Lesson Plan
by J. Luke Wood, Idara Essien-Wood, Frank Harris III, and Tina M. King.
Overview
An understanding of contemporary challenges facing Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) involves understanding systemic oppression and how racism manifests at the interpersonal level. In this lesson plan, we offer racelighting as one concept that explains how interpersonal racism impacts the daily lives and experiences of BIPOC. This lesson provides a framework for students to learn about race and racism through the lens of Racelighting. This plan can be easily adjusted to meet different target audiences, age groups, and learner types. When adjusting the plan, please consider that the most important outcome is for learners to understand that racism can make BIPOC doubt their experiences, knowledge, and perceptions.
It could be: Racelighting
Is It Me? The Story of Jacob and Jazz
The first step in the lesson plan is to educate students about what constitutes racelighting. The lesson plan begins with a video titled, “It could be: Racelighting.” The video provides a basic description of racelighting. The video addresses common stereotypes and distinguishes between active racelighting and passive racelighting. Here are the descriptions directly from the video:
- “Racelighting is what occurs when people tell you things that make you doubt yourself, especially when these messages are informed by stereotypes and racism.”
- “Active racelighting is when someone says things to you to intentionally make you doubt yourself. What they say, they know is not true, but they say it in a way that makes you think they could be right.”
- “Passive racelighting is very different, the person making you doubt yourself probably doesn’t know they are doing so.”
- Stereotypes “assume things about people of color that are not true,” “(e.g., Black, Native American, Latinx and other people of color have been treated by as unintelligent, troublemakers, and as being of less worth.)”
Racelighting Lesson Plan
Teachers Guide
- To examine the role of race and racism in the experiences of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC).
- To identify instances of racelighting when it occurs.
- To distinguish between Active Racelighting, Passive Racelighting, and Stereotypes.
Student Guide
- To explain the role of race and racism in the experiences of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC).
- To articulate instances of racelighting when it occurs.
- To identify between Active Racelighting, Passive Racelighting, and Stereotypes.
Teachers Guide
- Students will watch the video “It Could Be: Racelighting.”
- Ask students to write down one takeaway (i.e., something they learned) from watching the video.
- Ask students to share their feedback (in a manner that is appropriate for the class (e.g., individually, small groups, large group, Think-Pair-Share). In determining group size, the teacher should consider which environment will allow for children to share in a safe environment.
- Use the conversation to guide students through an understanding of the four key terms. These terms are Racelighting. Active Racelighting. Passive Racelighting. Stereotypes.
Students Guide
- Watch the video “It Could Be: Racelighting.”
- Write down one new thing you learned from watching the video.
- Share your feedback in small groups or large groups
- Explain the 4 Key Terms.
Teachers Guide
The second step in the lesson plan is to see how experiences with subtle racism and overt racism can lead BIPOC to experience racelighting. Students will watch the story of Jacob, a young Black boy who experiences ongoing challenges with racelighting (e.g., being fed false messages that make him doubt himself). The video is designed to be divided into three main sections to guide discussion. This allows for better insight into the story and discussion on what is occurring. For more mature audiences, the video can be watched in its entirety.
Teachers Guide
- Ask students to watch video section 1 of “Is It Me? The Story of Jacob and Jazz.” Video section 1 (Beginning-3:30) (until he meets Jazz).
- Facilitate discussion around these questions. Teachers should use the conversation to guide students to learn the four key terms.
- Tell me about the story. What has happened so far?
- What is one point you learned from watching the video?
- Why did Jacob lose Alex as a friend?
- Jacob does not have friends anyhow, how do you think he feels?
- What if you were Jacob, just as he is, how would you feel?
- Why do you think Jacob was the only one who got in trouble for throwing rocks?
Students Guide
- Watch section 1 of “Is It Me? The Story of Jacob and Jazz.” Video section 1 (Beginning-3:30) (until he meets Jazz).
- Answer the following questions:
- Tell me about the story. What has happened so far?
- What is one point you learned from watching the video?
- Why did Jacob lose Alex as a friend?
- Jacob doesn’t have friends anyhow, how do you think he feels?
- What if you were Jacob, just as he is, how would you feel?
- Why do you think Jacob was the only one who got in trouble for throwing rocks?
Teachers Guide
- Ask the students to watch section 3 of the video “Is It Me? The Story of Jacob and Jazz.” Video section 2 (3:31 – 7:16) (until Jacob’s parents speak with him about moving schools).
- Facilitate discussion around these questions. Use the conversation to guide students through an understanding of racelighting.
- What did the boys do to Alex?
- Why do you think they called him names and bumped into him?
- Why do you think Mrs. Bailey did not stop the other kids from picking on Jacob? [Plausible reason: She was unaware of her own bias and saw him as a ‘problem’]
- Do you think the other kids think Mrs. Bailey is a good teacher?
- What would it have been like for Jacob without Jazz telling him the truth? How would he have felt?
- What would Jacob do without a friend like Jazz? How do you think he would feel?
