Idea 1 – WW2: The Perils of Indifference
This will be used for my unit on the novel All the Light We Cannot See. It will focus on how different perspectives impacted the dynamic of WWII, and how the indifference of those not directly impacted by the events were able to turn a blind eye. This unit is taught shortly after the history class teaches WWII, so it is not interdisciplinary, although it builds directly off the history class’s timeline.
The conceptual lens is “perspective.” Students will look at the perspective of a German character and a French character, as well as additional readings (including a concentration camp survivor) to see the war from all sides.
Unit strands for process disciplines: understanding, responding, critiquing, and producing.
- UNDERSTANDING: Reading comprehension focus as we read both fiction and nonfiction texts. Before this discussion we will have read some of the novel, but we also will have read Elie Weisel’s speech “The Perils of Indifference.”
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpXmRiGst4k&t=154s
- RESPONDING: Students will respond using civil discourse in a democratic discussion. I like using Socratic Seminars where the class is split in half so there are more opportunities to speak. Students not speaking will have a peer observation sheet, and be in charge of tracking one student from the inner-circle’s contributions.
- This will maintain focus so no one drifts from the conversation even though it is not their turn to speak.
- CRITIQUING: Students will be able to directly critique during the discussion, as differing opinions are always welcomed and explored.
- The Socratic Seminar’s smaller group sizes make this more comfortable for students.
- PRODUCING: Students will write a response to be turned in detailing what new perspective or information they gained from the discussions, and give 2-4 ways indifference can be battled in our society.
Generalizations include …
- Indifference to suffering aids the oppressor
- Leaders should never be blindly followed
- All world matters should be approached through democratic discussions
- Understanding someone else’s perspective makes their actions able to be comprehended as well, even if they are not agreed with
- All people have the right to speak on behalf of themselves and others
Guiding questions:
- How did indifference aid the Nazis in WWII?
- What are some reasons people blindly follow their leaders, or don’t want to “make waves”?
- What has been the result, in historical or modern events, of not allowing discourse in large matters? (think national/world events)
- What has been the result of indifference in our community?
- How do you feel about those that have displayed indifference? Have you ever displayed indifference? How and why?
Some of the critical content for the unit includes the following strategies, skills, and processes: character traits, using evidence, character change, perspective, discussion, using the writing process
Final assessment and learning experiences: Students will be assessed on the discussion and will have additional opportunities to explore readings, videos, etc. that show the consequences of indifference as well as the effects when indifference is not practiced – like this inspiring video with education activist Malala Yousafzai. (This might be extra moving to students because of her young age.)
Idea 2 – Psychology: Why Our Brains Betray Us
This will be used for my unit on the novel Lord of the Flies. This unit is inter-disciplinary and incorporated informational texts on psychology. These texts relate directly to the actions of the boys in the book and explain WHY the boys are acting the way they are based on studied patterns in human behavior.
The conceptual lens is “implicit bias” – this goes into the fact that our brains are often manipulated into thinking certain ways without our direct control. I would focus on a psychology topic called The Halo Effect, where people automatically think physically attractive people are more friendly, trustworthy, etc. without actually speaking to them.
- I might also include something related to this topic for additional student reading- the effects of everyone trying to fit into traditional beauty standards that might trigger The Halo Effect. This article details the negative consequences of wanting to look like everyone else. This might be a valuable message for my class: a group of teenage girls.:
- https://nypost.com/2017/06/13/the-rise-of-the-instagram-face-and-how-its-destroying-us/
Because this is a language arts unit, I’ll use the unit strands for process disciplines: understanding, responding, critiquing, and producing.
- UNDERSTANDING: Reading comprehension focus as we read both fiction and nonfiction texts (the novel and the psychology article)
- RESPONDING: Students will respond through written paragraphs explaining how the psychology topic (ex: The Halo Effect) is present in the novel, and also how it is present in their lives.
- CRITIQUING: Through informal discussion as well as formal activities, such Circle of Viewpoints from Making Thinking Visible, where students will look at the viewpoint of Jack, Piggy, Ralph, and Simon during chapter 1, when a chief is elected.
- PRODUCING: Students will produce a developed and edited written response explaining how the boys on the island are impacted by the psychology topic.
Generalizations include … 
- Implicit bias is present in every person on earth
- Implicit bias negatively impacts our ability to make informed decisions
- There are present patterns of implicit bias in nearly every community in the world, and even the animal kingdom
Guiding questions:
- Why is it dangerous to trust an attractive person on sight, without speaking to them first?
- Looking back, when have you fallen victim to The Halo Effect?
- What are some possible consequences of choosing leaders while influenced by The Halo Effect?
- How can people fight back against implicit bias?
- When is a time you have felt a negative bias based on a first impression?
- Where else in our society have you experienced this type of bias?
Some of the critical content for the unit includes the following strategies, skills, and processes: character traits, theme, using evidence, making inferences, character change, using the writing process.
Final assessment and learning experiences: Students will be assessed on their written response answering how The Halo Effect impacts the characters in the novel. They will have the opportunity for learning experiences based on activities to identify The Halo Effect in our society, and how it has impacted their lives without them even realizing it.
- Students looking for more information on The Halo Effect can check out this interesting informational piece I found on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/392516923756589036/
*I will use this process for several different psychology concepts throughout the duration of the novel, including mob mentality, mass hysteria, and the evolutionary origins of bullying.*