Patel Center For Global Solutions

Patel Center for Global Solutions

Teaching Democracy & Diversity:

A Summer Seminar for Caribbean Teachers

University of South Florida

Lesson Plan

By Francia Urbaez

Cultural diversity in the Dominican Republic

Francia Urbaez

August 03, 2009 Day 1

Cultural Diversity in the Dominican Republic

Concept/Main Idea of Lesson

This lesson highlights the historical and cultural development of the Dominican Republic from pre-Columbian to present day. The lesson will focus on the mixture of three ethnic groups of the Santo Domingo Island; the Indigenous, the Spaniards and the African. The objective of this lesson is to examine the groups of people who inhabited the regions in the past, as well as the people who live there today. In addition, to expand the students’ knowledge with several sources of information about the three cultures that have great significance in the Dominican nation.

Intended Grade Level

5th - 8th Grades (with adjustment for some levels).

Infusion/Subject Area(s)

Dominican Republic--History

Geography

Ethnicity

Instructional Objective

Students will learn about the three ethnic groups that have contributed to the mixture of the Dominican nation of races.

Students will discuss and compare differences between the ethnic groups.

Learning Activities Sequence

a. Set induction/Lesson Initiating Behavior:

Post a map of Santo Domingo Island on a board in front of the class, and open the class by asking a few questions that will get the students thinking about the topic. Ask the students to discuss in groups of five the following questions:

 Which countries are presented on this map?

 Which country is located in the Eastern territory?  Which country is located in the Western territory?

 Who lives on both sides of the island?

 What ethnic groups do they belong to?

After a discussion of the questions, invite one member of each group to express what they discussed. Write the answers on a piece of chart paper and correct the answers if necessary.

b. Learning Activities:

Pass out a handout to each student and explain that they will learn about three groups that have contributed to the ethnic mixture of the island.

Present a PowerPoint presentation using the projector. The PowerPoint covers factual information about the ethnic groups. After the presentation, students will be divided into groups of five. Each member will receive a different excerpt from the handouts on five different aspects relating to the pre-Columbian ethnic groups.

The students will leave their group, to join with the other students who have been given the same handout. This is a jigsaw. In the newly formed groups, students have to read their handout and discuss with the other group members the important concepts. The students have to write a summary of what they read. After all five groups have finished, the students will return to their original groups to report what they read and summarized from their individual handouts.

c. Closure:

At the end of this lesson, the teacher will debrief with the class through discussion as explained on the handout.

Homework: Ask the students to continue reading the information about the pre- Columbian ethnic groups provided on their handouts and bring a picture of themselves to the class.

Evaluation

The discussion summary from each group will be graded.

Materials and Resource

Worksheets

Student’s handouts Maps of Santo Domingo/Haiti

Projector

Computer

Rubric for Lesson

References

Cambeira, Alan. (1997). Quisqueya la Bella: The Dominican Republic in historical and cultural perspective. New York: Armonk, M.E. Sharpe.

Guitar, Lynne. (1996-2009). History of the Dominican Republic. Accessed July 21, 2009, from: http://www.hispaniola.com

Howard John, David. (2001). Coloring the nation: race and ethnicity in the Dominican Republic. England: Lynne Rienner.

Matibag, Eugenio. (2003). Haitian-Dominican counterpoint: Nation, state, and Race on Hispaniola. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Moya Pons, Frank. (1998). The Dominican Republic: a national history. New York: Markus Wiener.

Pincus, Fred L. (2006). Understanding diversity: an introduction to class, race, gender, and sexual orientation. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner.

Ramos, Ruth & Esther. (2005-2009). Dominican Republic History - The Indigenous People of Hispaniola. Accessed July 21, 2009, from: http://www.visiting-the-dominican- republic.com/dominican_republic_history.html

Reséndez, Andrés. (2007). A land so strange: the epic journey of Cabeza de Vaca: the extraordinary tale of a shipwrecked Spaniard who walked across America in the sixteenth century. New York: Basic Books, C RIU Website (2003, January 28). Dominican people. (photograph). Rusty's unofficial RIU. Accessed July 29, 2009, from: http://www.riubambu.com

Patel Center for Global Solutions

Teaching Democracy & Diversity:

A Summer Seminar for Caribbean Teachers

University of South Florida

Lesson Plan

Cultural diversity in the Dominican Republic Francia Urbaez

August 03, 2009

Cultural diversity in the Dominican Republic

Concept/Main Idea of Lesson

This lesson focuses on the ethnic mixture of the island. The lesson examines the groups of people who inhabited the regions in the past, as well as the people who live there today. This lesson includes skills in history and cultures of the Dominican.

