Great Unit with Multiple Lesson Around Theme of Individual versus Society

1. The Individual and
Society Unit
Unit of Study
By
Dean Berry, Ed. D.
Teachers’ Choice Library

2. Have you ever felt like a fish out of water? Explain

3. Research with Credibility
During this unit, you will be expected to use the most reliable search
engine available. Continue to use this search engine this year as you
seek reliable sources of factual information about important issues
and problems. Avoid using google as you’re your primary tool for
research. It does not filter out unreliable information sources!
www.sweetsearch.com is the search
engine you need to use.

4. When an individual participates in
society, there can be a number of
conflicts with self and others.

5. Social media can add many new
ways for us to experience conflict
with other people.

6. Everyday we make decisions that affect others. Most of those
decisions involve our values and morals. Going out of our way to greet
someone or help them with a task directly reflects who we are.
Unless you live on a deserted island, you affect and are affected by
those around you. When we ignore or fail to abide by social norms
and rules, we may be ostracized. Sometimes norms become stronger
and form a value system that we refer to as morals. Immoral behavior
can be legal or illegal.

7. Meet in small groups and make a list of bad
behaviors. Label those that are a violation of
norms(rude or strange behavior) and those that
are horrible enough to be considered immoral.
Label the behaviors that are illegal and immoral.
When a twenty-five year old has an intimate relationship with a
fifteen year old, the behavior is considered immoral and illegal.
However, when a husband has an intimate relationship with
another adult outside of his marriage, it is considered immoral but
not illegal. Extremely bad behavior may be considered immoral if it
violates strong social values.

8. Literature often provides stories that parallel real life. Characters can
be faced with important ethical or moral decisions. Their value
systems can be seriously tested. In the story, “A Job for Valentine”,
several characters must confront decisions that will be viewed by
others as admirable or terrible. The young man in “Thank You
Ma’am” faces a moral dilemma and a powerful woman who forces
him to choose between good and evil. “Raisin in the Sun”
demonstrates how people are often faced with selfishness or paying
attention to the needs of others.

9. Literature: Short Stories
•1. A Job for Valentine P. 226
•2. In The Heart of a Hero P. 242
•3. The Good Samaritan P. 8
•4. Thank You M’am P. 38
•5. A Raisin in the Sun P. 588

10. Conflict with Others
Sometimes individuals come into conflict with others. They may fear other
cultures or feel that they are superior to those cultures that are different from
their own. Over the last hundred years, some Americans have decided that
immigration from other countries was a threat to their own lives. They
developed a feeling that America belonged only to those who were born in
America. Ironically, many of those same people had great grandparents who
were immigrants from various European countries. This socio-political
movement was called “nativism”. Strangely enough, the only native
Americans are actually those who trace ancestry to the original native
Americans who were in America long before European Americans.

11. Our history is replete with examples where our social and political
institutions violated the needs of groups and individuals who were not
in the majority. The idea of nativism fostered dislike for those who
spoke different languages and practiced different cultures. Immigrants
threated the nativists way of life. Anti-immigration laws were passed
and discrimination was rampant. Even women had to fight for
equality. The early years in American history were dominated by white
males who spoke English.

12. Meet in Small Groups
• Why do you think some people are strongly
opposed to immigration?
• How do you think immigration helps our
country?
• Is it beneficial or harmful for country to have
immigrants entering our country?

13. Meet in groups and identify different sub
cultures that attack and dislike different
ethnic groups, religious groups, or groups
with different sexual orientation.
As America matured through the ages and higher
education thrived, American culture became more
accepting of other cultures. Our society developed
values that focused on giving others a helping hand.
Respecting diversity became a major American
norm. However, not all Americans fall in line with
accepted norms. Smaller sub cultures develop and
spawn racism and ethnocentric attitudes.

14. In general, Americans have a unique
capacity for identifying with the plight of the
downtrodden. Empathy for others is a highly
valued trait.
Meet in small groups and discuss the
difference between empathy and sympathy.
Offer some examples of each.

