900FifthSt.

,Nanaimo,BCV9R5S5

Lesson Plan Template

Name: Brennan Conroy
Grade ELA 9
Date
February 30, 2015

Topic
Allotted Time

Privilege, Inequality, and Social Justice

70 minutes

Sources used to develop this plan (clickable links on Google Drive version):
CBC News - Richest 1% will soon own 50% of all wealth, Oxfam warns
Untitled blog Entry by John Green at his tumblr fishingboatproceeds.tumblr.com
This Teacher Taught His Class A Powerful Lesson About Privilege on BuzzFeed
How Privileged Are You? on BuzzFeed
Forms of Privilege on MediaSmart
Connecting With Oppression and Privilege by Dean Samuels (online Word doc.)
Amaris Diaz - "Dear Privilege" (WoWPS 2014)
1. Rationale
:
Why is this lesson relevant at this time with these students?
We live in a society where inequality in wealth is increasing exponentially; very recently, the international
equality organization
Oxfam
reported that by 2016, the richest 1% of the population will own or control over
half of the worlds wealth; this is in the same world where one in nine people cant afford to eat every day. In
this lesson, students will come to understand and be surprised of just how much privilege they enjoy.
2. Provincial Learning Outcome(s)
:
What IRP outcome(s) does this lesson develop?
Big Ideas:
Exploring a rich diversity of texts deepens our understanding and develops our ability to make
connections, express ideas, and think critically.
Inquiry, curiosity, and thoughtful reflection in story and text deepen our understanding of self, identity,
and humanity.
Learning Standards:
Curricular Competencies:
Comprehending and Connecting:
Make meaningful personal connections with ideas presented in a variety of texts to
increase understanding of self and others.
Engage actively as readers and listeners to construct meaning, deepen thinking and
comprehension, and promote inquiry.
Examine text in relation to social, historical, and cultural contexts.
Concepts and Content:
A variety of fiction and non-fiction text types, including those of Canadian and Aboriginal origin
A variety of text genres including informational, personal, narrative, and imaginative.
Reading and metacognitive strategies before, during, and after reading to improve
understanding and thinking.

Student Name
: Brennan Conroy (EDPB Yr. 5 Secondary)

900FifthSt.,Nanaimo,BCV9R5S5

3. Assessment:
Lesson Outcome
What will students learn?
SWBAT identify some of the
types of privilege they enjoy
and understand what it
means to check your
privelege.
SWBAT understand what
societal privilege is.

Sources of Evidence
What product or action will show
what students have learned?
Do: Buzzfeed How Privileged Are
You? checklist
as they enter the
room.
Write: Short reflection on back of
checklist.
Do: Buzzfeed Privileged Classroom
activity
.
Say: Participation in group discourse
on the inherent fairness (or lack
thereof) of the activity.
Say: Group discussion - Brainstorm
different types of privilege.
Write: Reflection on John Greens
blog post

Write: Short reflection at end of class.

Criteria
What will you look for in this
evidence?
Awareness of how much privilege
the students have, with reasonable
thought put into the reflection.

Students have thoughtful insights

into the activity, and how it relates
to the types of privilege some
people are born with.

The group shows a broad

understanding of different types of
societal privilege.
Student shows empathy when
writing from the perspective of the
Monopoly player with fewer
resources.
Awareness of the prejudices that
students have, and a willingness to
try and get better going forward.

4. Resources, Material and Preparation:

What resources, materials and preparation are required?

Privilege checklists
Scrap piece of paper
Printouts of blog post
Standard technology set
Paper recycling bin

5. Lesson Development and Pacing:

Introduction
:
How will you introduce this lesson in a manner that engages students and activates their

thinking?
15 minutes -
How Privileged Are You? checklist
. Reflection question in header.
Teaching/Learning Sequence:
What steps and activities are you going to use to help students acquire and
practice the knowledge, skills and/or attitudes needed to meet the outcome?
10 minutes -
BuzzFeed Privileged classroom activity
and group discussion

Student Name
: Brennan Conroy (EDPB Yr. 5 Secondary)

900FifthSt.,Nanaimo,BCV9R5S5

10 minutes - Group brainstorm - Different types of privilege.

2 minutes - Primer discussion: What is a TED talk/conference?
23 minutes - Primary reading activity -
John Green on Privilege
Silently read the printed blog post.
Respond to the text: How would you feel if you were playing a game of Monopoly (or any other
game) where the odds were greatly stacked against you? Is there
any
chance of your winning?
Do you agree with John Green when he says that people like to believe that their choices
matter? How much of a role do you think that systemic injustice plays in whether or not
someone is successful in their endeavours?
Closure:
How will you solidify the learning that has taken place and deepen the learning process?

2 minutes - Primer discussion: What is slam poetry?

3 minutes - YouTube video -
Amaris Diaz - "Dear Privilege" (WoWPS 2014)
Warning: There are two or three bad words in this video, but by not discussing them we
contribute to the problem.
Remaining time - Class reflection. Think about your privilege: What prejudices do you hold? What
words or phrases do you say that other people might find insensitive or offensive? What will you do
going forward in order to make the world a better place for everybody?
Before the bell: Change doesnt happen in a single class, or overnight. Nobody is perfect. Privilege
happens, and just like the factors that some are discriminated against for, we cant control whether or
not we have it. I hope that going forward, you remember to check your privilege and try to get better
going forward.

Note to Mary Ann: If youd like to explore the links in this lesson plan, go to this URL to access the digital
version:
http://tinyurl.com/opkbd45

Student Name
: Brennan Conroy (EDPB Yr. 5 Secondary)