Globalization in Latin America
Summary: This is an cross - curriculum activity to use with Spanish and Social Studies classes about globalization in Latin America.
Globalization in Latin America:The Good, the Bad, the IndifferentJamie Clausen and Amy WestfieldGlobal Studies in EducationEPS 590School-Based Project in InternationalizationMichael PetersFall 2007
Abstract
- The opportunity to collaborate with teachers across the curriculum is neither available nor realistic in most secondary schools for many reasons such as pre-written curricula, departmental cliques, lack of collaboration times, unlike preparatory periods, and the lack of desire among teachers to name a few. As teachers of World Geography and Spanish, we believe that our classes are an easy fit to combine for a lesson on globalization. With the approval and support of our administration, we have created a cross-curricular lesson to introduce the topic of globalization. We have created a hands-on approach for students in place of a traditional lecture-style lesson in hopes that both our Geography and Spanish students will gain a better understanding of the world around them. Our focus is the effects that globalization has in Latin America and on people not just in its countries but others as well, particularly the United States.
Our students will examine and analyze the following issues:
- What is globalization?
- How does this affect countries of Latin America?
- How does this affect you as a member of the United States?
- What do you predict as some of the future results of globalization?
- What are your overall opinions of globalization? Has it been around forever or is it a fairly new idea? Is it a good thing? Or is it a bad thing?
Week 1
- Introduction to the lesson
- Teachers explain to students the lesson at hand and purpose of it.
- Explain why Geography and Spanish classes are combining to create a cross-curricular project.
- Student introductions
- How often we will meet as a combined class: one class period per week
- Classroom expectations: binder, handouts provided in class, etc.
- Benefits/Outcomes of crossing curriculum: students brainstorm
- Rubric (Appendix 1)
- Students brainstorm on own definition of “globalization.”
- Divide both Geography and Spanish students into mixed groups.
- In groups, students will list any perceptions or meanings of the term globalization.
- Each group chooses a group leader to present to the class their ideas.
- Teachers use overhead to list students’ ideas.
- Teachers give broad meaning of “globalization” to class. (Appendix 2 “How The World is Changing.”)
- Together, teachers and students create their own definition of globalization based on their perceptions with guided teacher input.
- Teachers present students with a map of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
- With their group, students choose one country in Central America, South America, or the Caribbean to research.
- No group can use the same country as another group.
- Homework Assignment: What are your impressions of your group’s country?
- What do you think some of their customs are?
- Do you think it is a wealthy country?
- What kind of jobs do you think most people have? Or do they have jobs?
- Who is their leader? How did he/she get elected?
- How has the land been an economical benefit? Or has it been?
- Does tourism affect your country? If so, how?
- What do you think the daily routine of a teenager is like in this country? Any similarities with your routine?
- Do you think your country has a good relationship with the United States?
- Homework: 40 points possible, due next class session
Week 2
- Students break into their groups by country.
- Students will share their homework answers with other group members. The group leader will go through all questions while every member will provide his/her answers.
- Group leader will collect all homework and turn in to teachers.
- Students read handout “Globalization Myths” in groups. (Rethinking Education: Teaching for Justice in an Unjust World)
- Students will compile a list of myths (from the reading) that they believe is a myth or to be true.
- Students will tell why they believe one or the other.
- Teachers will open class to discussion/debate over myths with which students do not agree.
- Groups will choose a topic of research for their country.
- Teachers will provide a list of suggested topics. These may include such topics as child labor, education, media, etc.
- Students may choose topic other than those listed if approved by teachers.
- Homework Assignment: Students begin research of their topic pertaining directly to their country.
- Follow guidelines to handout in order to assist research.
- Bring copies of a minimum of 3 articles to support your research.
- Homework: 30 points possible, due next class session
Week 3
- Globalization Cartoon Analysis
- Students will turn in their three articles from last week. One teacher will check that students completed the assignment and give credit to students while other teacher begins today’s lesson. Articles will be returned to students by the end of the hour.
- Students will forms groups based upon their country. Teacher will distribute one political cartoon to each group. Students are to answer the following questions based upon what they believe the cartoonist political message is.
- What is the event or issue that inspired the cartoon?
- Are there any real people in the cartoon? (ie. Can you identify familiar faces such as George Bush, Oprah Winfrey, etc?)
- Who is being portrayed in the cartoon?
- Are there symbols in the cartoon? If so, what do they represent?
- Does the issue portrayed in the cartoon affect you personally? How?
- What are some solutions to the issue portrayed?
- According to the cartoon, is the cartoonist and advocate or opponent of globalization? Explain.
- Is the cartoon a depiction of an economic, political, environmental, social or geographic effects?
Week 3 - continued
- Groups will pair up with another group, discuss their cartoons and share their findings. Teachers will filter throughout the room adding input and soliciting more in-depth thought. Students will turn in answers at the end of the class hour.
