Summary of Data from Interest Inventory & Reading Levels

Summary of Data from Interest Inventory & Reading Levels My students are reading on grade level. It is a dual enrollment class so the students are pretty advanced. Some of the students use reading strategies like annotating or asking questions as they read. The interest inventories showed that these 10th graders were interested in social media, clubs, sports, and also just reading in general. This helped refine the text set because they need to be relevant to the students so they have a desire to actually read them. Text Set Reference List Theme/Focus: Bias in Media 8-10 LINGUISTIC TEXTS “What Past Generations Can Teach Us About Our Future” Mike Kubic Reading level: Interest Genre: non-fiction/information level: UG text Summary: This informational text discusses the “generation gap” that appears so prevalently in today’s society. Kubic goes on to talk about how certain ideals and characteristics that apply to the different generations. He talks about how people tend to feel a sense of loyalty to their own generation sometimes. Rationale: This text is important because it addresses the differences in the generations. This is relevant because since some generations tend to stick together and maintain stereotypes of others, it makes it difficult to avoid a biased opinion. People are stereotyped according to their generation, so it is important to be aware of these so these prejudices can be avoided. “Stereotypes Might Make ‘Female’ Hurricanes Deadlier” Bruce Bower Reading level: 7.1 Interest level: UG Genre: News article Summary: This article discusses gender stereotypes and how people subconsciously perceive things as less serious than they may be, just because of a feminine name. Bower discusses how, in some studies, people are less likely to evacuate (or even take a hurricane seriously) if it has a female name. This is due to the qualities that are stereotypically assigned to females and males. Rationale: This article is interesting because it applies stereotypes to non-human objects, in this case a hurricane. The study was not conclusive, but it is still interesting that people may have this view of nature. “Exposure” Mal Peet Reading level: 9.7 Interest level: UG Genre: YA fiction Summary: A book that is a loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello. The protagonist is named “Otello” and is a rising soccer star that gets signed by the best team in the South American country. He deals with racism, resentment, and the media butting into his relationship. The media exaggerates and sensationalizes his relationship with a higher-class and different race female. Rationale: This young adult book would definitely peak the interest of 10th grade students. It includes racism, social class issues, and also soccer, along with media’s influence on someone’s life. It offers two different perspectives: a rich man and a poor man on the streets. It’s a longer book, but the dual enrollment group can handle the content and length. Excerpt from “Pride and Prejudice” Jane Austen Reading level: 9.4 Interest level: MG+ Genre: Classic fiction Summary: The entire book is a story that revolves around classic, timeless issues like class, marriage, manners, and morality. This particular excerpt focuses on Elizabeth’s issues with following the strict guidelines of how a woman is supposed to behave. Rationale: This book is a story that never gets old; it remains relevant to people’s lives. Students may or may not know the story, whether they have read or seen the movie. By analyzing the text and focusing on the issues that are in the book, students can apply these scenarios to problems that are still around today. “Herd Behavior” CommonLit Staff Reading level: 7.4 Interest level: MG+ Genre: informational text Summary: This informational discusses the tendency of human beings to “herd” together, to be part of a crowd. The CommonLit staff discusses how most people tend to just go with the majority. This could account for riots, demonstrations, strikes, or any other large group of people. This also means that these large groups could turn violent if met with an opposing viewpoint. Rationale: This informational text is relevant because it talks about the tendency of humans to just “go with the flow”. Many times people have the mentality that since everyone else is doing it you have to as well. This coincides with high school students in general, especially in the higher grades when they are trying to formulate their own opinions. This is relevant to bias because they have to be able to judge what information is just a group pushing for their own agenda and what information is unbiased and informative. “Anti-Social Networks? We’re Just as Cliquey Online” Laura Sydell Reading level: 9.1 Interest level: UG Genre: Psychology article Summary: This article discusses how people, especially students heavily invested in social media, are not exposed to opposing viewpoints as much as they could be. Due to the “interest” sections on Facebook, your timeline is filled with posts that interest and cater to you. This may not be a good thing because you are so limited. Rationale: This psychology article offers an interesting perspective into social media. The average user cannot help but be biased because they are not exposed to anything to give them a balanced opinion. This is important for students, especially in the 10th grade, because they rely heavily on social media. “The Blind Men and the Elephant” John Godfrey Saxe Reading level: 8.4 Interest level: MG Genre: parable Summary: This parable discusses different perspectives. Each of the men go up to an elephant, but they are all blind. They all encounter different parts of the elephant and even though it’s the same animal, they all think it’s something different. Rationale: Although this is a pretty straightforward, simple parable, it is still interesting for high school students of all different reading levels. It’s an Indian parable so it also addresses a different culture as well. It will make students think about how there are different ways to think and perceive things, even if it seems straightforward and obvious. This can apply to media or social media, especially high school students. They need to think about different ways of viewing some ideas and issues. “A Teen and a Trolley Reveal Society’s Dark Side” Bethany Brookshire Reading level: 4.5 Interest level: MG Genre: news article Summary: This article addresses a study that was done based on a high-stakes scenario. It asks readers to decide whether they would alter a train’s path in order to save one person or possibly five people. The answers differed when the study changed the race, age, and sex of the people involved. Rationale: This study highlights a darker side of a person. It asks the reader to decide how they would react in a situation where they really is no right answer. This seems relevant to high school students because they are dealing with issues that ask them to make tough decisions sometimes. It is relevant to the theme of stereotyping and bias because people’s opinions changed as the identity of the person changed. 3-5 NONLINGUISTIC TEXTS (2-3 audio and/or video) President Obama’s Remarks on Trayvon Martin Barack Obama Genre: speech/address Summary: In this speech, President Obama discusses his view on racism, social profiling, and stereotyping. He also discusses how the media chose to portray this event (and others similar). Rationale: Although this incident happened a few years ago, it is still probably one that the students can recollect. The students in this class are interested in current events, especially ones that deal with race. It would be good for them to listen to it and then read a transcribed version to see if they think differently about the words.