- Facilitate discussion around stereotypes on intelligence that treats BIPOC as inferior. Reminder: Jacob is a truly intelligent young man. He did well in previous years of school. In this story, we heard that he was good in English and even tutored Alex. But he is criticized for every error he made when reading, Alex’s parents said that he did not speak well and he was made fun of by students for not speaking well. Reminder: Jacob started to believe he was not “smart like the other kids” despite being intelligent.
- Why do you think this occurs?
- Why does Jacob doubt himself?
- How do you think it makes him feel?
- How would you feel if you were Jacob?
- Facilitate discussion around stereotypes on criminality that treat BIPOC as troublemakers. Reminder: Jacob is a well mannered young man. As you see in the video, he plays nicely with the other children, does not cause problems, and tries to walk away to avoid arguments. He is criticized for standing out of line, throwing rocks against the fence, and is suspended from school. He does things the other children do, but receives a different response. Jacob started to believe he is a “bad kid” when he is not.
- Why do you think this is?
- How do you think this makes him feel?
- How would you feel if you were Jacob?
- Why does Jacob doubt himself?
Students Guide
- Watch video section 3 of “Is It Me? The Story of Jacob and Jazz.” Video section 2 (3:31 – 7:16) (until Jacob’s parents speak with him about moving schools).
- Answer Section 3 Questions Set 1:
- What did the boys do to Alex?
- Why do you think they were picking on him,calling him names, and bumping into him?
- Why do you think Mrs. Bailey did not stop the other kids from picking on Jacob? [Plausible reason: She was unaware of her own bias and saw him as a ‘problem’]
- Do you think the other kids think Mrs. Bailey is a good teacher?
- What would it have been like for Jacob without Jazz telling him the truth? How would he have felt?
- What would Jacob do without a friend like Jazz? How do you think he would feel?
- Answer Section 3 Questions Set 2:
- Why do you think this occurs?
- Why does Jacob doubt himself?
- How do you think it makes him feel?
- How would you feel if you were Jacob?
- Answer Section 3 Questions Set 3:
- Why do you think this is?
- How do you think this makes him feel?
- How would you feel if you were Jacob?
- Why does Jacob doubt himself?
Teachers Guide
- Ask the students to watch section 3 of the video “Is It Me? The Story of Jacob and Jazz.” (7:17 – end) (Jacob has an improved experience in school).
- Facilitate discussion around these questions. Use the conversation to guide students through an understanding of racelighting.
- Tell me about the story. What happened to Jacob?
- What is one lesson that you learned from the story?
- What was the difference between Mrs. Bailey (the teacher at the beginning) and Mrs. Holly (the new teacher)?
Student Guide
- Watch the video“Is It Me? The Story of Jacob and Jazz.” (Section 3, 7:17 – end)
- Answer Section 4 Questions Set 1.
- Tell me about the story. What happened to Jacob?
- What is one lesson that you learned from the story?
- What was the difference between Mrs. Bailey (the teacher at the beginning) and Mrs. Holly (the new teacher)?
Teachers Guide
The final step in the lesson plan is to allow students to process what they have learned and discussed. Time for processing is critical as the conversations are around topics that are typically not discussed. To support this processing, ask to draw on a piece of paper what Jazz does to stop Jacob from believing false things about himself. Provide students with paper, colored pens, and crayons. During the time students are drawing, do one-on-one check-ins with each student to ensure learning.
One point to consider is towards the end of the story, Jacob was being called names and ‘bumped’ by the other children. The teacher did not stop it and Jacob responded by pushing another child. To be clear, Jacob should not have pushed the child. While he was being racially bullied and tried to walk away, he could have responded better. However, the incident could easily have led Jacob to think the messages about him were true. So, a confirmation bias – of sorts – can occur when one starts to tacitly accept false information. One mistake or a series of small mistakes should not define a child.
Teachers Guide
- Ask students to list and/or draw an image of “what Jazz does to stop Jacob from believing false things about himself” – from “Is It Me? The Story of Jacob and Jazz.” [Note: The teacher should choose whether students list or draw. This decision should be based on teacher preference].
- Ask students to share and describe their pictures.
- Facilitate dialogue about their pictures using the following questions:
- Why was Jazz a good friend to Jacob? What did she say to him?
- Jazz tells Jacob he is being treated differently due to racism? What do you think makes her say that?
- Why do you think people ignored Jazz when she tried to defend Jacob? What was it about her that might have made them disregard her?
- What difference did Jazz make in Jacob’s life?
- How can we all be more like Jazz?
Student Guide
- List and/or draw an image of “what Jazz does to stop Jacob from believing false things about himself” – from “Is It Me? The Story of Jacob and Jazz.”
- Think-Pair-Share, Discussion
- Questions to think about:
- Why was Jazz a good friend to Jacob? What did she say to him?
- Jazz tells Jacob he is being treated differently due to racism. What do you think makes her say that?
- Why do you think people ignored Jazz when she tried to defend Jacob? What was it about her that might have made them disregard her?
- What difference did Jazz make in Jacob’s life?
- How can we all be more like Jazz?
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