Mayli Apontti
INFO 237: School Library Media Materials
Cultural Exploration Text Set
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Text Set Overview
Audience: 9th Grade
Anchor Text: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Purpose: The purpose of this cultural text set is to examine not only various kinds of stereotypes that exist in America, but also to engage students in considering how stereotypes and initial perceptions of different cultures are formed. The text set features a combination of narratives: an autobiography, spoken poetry, research article, film, and graphic novels.
Explanation: As stated above, the purpose of this text set is to engage students in thinking critically about stereotyping, as well as bringing awareness of existing stereotypes and images of ethnic cultures. While the text set contains a nice variety of media materials that explore different aspects of stereotyping in America, the primary aim is to inspire and challenge students to consider their own unconscious (or conscious) perceptions of other people, and in the process, to perhaps formulate their own personal responses to the following essential questions:
AASL Standards:
AASL Standard 1.3.4: Contribute to the exchange of ideas within the learning community.
AASL Standard 2.1.5: Collaborate with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, make decisions & solve problems.
AASL Standard 4.1.2: Read widely and fluently to make connections with self, the world, and previous reading.
AASL Standard 4.1.3: Respond to literature and creative expressions of ideas in various formats and genres.
AASL Standard 4.1.5: Connect ideas to own interests and previous knowledge and experience.
AASL Standard 4.3.2: Recognize that resources are created for a variety of purposes.
AASL Standard 4.4.2: Recognize the limits of own personal knowledge.
INFO 237: School Library Media Materials
Cultural Exploration Text Set
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Text Set Overview
Audience: 9th Grade
Anchor Text: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Purpose: The purpose of this cultural text set is to examine not only various kinds of stereotypes that exist in America, but also to engage students in considering how stereotypes and initial perceptions of different cultures are formed. The text set features a combination of narratives: an autobiography, spoken poetry, research article, film, and graphic novels.
Explanation: As stated above, the purpose of this text set is to engage students in thinking critically about stereotyping, as well as bringing awareness of existing stereotypes and images of ethnic cultures. While the text set contains a nice variety of media materials that explore different aspects of stereotyping in America, the primary aim is to inspire and challenge students to consider their own unconscious (or conscious) perceptions of other people, and in the process, to perhaps formulate their own personal responses to the following essential questions:
- What are stereotypes and biases?
- How can we learn to recognize our own biases, perceptions, and assumptions?
- How can we challenge those perceptions and move beyond them to evaluate and understand people in a more balanced light?
AASL Standards:
AASL Standard 1.3.4: Contribute to the exchange of ideas within the learning community.
AASL Standard 2.1.5: Collaborate with others to exchange ideas, develop new understandings, make decisions & solve problems.
AASL Standard 4.1.2: Read widely and fluently to make connections with self, the world, and previous reading.
AASL Standard 4.1.3: Respond to literature and creative expressions of ideas in various formats and genres.
AASL Standard 4.1.5: Connect ideas to own interests and previous knowledge and experience.
AASL Standard 4.3.2: Recognize that resources are created for a variety of purposes.
AASL Standard 4.4.2: Recognize the limits of own personal knowledge.
Anchor Text
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Based on the author's own autobiographical accounts of growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Wellpinit, WA, True Diary is both a memoir and a coming-of-age story that continues to captivate audiences, both teens and adults alike. Arnold “Junior” Spirit is the protagonist of the story, who becomes essentially torn between the two “worlds” of his native home, the Spokane Indian Reservation (Native roots), and Reardan High School (Western influence), which is located 30 miles outside the reservation. To the Spokane community, Junior’s association with Reardan High, as well as those who live outside the “rez,” is collectively perceived as an act of betrayal. Junior internalizes this conflict, which creates a huge sense of guilt, hence the satirical reference to himself as a "part-time Indian." In spite of this conflict, however, Junior’s accounts are nevertheless raw in honesty and are thereby rendered as “absolutely true.”
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Based on the author's own autobiographical accounts of growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Wellpinit, WA, True Diary is both a memoir and a coming-of-age story that continues to captivate audiences, both teens and adults alike. Arnold “Junior” Spirit is the protagonist of the story, who becomes essentially torn between the two “worlds” of his native home, the Spokane Indian Reservation (Native roots), and Reardan High School (Western influence), which is located 30 miles outside the reservation. To the Spokane community, Junior’s association with Reardan High, as well as those who live outside the “rez,” is collectively perceived as an act of betrayal. Junior internalizes this conflict, which creates a huge sense of guilt, hence the satirical reference to himself as a "part-time Indian." In spite of this conflict, however, Junior’s accounts are nevertheless raw in honesty and are thereby rendered as “absolutely true.”
Supporting Texts
References
Adichie, C.N. (Writer).(2009). The danger of a single story. [TED Talks episode].
Alexie, S. (2007). The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York: Little, Brown and Co. Print.
Bainbridge, C., Fon, C., & Ludwick, L. (Producer), & Diamond, N. (Director). (2009). Reel Injun [Motion Picture]. Canada: Rezolution Pictures
National Film Board of Canada.
Paul, A.M. (1998). Where bias begins: The truth about stereotypes. Psychology Today, 31 (3), 52-55.
Yang, G.L. (2006). American Born Chinese. New York: First Second. Print.
Wilson, G. W. (2014). Ms. Marvel. New York: Marvel Worldwide, Inc. Print.
Alexie, S. (2007). The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York: Little, Brown and Co. Print.
Bainbridge, C., Fon, C., & Ludwick, L. (Producer), & Diamond, N. (Director). (2009). Reel Injun [Motion Picture]. Canada: Rezolution Pictures
National Film Board of Canada.
Paul, A.M. (1998). Where bias begins: The truth about stereotypes. Psychology Today, 31 (3), 52-55.
Yang, G.L. (2006). American Born Chinese. New York: First Second. Print.
Wilson, G. W. (2014). Ms. Marvel. New York: Marvel Worldwide, Inc. Print.
Additional Resources
The House on Mango Street - by Sandra Cisneros
The Joy Luck Club - by Amy Tan
Unaccustomed Earth - by Jhumpa Lahiri
How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents – by Julia Alvarez
Between the World and Me - by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Mancini, S. (2016). 3 lessons from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s ‘the danger of a single story.' Ethos3, (April 11), 1-2.
www.ethos3.com/2016/04/3-lessons-from-chimamanda-ngozi-adichies-the-danger-of-a-single-story/
Sabarini, P. (2014). Take that, stereotypes! The new Ms. Marvel is a Muslim teenager. Boston Globe, (Feb 3), 1-2.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2014/02/03/the-new-marvel-take-that-stereotypes/IPKzwiWJrimXlN52z0szzJ/story.html