Topic of Debate: Should Sports Teams Use Names and Mascots



Let’s Debate: Should Sports Teams Use Native American Names and Mascots?

Time: One period, 50 minutes, half period, 25 minutes

Setting: 10th grade classroom with 30 students. One student has a visual impairment, one has a hearing impairment, and another has a learning disability. Students have read up to Chapter 19 of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.

Theory:

1. The foundation of this lesson derives from Jim Burke’s The English Teacher’s Companion. I found that many of his ideas not only explore the text itself, but also allows the students to create comparisons with the outside world; this will help them better synthesize and understand the meaningfulness of the material. Burke explains that “the world you are preparing to enter demands that you think globally regardless of your field” (11). This means that no matter what occupation or position the teacher is in, she must think globally or think about the big picture. This includes examining a subject—a person, idea, event, or culture—from a global perspective (11). By analyzing stereotypical mascots from different perspectives, we are taking an issue that may seem small and enlarging it to see the big picture so students can think outside their own worlds. Students have read up until Chapter 19 of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. They have just read about the intense basketball tryout where Junior faced a lot of animosity toward his participation on an all-white team instead of staying on the reservation. Even his best friend, Rowdy, was ruthless. Here, we see Junior’s tension building up as he encounters troubles with the conflicting cultures and skills—and he’s in the middle. The teacher will use students’ knowledge of the book and Junior’s issues in addition to the webquest outcomes they have concluded the previous day in order to conduct the lesson. Students will participate in a debate that includes a topic that is culturally-relevant to their lives and that they have previous knowledge of stereotypes of Native Americans and how the media portrays them to support either arguments. The teacher will use YouTube videos to show Chief Illiniwek’s “Last Dance” and the debate about the installment of a Native American mascot at a high school. The teacher will also use news articles and cartoons for students to reflect on and build their opinions.

2. Students will use their Writing Notebooks to build their arguments after watching the YouTube clips, reading the news articles, and analyzing the cartoons. In addition, students will need a copy of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.

3. This lesson is linked to the previous lesson because the students just explored the stereotypes of Native Americans and the media’s portrayal of them in the webquest. Now, students will be able to link stereotyping to their personal everyday lives by investigating and analyzing sport mascots. This lesson is linked to the lessons that will follow because the upcoming activities allow students to explore issues from different perspectives to develop their own identities and voices.

Objectives

1. By closely analyzing an array of media, including texts, cartoons, and a brief film clip, students will question the consequences of using Native American logos and mascots in educational and sports arenas.

2. Students will be able to develop arguments and conduct respectful debates by reading a variety of texts and analyzing both sides of the issue, filling out the debate worksheets before participating in the debate.

Materials

• The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

• Writing Notebooks

• Pen/Pencil

• “NCAA Take an Aim at Indian Mascots” handout

• Internet access & YouTube capabilities

• Handout for organizing argument to bring to class to use during the debate

Preparation

The teacher will have the YouTube videos uploaded and ready to play before class begins. In addition, she will have extra paper and pencils on the front table so that students who forgot their notebooks do not have to interrupt their classmates to borrow a pencil or paper. The teacher will also have the handout on the front table to easily pass out later on.

Procedure

Day One – Half period

*Because students have just presented their webquest assignments and illustrations and he class has talked about Native American stereotypes in the first half of the class, this part of the lesson will start at the second half of that class (Day Three of Week 2 of the unit).

1. Before class. The teacher has fully uploaded the YouTube video and has laid all materials needed at the front of the table.

2. 7 min. After the discussion from the webquest has been conducted, the teacher will introduce the YouTube video of Chief Illiniwek’s Last Dance:

a. Obviously, racism is wrong in so many ways. However, there is underlying racism that people continue to support including in sport mascots. There are huge debates throughout the country because everywhere from sport teams, to colleges, to high schools and grade schools have a caricature of a Native American Indian as their mascot.

b. Introduce and show YouTube clip of the Last Dance. Tell students to write down their feelings, reactions, and observations to the video. Remind the class to pay close attention to not only how the Chief dances but how the audience reacts because it his final show.

3. 2 min. Introduce the next YouTube clip. There are real people—real Native Americans—that are standing up and are angry and offended. Tell students to write down their thoughts, reactions, and observations.

4. 5 min. Ask questions:

a. What’s going on in each of the clips?

b. If the school is honoring the Chief, why do we see Native Americans so upset in the other clip?

c. After watching the Chief’s dance, is it representational? Do we even know? Step into someone else’s shoes, are you offended or honored?

d. *Ask questions based on the students’ thoughts and reactions as well

5. 11 min. Then, tell students to pick a side (either for the Native American mascots or against them) and to start filling out the debate argument sheet. Tell them that they have to finish the sheet for tomorrow and to come prepared to debate in class. Handout the article for homework and tell them that this will help them fill in their charts. Students can bring in other artifacts or materials to reinforce their arguments.

Day Two – Full period

1. Before class. Teacher will write on the board: Today we will be considering stereotypes in relation to the chapter you read previously, “How to Fight Monsters” and the chapter you read for homework “Reindeer Games.” In your writer’s notebook, write about any time you feel you have been stereotyped, or perhaps a time you have stereotyped others. How did you feel?