- Homework: Cartoon Articles (Appendix 3)
- Students will find a cartoon or create their own cartoon based upon one of their articles they found last week, keeping in mind their topic of research. (child labor, working conditions, wages, immigration, debt, etc.)
- Students are to write one-two paragraphs summarizing their article. Attached should be the cartoon that they found or created exemplifying the main ideas of the editorial.
- Homework: 40 points possible, due next class session
Week 4
- Whose side are you on?
- Teachers will collect summaries and cartoons from last week.
- Teachers will show video clips on globalization from one or more of the following. Examples may be viewed from a pro-globalization or anti-globalization perspective. Students will be expected to form their own opinion and discuss.
- Mickey Mouse goes to Haiti produced by Crowing Rooster Arts – National Labor Committee (1996) 17 minutes
- Where are the Beans? produced by Mennonite Central Committee (1994) 13 minutes
- Sweating for a T-Shirt produced by Medea Benjamin, Global Exchange. (1999) 24 minutes
- Open discussion. Teachers will lead short discussion of videos. Teachers then solicit student reactions and thoughts of the videos, with the expectation that students have begun to form an opinion of globalization.
Week 4 - continued
- Homework #1: Students will create a globalization t-shirt.
- Students will design a t-shirt based on their attitude of globalization. They should include:
- Words and images to demonstrate their views of their topic(pro/anti)
- Evaluation will be based on creativity, neatness, relevance to research topic, full use of t-shirt (front, back, arms, etc.)
- Students are expected to wear their “homework” to the next class session. Teachers will encourage students to wear their shirts all day to solicit peer reactions and questions.
- Homework #2: Read article “Debt: The New Colonialism.” Students should be prepared to discuss article for next week’s session.
- Homework: 40 points possible, due next class session
Week 5
- Ten Chairs of Inequality
- Teachers will give credit for students who are wearing their “homework” which represents their views of globalization based on their group’s topic of research. Note that some students even within groups may have opposite views of globalization which will make for interesting discussion.
- Students have the opportunity to present their shirts to the class if they choose.
- Teachers lead discussion/reflection of homework article “Debt: The New Colonialism.”
- Teachers will conduct an activity called Ten Chairs of Inequality. (Appendix 4)
- Teachers will ask for student volunteers to serve as rich and poor in the world.
- Teachers will present scenarios in which students discuss how the poor is affected by the rich and vice versa.
- Students will engage in opinionated discussion throughout the lesson
Week 5 – continued
- Homework: Students will then read article “Child sweatshop shame threatens Gap's ethical image.” Write reflection response to Gap’s policies of child labor. This should be no shorter than one paragraph but no longer than one page.
- Homework: 20 points possible, due next class session
Week 6
- Reasearch Time
- Teachers have the computer lab and library reserved for classes today. Students will use the hours to collect data, in addition to articles they have previously collected.
- Students will be responsible for separate sections of the final paper and presentation. For example, all members must respond to questions #1 and #5, while one member is responsible for #2, another for #3, and another for #4. Recall, the questions from the abstract:
- What is globalization?
- How does this affect countries of Latin America?
- How does this affect you as a member of the United States?
- What do you predict as some of the future results of globalization?
- What are your overall opinions of globalization? Has it been around forever or is it a fairly new idea? Is it a good thing? Or is it a bad thing?
Week 6 - continued
- Teachers will also provide students with numerous articles on the globalization for use within their papers and presentations.
- Homework: Students must have 20 note cards written in preparation for their final paper and presentation. Each student will bring 20 bound note cards for their focus of the paper. Note cards must include author, page and/or websites with dates searched.
- Homework: 40 points, due next class session
Week 7
- Wealth Activity Map/Group time
- Teachers will check that students have 20 well-prepared note cards for their topic.
- Teachers will introduce an activity on poverty and wealth world-wide. (Appendix 5)
- Each group will receive a blank copy of a world map with colored chips.
- We will discuss world population and use chips to hypothesize the division of population among the globe.
- Teachers will pose questions to students regarding wealth, jobs, power, resources, and population.
- Students maneuver throughout the room (world) based on their answers.
- Discussion and reflection will follow.
- Homework: Work on final presentations and papers. Students will turn in
- Homework: 10 points possible, due next session
Week 8
- Presentations
- Students will give presentations today.
- After presentations, teachers will remind students of the three theories of globalization presented at the beginning of the project in week #1. Students will respond to the following:
- Directions: In a short response paper, discuss your thoughts on the different theories of globalization. What do you believe about globalization? Is it a new phenomenon or has it been going on throughout history? Explain and support your answer based on information you have learned over the course of these 8 weeks.
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Last edited by Jamie Clausen on Apr 9, 2008 11:57 am GMT-5.