W.E.B. DuBois wrote in The Souls of Black Folk that the problem of the 20th century in America is the problem of the color line. With the Racial Disparities Jigsaw Mini-Unit, Teaching Tolerance takes on that hot-button issue. In this lesson plan, 8-12th grade students meet in small “jigsaw” groups to investigate historical racism and its impact on school segregation, the achievement gap, the income gap, and disparities in our healthcare and criminal justice systems.
The lesson is designed to encourage students to “explore structural aspects of racism” and “connect historical racism with contemporary social problems.” Links to discussion resources are provided.
