Relevant Thematic Unit Design Map (A)

Unit Theme / Topic / Problem: Eurocentrism in the Curriculum

Unit Relevance? A cornerstone of the Eurocentric model is the belief of European in e ceptionalism and ho! it has been used to "ustif# imperialistic behavior$ This unit challen%es students to criticall# e amine those theories and understand ho! the# are refuted b# the tenants of contemporar# science$ Essential ,uestions?
-$ *here do human differences arise from? .$ *hat are the %enetic components that ma+e us uni/ue? '$ 0o! have these issues been manipulated in the past to entrench a Eurocentric model of %enetics? )$ 0o! do these past theories still present current ramifications in societ#?

Grade: 9th &uration: '() *ee+s

Culminatin% 1earnin% Action / Product / Assessment?

2*hat !ill students do to present their learnin% and ta+e action?3

Each !ee+ culminates !ith a student %eneratin% some form of !or+ to demonstrate the understandin% of the !ee+4s lesson5 tentativel# planned: *ee+ -5 Genetics: &emonstrate the abilit# to %raph %enes on a pundit s/uare5 calculate allele fre/uenc#5 e plain Phenot#pe v$ Genot#pe *ee+ .5 Earl# 0ominid 0istor#: E plain factors that drove earl# human movement5 describe abiotic factors that contributed to the characteristics of earl# civili6ations *ee+ '5 Race Theor#/Epi%enetics: E plain European e ceptionalism5 eu%enics5 and phrenolo%#5 e plain inconsistencies in these theories5 e plain the nature v$ nurture debate and epi%enetics

Essential Threads? 2Place an 789 for those that appl#3

class2ism3 Culture 8 economics %ender 1abor 8 land / %eo%raph#8 :i%ration 8 ;ppression 8 politics / %ov$ race2ism3 8 resources resistance

;ther Understandin%s <tudents *ill Gain? 1ocal: Current and/or 0istorical Understandin%s Eu%enic theories bein% used to "ustif# se%re%ation in Chica%o Theories of %enetic dominance presented at *orld4s =air Global Connections 2Current / 0istorical3 The ori%ins of the human race >asic understandin%s of %enetics Understandin% the importance of both %enetic and environmental factors the behavior of a biolo%ical or%anism :ain Te ts? 2readin%s5 video5 photos5 art5 music5 etc$3 EAn# hi%h school level biolo%# te tboo+F Race: The Power of Illusion 2=ilm3 Guns, Germs, and Steel 2boo+3 0"ernevas+ 2&ocumentar#3 E*eb resources from GTeacher Resources4 pa%eF

Applicable &isciplines and <pecific <tandards?

Place an 789 for applicable disciplines 2!rite in details3 1an%ua%e Arts :athematics 8 2Pundit </uares5 calculation of %enetic fre/uenc#3 :edia / Tech :usic ?atural <ciences 8 2>iolo%#3 Ps#cholo%# @isual Arts <pecific sub"ect:

<ocial <ciences Theater / &rama

Ae# Competencies 2Common Core5 ACT5 or B1<3 1 B1< <tandards: -.A(C 2Cat$ B3 to explain tests of
evolutionary evidence, o analyzing acceptance of geologic and fossil records, o researching comparative anatomy, embryology, biochemistry and cytology studies of analogous and homologous structures. 1 (Link to 11A-B, 1 B, 1 !, 1"A-B.#5 -.A(C 2Cat$ D3 to explain disease from the organelle-to-population levels, o e$plaining body defenses to infectious disease in various organisms, or

o researching historic and on-going efforts to prevent, cure or treat diseases. (Link to 11A-B, , ".#5 -.>(- 2Cat$ 03 to explore the implications of change and stability in ecosystems, o identifying evolutionary adaptations brought on by environmental changes, or o analyzing factors that influence the size and stability of populations (e.g., temperature, climate, soil conditions, predation, habitat#, or o contrasting energy use by organisms. (Link to %, 1&, 11A-B, 1 ', 1"A-B, 1(, 1%.# 5 -'A(. 2Cat$ D3 Apply scientific habits of mind to current pure and applied research studies in life, environmental, physical, earth, and space sciences, o intervie)ing scientists about ho) they address validity of scientific claims and theories and*or their understanding of scientific habits of mind (including sheer luck# and ho) they have been integral to their o)n research, or o recognizing limitations of investigation methods, sample sets, technologies, or procedures, or o +uestioning sources of information and representation of data, or o recognizing selective or distorted use of data, discrepancies and poor argument, or o distinguishing opinion from supported theory, or o tracing citations from research studies for validity and reliability, or o reporting on peer revie) and ,uried panel revie) in research approval and scientific community acceptance. (Link to 11A-B, 1 A--, 1"B.#