2. 5 min. Have students write in their Writer’s Notebooks, answering the question. Then, have student’s pair off and share what they have written. After reading what they have to their partner, encourage them to ask each other questions about what they wrote about and why.

3. 3 min. Have the class reconvene as a group and ask students to volunteer to share out what they discussed to the rest of the class.

4. 10 min. Ask students to take out their copy of The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian and turn to page 56, a few pages into the chapter “How to Fight Monsters.” Ask for a student to volunteer to read that page starting at “Then the white kids began arriving for school.”

a. Ask the class why Junior thinks Reardan is racist, highlighting the line, “So what was I doing in racist Reardan…” (56) to trigger discussion of his comment on the Indian mascot. Why is Junior offended? Should he be?

b. Read from “Reindeer Games” starting on page 140 “If he stayed in front of me…” and end on 143, “Coach sure loved those military metaphors.”

i. Point out the statement, “I was a warrior!” Junior had said and look at the cartoon he drew on page 143.

1. Why does Junior use the “warrior” reference to himself? Do he reinforce the stereotype used in school mascots? Does Junior want to be known as the stereotypical Native American who is a warrior? Does Sherman Alexie write this on purpose as a pun?

2. Junior is happy that he’s a hero. However, what does the cartoon draws say about him? Did he draw it as a white person seeing him as a “savage” Indian warrior?

5. 20 min. Introduce the debate. Reiterate your rules that everyone has to respect each other’s opinions and that we have to consider other people’s feelings when voicing our own opinions. Tolerate no racial slurs or put-downs. Have students that are support the Native American mascots on one side of the room with the students who oppose the mascots on the other.

a. Ask each side to pick a person to state their viewpoints and discuss why they think this way.

b. Each side will make one argument with the other side having the opportunity for rebuttal.

c. If the debate gets too heated or students are being disrespectful, remind them of the rules and intervene immediately.

6. 10 min. Pull up the cartoons from the Internet to promote further discussion. Ask:

a. What do the images represent? Why do you think there is so much dispute over sport mascots? What have you learned from the debate, from the images, and from the article? What does it all say about American society as a whole and how we stereotype in general? Do the images shape Native Americans’ identity? If so, in what way?

7. 2 min. Remind students of the chapters for homework.

Discussion Ideas

• How does American society stereotype not just Native Americans but minorities in general? (Minorities meaning Hispanics, African Americans, etc and women and people with disabilities)

• What causes the stereotyping?

• Where do you see stereotyping?

• What language do we use that puts down other cultures or minorities? Do we use any?

• What can we do, if anything, to reverse the stereotyping in the media and in daily life?

Bilingual/ESL and Englishes Accommodations

Spanish: Students will be allowed to use an electronic translator or Spanish/English dictionary to look up words or phrases they do not understand. However, the teacher will encourage students to use English, allotting them extra time to write in their journals. In addition, she will encourage students to use the debate organizer to help them write out their thoughts to support their arguments. She will also encourage students to write in complete sentences so they can practice writing.

African American English: The teacher will encourage students to use the graphic organizers in order to practice Standard English and write out their opinions. Because this is a debate, they will not necessarily have to speak in Standard English, but they should write down their arguments and provide specific evidence to support their claims.

Special Education Accommodations

Specific Learning Disabilities means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations, including such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage. [105 ILCS 5/14-1.03(a)] ()

For students with learning disabilities, it may be hard to analyze Junior’s drawing. That’s why the teacher put the class up for debate. In addition, the students could try to pull other sources that would support their arguments that can be materials that they understand better.

Hearing Impairment means an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance but that is not included under the definition of deafness.

For the student with the hearing impairment, the teacher needs to make sure she constantly speaks loudly/audibly at all times. In addition, the audio on the YouTube videos must be clear. Unfortunately, one of the clips is not as clear as it could be. Move the student to the computer at the teacher’s desk so she could see and hear the audio better.

Visual Impairment means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness.

For the student with the visual impairment, he might have difficulty reading the reactions of the audience on the Last Dance clip as well as seeing the dance. Have the student either move closer to the screen or sit at the teacher’s desk to see better. Turn off all lights so that the student can focus on the screen. However, because the audio on the second clip is loud and important to the overall lesson, the student will be able to come to conclusions about the argument at hand.

Assessment

This is more of an informal assessment. Students will be graded on completing the in-class writing assignments, but not necessarily the specifics such as spelling, grammar, etc. However, the opinion organizer will count towards participation. In addition, if a student does not speak as much in the debate as he/she could have, he/she can gain points by completing the organizer and having thorough arguments with support. During the debate, students will be graded on participation and quality of argument. However, if a student is rude, uses racial slurs or other offensive language, he/she automatically receives a zero.

Extension Ideas

• Students could write a persuasive paper discussing their argument

• Students could find other examples of racial profiling and bring them to class.

• The class could write a letter to NCAA, disputing or supporting their changes to college basketball.

