Exploring Identity: The Self & Others
Overview of Units
1
Identity & The Self
In this unit, students will explore the multifaceted concept of identity (self). Through interactive activities, discussions, and reflections, students will gain a deeper understanding of who they are and what are some of the components of their identities (ex: strengths, intelligences, emotions). Students will recognize the evolving and dynamic nature of identity based on context and perceptions of self and others. They will deepen their understanding of their own perspectives, values, beliefs, and mental models.
2
Identity: The Self & Others
In unit 2, students will explore areas of their own and others’ intersectionality that frequently cause tension in social interactions. They will unpack possible factors and draw conclusions about why debate over factors of identity is a media social phenomenon and its root causes alongside study of successful affinity social community groups and their positive impact. They will understand the importance of empathy in discourse, and explore strategies for productive discourse by employing the Socratic Seminar method.
Students will further explore identity and social interaction in media by evaluating subtext in media content. They will reflect on how manipulation of empathy is utilized in persuasive messaging. Students will evaluate pieces of persuasive media and grapple with the subtext and implications.
Finally, students will close out the unit by exploring why empathy is crucial when engaging in challenging conversations, and how the media can harness this power as a call to action. They will evaluate media and come up with a framework for strategies to create their own piece of original media content for the purpose of building positive community, connecting with their audience around an issue, and inspiring participation.
3
Identity & Systems
In this unit, students will build off previous work they have done to situate their identities within their broader contexts, and learn about how their classmates identify themselves, and how their identities are situated in similar or different spaces. Students will begin to discover how their identities have been shaped by different systems around them, and will develop empathy for how their classmates’ identities have been similarly shaped. In groups, students will work together to find commonalities in their identities and/or contexts that can serve as a foundation for collaborative growth and engagement with some of the more difficult aspects of identity. Students will share their lived experiences, and are expected to work to understand each others’ perspectives and put themselves in each others’ shoes. By the end of the unit, students should be able to identify and build visual representations of systems, and their roles within them, and identify actions they can take collaboratively to improve these systems and create shared spaces for and with each other.