15. Immigration and Its
Impact on Our Society
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, many people
immigrated to the United States and eventually became
citizens. Millions of immigrants from Ireland, Italy, Germany,
and Sweden came to America in search of freedom and jobs.
The railroads that were built across the United States were
mostly built by the hard work of Chinese and Irish labor. The
American culture has always been a “melting pot” of diverse
people from different continents. Ethnic and religious
blending has created the strongest and most innovative
economy that the world has ever seen.

16. Accepting Immigrants
Meet in small groups and create an image that
specifically paints a picture of the United States
without immigrants. Assume that no immigrants
were allowed into America after the Constitution
was signed in 1789.
After creating that image, create an image of the
United States today with its large immigrant
population included.

17. Discuss and answer the
questions on the following slides.

18. Compare immigration around 1910 with immigration
around 2010. From 1841 through 1910 the United
States expand from the East coast all the way to the
west coast. Explain how immigration may have
affected that expansion.

19. Is this claim about immigration supported by the
historical information presented on the graph on the
last slide? Flip back and look again at the graph.

20. Many people in chaotic countries are desperate to
leave the dangers they face in their own countries.
These refugees need a safe country that is willing
to accept them and their families.

21. What is a refugee? Should they be treated
differently than other immigrants? Why?

22. Is this argument misleading? Is there a logic
problem in the phrasing of this argument?

23. Hyperlinked article on Europe’s
Refugees
http://www.express.co.uk/news/w
orld/676804/REVEALED-These-
routes-NOW-used-desperate-
refugees-EU

24. Why are refugees fleeing to various European
countries? What do countries have to do in order
to have a successful refugee program?

25. What point is the author of this illustration making?
What historical information is being referred to?

26. Explain what this author is suggesting. Cite
specifics from the statement to support
your points.

27. What is implied but not said
directly in this statement?

28. Can this young lady make this
assertion? Do you agree? Why?

29. Reading Assignment
Latino Immigration in America
https://www.americanprogress.org/issue
s/race/reports/2012/08/08/11984/the-
state-of-latinos-in-the-united-states/

30. Our current president and his administration is proposing a new
approach to legal immigration. The proposed bill is labeled the
RAISE ACT. One thing the bill proposes is to cut legal
immigration in half during the next ten years. What could be
the positive and negative consequences of such a
drastic reduction in legal immigration?

31. Reading Assignment
Hyperlinked article about “Raise”
immigration proposal.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-
us-canada-40814625

32. Do you think that most immigrants in U. S. history were
proficient in English before they were admitted to our
country? Use www.sweetsearch.com and research this
question. Meet in small groups as you research and
discuss this question.

33. The RAISE ACT proposal would require all legal immigrants to be
proficient in English before being allowed to enter our country. What
might be the consequences of this approach to legal
immigration? Is this a significant change from the past?

34. If I Can Dream
Elvis Presley
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhUDyBwJhto
• With lyrics
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVThJoMzHwQ
• Lyrics larger on screen with song

35. This graph projects how immigration is
expected to change under the RAISE ACT.
Explain what the graph says.

36. Would you endorse or change the
RAISE Act proposal? Explain.

37. Some people suggest that the RAISE ACT would result in most
immigrants coming from countries with populations that are primarily
white rather than people of color since English as a second language is
taught more frequently in those countries. Does this claim seem
logical? Why? Why not?

38. Reading Assignment
Hyperlinked articles about Nazi
racism and aryan superiority.
https://www.ushmm.org/outreach/e
n/article.php?ModuleId=10007679

39. Meet in groups and discuss Hitler’s
racial superiority policy.

40. Read About the History of
Immigration to the United States
http://www.history.com/topics/u-s-immigration-
before-1965

41. Writing Assignment
Write a one page typed paper describing
immigration through U. S. history. Briefly
review early immigration in the 1800’s and
1900’s. Include a brief discussion of current
U. S. policy on immigration. Cite specific facts
from the textbook and the article on the
previous slide to support your claims.

