Class Actions: Pre-Screening Activities | Not in Our Town

Class Actions: Pre-Screening Activities

Grade Level: 
Middle School (6-8)
High School (9-12)

Find previews and information about Class Actions at niot.org/ClassActions

Written by: Julie Mann, Newcomers High School teacher, and Joe Lobozzo, Lakewood High School teacher

Journal 1: Your friend is in an empty hallway (no teachers) being verbally attacked by some older, tougher students because of his different style of dress. What would you do? How would you feel? Why? (Pair/share when finished)

Journal 2: Describe a time when you witnessed harassment, bullying or any other injustice and did or did not act?  What risks were involved?
 
Key vocabulary:
 
Bullying
Support
Respect
Tolerance
Diversity
 
Cocktail party: Write the questions below on the board. Have students answer them on an index card. Then ask students to get up and share their answers with different partners. Then share out as a whole class.
 
Cocktail party questions:
  • What does the word discrimination mean to you?
  • Have you ever been bullied? If yes, describe. If no, how do you think it feels?
  • How can you, as a student, help those who are struggling with bullying or discrimination?
  • Do you have someone you talk to when you have a problem? Describe this person and how he/she helps you.

Big Paper Gallery:

This is a silent walk using voices from the film: (put these quotes onto big paper, hang around the room, and have students react silently, in writing, to the quotes).
 
Ole Miss
 
We have had never done anything where we were standing up to something to that magnitude.
Artair Rogers
 
I probably would have waited for people to have a better chance to get to know me, for me to not have my fist major public events to be ones that were associated with controversy. But, our elected student leadership had said, “It’s time now to make this change. It’s time for this to stop.”
 
We were trying to bring encouragement to each other that the pain that was coming into our lives personally, would be of benefit to the University.
 
This is a happier and healthier place because of our students who provided great leadership.
Dr. Daniel W. Jones
 
 
A place so connected with such a history cannot only reconcile with it but change for the better.
Melissa Cole

 

Bloomington, Indiana
 
Somebody comes in the dark of night and breaks out your window, you don’t know what they’re capable of doing. You don’t know what their next step is going to be.
Beverly Calendar-Anderson

An attack on one is an attack on all and it can become trite, though, if you don’t back that up with action.
Mayor Mark Kruzan

Bullying

You can’t work with children on a day to day basis like this and see their fear and not be compelled to do something about it. We emphasize the impact of peer power versus peer pressure.  You have a power and an impact over other students but if you use it positively you can have a tremendous impact on the community.   
Lauri Massari

Allow your mind to be changed and forever understand your power and the impact you have on the lives around you.
Student

See student responses at Julie Mann's classroom blog. 

Average: 

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