Grade: 5-12Subject:
English Language Arts, U.S. HistoryNumber
of Activities: 3
Asian Americans have been in the U.S. for over 170 years yet common
stereotypes and myths persist. Even today, Asian Americans are often
regarded as “perpetual foreigners” or the “model minority.”
Unfortunately, the Asian American experience is overlooked, forgotten,
or misrepresented in history texts and in the K-12 curriculum. The
COVID-19 pandemic has evoked a disturbing surge in racist and violent
acts targeting Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) that has its
roots in ignorance, xenophobia, and mistrust. These actions have
galvanized the AAPI community into action and promoted solidarity
between AAPI and other groups.
Students will be able to:
-
Identify instances where wrongful blame and targeting has harmed and
hurt communities, regardless of race and identity
-
Understand the roots and history of anti-Asian racism in the United
States, not limited to the COVID-19 pandemic
-
Dispel the belief that the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic is somehow
connected to the AAPI community.
-
Create a solidarity action plan of healing and moving forward
together as a community
- What is the history of anti-Asian racism in the United States?
-
Why did the AAPI community become targets of hate and racist acts both
today and in the past?
-
How can we come together as a community to fight against hate and
racism?
- Rise in anti-Asian Racism
- History of anti-Asian Racism & Scapegoating
- Moving Forward & Healing
- Resources for Administrators & Staff
Lesson 1: Rise in Anti-Asian Racism
Lesson Objectives
In this lesson, students will examine the rise of anti-Asian racism in
the past year and how it has affected communities around the country.
Students will also see what some communities are doing to combat this.
Lesson Essential Questions
-
Why has there been an increase of anti-Asian racism in recent times?
- What and how are people reacting to it?
Warm-Up
In this lesson, question the students about what they have heard and/or
familiar with. Students may be uncomfortable with sharing initially. To
elicit answers, the teacher might want to ask students:
- Why do you think some people call COVID-19 the “Chinese Virus”?
- Where do you think people get that kind of information?
-
Do you think Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders
Americans are responsible for the pandemic? Why or why not?
Activity
Article for Questions & Discussion
-
Have students take a look at the following sites (both sites or one or
the other)
-
https://www.standagainsthatred.org/stories
(Anecdotes)
-
http://www.asianpacificpolicyandplanningcouncil.org/stop-aapi-hate-reports/
(Statistics)
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As students look through the article, have them answer the following
questions:
-
What are some types of harassment Asian American and Pacific
Islanders (AAPIs) are facing?
- What stands out for you?
-
What messages, emotions, feelings, or ideas are going through your
head?
-
Have you and your family/friends heard of, witnessed or
experienced, any (anti-Asian) discrimination at school, social
media, or in your community? If so, what happened? How did you or
others around the incident react?
-
If in a classroom, discuss responses in partners or small groups.
After some time in small groups, have students share out and discuss
as a class. Once the class is ready after sharing out, proceed to the
next activity.
Video for Questions & Discussion
-
Show the following video to students,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkgefC99l-M
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After showing the video, have students answer the following questions:
-
How has the pandemic affected the Asian American Pacific American
community? What are their concerns?
-
The Trump administration has on multiple occasions referred
COVID-19 as the “Chinese Virus” and even “Kung Flu.” In the video,
George Takei says that political leadership constantly using those
terms has spurred racist incidents. What kind of role does
language play? What kind of power does language have to incite
people?
-
What are some actions AAPIs are doing in response to the rise of
anti-Asian racism in their communities?
-
What messages, emotions, feelings, or ideas did you take away from
this news article?
-
If in a classroom, discuss responses in partners or small groups.
After some time in small groups, have students share out and discuss
as a class.
Reflection
-
As a reflection for the lesson, discuss with students their overall
feelings about the rise of anti-Asian racist incidents.
-
Conclude the class by showing the class the following video (Neighborhood Foot Patrol Protects Asians in Bay Area)
-
Why do you think people behave and target the Asian community?
-
What kind of action did people do to protect their community?
-
After seeing some responses from people in the community, which
ones do you think are effective? What else can we do to move
forward?
-
Be prepared to ask students so share out their thoughts. End on a
positive note that there are people in the community stepping up to
protect others against acts of hatred and racism. Ask students what
they can do to step up if these incidents happen in their community.
