Teacher(s)  Joslyn Hunscher-Young  Subject group/discipline  Individuals & Societies / American Studies 
Unit title  Creating Race & Interracial America  MYP year  3 (8th Grade)  Unit duration (hrs)  4-5 weeks (15 hours) 
Inquiry: Establishing the purpose of the unit 
Key concept  Related concept(s)  Global context 

Systems  Power, Conflict  Identities & Relationships 

Statement of inquiry 

The system of racism results from conflict over power and shapes our identities and relationships. 

Inquiry questions 

Factual — ​What are the four levels of privilege and oppression? What is race? What is racism? 
Conceptual — ​How was race constructed in North America and the world? How is racism a system?  
Debatable — ​To what extent is conflict over power the root cause of racism? 
 
Objectives  Summative assessment 

MI State Standards (proposed draft 2019)  Students will create a unit project that shares the  Relationship between 
summative assessment task(s) 
P1.2 Interpret primary and secondary  following:  and statement of inquiry: 
source documents for point of view,  -summary of how race and racism was first created 
in North America with evidence/examples from  The summative 
context, bias, and frame of reference or  assessment encourages 
perspective.  provided primary sources 
-explanation of how race/racism shapes identities  students to directly 
P1.4 Express social science ideas clearly in  and relationships in history and/or today  respond to and show their 
written, spoken, and graphic forms.   The project can be any format the student chooses: essay,  thinking about the 
brochure, poster, video/vlog, podcast, etc.  statement of inquiry and 
P1.5 Construct and present an argument 
how it applies in history 
supported with evidence 
and today. 

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IB MYP I&S Criteria 
(Knowing & Understanding) Ai. ​consistently 
​ f terminology ​accuratel​y  
uses ​a range o
(Knowing & Understanding) Aii. 
demonstrates d ​ etailed ​knowledge and 
understanding of content and concepts 
through ​developed ​and a ​ ccurate 
descriptions, explanations and examples.  
(Communicating) C​i. communicates 
information and ideas in a style that is 
completely ​appropriate to the audience and 
purpose  
(Thinking Critically) Dii. s​ ummarizes 
information to make c​ onsistent​, 
well-supported a ​ rguments  
Approaches to learning (ATL) 

Communication Skills 
-Read critically and for comprehension 
- Make inferences and draw conclusions 
- Paraphrase accurately and concisely 
Reflection Skills 
- Keep a journal to record reflections 

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Action: Teaching and learning through inquiry 
Content  Learning process 

All specific content is included in  Learning experiences and teaching strategies 
the linked lessons and t​ his  Week 1 - Race is a social construction. (What is race? What does “social construction” mean”? How did people 
folder​. Here is a brief list of key  recognize and name difference before the invention of race?) (Define: race, social construction) 
ideas included in this unit:  Day 1 - What is race/racial identity? How does it affect your life? 

● Race is a social construct,  Day 2 - How did people recognize and name difference before the invention of race? 
not a biological fact.  Day 3 - What does “social construction” mean? How is race a social construction? 
● Old World vs. New World  Week 2 - In the U.S., race was largely constructed by white people for power. (Who invented race? When? Why?) 
perceptions of European  (Define: racism, privilege, oppression) C
​ onsider: comparing race in US, Brazil, South Africa 
Arrival in America  Day 4 -​ How was race constructed for power in different places (US, Brazil, South Africa)? 
● Significance of Bacon’s 
Day 5 -​ How has race changed in US history (census)? How is this used for power? 
Rebellion 
● Scientific explanation for  Day 6 - ​Evaluating our Textbooks & Historiography 
different skin colors  Week 3 - Racism is now a system used to maintain power for some and oppress others. (How did the idea of race help 
● American housing  create a system of oppression? What are the ways in which racism is systemic?) (Define: systemic racism; 4 levels of 
privilege/oppression) 
segregation and red lining 
● Challenges of being  Day 7 - W
​ hat is racism? What are the 4 levels of privilege/oppression?  
“color-blind”  Day 8 - W
​ hat is systemic racism? How does it impact people throughout history and today? 
● Race in the U.S. vs. Brazil  Weeks 4-5 - Race is a myth but racism is real. (How do race and racism impact people’s lives? How did it impact this 
● Changing racial  point in history? How does it impact things today?) 
classifications over time  Day 9 - H
​ ow can race be made up but racism be real?​ - Iceberg diagram?? 
(link to U.S. Census)  Days 10-11 - P
​ roject Work Days 
● Critical evaluation of 
Day 12 - P
​ roject Sharing/Presentations 
textbook presentation of 
early British colonies  Formative assessment 
● Levels of privilege &  Journal checks and discussion each week on the focus for that week: 
oppression 

