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TeleVisions of Race
Examining the Portrayal of Race on Television
Alison Zimbalist, The New York Times Learning Network
Grades: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Language Arts, Media StudiesOverview of Lesson Plan:In this lesson, students explore the topic of race as it exists in the characters, plots and settings of television shows by participating in class discussions and maintaining media logs to study some of their favorite programs.
Suggested Time Allowance:45 minutes- 1 hourObjectives:
1. Compile short lists of television characters who are white, African-American, Latino, Asian and Native American; assess which races seem more realistically represented and which races seem underrepresented on television.
2. Explore how issues of race affected and impacted the creation of the HBO series "The Corner" by reading and discussing "Who Gets to Tell a Black Story?"
3. Analyze and evaluate issues regarding the presentation of race in the entertainment media by participating in a round-table discussion.
4. Explore how race is played out in the characters, plots and settings of their favorite television shows through maintaining media logs.
Resources / Materials:
-copies of "Who Gets to Tell a Black Story?" (one per student) Activities / Procedures:
NOTE TO TEACHERS: This lesson plan focuses on issues related to race. Because the topic of race is often incendiary, teachers should be particularly mindful in guiding the lesson. Additionally, teachers should be prepared for students coming across extremely derogatory racial terms in the article that may be upsetting or confusing.
1. WARM-UP/DO-NOW: Students respond to the following prompt in their journals, written on the board prior to class: "On a piece of paper in your journal, list five television characters belonging to each of the following races: white, African-American, Latino, Asian and Native American." After a few minutes, ask students to share observations of their lists. For which race or races was it easy to come up with five characters? For which race or races was it difficult to come up with five characters, and why? Do students feel that there is a better and/or more accurate representation of characters of different races on television today than five or ten years ago? Why or why not?
2. As a class, read and discuss "Who Gets to Tell a Black Story?" focusing on the following questions:
3. In round-table discussion format, analyze and evaluate some of the questions below. To keep the discussion flowing in an orderly manner, you may want to keep a "stack" of students' names. Students' names can be added to list by raising their hands, and names are added to the bottom of the list to maintain the order in which students volunteer to speak. Students should reference specific quotations from the article to support their ideas. Questions to explore include:
4. WRAP-UP/HOMEWORK: Explain that over the next week (or other period of time that you determine), each student will fill in a log to explore how race is presented in three to five television shows that he or she views. (Logs might be simple charts that list the date, the show viewed, the group or groups presented, and observations about their portrayal; teachers may add to these categories based on what emerged in the round-table discussion.) After students have logged their television experiences, students should bring their logs to class and discuss their findings. What patterns did they see? Compare student log responses for the same television show; why did students agree and/or disagree with each other? What conclusions can students draw from this informal research?Further Questions for Discussion:
--Do you believe that to get an accurate historical account about events involving a minority group, one must get that account from a member of that group? Why or why not?
--What role does the entertainment media play in relaying perspectives about different kinds of people?
--What are some stereotypes that you think often appear on television, in movies and in other forms of entertainment media? Are all of these stereotypes negative? Are all stereotypes harmful?
--How has television changed in regard to its portrayal of members of minority groups?Evaluation / Assessment:
Students will be evaluated based on initial journal responses, participation in class discussions, and thoughtful media logs documenting race as presented on television.sVocabulary:
collaboration, intractable, empathy, utopian, despot, hypocrisy, inextricably, gregarious, omnipresent, indignant, permeate, chasm, disillusioned, nepotism, inertia, indigenous, subversive, exploitation, eradicated, vehemence, resignation, discomfiting, marginalization, saturated, uncompromised, resonate, cadencesExtension Activities:
1. Choose one of the shows that you analyzed in your "TeleVisions of Race" media log. Research who writes the show and write a letter to this person or team, sharing your log reflections and offering suggestions.
2. Use a "TeleVisions of Race" media log sheet (http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/000612monday_ws.html) to examine a television show produced prior to the 1990's that presents situations in which people of different races interact (such as "The Jefferson's," "Archie Bunker" and "I Love Lucy"). How might the show you chose to analyze reflect different social views of that era? How do you think the show would fare today, and why? You might explore these same issues as they exist in film.
3. Survey parents and other adults about how portrayals of minority characters in the entertainment media have changed in their lifetimes. Do they feel that the media has progressed with the times, or do they feel that present portrayals are more stereotypical? What characters made an impact on their perceptions of different ethnic and racial groups? Conduct a similar survey for students who are your age or younger.
4. Watch an episode of "The Corner" and write a review of the program. (NOTE: This assignment is most appropriate for older students, given its graphic depictions of adult situations and language).
5. Investigate the stereotypes that exist for people of different races and ethnicities. What qualifies a "stereotype"? How are stereotypes developed and transmitted? (You may want to research the histories of some specific stereotypes). Why do people stereotype others? Are there stereotypes that you would argue are true, and why? Are there stereotypes that you would argue are false, and why do such inaccuracies exist?Interdisciplinary Connections:
Civics- Examine the history of regulations on the entertainment media regarding what material they can and cannot show. Examine how these regulations came to be adopted.
Fine Arts- Explore how people of different races have been portrayed through art over time, and examine how these portrayals coincide with social views of the eras in which the works were created. For a reference, the 1987 film "Ethnic Notions" explores the antebellum roots of African- American stereotypes such as Sambo and Mammy in art and their effects on contemporary racism.
Mathematics- Look through a magazine and identify the people pictured in its advertisements. Create a graph or series of graphs illustrating the percentages of different races, genders and ages represented. Who is included? Who is left out? Why might this be, considering the audience of this magazine? You might conduct a similar study based on the commercials shown during prime time television or on cable channels with very specific audiences, such as MTV or BET.Academic Content Standards:
This lesson plan may be used to address the academic standards listed below. These standards are drawn from Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education: 2nd Edition and have been provided courtesy of the Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning in Aurora, Colorado.In addition, this lesson plan may be used to address the academic standards of a specific state. Links are provided where available from each McREL standard to the Achieve website containing state standards for over 40 states. The state standards are from Achieve's National Standards Clearinghouse and have been provided courtesy of Achieve, Inc. in Cambridge Massachusetts and Washington, DC. Grades 6-8
Language Arts Standard 7- Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies for reading a variety of informational texts. Benchmarks: Knows the defining characteristics of a variety of informational texts; Identifies techniques used to convey viewpoint; Draws conclusions and makes inferences based on explicit and implicit information in texts; Differentiates between fact and opinion in informational texts
(CTSS - 'english', '6-8', '7')
Language Arts Standard 8- Demonstrates competence in speaking and listening as tools for learning. Benchmarks: Plays a variety of roles in group discussions; Asks questions to seek elaboration and clarification of ideas
(CTSS - 'english', '6-8', '8')
Theatre Standard 5- Understands how informal and formal theatre, film, television, and electronic media productions create and communicate meaning. Benchmark: Understands the perceived effectiveness of artistic choices found in dramatic performances
Theatre Standard 6- Understands the context in which theatre, film, television, and electronic media are performed today as well as in the past. Benchmarks: Understands similarities and differences among archetypal characters and situations in dramas from and about various cultures and historical periods; Understands the emotional and social impact of dramatic performances in one's own life, in the community, and in other cultures; Knows ways in which theatre reflects a culture; Knows how culture affects the content and production values of dramatic performances
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