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Racism and the Box

Lesson 2:
From Unit Challenging Social Boundaries

9th-12th Grade
Subjects: Key Words/Concepts click to view
Language Arts, Library / Technology,
Philanthropy and Social Studies

Purpose:

Students will describe the role that racism plays in self-betrayal and self-deception. They will reflect on how historic racist actions
led to the disintegration of society.

Duration:

One Fifty-Five Minute Class Period

Objectives:

The learners will:

explain how racism leads to self-betrayal and self-deception.

analyze the effect of racism on society.

Materials:

Self-Deception (Attachment One), use as transparencies or as a handout for students.

Student copies of Racism and Self-Deception (Attachment Two)

Transparency of Bus Driver’s Self-Justifying Views (Attachment Three)

Reflecting on Racism and the Box (Attachment Four)

Instructional Procedure(s):

Anticipatory Set:
Have two volunteers act out a situation where one person drops his/her pencil and the other person considers picking up the pencil
but then does nothing. Discuss as a class:
how the person who did nothing might justify doing nothing, such as, how he/she might see himself/herself and how he/she might
see the person who dropped the pencil.

how the person who dropped the pencil might react to the other person.

how feelings between the two might have been different if the second person picked up the pencil.

Present and discuss Self-Deception (Attachment One), given either with transparencies or as a handout for students.

Distribute Racism and Self-Deception (Attachment Two) and read through the instructions with the class. Allow students time to
work on the handout alone. When students have filled in the chart, put students in groups of two or three and have them share
and discuss their answers.

Display the overhead of Bus Driver’s Self-Justifying Views (Attachment Three). Have volunteers go to the overhead and write
words and phrases from their handouts under the two columns. Discuss the words and phrases as a class. Ask students to analyze
how the intolerance shown in the example contributed to society’s disintegration.

Distribute Reflecting on Racism and the Box (Attachment Four). Read the assignment with the students, take questions, allow

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