42. Personal Stories of Immigrants
https://myimmigrationstory.com/

43. Write a One Page Narrative
Use your reading of several narratives about
immigrant experiences to create your own
made up story about the life of an immigrant
family. Create several characters and realistic
events that occurred during their immigrant
experience. Include he feelings of different
family members as they make their journey
through life. Your narrative should be written
with a first person narrator telling the story.

44. Empathy as a Necessary
Component of Our society.
Understanding and caring about others is a basic human instinct. However,
this human trait is expressed far more in some people than it is in others.
Some people go out of their way to help others. Special emergencies and
catastrophes tend to illicit more empathy from people than everyday
events. Although, there are many people who are quick to help an individual
in need.
Meet in small groups and list as many
examples of empathy as you can.

45. PowerPoint
View the PowerPoint, “The Role of
Empathy in Problem Solving”. This
is available on slideshare.com or
YouTube by typing the title above or
dean r berry.

46. Discuss and answer the
questions on the following slides.

47. Do you agree or disagree with
the Dalai Lama? Why?

48. What point is the author making?

49. Listen, Discuss, and Write
• Use the hyperlink on the next page to access “Ode to Billy Joe”.
• Listen carefully to the lyrics. You will also read the lyrics on the
following pages. After discussing the author’s meaning, be prepared
to complete a quick write about the message in the story as it is told
in the song. Is empathy or lack of empathy apparent in the story?
How do you know?

50. “Ode to Billy Joe”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv33eay
gVDQ
• It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day
• I was out choppin' cotton and my brother was balin' hay
• And at dinner time we stopped and we walked back to the house to eat
• And mama hollered at the back door "y'all remember to wipe your feet"
• And then she said she got some news this mornin' from Choctaw Ridge
• Today Billie Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge
• Papa said to mama as he passed around the blackeyed peas

51. • Well, Billie Joe never had a lick of sense, pass the biscuits, please"
• "There's five more acres in the lower forty I've got to plow"
• Mama said it was shame about Billie Joe, anyhow
• Seems like nothin' ever comes to no good up on Choctaw Ridge
• And now Billie Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge
• And brother said he recollected when he and Tom and Billie Joe

52. • Put a frog down my back at the Carroll County picture show
• And wasn't I talkin' to him after church last Sunday night?
• "I'll have another piece of apple pie, you know it just don't seem
right"
• "I saw him at the sawmill yesterday on Choctaw Ridge"
• "And now you tell me Billie Joe's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge"
• Mama said to me "Child, what's happened to your appetite?"
• "I've been cookin' all morning and you haven't touched a single bite"
• "That nice young preacher, Brother Taylor, dropped by today"
• "Said he'd be pleased to have dinner on Sunday, oh, by the way"

53. • "He said he saw a girl that looked a lot like you up on Choctaw Ridge"
• "And she and Billie Joe was throwing somethin' off the Tallahatchie
Bridge"
• A year has come 'n' gone since we heard the news 'bout Billie Joe
• Brother married Becky Thompson, they bought a store in Tupelo
• There was a virus going 'round, papa caught it and he died last Spring
• And now mama doesn't seem to want to do much of anything
• And me, I spend a lot of time pickin' flowers up on Choctaw Ridge
• And drop them into the muddy water off the Tallahatchie Bridge

54. Meet in small groups and discuss what parents can
do to raise children who will care about others.

56. Listen, Discuss, and Write
• Access the song “Delta Dawn” using the hyperlink on the next page.
Listen carefully to the lyrics. How does the author use symbols to
convey the meaning in the story? Does hearing this song evoke
empathy? Why?
• After listening to “Delta Dawn” write a paragraph about how the song
is created to evoke empathy in the listener.