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 ● Systemic racism in the  Week 1 - Race is a social construction. (What is race? What does “social construction” mean”? How did people 
recognize and name difference before the invention of race?) (Define: race, social construction) 
U.S. today 
● Race is a myth but racism  Week 2 - Race was constructed by white people for power. (Who invented race? When? Why?) (Define: racism, 
privilege, oppression) ​Consider: comparing race in US, Brazil, South Africa 
is real. 
Week 3 - Racism turned into a system to maintain power and oppress people. (How did the idea of race help create a 
system of oppression? What are the ways in which racism is systemic?) (Define: systemic racism; 4 levels of 
privilege/oppression) 
Week 4 - Race is a myth but racism is real. (How do race and racism impact people’s lives? How did it impact this point 
in history? How does it impact things today?) 
Differentiation 

● Strategic seating and group assignments as needed for students 

● Ensure digital and paper copies (including text-to-speech and/or large print versions) 
are available to students upon request 
● Provide additional scaffolds/supports as needed for students with disabilities, students 
who need additional English language supports, etc. 
Resources 

http://www.aclrc.com/forms-of-racism 
https://www.facinghistory.org/holocaust-and-human-behavior/chapter-1/defining-race 
https://www.raceforward.org/videos/systemic-racism 
https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/interactives/multiracial-timeline/ 
https://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04-background-02.htm 
http://www.understandingrace.org/LivedExperience 
https://www.facinghistory.org/holocaust-and-human-behavior/chapter-1/blink-eye 
https://www.segregatedbydesign.com/ 

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 Reflection: Considering the planning, process and impact of the inquiry 
Prior to teaching the unit  During teaching  After teaching the unit 

● Remember to establish  ● Remind students of the  ● Dedicate time to journals for students and yourself - take time 
norms for conversations, be  importance of the  to write them, do the reflections, and actually respond to 
up front with kids that it will  journals/reflections and  students each week as you go.  
be awkward at points but  how detailed they should  ○ Could be a beneficial way to check in with students, 
well worth it if they are  be (model the first one or  perhaps especially those for whom this might be 
willing to dig into the  two?)  completely new and contrary to what they’ve been 
conversations and reflections  ● Encourage students to  hearing at home 
● TIME! So much to do,  debate, ask questions,  ● In introducing this unit, emphasize: 
perhaps not enough time to  clarify - especially if this  ○ Personal academic background in 
get it all done at the deep  seems counter to what  sociology/anthropology as well as personal racial 
level I’m hoping to  they already know or  identity and how that may influence my creation and 
● Connecting to the settlement  experience so we can try to  teaching of this unit 
content - is it actually  figure it out together  ○ That this may be very different than what their families 
meaningful, is there a better  ● Consider connections to  think or their friends from other schools, etc. Encourage 
way to do it?  “traditional” curriculum  them to decide what they believe, what sources they 
● Will all students feel  and/or setting the whole  trust, and why - while also emphasizing that the 
engaged? Heard?  thing up as a  information being presented in the lessons is all true 
Respected? If so, what  frame/historiographical  and based on the work of reputable academics in 
helped to get them there? If  perspective to examine US  sociology and other related fields 
not, why not, and what can  history in particular with a  ○ As such, and with everything they’re learning, this is 
be changed to move closer  critical race  one view or perspective - but one that I think is 
to that?  lense/perspective  important - and it is one that is useful in understanding 
many other events in American history and in today’s 
world. 
 

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