Lesson Plan: Unwritten
Subject/Course: US Government/Law/Sociology
Topic: Race in the U.S. Prison System
Grade Level: 9-12
Common Core Standards:
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source. Provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationship among the key ideas and details.
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.
Episode: “Unwritten” (Season 1) Full audio | Transcript
Lesson Length/Time Needed: 1-2 class periods
Lesson Created by: B. Fritch, California
Lesson Objectives
To have students explore and understand the concept of race.
To understand how race affects the experience of incarcerated people in the U.S. prison system.
Materials Needed
Audio Clips
Activities
Intro: Explain to students that today we will be discussing how the concept of race is dealt with in U.S. Prisons. Remind students to be sensitive around the topic and respectful to those around them. Distribute Race Warm Up to students and have them address the question. After the warm up, students share and discuss as a class. When done, explain that the class will now study how race affects the lives of incarcerated people in prison.
Through: Introduce the podcast Ear Hustle and that will be using it to understand how race affects the experience of incarcerated people. Listen to part 1 of Unwritten. When complete, have students address the questions and discuss as class.
When part 1 is complete, explain that there are some exceptions to this strict racial system. Listen to part 2, and instruct students to address the questions for part 2 and then discuss as a class.
Beyond: To end class, introduce the reflection question to see how students feel about these racial rules in prisons and discuss as class.
Additional Resources
Article discussing the challenges of integration
Content Warnings
Prior to part 1, there is discussion of sex play among incarcerated people.
After part 2, there is discussion of sex play and penis towels.