“Introducing Gen Z” Randstad USA Genre: video Summary: This video could be paired with the other article that discusses the Generation Z. It goes into more detail about the differences and perceptions of Generation Z. The video talks about how older generations perceive the younger generation, and whether those stereotypes are right or wrong. Rationale: This video is relevant to this topic because it asks young adults from Generation Z questions that they answer honestly. The producers then ask employers and other adults from different generations the same question. The older generation has a skewed perception of what Generation Z really thinks. This would interest these students because they belong to that generation and they may think similarly to the others. “Anti-Trump Bias in Media Exposed” Alex Jones Genre: video Summary: This video is relatively long, so only a short portioned would be shown in class. It discusses how the media shows a bias against Donald Trump. Rationale: This is relevant because, even though the students cannot vote, they still have heard about the election and the candidates. It is important for them to be informed, especially about something that affects them personally. They may not be able to vote right now, but they definitely will in the next election so it’s important for them to hear that the media does not always tell the exact story.

References

Austen, J. (1995). Pride and Prejudice. New York: Modern Library. Bower, B. (2014). CommonLit | Stereotypes might make 'female' hurricanes ... Retrieved November 3, 2016, from https://www.commonlit.org/texts/stereotypes-might-make female-hurricanes- deadlier/student-pdf

CommonLit Staff. (2014). CommonLit | Herd behavior. Retrieved November 03, 2016, from https://www.commonlit.org/texts/herd-behavior

G. (Director). (2013). Introducing gen z [Video file]. United States. Retrieved November 3, 2016, from https://youtu.be/K1HyDn7dZ1o.

Jones, A. (Writer). (2016, August 13). Anti-Trump Bias in Media Exposed [Television broadcast]. Retrieved November 3, 2016, from https://youtu.be/yS85SHOm3IM

Kubic, M. (2016). CommonLit | What past generations can teach us about our future. Retrieved November 03, 2016, from https://www.commonlit.org/texts/what-past generations-can teach-usabout-our future

Obama, B. (2016, November 3). Transcript: Obama's remarks on race, Trayvon Martin. Address presented at remarks on race and Trayvon Martin in Washington, D.C. Retrieved November 3, 2016, from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/transcript-obamas-remarkson-race-trayvon-martin/

Peet, M., & Shakespeare, W. (2009). Exposure. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Sydell, L. (2011). Anti-social networks? We're just as cliquey online. Retrieved November 3, 2016, from https://www.commonlit.org/texts/anti-social-networks-we-re-just-as-cliquey-online

G. (Director). (2013). Introducing Gen Z [Video file]. United States. Retrieved November 3, 2016, from`https://youtu.be/K1HyDn7dZ1o.