Race and Ethnic Relations

Jeff Greulich

Sociology

Race/Ethnicity

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of this lesson is to educate students on different minority and ethnic groups in the United States.

Cultural Diversity Lesson

9th and 10th Grade

Race/Ethnicity

Materials Needed:

• Pens and paper to take notes for the lesson and during the activity. Computers for the Minority Report activity.

Web Sites:

• U.S. Census Bureau: http://www.census.gov/pubinfo/www/hotlinks.html Links to data on racial and ethnic populations in the U.S.

• Lexus Minority Report http://www.lexus.com/minorityreport/ An interactive experience that gives you an idea of how diverse the U.S. will be in 2054.

Web Sites Continued:

• Government Guide http://www.governmentguide.com/research_and_education/personal/census.adp?id=16102061 More census data on minority groups in the U.S.

• Factfinder Kid’s Corner http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/kids/kids.html This site makes it easier for kids to understand census information.

Web Sites Continued:

• Diversity in the U.S. http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/race/ This site gives news and information on minority and ethnic issues in the U.S.

Student Activities

• The class will go to the computer lab for the day and the students will get on the Lexus Minority Report web site and run the program to find out what the U.S. will be like in the future.

• Group Activity: I will divide the class into groups and they will discuss what could be done about race relations in the U.S.

Student Activities Continued

• Group Project: I will divide the class into groups again, assigning each group a different ethnic group or race. The students will then discuss how their lives would have been different if they would have been born into their group.

• Jeopardy: After the lesson is taught, we will divide the class up and play Jeopardy to review.

Student Activities Continued

• Before the lesson, have one day of class to discuss their views and ideas about ethnic diversity in the U.S. Listen to how the students react to each other’s comments about diversity, and try to get an understanding of the students overall attitude about the current cultural situation in the U.S. and the school district.

Race/Ethnicity

• The U.S. has always been a place of ethnic diversity.

• Native Americans• First settlers: Western

European.• “The Melting Pot”

Native Americans

• Native Americans: called Indians by Columbus.

• Originally lived all across the U.S.

• Pushed west, and then to reservations by white settlers.

Native Americans Continued

• Native Americans today: One of the smallest minority groups in the U.S.

• Sitting Bull

African Americans

• Originally forced to come to the U.S. as slaves: Late 1500’s

• After the Civil War: – Slavery Abolished

– Indentured Servants

– Oppression of African Americans

– Oppression continues into the 21st century.

African Americans Continued

• Civil Rights Movement:– M.L.K. Jr.

– Malcom X

– Stokely Carmichael

– Huey Newton.

• African Americans in Power.

Asian Americans

• Chinese immigrants in the late 1800’s.

• Korean refugees during the Korean war.

• Vietnamese refugees during the Vietnam Conflict

Asian Americans Continued

• Asian American’s role in U.S. society.

• International Relations with East Asian governments.

• Technology from East Asia.

Latin Americans

• Migrant workers from Mexico.

• Migration patterns of Mexican Americans.

• Illegal immigrants.• Impact of NAFTA on

international relations with Latin American countries.

Latin Americans Continued

• Impact of Latin Americans on drug trafficking to the U.S.

• Latin Americans in athletics.

• Latin Americans in U.S. society.

Cultural Diversity in the U.S.

• Increasing Latin American population in the U.S.

• Minorities becoming the majority.

• The future of the U.S.