Sources
Lesson 2: History of Anti-Asian Racism & Scapegoating
Lesson Objectives
In this lesson, students will explore the history of racism towards the
AAPI population in the US and how the population has been used as a
scapegoat. The purpose of the lesson is to show students that anti-Asian
racism is not new and just the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather
it is rooted and often swept under the rug. This particular lesson is a
step away from the current COVID-19 Pandemic. Instead, this lesson
explores more into the history of anti-Asian racism and focuses on the
past.
Lesson Essential Questions
- What is the anti-Asian history in the United States?
- How has AAPI been used as a scapegoat in history?
- Why do geographical associations cause harm to communities?
Warm-Up
-
Begin the lesson by assessing students’ prior knowledge. Ask students
what they know about the history of Asian American Pacific Islander
Americans in the United States. It is okay if they say they know
nothing about it.
- Record what students share out.
-
If not already shared, ask if they have heard or know of any of the
following events: Chinese Massacre of 1871, Chinese Exclusion Act of
1882,
Tape v. Hurley, United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind,
Watsonville Riots, Executive Order 9066, Japanese American Internment,
and the murder of Vincent Chin, etc.
Activity
Reading & Graphic Organizer - History of
Scapegoating
-
Students will be reading some excerpts from the following article,
America’s long history of scapegoating its Asian citizens.
-
Students will read and follow instructions highlighted in the
document
-
After students complete the reading, they will complete the following
chart and questions, tracking the cause and effects of anti-Asian racism in history.
- Go over the chart with students and ask for their thoughts.
Article & Discussion - “China Virus” and “Wuhan Virus” Is Xenophobic
& Racist
-
Ask students to reflect, write down, and share out their thoughts on
the following:
-
How do you feel when there are people out there who blame a whole
group of people for something they do not have control over? What
if the pandemic had started somewhere else besides China? How do
you think people would have reacted if that was the case?
- How would you react to those comments?
-
Have students read the following article,
Calling COVID-19 the “Wuhan Virus” or “China Virus” is inaccurate
and xenophobic, and reflect on the two questions
-
Why is not okay to call COVID-19 by a geographical location?
- What should we be doing instead?
-
Discuss as a class. Give the opportunity for students to share out in
a safe and regulated space. Be prepared to answer any potentially
uncomfortable questions, such as, “Why can’t we call it the China
virus if it’s from China?”
-
Calling COVID-19 “China Virus,” “Wuhan Virus,” or “Kung Flu” is
xenophobic, inaccurate, and racist. Do not attach it to a location
or group people as that creates heightened discrimination and
stigma towards a group of people due to conscious or unconscious
bias. We are all victims.
Reflection
As a reflection, ask students to write down and reflect:
-
What history was new to you through this activity? What are your
(initial) reactions? Did anything stand out?
-
Do you feel anything has changed? How are recent incidents against
AAPIs similar or different than what happened in the past?
-
Have you ever been blamed/scapegoated for something you did not do?
How did that make you feel?
-
How would you feel if a group you identify with is blamed/scapegoated
for something that is not your fault?
-
How would you feel if a group you identify with is blamed/scapegoated
for something that is not your fault?
It is necessary to remind students that these events are in the past and
we are not complicit or responsible for the actions of past Americans,
nor should we feel any guilt. However, it is necessary for us to learn
about past injustices so we do not repeat them.
Sources
Lesson 3: Moving Forward & Healing
Lesson Objectives
In this lesson, students will reflect on current events and the past.
This lesson seeks to combine the objectives of the previous lessons into
one. First in small groups, then as a whole, the class will come up with
a plan for moving forward, addressing anti-Asian racism and hate.
Lesson Essential Questions
-
How can we stand together as a community and address racism and hate?
- How do we promote healing?
Warm-Up
-
Start the class by showing the following video
‘I Shouted For Help, But Nobody Helped Me’: Asian Americans Are
Under Attack.
-
Pose the question to the class to brainstorm some ideas. If students
are reluctant to share out as a class, start off in pairs or small
groups first.
-
What messages, emotions, feelings, or ideas are going through your
head?
-
What are some ways that we can become stronger and stand together
as a community to promote healing and change?
-
(We have already looked at some ways people have stepped up in
their communities. In addition) what are some things people are
doing to protect and help their communities?
-
What are some things we can do as an individual? In our community
(city/neighborhood)? At the national level?
