AAPI PERSPECTIVES THEME: Identity & Narratives
GRADE LEVEL: 10-11
SUBJECT: Social Studies; US History
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
How do race, ethnicity, nationality, and culture (among others) shape our personal identity?
How can examining experiences that have shaped our identities further develop our knowledge and love of self?
CENTRAL QUESTIONS/BIG IDEAS:
Do you know the history of your name? Your family’s name? The history of your lineage? How much more meaningful would your life be to understand these pieces of your identity?
What are some of the reasons names of people and places have been changed or altered over time? (Assimilation, mispronunciation, colonialism, racism, fear, protection, cultural erasure, reinvention, empowerment, autonomy etc.)
Over time, what is lost when people and places lose their cultural and ancestral connections to their names, titles, and identity?
In what ways can people reclaim their history and identity from ever being forgotten? One idea is creating a family tree. Understanding the genealogy of where we came from. What are the barriers that would keep us from learning about our family’s past?
CONTENT OBJECTIVE:
Knowledge: Students will evaluate the importance of names and naming, whether the act is meant for empowering oneself or harming a person/community. Students will look into their own names, the names of their immediate and extended families and trace the connections through the beginnings of a genealogical family tree. Students will also look into how colonialism:
Skills: Analyzing first hand accounts, reporting, and data regarding a subject, historic incident, or contemporary issue. Identifying the cause and effects of colonialism and westernization on communities of color. Identifying the nonlinear pathways and decisions people of color (POCs) have made in order to create a new life and/or identity for themselves.
Habits: Students will evaluate the actions taken by governments and their colonial pasts and assess the good and harm they have done to native peoples, slaves/indentured servants, and immigrants. Students will understand the lengths many POCs go through in order to create a better life for themselves and their loved ones.
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT AREA STANDARDS:
CA ELD STANDARDS:
IEP/504 ACCOMMODATIONS:
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
Slides (link)
Viet T Nguyen Oral History (43:38 >> 46:17)
Ash Kalra Oral History (23:45 >> 24:26)
Robert Ragsac Oral History 2 (45:18 >> 57:04)
Muhammad Ali Name Video (link)
Native American Lands (link)
CA Blank Map Outline (link)
Labeled Map of CA (link)
LESSON IMPLEMENTATION SEQUENCE:
Step 1: Warmup
Duration: 15 minutes
Purpose: Students will take the time to weigh in on the importance of their name and the history and lineage that is passed down in their title.
Implementation::
Students will be asked to write about the history of their own names (first/middle/last), their families names and histories, and also names/nicknames they have received or given themselves, and the reasons for those names.
Students will think about the importance of a name as it pertains to a person/community, place, or thing, and the reason why people/places/things are renamed.
Students will then share in pairs what they have written.
Resources/Materials:
Slides 1-10
Paper
Writing instrument
Assessment: Journal of one’s personal history, lineage, and/or genealogy through the names we have and given.
Step 2: Names Have Power
Duration: 20 minutes
Students will watch/read the clips from Viet T. Nguyen, Gordon Chang, and Muhanmmad Ali. Next, students will read the letters from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.
Have students reflect on these questions:
What was the dilemma Viet faced as a youth when he was being teased for his name and his Vietnamese identity? What were some of the issues that arose from watching and ingesting the Vietnamese animosity that was shown to him on TV, film, and radio?
Why does Ash not feel supported by his teachers? Why does it matter that Ash’s teachers never bothered to learn how to pronounce his name?
There is great history and connection in a name. How does Robert demonstrate this in this excerpt?
What were some of the influences and reasons that Muhanmmad Ali changed his name from Cassius Clay? Why do you think the press and general public were opposed to this name change?
From the letters, what are some of the reasons why people changed their names? Do you think there are other reasons why someone would want to change their last name?
Resources/Materials:
Slides 11-21
Oral Histories of Viet T. Nguyen, Ash Kalra, and Robert Ragsac
Video of Muhammad Ali
Immigrant Name Change Letters
Assessment: Reflection questions about the Viet’s interview
Step 3: Native American Territories that were here before the state of California/Before the State of California
Duration: 15 minutes
Students will have two printouts of the state of California: one blank map as well as a current map.
Students will use the Native Lands website to look up the original Native tribal territories that match up with current day California.
Using the blank California map they will fill in the names of territories and tribes that fall in around the borders of present day California.
Students may outline, create patterns, and fill in areas with colored markers/highlighters to designate the tribal lands. Students are welcome to create a key to help identify the tribes and territories if the labeling becomes too hard and condensed.
Students will also identify the tribes and territories that fall in and around where they currently live. This can be a great way to bridge the importance of ‘land acknowledgments’ in our society today.
Resources/Materials:
Slides 22-24
Native Land weblink
Blank Map of CA
Labeled Map of CA
Colored markers/ highlighters
Assessment: Map Assignment
Step 4: Reflection
Duration: 10 minutes
Students will be asked to reflect and answer this writing prompt:
Names are important. They helped to give people, places, and things a title and an identity. Names hold history, meaning, and sometimes power. Yet calling someone a name can also be harmful and hurtful. Taking someone’s name and replacing it with another erases their autonomy and freedom to be who they choose to be.
What are some ways we can honor people, communities, and lands who have been mistreated due to name calling, mispronunciations, mislabeling, colonialism, racism, and xenophobia?
Resources/Materials:
Slides 25-26
Piece of paper or notebook
Assessment: Reflection