant materials and critical literacy - the ability to evaluate the truth and validity of an author’s assertions. In their research they found that the problems middle school students are interested in studying include poverty and economic inequity, issues which are relevant to them because they directly impact their lives. Thus, though the unit addresses difficult concepts it is expected to be highly engaging to the middle school population for which it is intended.
Literacy objectives for this unit extend further than the reading and interpretation of nonfiction text and data. The unit also includes the use of audio sources such as podcasts, and videos including documentary footage and sections of a feature film. Common Core Reading Anchor Standard 7 requires students to “Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.”
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In addition, classroom debates which students find particularly engaging and stimulating are peppered throughout the unit. For the culminating task students will be writing an argumentative essay as well as preparing an oral presentation utilizing digital media for their classmates.
When he was President of the United States, in an eloquent speech Barack Obama labeled economic inequality the defining issue of our time. He noted “The combined trends of increased inequality and decreasing mobility pose a fundamental threat to the American Dream, our way of life, and what we stand for around the globe.”
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Eighth graders are at the perfect age and stage of their development to be introduced to these topics in light of their growing observation of inequality in their schools and communities, along with their developing awareness of financial concerns of their families and how it impacts their own goals and dreams. Jonathan Kozol has written extensively of the inequity and phenomenal segregation of the American school system and our own New Haven Public Schools is a prime example of this.
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Distressingly, inner city children are being held accountable for their success or failure by many politicians and even educators, despite that they had no control over where they were born and raised. These students must be taught that they are not responsible for where they were born or where they led their childhood.
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Thus, they will realize that in order to overcome these obstacles they must be ready to change these factors for themselves and others.