-
Allow students to share out their responses. Proceed to the Open
Conversation activity.
Activity
Open Conversation
-
At this point, open up the class to address any lingering concerns or
questions may have about everything that has transpired, including
things that may not have been covered in the lessons.
-
Create space. Reach out, be willing and open to hear about
people’s experiences, whether online or in person. Be present.
- Recognize your bias and consider where it comes from.
-
Establish goals for conversation. Be specific. Establish
boundaries.
-
It is okay if an “agreement” is not reached. This is not one
of those conversations where you have to end with “agree to
disagree.”
-
It is okay just to listen. You do not have to say anything.
Recognize your limitations.
-
If necessary, refer to Learning for Justice’s How to Respond to
Coronavirus Racism
Action Plan
Once the conversation has concluded, move onto the activity, referring
to the warm-up. There is a lot of fear and pain going on in the AAPI
community. Pose the question:
What can we do to unite against hate and racism and move forward
together?
-
Preface with students that this is not an “us vs. them” case. Instead,
we should be looking at how we can build a unified front against hate
and systemic racism. The end of the video showed Black and Asian
communities coming together. There have been past instances where both
communities came together in solidarity.
-
Have students take a look at and read the following article,
Black and Asian Solidarity in American History: The Power of Unity
Exemplified by 5 Major Events
-
What accomplishments did we see when communities came together?
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Separate students into breakouts. Referring back to the warm-up
questions, have them research and then create an action plan on unity
against racism and hate. The plan can be organized into a Google Slide
presentation.
-
The plan should be clear with actionable items
- Set goals and expectations
- Include ways in how they plan to promote it
- Execution
-
Follow-up activities and actions after the primary action
- Have students share out their action plans.
Reflection
-
Ask students if there is one action they can take towards all this
what would they take? Reflect.
-
Also, allow students to reflect on their role in our society. How does
the AAPI community feel right now? If they are part of the AAPI
community, how are they feeling about everything? If they are not part
of the AAPI community, how will they feel if all these events are
occurring in their community? Will they be bystanders or upstanders
when witnessing injustices and hate?
-
Offer opportunities and resources for students to learn more about
these topics. Provide outlets for them to take action.
-
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DKLjh26g5vkuCVDnLeS5X4ElgT7Q1uT8ihlqQefP-no/edit?usp=sharing
Sources
Resources for Administrators and Staff
Objectives
Addressing staff & school community
Preparing for the Conversation (for Staff & Students)
-
Educate yourself.
-
https://nea-apic.com/aapi-resources/
-
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DKLjh26g5vkuCVDnLeS5X4ElgT7Q1uT8ihlqQefP-no/edit?usp=sharing
-
Reach out, be willing and open to hear about people’s experiences,
whether online or in person. Be present.
- Recognize your bias and consider where it comes from.
-
Establish goals for conversation. Be specific. Establish boundaries.
It is okay if an “agreement” is not reached. This is not one of those
conversations where you have to end with “agree to disagree.”
-
It is okay just to listen. You do not have to say anything. Recognize
your limitations.
How to Respond to Coronavirus Racism
- Interrupt
- Question
- Educate
- Echo
Self Care
-
Reach out to friends who can validate your experiences. (Online
friends count, too!)
- Pull yourself away from the TV and headlines once in a while
- If you have to go to the grocery store, steel yourself.
- If you’re discriminated against, put your safety first.
- Lean into literature written for and by Asians.
- Remind yourself that this is part of a larger story.
Sources
California Common Core Standards Addressed
Standards Alignment:
CA HSS Analysis Skills (9–12):
Historical Research Evidence and Point of View 1–3
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.1, 2, 3, 7, 8; W.1, 4, 5, 8; SL.1, 2, 4. L.1.
CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy: RH.9–10.1, 2, 4, 9; RI.9-10.6, 7; W.9-10.2,
2.a,b,4, 5; SL.9-10.1a,,d, 2, 4; L.9-10.1; RH.11-12.1, 2,4, 9;
RI.11-12.6, 7; W.11-12.2, 2.a,b, 4, 5; SL.11-12.1, 1.a,c,d, 2, 4;
L.11-12.1. 9-12.IV.C.4.1; 9-12 V.C.2; 9-12 V.E.2.2,.3, 3.4, 5. U.S.
History Grades 5-12 9.1B.6; 5-12 10.2D.2