Lesson:  Prioritizing Land Use                                      # of Days: 2

Course: U.S. History

Standards:  I. US. History O. Contemporary United States, 1970-present. The student will understand the evolution of foreign and domestic policy in the last three decades of the 20^th Century and the beginning of the 21^st Century.

Content:

Students will learn about a current land use conflict between indigenous peoples and a business and its clients.

Students will explore the concept of “sacred space”, the rights of individuals, and the rights of corporations.

Habits of Thinking:

This lesson requires the students to journal, take notes from a film, work in small groups, and discuss.  It requires students to see more than one side of an issue.

Guiding Questions:

            What does the word “sacred” mean?

            What competing interests exist in this conflict?

            Who should the law protect?  Why?

Assessment:

            Journal

            Worksheet

            Essay question on unit exam

Lesson Sequence:

Day 1:

Warm Up:

Have the students journal on the following questions:  What does the word “sacred” mean?  Give examples of some things that you consider sacred. 

Have a brief discussion.  Have 3-4 students share their list.  Then choose one to do the following analysis.  What if someone wanted to use that in a totally legitimate way, but in a way that felt offensive? Discuss “competing interests” and compromise.  Is it possible to make a compromise?

Show one 30 minute segment of the film “In the Light of Reverence”, which can be rented or purchased online.  Have the students complete the worksheet as they watch.

Day 2:

Warm Up:

Have the desks ready with assigned groups as the students enter.

Have 2-3 students briefly share what they thought of the film from yesterday.

Give each group two role play cards (see the roles below) and have each student write answers for each card to the following questions (make a worksheet or put them on the board):

1. How does this person/role feel about the issue?

2. Give three examples of the strongest arguments made by this person/role in the film.

3. Summarize their position.  Why do they think they are right? 

Business Owner

Indigenous person

Customer

Local

Role Play:  Choose one person from each group to join the role play.  Choose roughly equal numbers from both columns above so everyone is represented.  Go through the role play once, asking each person how they feel about the land use issue and why they think they are right.  Switch people, this time picking people from the other column.  Do it again to see if any new issues arise.

Reflection / Debriefing / Sharing

Wrap up by asking the class if there is a suitable compromise to this complex conflict.  Discuss the complexity of issues where the values of different cultures conflict.

Materials:

Film:  “In the Light of Reverence.”

Worksheet