57. Delta Dawn
Tanya Tucker
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9MM
K4YAwrs
•Song and Lyrics

58. Meet in Small Groups and Discuss
• Make a list of as many people in history as
you can think of who have a major impact on
making things better for others.
• If your group is having trouble with this task,
open your tablet and google it.

59. How is this family demonstrating that it cares
about others?

60. What message is the illustrator
sending to viewers? Be very specific
with your answers.

61. Read this story and discuss how
the main character developed
empathy for others.
“The Good Samaritan”

62. What message do you think the photographer
is sending with this photograph?

63. Explain what Reverend Jackson means
using your own words. Can you give an
example of how this should work?

64. The Struggle for Morality
and Ethics in Our Society
As a member of society, each individual must make
daily decisions that are consistent with his/her core
values. The social order around us evaluates our
actions as ethical or unethical. Our behavior is
considered unethical if it violates our culture’s view of
what is right and what is wrong. Some unethical
behavior is actually illegal and can send people to jail.
We also label behaviors and actions as moral or
immoral based on society’s rules and expectations.
Some immoral behavior is illegal.

65. Prepare to Read and Summarize
Read the following slide and
prepare to discuss and
summarize what is said.

67. Write a Summary
Return to the last slide and take
notes on the main points. Use
those notes and write a summary
of the slide’s key information.

68. Meet in small groups and use the
clues in this chart to identify a
variety of sub cultures in our society
that have unique norms and values.

69. According to this statement, how
does an immoral person behave?

70. Are all behaviors and actions clearly right or
wrong? Are there extenuating
circumstances or different interpretations of
an action that might change our view of
morality? Can you think of any examples?
Does abuse or catastrophe change what
might be right or wrong?

71. What kind of right or wrong
decisions are difficult for people?

72. Meet in Small Groups
Determining morality and what is right or wrong may
include some grey areas that rely on circumstances or
severity of the action. For example, a woman is abused
daily by her mate and during a physical altercation kills
him. A child tells a lie to protect a sibling or parent. A
family is experiencing malnutrition and starvation so mom
steals food from a local farm. Discuss these moral issues.
Identify several more moral issues that may have grey
areas between right and wrong.

73. Meet in small groups and share your personal stories
when you had to choose between right and wrong.

74. Writing assignment
Write a personal narrative about a time in your
life when you had to struggle between right or
wrong. Include how the situation unfolded, others
who may have influenced your dilemma, and your
feelings as you went through your difficult
decision making process.

75. Lying to someone is usually considered immoral.
However, stealing from someone is a violation of the law.
Morals are passed down from one generation to another.

76. Read the story “Thank You Ma’am” and answer
the following questions.
Cite specific examples from the story that demonstrate
the idea of empathy. Do you think that empathy will have
an impact on the young man in the story? Provide a
supporting argument for your view.
Did this story provide any examples of morality and
values? Cite phrases or examples to support your view.

77. Listen, Discuss, and Write
Use the hyperlink on the following page to access the song
“Spirit of a Boy”. Discuss how the main character evolves as
he gets older. How is empathy an important attitude in this
story?
After listening to the song, write a one paragraph response to
this question.

78. “Spirit of a Boy”
Randy Tavis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf_AIK9e6Hc
Song and video clips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--zUvCfgOyU
Song and Lyrics

79. Our most tightly held values tend to be closely connected to our morals.
Meet in groups and share your most important values that help
you determine right from wrong. Each groups needs to identify six
values that determine what is right or wrong.

80. Characters in literature often have to struggle when
making moral decisions. Meet in groups and help
each other review the literature textbook for a story that
uses a character who faces internal conflict over
a moral or ethical decision.

81. According to this graphic, what are the
building blocks of ethical behavior?

82. Different groups often subscribe to different norms
about when, where, and how kissing should occur.
In fact, kissing your cousin or the same sex person
is treated differently by different groups.