Critical @ocabular# Terms? Genetics5 %ene2s35 allele2s35 eu%enics5 evolution5 scientific method5 fossil record5 phrenolo%#5 phenot#pe5 %enot#pe5 carbon datin%5 determinism5 primar# source document

Primar# Bnstructional Approaches? Bnstructor facilitated5 student centered5 anal#6in% of relevant articles/P<&s5 @ideos !here applicable5 minimal reliance on laborator# e/uipment5 emphasis on theor#

:odifications / &ifferentiation? >asic model can be adapted to fit a variet# of classroom constructions and resource availabilit#$ <pecific lessons plans can be re!or+ed to!ards emphasis on an# preferred area 2%enetics5 earl# histor#5 etc$3

Communit# connection? 2field trips5 spea+ers5 events3 (@isits to the =ield :useum

<cope and <e/uence 2a list of +e# activities / steps to!ards the learnin% pro"ect / action3
<ee folders .c for s+ill support5 .d for instructional support and .e for assessment ideas in the Curriculum Tool+it5 'rd ed$

Introduction: Students engage in an open discussion about what they perceive the answers to the Essential Questions to be. Students also keep journals to log their current understanding of the aterial at hand. !t the end of each week" students co plete a new journal entry to track any changes they ake in how they think. #eek $ %&asic 'enetics(: Students are introduced to the basic concepts of genetics as the echanis of transferring characteristics and how the functions of a biological organis are set into otion fro the instructions of their genes. Students are further instructed in concepts such as phenotype vs. genotype and how" through the total su of ac)uired genes" why so e traits show while others do not. *he week further focuses on the definition of a species as two ani als so closely related that they ay produce naturally reproducing offspring. *he introduction to conte porary issues begins here with the introduction of what defines a species and how genetic aterial can flow freely across the whole of the hu an spectru and that the rigid definitions of race are tentative and rely ainly on social factors than ajor genetic divergences. *he pundit s)uare is introduced as a way to ap out how inheritance works. Standards: $+&$,-at. . #eek + %Early .u an .istory(: Students are taught the basics of descent with odification %evolution( and how organis s adapt over ti e. Students learn the basics of early hu an develop ent such as distant relatives of early ho inid ancestors %i.e." /ucy(" theori0ed ove ents and evolution such as ultiple points of develop ent vs. the 1ut of !frica *heory" and what factors drove early hu an ove ent. Students are also introduced to deter inistic theories of what propelled the activity of early hu an society" what an environ ental influence is" and how the effect of do esticated ani als" and a varied diet had on early hu ans and what those effects are today. Standards: $+!2,-at. I

#eek 3 %4ace *heory and Epigenetics(: Students are given a conte5t of the advances of science in the $6 th century and how the application of easure ents were applied to everything fro production to ti e and even to race. 7hrenology and eugenics are addressed as e5a ples of how science has been rigged in order to achieve a supposed justification for European involve ent in subjugating non,white peoples. Inconsistencies in theories are pointed out and students are introduced to deter inis and the 8nature vs. nurture9 debate and epigenetics as e5planations for the differences occurring between populations" particularly how the ra ifications of past injustices still have current aftershocks. Students also read sections fro 'uns" 'er s" and Steel that highlight the role that environ ental resources have played in developing nations. Students also watch the :ature ;s. :urture episode of the docu entary .jernevask !s a connection to local -hicago history" students watch the second part of the fil 4ace: *he 7ower of Illusion with attention to the portion that discusses the $<63 #orld9s =air in -hicago and the biased theories that were introduced there. Standards: $+!2,-at. >" $3!+,-at. > #eek ? %1pen -ulture 7roject(: Students e5plore the concept of culture and how it is influenced by genetic and environ ental factors and are asked how the culture they are creating ay e power the ne5t generation. Each student is asked to identify a trait they see in the selves and are asked to do so e research into how they think this trait developed" what advantages and disadvantages this trait would have" what are so e of the ways so eone ight use this trait as leverage against the " and what this trait can contribute to the overall good of the co unity. !dditionally" students identify three different peer reviewed sources when researching this project. Students ay present their findings in the ediu they see fit or at the discretion of the teacher.

%ex. I see myself as a leader, this trait developed because it gave early humans the ability for a group to have an immediate goal and a decisive plan, sometimes I do not listen to others as a result of being so headstrong, because of this, some people may attempt to lure me into their own plans with the promise of power, but with careful self-monitoring, I can be an influential member of my community.(

@#here !vailableA If possibleB: Students visit the =ield Cuseu to learn ore about early hu an history and what factors propelled our ancestors to be the people they were. @!t the end of every weekB: >ournaling e5ercises so that the individual student ay track their own private thoughts on atters such as race.