An innovative educational program on culture, equity and sustainable communities boosted literacy skills and civic engagement for 300 middle school students in the Ypsilanti Community Schools. The semester-long program, taught in the humanities and language arts classes in the 2013-2014 school year, wove literacy and history into the study of diversity, equity, and community well-being.
Through the course, students conducted research on diversity, equity, and community vitality, all in the context of history and literacy instruction. The program also engaged students in tough conversations about race and discrimination. For example, students investigated race-based land use policies and their role in regional segregation, and examined their own stereotypes and the sources of their beliefs. View an outline of the curriculum.
Pre- and post-test evaluations show up to gains ranging from 20%-95% on key Common Core literacy skills, including interpreting graphs and charts, critical thinking, and supporting claims with evidence. Read the report.
What students saidThis unit broke down racism and helped me understand it more. We learned that it was more than blacks and whites.” – Nyjah H.
“The teachers didn’t dance around the issue [of discrimination]. We saw how it’s affecting people then and how it’s still affecting people now.” – Ashley G.
“I learned that some people have more privilege than others. It affected my point of view on the world. If I see discrimination I’ll try to stop it.” – Lizbette Z.
“Studying these topics helped me use more professional words. I learned a lot of new vocabulary.”