Mostly Illiterate - Unit 3: Oppression, Expression, and Stereotyping

Central Questions

How have systems of oppression shaped history, and how do they continue to impact society today?

How have marginalized groups used direct protest (both physical and artistic) to fight for justice?

What role does media play in shaping stereotypes and public perception of different communities?

How do historical documents like the Emancipation Proclamation relate to modern struggles for civil rights?

Unit Overview

This unit explores oppression, activism, and representation through historical texts, literature, and media analysis. Students will examine how marginalized groups have fought systemic injustice through direct protest (marches, boycotts, legal action) and artistic expression (poetry, music, visual storytelling) by analyzing works like (but not excluded to) founding or historical documents, civil rights speeches, and more. The unit also investigates how media shapes stereotypes, influencing public perception of race, ethnicity, and identity.

Suggested Unit Length

4-6 weeks

English Vocabulary

TBD

Suggested Vocabulary

Oppression & Resistance

Hegemony & Power

Stereotypes & Bias

Media Representation

Protest & Activism

Civil Rights & Social Movements

Historical Narratives vs. Counter-Narratives

Art as Activism

Ethnic Studies Targets

Pursuit of justice and equity – Examining how oppressed groups have fought for justice through activism and resistance.

Developing a better understanding of others – Analyzing how historical and systemic oppression has shaped different communities.

Working toward greater inclusivity – Investigating how literature and media either reinforce or challenge stereotypes.

Supporting a community focus – Exploring how collective action (marches, boycotts, artistic protest) has led to social change.

English Standards (Targeted)

Reading Standards

RI.9-10.1 – Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of informational texts.

RI.9-10.8 – Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient.

Writing Standards

W.9-10.1 – Write arguments to support claims with valid reasoning and relevant evidence.

W.9-10.7 – Conduct short and sustained research projects to answer a question or solve a problem, synthesizing multiple sources on the subject.

Speaking and Listening Standards

SL.9-10.1 – Initiate and participate in collaborative discussions, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly (with increasing emphasis on structured debate).

Text Bank

Shorter Literature & Poetry

"I, Too" (Langston Hughes)

"Let America Be America Again" (Langston Hughes)

"The Danger of a Single Story" (Chimamanda Adichie – TED Talk)

"Letter from Birmingham Jail" (Martin Luther King Jr.)

"A Litany for Survival" (Audre Lorde)

Novels, Plays, & Graphic Texts

Kindred (Octavia Butler)

Zoot Suit (Luis Valdez)

Farewell to Manzanar (Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston)

Twelve Angry Men (Reginald Rose)

All American Boys (Jason Reynolds & Brendan Kiely)

Nonfiction & Articles

The Emancipation Proclamation - Abraham Lincoln (Link)

The future of race in America: Michelle Alexander at TEDxColumbus (Link)

History of Redlining in America - NPR Article (Link)

Assessment Bank

Note Journal with Misc. Texts

Students will take notes on a variety of texts and write paragraphs summarizing, compiling, and synthesizing information from multiple resources. This can be used as a foundation for a larger essay or introduction to MLA citation standards.

Note Journal for Civil Rights and Black Activism

Sample with Sentence Frames (Week 1 Only)

Essay and MLA Citation Standards Introduction

Students will take the paragraphs written in the notes journal (see above) and use them to create a draft of an essay in response to an overarching central question. Afterwards, the teacher will guide them in revising the essay by adding transitions, citations, creating a works cited page, creating a title, etc.

Research Project – Students investigate a historical or modern form of oppression and analyze how resistance emerged.

Informative/Explanatory Essay – Writing about how media and literature shape public perceptions of marginalized groups.

Media Analysis – Examining a stereotype in film, news, or advertising and evaluating its societal impact.

Gallery Walk – Students create visual projects depicting different forms of protest and artistic resistance.

Socratic Seminar – A discussion on Letter from Birmingham Jail and its connections to contemporary activism.