• The class could interview college students and/or college sports fan or professional sports fans and the community in general and write an article stating what the community believes and what changes, if any, should be made based on their opinions.

Source of Activity

I would like to thank Jaclyn Ippolito, an English Methods teacher in New York, for giving me the idea about having a debate over mascots. Many students in high school know of siblings, friends, or relatives that attend or have attended colleges with Indian mascots. In addition, many high school students are interested in sports and this issue brings to light a topic that a person may not see as being a racial issue. I would also like to thank Jim Burke and Dr. Dressman for encouraging me to use sources and materials that relate to the students. I would like to thank YouTube (although I wish the creators would branch off and make a stem that would be classroom-friendly) for providing so many clips and resources. Finally, I would like to thank for helping create the perfect rubric.

Resources and References

Burke, Jim. The English Teacher’s Companion: A Complete Guide to Classroom, Curriculum, and the Profession. 3 Ed. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2008.

“Chief Illiniwek – Last Dance – ESPN”

Illinois State Board of Education: Illinois Learning Standards. 2009. Illinois State Board of Education. 23 September 2010.

Illinois State Board of Education: Special Education Categories. 2009. Illinois State Board of Education. 23 September 2010.

“NCAA Take an Aim at Indian Mascots”



.

Illinois State English Language Arts Goals:

STATE GOAL 1: Read with understanding and fluency.

1.C.4e Analyze how authors and illustrators use text and art to express and emphasize their ideas (e.g., imagery, multiple points of view).

Students will look at Alexie’s language and Junior’s cartoon to analyze the meaning of stereotyping and compare it to the Native American mascot debate.

STATE GOAL 2: Read and understand literature representative of various societies, eras and ideas.

2.B.4a Critique ideas and impressions generated by oral, visual, written and electronic materials.

Students will analyze an article, video clips, the book, and cartoons to draw conclusions about Native American mascots, their use of it in the media, and how it affects their people.

STATE GOAL 3: Write to communicate for a variety of purposes.

3.B.4a Produce documents that exhibit a range of writing techniques appropriate to purpose and audience, with clarity of focus, logic of organization, appropriate elaboration and support and overall coherence.

Students will document their argument by using the graphic organizer. In addition, they will participate in writing activities that will help them come up with evidence to support their arguments.

STATE GOAL 4: Listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations.

4.A.4b Apply listening skills in practical settings (e.g., classroom note taking, interpersonal conflict situations, giving and receiving directions, evaluating persuasive messages).

Students will take notes while the video clips are rolling and during class discussion, displaying their ability to listen well, multitasking, and following directions.

STATE GOAL 5: Use the language arts to acquire, assess and communicate information.

5.C.4c Prepare for and participate in formal debates.

Students will do many writing activities, participate in class discussions, and fill out the graphic organizer in order to come prepared for the debate.

Reflection

I believe that think there might be too much repetitiveness throughout the lesson. However, I do believe that the video clips will capture their interests. In addition, I am inexperienced with conducting debates so I think it would be wise to ask another teacher’s advice on giving debates and what questions to ask to motivate the students.

Native American Mascot Debate Rubric

Name: _______________________________________

|CATEGORY |4 |3 |2 |1 |

|Understanding of Topic |The team clearly understood |The team clearly undestood |The team seemed to |The team did not show an |

| |the topic in-depth and |the topic in-depth and |understand the main points |adequate understanding of |

| |presented their information |presented their information |of the topic and presented |the topic. |

| |forcefully and convincingly.|with ease. |those with ease. | |

|Information |All information presented in|Most information presented |Most information presented |Information had several |

| |the debate was clear, |in the debate was clear, |in the debate was clear and |inaccuracies OR was usually |

| |accurate and thorough. |accurate and thorough. |accurate, but was not |not clear. |

| | | |usually thorough. | |

|Rebuttal |All counter-arguments were |Most counter-arguments were |Most counter-arguments were |Counter-arguments were not |

| |accurate, relevant and |accurate, relevant, and |accurate and relevant, but |accurate and/or relevant |

| |strong. |strong. |several were weak. | |

|Respect for Other Team |All statements, body |Statements and responses |Most statements and |Statements, responses and/or|

| |language, and responses were|were respectful and used |responses were respectful |body language were |

| |respectful and were in |appropriate language, but |and in appropriate language,|consistently not respectful.|

| |appropriate language. |once or twice body language |but there was one sarcastic | |

| | |was not. |remark. | |

|Participation |The student participated |The student participated |The student participated |The student rarely, if at |

| |whenever possible and always|most of the time and talked |once in awhile and sort of |all, participated. |

| |talked about the topic at |about the topic at hand. |talked about the topic at | |

| |hand. | |hand. | |

TOTAL: _________________ / 20

Debate Graphic Organizer

Name: _______________________________________

Topic:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My Argument: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List Reasons Opposed to Mascots:

1. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. ________________________________________________________________________

List Reasons Supporting Mascots:

1. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. ________________________________________________________________________

My Rebuttals to the Other Argument:

1. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. ________________________________________________________________________

Other Evidence:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Concluding Statement

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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