Annotated Resource List
LITERATURE
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros (1984) – Cisneros’s novel centers on the young protagonist Esperanza and her coming-of-age in Chicago. The novel offers many good passages for a teacher looking to address identity with his students, since Esperanza grapples with identity issues throughout the text. Furthermore, Esperanza’s age and urban home potentially make the story more relatable and engaging for my particular students.
Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston (1973) – This memoir recounts the experience of the author and her Japanese-American family, particularly during their imprisonment at an internment camp, Manzanar, during World War II. This novel offers some powerful examples of the hurtful and even dangerous impacts of stereotyping and prejudice.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (2007) – Sherman Alexie’s young adult novel tells the story of a Native American teenager living on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington. The protagonist deals with racial and cultural identity throughout the story, particularly during his experience at an all-white high school. Of particular interest to me is the way that the book addresses tensions between communities of color and mainstream, predominantly white institutions.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Zinn Education Project – Following in the legacy of justice-minded historian Howard Zinn, this site exists to support teachers who want to teach a “people’s” version of American (and some world) history. Featuring articles and lesson plans, their database covers a diverse range of content – from the Keystone XL pipeline to the Black Panthers. Their resources are conveniently archived and can be searched by theme or by time period.
The New York Times Learning Network – I recently discovered this resource and am pleased that I did. In collaboration with the Bank Street College of Education, the New York Times has compiled a lot of resources for teachers, including lesson plans, news snapshots, puzzles, and more. After just a brief search, I was able to find a lesson plan about racial identity, including the text of the relevant reading material, pieces of which I may be able to incorporate into my own unit.
MEDIA
“Race: The Power of an Illusion” produced by PBS – I have watched this documentary series a few times, and find it an effective way to enter into conversations about race. It breaks down many of the preconceived notions that we may develop about race, such as the fact that it is a biological category. It then traces the roots of modern racism by examining the institutionalization of slavery and, later, the movement to define race scientifically (eugenics). Portions of the documentary involve high-school students, making it particularly appealing to adolescents.
“The Great Debaters” – This film, starring Denzel Washington, is based on the true story of Melvin Tolson as he coached the all-black Wiley College debate team. Set in the Jim Crow-era South, there is a scene during which Tolson’s car breaks down in a rural area and encounters hostile white residents. This scene offers a good comparison to a scene in Mildred Taylor’s The Gold Cadillac.
OTHERS
Penn Museum – Though it is small (very small, in fact), the Penn Museum currently has on display an exhibit that explores eugenics and the misguided quest to find the biological basis of race. The exhibit includes skulls from the various “races” identified by eugenicists, who measured skull sizes as a measure of intelligence to make claims about the inferiority of particular groups of people. This exhibit alone would not make the trip to the museum worthwhile, but it could be a small part of a field trip.
LITERATURE
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros (1984) – Cisneros’s novel centers on the young protagonist Esperanza and her coming-of-age in Chicago. The novel offers many good passages for a teacher looking to address identity with his students, since Esperanza grapples with identity issues throughout the text. Furthermore, Esperanza’s age and urban home potentially make the story more relatable and engaging for my particular students.
Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston (1973) – This memoir recounts the experience of the author and her Japanese-American family, particularly during their imprisonment at an internment camp, Manzanar, during World War II. This novel offers some powerful examples of the hurtful and even dangerous impacts of stereotyping and prejudice.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (2007) – Sherman Alexie’s young adult novel tells the story of a Native American teenager living on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington. The protagonist deals with racial and cultural identity throughout the story, particularly during his experience at an all-white high school. Of particular interest to me is the way that the book addresses tensions between communities of color and mainstream, predominantly white institutions.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Zinn Education Project – Following in the legacy of justice-minded historian Howard Zinn, this site exists to support teachers who want to teach a “people’s” version of American (and some world) history. Featuring articles and lesson plans, their database covers a diverse range of content – from the Keystone XL pipeline to the Black Panthers. Their resources are conveniently archived and can be searched by theme or by time period.
The New York Times Learning Network – I recently discovered this resource and am pleased that I did. In collaboration with the Bank Street College of Education, the New York Times has compiled a lot of resources for teachers, including lesson plans, news snapshots, puzzles, and more. After just a brief search, I was able to find a lesson plan about racial identity, including the text of the relevant reading material, pieces of which I may be able to incorporate into my own unit.
MEDIA
“Race: The Power of an Illusion” produced by PBS – I have watched this documentary series a few times, and find it an effective way to enter into conversations about race. It breaks down many of the preconceived notions that we may develop about race, such as the fact that it is a biological category. It then traces the roots of modern racism by examining the institutionalization of slavery and, later, the movement to define race scientifically (eugenics). Portions of the documentary involve high-school students, making it particularly appealing to adolescents.
“The Great Debaters” – This film, starring Denzel Washington, is based on the true story of Melvin Tolson as he coached the all-black Wiley College debate team. Set in the Jim Crow-era South, there is a scene during which Tolson’s car breaks down in a rural area and encounters hostile white residents. This scene offers a good comparison to a scene in Mildred Taylor’s The Gold Cadillac.
OTHERS
Penn Museum – Though it is small (very small, in fact), the Penn Museum currently has on display an exhibit that explores eugenics and the misguided quest to find the biological basis of race. The exhibit includes skulls from the various “races” identified by eugenicists, who measured skull sizes as a measure of intelligence to make claims about the inferiority of particular groups of people. This exhibit alone would not make the trip to the museum worthwhile, but it could be a small part of a field trip.