AAPI PERSPECTIVES THEME: Identity & Narratives
GRADE LEVEL: 11-12
SUBJECT: Social Studies; US History
ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How can examining experiences that have shaped our identities further develop our knowledge and love of self?
CENTRAL QUESTIONS/BIG IDEAS:
The idea of AANHPI/Asian American identity is not monolithic in nature.
What do we lose out on when marginalized cultures/communities are overshadowed by dominant cultures?
Just because a person’s/group’s identity does not fit into our personal beliefs and worldview does not discount their right to exist and have the same respect and opportunities as everyone else.
People are not easily compartmentalized into checkboxes and definitions.
CONTENT OBJECTIVE:
Knowledge:
Skills:
Habits:
Thinking critically about human nature and how we include and exclude people intentionally and unintentionally.
Viewing the world with a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens and finding ways to be more inclusive in their words/actions.
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT AREA STANDARDS:
CA ELD STANDARDS:
IEP/504 ACCOMMODATIONS: School laptops/computers available to view online content. Printouts of content available upon request. Links to materials available for outside viewing. Printouts of outsheets. Slides.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Slides (link)
Johnny Cepeda Gogo Oral History (1:05:35 >> 1:07:56)
Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) (link), (pdf)
Census Data & API Identities (link)
Mentimeter Word Cloud generator (link)
Identity Chart Exemplar (link)
LESSON IMPLEMENTATION SEQUENCE:
Step 1: Brief Overview of the Lesson
Duration: 15 minutes
Purpose: Tests students’ knowledge about geography and communities outside the USA. Explores the depth and expansiveness of cultural identity as it relates to our western-centric view of the world and our limited understanding of communities who are not as widely identified in mainstream society.
Implementation:
Go over the flow of the class and the important ideas/topics to consider.
Step 2: Warmup
Ask students to identify the countries that are in the Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander diaspora in the word cloud website. Use a word cloud generator like Mentimeter.
At the end of the warm up, instructor will share that the word cloud and juxtapose that with sources: Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI); Census Data & API Identities; and AANHPI Census Report.
This exercise is to highlight that the definition for AAPI/AANHPI/Asian American and those who identify as Asian is ever growing and changing due to data, research, and allowing more narratives to be included in the storytelling.
That AAPI/AANHPI/Asian American identity is not stagnant, focused on a few groups, nor is it a monolith.
Resources/Materials:
Slides 1-13
Mentimeter
Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI)
Census Data & API Identities
AANHPI Census Report
Sheet of paper (or create a worksheet)
Assessment: Word cloud
Step 3: Watch and Reflect
Duration: 15 minutes
Purpose: Analyze the often debated idea of a collective AANHPI/Asian American identity. The pros and cons of “lumping” communities into one another. The importance of collective awareness of the cultural differences, colonial history, immigration patterns, and desire for autonomy.
Implementation:
Watch/read Johnny Cepeda Gogo’s interview and his thoughts on AANHPI identity and solidarity.
Have students reflect on these question during their viewing/reading:
Why would certain groups be adverse to being lumped together?
From a community standpoint, what would be the benefits of identifying under a larger national identity? (e.g. AANHPI/Asian American)
Johnny says, “And yes, there are some negatives in terms of lumping all of the groups together, but you just have to be mindful about that. And when appropriate, recognize that and and if appropriate, again, address that, that issue.”
Explain what he means by being mindful, recognizing, and addressing the issues that arise. What kind of issues might he be alluding to? Why is it important to keep these conversations open and ongoing?
Resources/Materials:
Slides 14-15
Johnny Cepeda Gogo Oral History (transcripts on slides)
Assessment:: Discussion questions
Step 4: Identity Chart
Duration: 20 minutes
Purpose: To allow students to explore their personal identities and pull details from their families (racial, generational, geographical etc.), cultural and subcultural make up, self-identifying features etc.
A understanding that people are made up of many different identities, some obvious and others not so. We should celebrate these differences and relate to them in our own way as well.
Implementation:
With a piece of blank paper have students map out their identity using the identity chart example on the provided slides. Ask students to be as detailed and nuanced as they can.
Call on students to share parts of their identity chart with the class. After each student’s response, ask the class to raise their hands if they also identify with what they heard.
For example:
Sue: I am Cambodian American.
Instructor: Raise your hand if you also identify as Cambodian American?
(six hands raise up in the classroom)
After calling on a few students, have the class pair up in groups of 2 to 4 and share their charts.
This exercise is to demonstrate that people are made up of many factors in their identity. One or more identifiers and descriptors do not make up the entire picture of a person, however we can respect these differences and find commonality/understanding in our diverse existence.
Resources/Materials:
Slides 16-17
Blank paper
Identity Chart Exemplar
Assessment: Identity chart
Step 5: Reflection
Duration: 10 minutes
Purpose: Recall key pieces of information from the lesson and to assess what they learned in their own words/thoughts.
Implementation:
With the last 10 minutes of class, students will write about what they learned today regarding identity, social/societal acceptance, and celebrating inclusion as well as differences.
Resources/Materials: Slides 18-19
Assessment: Written reflection