Course Activities:
Activity No. 1 - Curriculum Unit Book: The book that will be associated to this curriculum unit is Ghost Boys by author Jewell Parker Rhodes. The book tells the story of a young boy that is shot and killed by a police officer because he had a toy gun. After his death, the boy does not seem to be able to move on in the afterlife because of the circumstances surrounding his killing. He encounters several other aspects in his transition from being alive and moving on. This includes several characters in the book such as his mother, father, grandmother, little sister, best friend, a girl and a historical person that died many years ago from similar circumstances. The students will have an opportunity to debate the aspects of an unarmed black male being killed by the police. They will also have a chance to look at the killing from the police and his family’s perspective. At the end of the book, there are guided questions that teachers can use to further the critical thinking of the reading.
Assignment: In collaborative groups of 3-4, assign each group one of the characters in the book. For example: Group 1 will discuss the main character (the boy that is killed), Group 2 will discuss the police officers and his family, Group 3 will discuss the victim’s parents (mother and father), Group 4 will discuss the victim’s grandmother, sister and best friend; and Group 5 will discuss the historical person that died many years ago from similar circumstances. Each group will have read the book and then put together specific points about the characters and then come to a consensus about their feelings towards the killing. Include questions for the students such as “explain why this character expressed themselves the way they did; or discuss how the killing could have been avoided from the boy’s position and from the police’s position?”
Activity No. 2 - Write a letter to Congress: Have the students to draft a letter to Congress concerning the incidents of unarmed black males being killed by police officers. The letters can be written individually or in pairs (I would not have more than a pair). Have the students research police accountability. Have them select one aspect of police accountability to write to their congressional leader about. For example: the students may choose to discuss police that have been reprimanded for misconduct of citizens in the community while on duty. The students could argue that in certain circumstances, the officer that violated his or her job for misconduct to the citizens he/she was assigned should be placed on desk duty, rather than working directly in the field. It is important that the students conduct research on police accountability prior to drafting the letter. This will help the students create a letter that is filled with concrete aspects of police accountability.
Activity No. 3 - Project Based Learning (PBL): The PBL suggested for this curriculum unit is for the students to conduct research on the national statistics of unarmed black males that have died at the hands of white police officers. Students are to select a specific case to use as a case study. They can locate a case on the Internet from any state. It should include a statement of what occurred in the case, i.e., summary of the incident, who was involved (victim, police officer, etc.). Have the students prepare a visual oral presentation about the victim. This would include where they live, their profession if any, age, family, school or college, statement of the incident, what happened to the police officer, community reaction or activist group (if any), any other pertinent information about the victim. The presentation should include everything that is known about the police officer that was involved in the case. Their age, number of years on the police force, any other information about the officer’s background. They should also offer positive suggestions as to how the problem in the case could have been avoided so no one was harmed.
Included in this PBL, students will create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) for the public youth. Students will write an informative announcement for young people to use when they are stopped by the police. Students can either make a video in their own creative way, or prepare the announcement as a radio commercial. Allow the students their individual creativity with this announcement. The components should include something positive for the community and the police, such as how both groups can interact with one another so incidents of a person losing their life when encountering a police officer can be avoided.
Activity No. 4 - Role Play: Students will create a role play scenario of a police commission hearing for a police officer that is involved in an incident where an unarmed black male is the victim. The criteria should be you as the teacher selecting a case (or 2 cases depending on the size of your class) that the students can read about. It should have enough information for the students to get a clear understanding of what occurred. Place students in 3 Groups. Group 1 will look at the incident from the victim’s family. Group 2 will look at the incident from the police officer (and the police department’s) perspective. Group 3 will act as the Police Commission Board. Students will act out the hearing as if it were an arbitration with the family presenting their side and then the police officer. The Police Commission Board will ask questions of both parties (have these students work as a group to come up with questions they will ask the victim’s family and the police officer). The Police Commission Board will come to a conclusion as to the officer being held accountable or not for the incident. The Board should also offer suggestions to both the victim’s family and the police officer and the police department. [Added to this assignment is having the students either videotape the hearing proceedings and share it with the class, or have the students act out the hearing live in the classroom. At the end of the presentation (video or in class), have a questions and answer session for the entire class to discuss and share their opinions.]. Have students to critically think about positive ways to work together with the police. I do not suggest you act out a crime scene that involves a police incident. You are only having a hearing on what occurred. Help the students to think about all aspects of the parties involved in the hearing.
Activity No. 5 - Guest Speaker: Invite a police officer or district attorney to your classroom. Have either professional explain their careers to the students. If it is a patrol officer, have the officer explain how his or her work shift is arranged (meaning from arrival to the end of the work shift what happens). Have the guest include how they interact with diverse communities. They can also discuss the types of training they have had for interacting with diverse communities. I suggest you collect questions from the students prior to the guest speaker(s) arrival or have the students write down questions and give them to you so that you can approve the questions. You as the teacher should read the approved questions to the guest speaker(s).
Comments: