Discrimination in a Devoping Nation

 

 

Heather Dallas

Social Studies 7th Grade

WEBQUEST

 

Introduction: 

Many came to the Americas seeking to avoid the discrimination that eliminated realistic opportunities for economic and social advancement.  However, when they arrived many of them discovered that while opportunity was abundant discrimination was also prevalent.  We are going to examine significant examples of discrimination effecting specific groups as our nation was developing. These examples include:

1. Wealthy land owners and business owners who believed they were being taxed unfairly and without representation in parliament.

2.  Natives who were forced off their land and slaughtered almost into nonexistence.

3.  Africans who were bought here against their will and had their personhood removed and declared chattel.

4. Women who had specific narrowly defined roles who also lost any legal status without the benefit of marriage.

5. Freemen who were non land owners were denied the benefit of full participation in government.

 

 

Task:

·       Research two consequences of discrimination against each group of people listed above and how this affected America as a developing country.

·       Use the Six Step Public Policy Analysis to understand how public policy affected discrimination and the developing nation.

·       Create a presentation to report to your classmates your findings. Your presentation may be as creative as you like using visual representations and using the rubric provided.

 

 

Process:

Your teacher will divide the class into small groups.  Students in each group will be given the following roles.

1. Facilitator- Make sure that the job is getting done!

2.  Recorder- Record all information that your group has found.  Keep organized records for your group!

3.  Illustrate- Create visual representations for your presentation. Be Creative!

4.  Presenter- Will present the groups findings to the class. Be articulate!    

5.  Complete the steps Of the Public Policy Analyst:

 

Use the 6-step Public Policy. Complete the handouts given to collect information for each step.

 

1. Define the problem

2. Gather evidence

3. Identify causes

4. Evaluate a policy

 

v      Go to the PPA and complete the worksheets:

 

1.          Identify and define the problem of not being able to a enroll in a Foreign Language class and to learn to speak a second language in New York City.  Use the worksheet found at the website:

                        https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet1.html

      

2.         Gather evidence for this problem and complete worksheets.

                         https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet2.html

 

3.         Identify the causes and effects of not being able to enroll in a Foreign Language class and to learn to speak a second language in New York City by using the worksheet found at the website: 

                        https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet3.html.

 

 

4.         Finally, evaluate the effectiveness of your public policy solutions and select the best solution to solve the problem of not being able to enroll in a Foreign Language class and to learn to speak a second language in New York City by using the worksheet found at the website:

https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet6.html

 

 

Resources:

 

Wealthy land owners and business owners:

http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/E/teaparty/bostonxx.htm

http://www.kidport.com/RefLib/UsaHistory/AmericanRevolution/TeaParty.htm

 

Native American Indians:

http://www.pbs.org/itvs/thecity/america1.html

http://www.synaptic.bc.ca/ejournal/IndianRemovalAct.htm

http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/program/episodes/two/trailtears.htm

 

Africans:

http://www.cwpost.liunet.edu/cwis/cwp/library/aaslavry.htm

http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/civilwar/emancip.htm

 

Women:

http://www.people.virginia.edu/~eas5e/Sadlier/Life.html

 

Freemen

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USASfreemen.htm

http://www.ustrek.org/odyssey/semester1/122000/122000tedhoward.html

 

 

Evaluation:

 

 

3

2

1

Content

Writing shows in depth understanding of the social problem

Shows understanding through explicit references to the social problem

Shows understanding through implicit references to the social problem

Organization

Clear, elaborate sentence structure; gives background, analysis, and persuasive evidence for new policy

Writing varies length of sentences; gives some background, analysis, and partly persuades with some evidence

Writing uses basic sentence structure; news story gives little or no background or analysis, and does not support new policy

 

 

 

 

Collaboration

There is strong evidence that all group members participated equally

There is some evidence that all group members participated equally

There is little or no evidence that all group members participated equally

Visual Piece

Poster or Photo Journal is appealing; images represent the themes in the news story

Poster or Photo Journal captures the social issue but is not as relevant as category 3

Poster or Photo Journal does not capture the social problem or the themes of the news story

 

 

Standards:

Standards Addressed in WebQuest

 

English:

 

ES #1: Language for Information and Understanding

 

ES #2: Language for literary response and expression

 

ES #3: Language for Critical analysis and evaluation

 

ES #4: Language for Social Interaction

 

Social Studies

 

SS # 5: Civics, Citizenship and Government

 

 

Conclusion:

Students should have discovered evidence of discrimination when America was developing nation.  Students will also have explored the effects of discrimination on people in America at that time.  Students will have examined public policy and will have evaluated it.