Mrs.  Reid-Howell

Grace Dodge High School

Web Quest: Racial Discrimination in

A Raisin in the Sun and If Beale Street Could Talk

 

 

 

Introduction

 

            Racial discrimination has been one of our society’s most horrible social problems. Judging an individual by the color of their skin rather than by the content of their character can be a very dehumanizing experience that can have lasting effects on an individual’s life.  The effects of discrimination can spread like a deadly virus throughout one’s community and often breaks down many family structures.  Using the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry and the novel If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin, we will investigate the social problem of racial discrimination as it exist within the context of the play as well as in our current society.

         You will serve as a special investigator to determine the impact racial discrimination has on New York City’s urban communities.  As part of this elite task force, appointed by Mayor Bloomberg, your job will involve uncovering incidents of racial discrimination as evidenced in the works of literature we’ve studied as well as in your own community. Your task is a meticulous one in that you will not only be required to identify situations of racial discrimination but also provide solutions to our existing policies that will result in the rebuilding of the family structure in many cases.  The findings of your investigation will result in you becoming the executive director of your own specialized organization that will zero in on specific urban communities within New York City with the highest rate of racial discrimination.

 

Task  (What You Will Produce) Goal/Objective

 

            As part of this specialized task force your investigation of racial discrimination will result in your creation of an organization that will combat the issues of racism that effect the urban communities in New York City.  Your organization will develop suggestions for policies geared specifically to rectify the current problems that exist within these communities.  Therefore you will be placed in groups of four to determine the purpose and structure of the organization.  Your group will be required to produce a blueprint (document) for how the organization will be set up which must include your public policy analysis document that aided in your initial investigation as well as a visual presentation.

   

The Process:

 

In order for your company/organization to prove effective in its fight against racial discrimination you must first understand what racial discrimination is and be able to clearly identify the negative impact it has on your community.  

 

1.      Refer to the resource section and carefully read the websites provided in order to fully understand the social problem, which is racial discrimination.

2.      Click on to the hyperlink Define the Problem in the resources section and be sure to complete the worksheet located at the bottom of the page.

3.      Gather evidence that proves this social problem exist in the urban areas of New York City.

4.      Identify the causes and effects of racial discrimination such as high suicide rates, high poverty areas, high drop outs rates among urban youth, high unemployment rates, break down in family structures such as high divorce rates, high domestic violence rates, crime, drug abuse and high rates of depression.

5.       What current policies exist today to deal with the problem

6.      Develop Solutions or changes to these rules that your organization will deal with.

7.      Selecting the best solution that deals with the problems of racial discrimination.

8.      The blueprint for your organization must be a written/typed document that must contain the name of your organization and a table of contents that must cover in detail each area of your research such as (defining the problem, gathering the evidence, identifying the causes, identifying current policies, developing solutions and selecting the best solution) which must serve as the foundation for your organization.

9.      You must use a binder in which each area of your company is clearly labeled with a detailed introduction and explanation of the service it provides.

10.  In addition to the binder you must also produce a visual presentation that must be in the form of a drawing on a large poster board of how the organization will look and where the site will be. 

 

Resources:

 

 http://axe.acadiau.ca/~046329b/soc1023/soc1023.htm

 

 Racial discrimination: http://www.aaanet.org/cae/aeq/br/weisandf.htm

 

http://www.freechild.org/racism.htm

 

http://www.urbanthinktank.org/whiteboy.cfm

 

The effects of racism on urban youthhttp://www-mcnair.berkeley.edu/uga/osl/mcnair/94BerkeleyMcNairJournal/16_Evans.html

 

http://www.juyc.org/current/0302/blake.html

 

http://www.youthwarriors.org/background.htm

 

Evaluation: / Rubric for Evaluating Web Quests

 

Note: For each hyperlink you visit there will be a series of worksheets that must be completed upon which you will be granted a grade.

 

Your work will be evaluated according to the following rubric:

 

 

A(100-90)

B(89-80

C(79-70)

D969-60

F(59-<)

Step 1-Intro

Background information

Thesis statement and examples 

Thesis statement and examples of racial discrimination

Thesis statement and 1 example

Thesis statement

Background information

Step 2-Evidence

Show evidence from text to prove thesis (at least 3 for each character)

Show evidence from text to prove thesis (at least 3 for each character)

Show evidence from text to prove thesis( at least 2 for each character)

Show evidence from text to prove thesis ( at least 1 for each character)

Provides evidence and thesis statement as a unit

Step 3-Causes

From research show possible causes for problem(at least 3 causes

From research show possible causes (at least 2)

From research show possible causes(at least 1)

From research show possible causes (at least 1)

Shows one possible cause of problem

Step 4-Policies which existed

Cite at least 2 policies which helped the U.S. to fight against racial discrimination

Cite at least 2 policies which helped the U.S. to fight against racial discrimination

Cite 1 policy which helped the U.S. to fight against racial discrimination

Cite 1 policy, which helped the U.S. to fight against racial discrimination

Does not Cite a policy that verifies claim

Step 5- Reform possibilities

Give at least 3 possibilities

Give 3 possibilities

Give 2 possibilities

Give 2 possibilities

N/A

Step 6- Best solution

Of the three choose the best one

Of the three choose the best one

Choose the better of the two choices

Choose the better of the two choices

Gives a recommendation

Spelling, grammar and punctuation

There should be a minimum of 5

There should be a minimum of 6

There should be a minimum of 8

There should be a minimum of 10

There should be a minimum of 11

 

 

 
 Standards

 

ELA STANDARD 1

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.

As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas, discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.

ElA STANDARD 2

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.

Students will read and listen to oral, written and electronically produced texts and performances, relate texts and performances to their own lives, and develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical, and cultural dimensions the texts and performances represent. As speakers and writers, students will use oral and written language for self-expression and artistic creation.

                                                Social Studies Standards

analyze the development of American culture, explaining how ideas, values, beliefs, and traditions have changed over time and how they unite all Americans

• describe the evolution of American democratic values and beliefs as expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the New York State Constitution, the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and other important historical documents

 

 

Conclusion:

 

            The completion of this Web Quest will have given you the knowledge and experience needed to comfortably and confidently research topics of interest for yourselves as well as required assignments for your academics.

            It was my goal to educate you more about one of the important social problems that plague our current day society and to help you create a voice in your fight against racial discrimination.