83. Meet in small groups and discuss the
different view points about who to kiss and
how and where kissing should occur.

84. Listen, Discuss, and Write
Use the hyperlink on the following page to access the song
“Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town”. Discuss how the main
character evokes empathy. Why is empathy an important
feeling in this story? Explain
After listening to the song, write a one paragraph response to
this question.

85. Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town
Kenny Rogers
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMMqhAzOPV0
• Beautiful Video and song
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJMoPDUP_24
• Song and Lyrics

86. Use some of these words as you
write about who and how to kiss.

87. Quick Write
To kiss or not to kiss, that is the question. Write a couple of
paragraphs about who to kiss, where to
kiss, and how to kiss.
Norms about kissing will vary between
people. Use several of the words in the
prior slide as you write.

88. Creativity versus Conformity in Our Society

89. Are you a follower or a leader? Give some examples
of how you can become a leader or a follower.

90. Meet in Small Groups
List three examples of when conformity is a
good idea.
List three examples of when conformity is
probably a bad idea.

91. Read the “The Fashion Show”
.
How does the main character resist
conforming to group expectations?

92. Quick Write
After reading “The Fashion Show”, write a
paragraph or two discussing how the main
character expressed her own individuality. How
did the issue of conformity play out in this story?
What kind of pressure was exerted on the main
character to conform to tradition?

93. Have you ever felt tied down by rules and norms that
you would like to break? Meet in groups and
share your personal narrative about this.

94. Do you agree with this statement?
Why or why not?

95. Have you ever thought that others were talking
about you because you weren’t willing to go along
with the group? Explain and give an example.

96. Have you ever felt that you were going against the flow?
Or that the modern world has chained you down? Some
people get very frustrated trying to conform with the
expectations and requirements of society.

97. Literary characters often portray people with
inner struggles and conflict with others.

98. Meet in small groups and identify examples of conflict
between man and society. What might individuals want
to do that may require that they fight against social
expectations and institutions?

99. The Individual and Family in America

100. What constitutes a family in America Today?

101. How has the idea of family changed
over the years?

102. What is your family like?

103. How has the role of women in our society
changed over the years?

104. Listen, Discuss, and Write
• Access the song “Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves” using the hyperlink
on the next page. Listen carefully to the lyrics. How does the author
use the story to convey the plight of women in the story?
• After listening to the song write a paragraph about how the lyrics
portray the role of some women in the past. Has this view of women
been changing? Explain.

105. Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves
Cher
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_Dec9Tu3BU
Similar video clips and song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLTETaWswCY
Historic Pictures and song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnlxKY8d_JE
Lyrics and song

106. What does this graph say about how
families have changed?

107. Child Rearing
What do you think are the best ideas
for raising children?
Listen to the following songs. Write a one page
essay explaining how each song considers child
rearing. Give examples from the lyrics of each
song to make your points about the importance
of children in the lives of parents.

108. Teach Your Children Well
Crosby, Stills, and Nash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyU0P6iqyw4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztVaqZajq-I

109. Cats in the Cradle
Cat Stevens
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54gNizQj3HY
•
• Harry Chapin
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJPDr56_5l0
• Cat Stevens

110. Tear Drops in Heaven
Eric Clapton
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqYdzCenWMg
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gbDPJTPYNs
• The story of Connor Clapton

111. Social Exclusion: Those Who Do Not Fit In
Use the Links on the following pages to listen to
the lyrics expressed by the composers. Write a
two page essay explaining how each song deals
with social exclusion or fantasy to escape
uncomfortable or painful events or situations.

112. Seventeen
Janis Ian
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAMdL9T47Y0

113. Angie Baby
Helen Reddy
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHDZ6yNf1CE

114. Richard Cory
Simon and Garfunkel
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnJeMnzJOcw&list=RDBnJeMnzJ
Ocw Lyrics

115. Kodachrome
Paul Simone
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kVY3EWg8fI