Three Days of Microaggressions

Description:
This curriculum is designed to facilitate learning around the topic of microaggressions. Students will learn what microaggressions are as well as discussing the impact they have on marginalized individuals and society as a whole. Students will learn to recognize microaggressions in a variety of settings in addition to identifying the implied message behind the actions. Finally, students will learn to engage with others when confronted with microaggressions and learn valuable tools for becoming allies to marginalized groups. The curriculum was designed to work as a three lesson unit but is adaptable for a single or two-day unit.

UNIT OVERVIEW

Subject: Sociology, intro level
Suggested length of unit: 1 week
Priority standard for the unit: Define and recognize microaggressions
Bloom’s taxonomic levels engaged: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating
Essential questions: How is language used to marginalize others?
Big ideas:
Unit vocabulary: microaggression, microassault, spatial microaggression, microinsult, microinvalidation, marginalized identity, ally [racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, stereotype, gender identity, front stage, back stage, class, meritocracy, dominant culture]

Day 1:

Recommended materials: videos, powerpoint
Bloom: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing

Pre-class/beginning of class
10 mins: icebreaker (Three day icebreaker document)

Lecture
20 mins: (see powerpoint)

Activity: Video Analysis (25-40 mins total)
10-15 mins: Divide the students into three groups (or more). Have students record all microaggressions they can identify. Show up to three scenes of the Video (6 scenes ~5mins each).
10-15 mins: Students then consult with their group to compile a list of microaggressions. Ask each group how many they identified. This part can be made into a contest (candy to the winning group, etc). Have members from all the groups share some of the microaggressions they identified. As a class evaluate, the implied messages behind some of the microaggressions.
5-10 mins: Instructor wraps up class including pointers on how to be an ally.

Activity 2 or homework (depending on your time constraints): 3-2-1

Have students list three things they learned from the day on a piece of paper with their name left off. Next, students write down two things they found interesting. Students then write one question they still have about the material. The instructor can take these up at the beginning of class or have the students do the activity for homework. If the instructor extends the unit to 2 lessons, they can begin day two discussing the questions from the 3-2-1

**Other activity suggestions are included in the resources page to make customization of the lesson plans easier

Recommended reading/materials for Day 2:
Rao, Sameer. 2016. “Listen: Solange Discusses the Microaggressions That Inspired ‘A Seat at the Table’” 1 page article with interview attached. Interview runtime is 1 hour and 14 minutes
Most relevant clip from ~40-48:30
http://www.colorlines.com/articles/listen-solange-discusses-microaggressions-inspired-seat-table

“LL Cool J on ‘Accidental Racist’” 2013

Clip runtime 3:09

*additional readings can be found on the resources page

Day 2
Recommended materials: projector and computer, video, copies of scene transcripts
Bloom: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating

Pre-class/beginning of class
10-15 mins: icebreaker (see Icebreaker file)

Discussion:
15-25 mins: the following discussion activity builds off the 3-2-1 from the previous class.
Have each student take one of the papers from the previous class (students could shuffle the papers in a snowball fight if preferred). Once every student has a paper, choose several students at random and have them take turns reading out the question. Facilitate discussion and have students help answer the questions that are read. Note: If the instructor decides against using the 3-2-1 they can use this time to elaborate on microaggression content to demonstrate discipline specific applicability.

Video
~15 mins: Show students the final three scenes from the video asking them to note where microaggressions occur and what the implied message behind the action indicates.

Activity: Scene Resolutions (30-45 mins total)
15 mins: Divide the students in 3-6 groups depending on class size. Give each group the transcript for one of the scenes they have seen in the last two days. Have the students rewrite each scene to address the microaggressions on display.
Option 1: 15 mins: have each group share a couple of the resolutions they came up with. Facilitate student led discussion around the content.
Option 2: 20-30 mins: Interactive theater. After students rewrite their scene, invite groups to come up and act out the scene with the resolution modifications included.

Optional Homework: Media analysis
Watch an episode of one of your favorite shows or a few scenes in one of your favorite movies. Note any microaggressions you witness and answer the following questions:
What show/film did you watch?
Did you ever notice these microaggressions before?
What are some of the implied messages about marginalized groups on display here?
What kind of microaggressions are present? Distinguish between: microassaults, spatial microaggressions, microinsults, and microinvalidations
The media is one of the major agents of socialization? What does that mean and how does the media contribute to normalizing harmful messages about marginalized groups or identities?

Day 3:

Pre-class/beginning of class
10-15 mins: icebreaker (see Icebreaker file day 3 instructions)

Discussion: Media Analysis
20-35 mins: This discussion is based on the recommended homework from day 2. Conversely the professor could pre-select media clips, show them in class, and have the students answer the same questions from the homework.
Students volunteer to share some of the answers from their homework (or activity if no hw assigned). The instructor facilitates conversations around the content.

5-10 mins: instructor wraps unit