Racial Disparities Jigsaw Mini-Unit

Objectives

• Students will explore structural aspects of racism.

• Students will connect historical racism with contemporary social problems.

• Students will gather and use information for research purposes.

• Students will read and listen critically.

• Students will contribute to the overall effort of a group.

• Five or more class periods

• Resource material dealing with school resegregation, the achievement gap, the racial income gap, health care disparities and disproportionate minority confinement. For a listing of recommended resources, see the Educational Disparities and Other Disparities sections of the ABCs of Black History Month, as well as the materials referenced in Resources for Teaching Black History.

• Copies of the Racial Disparities Information Organizer (PDF) for student groups.

Let students know the class will be exploring racial disparities in U.S. society. Divide students into 5-person "jigsaw" groups. Be sure the groups are diverse in terms of gender, ethnicity, race and ability.

Assign one student from each group to investigate one the following racial disparity topics.

• School resegregation

• The achievement gap

• Income gap

• Health care disparities

• Criminal justice system (disproportionate minority confinement)

• What is the nature and scope of the disparity or problem?

• What impact does it have on African American communities?

• What historic and present-day factors help create the problem?

• What can individuals do to help address the problem?

• What changes does society need to make to help relieve the disparity?

Create "expert groups" that include students with the same topic from each of the small groups, e.g., all students who are investigating "school resegregation" should form an expert group, sharing what they learn in their individual investigations and working to create shared responses to the five investigative questions.

Note: Teachers should observe the groups at work and offer support in those places where students have difficulty. In our individualistic society, for example, it may be easier for students to identify steps individuals, rather than society, should take to remedy disparities.

Working together, the expert groups should create and rehearse the presentations they will make to their respective jigsaw groups.

Bring the students back into their jigsaw groups, and ask students to teach their topics to peers. As the "experts" teach the material, encourage students to complete the Racial Disparities Information Organizer. Encourage them to ask questions for clarification.

As a whole class, reflect on the information contained in students' Racial Disparities Information Organizers.

• Some causes show up repeatedly, across the different kinds of disparities. Why might this be?

• Was it easier to come up with individual or societal actions? Why?

• How are societal and individual actions related? Can one occur without the other? Why?

• Is one kind of action more effective than the other? Why?