Introduction
Today, your goal is to research different groups of people from around the world who fall into one of the three "power categories" we discussed today in class. You should be looking for people who: a) have power and use it to make positive or negaitve change in the word, b) are powerless due to circumstance or prejudice or c) are from a traditionally powerless group, but are taking unprecidented steps to regain their power.
You should explore the links in this webquest and takes notes on which category each example falls under. Then, choose the most interesting topic to research more in-depth. This topic will be the subject of the paragraph and image you will submit on Monday.
Task
Power is everywhere in our world, and it is not always distributed fairly. Througout history, certain groups have held more power than others, due solely to their social, economic, or cultural status. American history is riddled with examples of unjust or unearned power structures. In your history classes you so far, you have probably learned about Columbus "discovering" America in the 1600's and massacring almost 90% of the indiginous population, or the oppression of slaves by white landowners up to the late 1800's, or even the subjugation of women in America, and around the world. In this class, we have read several texts that present us with other examples of unjust power structures. In Flowers For Algernon, Charlie is powerless due to his disability and, as a result, is taken advantage of by his power-hungry doctors. In The Black Cat, the narrator's power is represented by the fact that his voice is the only one that is heard. He is also able to get away with abusing his wife, due to the incredible lack of rights or safegaurds afforded to women at that time. In the Landlady, the landlady herself is able to overcome her powerless role as an older, single woman in a male-centered world, but does so in a violent and negative way. As you research, think about who has the power in each situation, and how some people are able to overcome incredibly obstacles in order to try and change the power structure as it stands.
Process
Click on the following links, and take notes in your venn diagram concerning where each example falls on the "spectrum of power."
Malala Yousafzai:
http://www.malala.org/#malalas-story
Ebola:
http://www.judicalis.org/withoutism/injustice-in-the-time-of-ebola
Nelson Mandela:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/famouspeople/nelson_mandela/
Unjust Imprisonment / The Innocence Project:
http://www.innocenceproject.org/
Beyonce on Feminism:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/13/showbiz/celebrity-news-gossip/beyonce-fem…
The Holocaust:
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005143
Evaluation
You will be evaluated on your paragraph and choice of image. Your paragraph must include the following requirements:
a) Topic sentence answering the question.
b) Tntroduce the quote (provide context for your quote / describe the situation in your own words).
c) Quote (make sure to embedd the quote. (i.e: he said, "quote" (pg).)
d) Commentary (explain how the quote proves your point).
e) Concluding sentence (sum up the main idea of your paragraph and relate your ideas back to the question).
Make sure to print out or email me a picture of the issue you chose to focus on, or another issue that you think fits well into the power venn diagram.
Conclusion
As we continue reading a variety of different texts this school year, keep this discussion in mind. Make sure to think about who, in each text, has power, and who they are depriving of power. Look for places where power drives people to do terrible things, or where the powerless take action (either good or bad) to regain their power. We will add to our venn diagram throughout the year, and feel free to bring in other articles or pictures which you thick connect to this discussion as well.
Thanks for your hard work, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!