Intended Grade Level

5th - 8th Grades (with adjustment for some levels).

Infusion/Subject Area(s)

Dominican Republic--History

Geography

Ethnicity

Instructional Objective

Students will recall and discuss prior knowledge.

Students will understand the composition of the Dominican nation of races.

Students will have an opportunity to reflect on why the Dominican Republic reflects shades of diversity and analyze a quotation which reflects the thoughts of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Students will create a bulletin board highlighting the individual students, and his or her culture and country to promote this cultural diversity. This will allow the students to internalize the information in a personally relevant way. Learning Activities Sequence

a. Set induction/Lesson Initiating Behavior

As a class, students will participate in a KWL activity (handout #1) on the mixture of the pre-Columbian ethnic groups lead by the teacher. On a board in front of the class, write the following questions, while recording all of the students’ answers and ideas. Students are to respond with what they know and want to know about the ethnic groups prompted by some questions by the teacher such as:

Does anyone know some characteristics of the Indigenous?

Does anyone know some characteristics of the Spaniard?

Does anyone know some characteristics of the African?

Students will be asked to place themselves into groups of five for discussing the questions. Then, ask for volunteers to share their opinions with the class.

b. Learning Activities:

Pass out a handout to each student and explain the composition of the Dominican nation of races through pictures in a PowerPoint presentation. After the presentation, build Cultural Understanding. Suggest that the relationships that the pre-Columbian ethnic group had in the past, has contributed to the diversity of the Dominican nation of race. Invite each student to come to the front and explain one thing that they learned about the mixture of the ethnic groups. Post the quotation below on the board and ask the students to express their opinion about it.

"I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

- Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

c. Closure:

At the end of this lesson, students will create a bulletin board. Ask the students to draw and color their country flag on a piece of paper and write down a short story about their own culture and country. Then invite them to place the picture they brought and their country flag on the large bulletin board in a central location in the hallway for all students to read, and learn, about their classmates’ different cultures. This will allow them to enjoy and celebrate their own unique diversity.

Evaluation Through an essay, students are to reflect on all of the material they have learned from the lessons. They will then answer the question: What can we gain by having a diverse class. Ask them to explain how they feel as they now know what race they belong to. The essays will be graded based on the way that the students support their arguments.

Materials and Resources

Computer

Projector

Power point

Markers/crayon

Students Handouts

Worksheets

Students Pictures

Bolletin board

Rubric for Lesson

References

Cambeira, Alan. (1997). Quisqueya la Bella: The Dominican Republic in historical and cultural perspective. New York: Armonk, M.E. Sharpe.

Dr. Guitar, Lynne. (1996-2009). History of the Dominican Republic. Accessed July 21, 2009, from: http://www. hispaniola.com

Howard John, David. (2001). Coloring the nation: race and ethnicity in the Dominican Republic. England: Lynne Rienner.

Matibag, Eugenio. (2003). Haitian-Dominican counterpoint: Nation, state, and Race on Hispaniola. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Moya Pons, Frank. (1998). The Dominican Republic: a national history. New York: Markus Wiener.

Pincus, Fred L. (2006). Understanding diversity: an introduction to class, race, gender, and sexual orientation. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner.

Ramos, Ruth & Esther. (2005-2009). Dominican Republic History - The Indigenous People of Hispaniola. Accessed July 21, 2009, from: http://www.visiting-the-dominican- republic.com/dominican_republic_history.html

Reséndez, Andrés. (2007). A land so strange: the epic journey of Cabeza de Vaca: the extraordinary tale of a shipwrecked Spaniard who walked across America in the sixteenth century. New York: Basic Books, C

RIU Website (2003, January 28). Dominican people. (photograph). Rusty's unofficial RIU. Accessed July 29, 2009, from: http://www.riubambu.com

Class Discussion Rubric by Francia Urbaez

Student Name: ______

Performance Category 4 3 2 1

Information Information Information Information has clearly relates clearly relates clearly relates little or nothing to to to to do with the the main topic the main topic. the main main topic or Quality of and adds new It topic. simply restates concepts, provides at No details the main concept Information Information. It least and/or includes several 1 supporting examples are supporting detail or given details and/or example examples Consistently Occasionally Provides Does not provide provides provides resources resources even Resource resources even resources even when when requested it if requested not required. not required Active Listening Posture and Listens to Listens to Behavior indicates behavior clearly others most of others some total non- demonstrate the time, does of the time, involvement with respect and not stay does not stay group or attentiveness to focused on focused on discussion others other's other's information comments Shows Shows some consistency in consistency responding to in responding the information to the of others comments of others Enhances the Critical Responds to Does not critical thinking thinking questions but respond to process and premise does not questions posed consistently reflection is engage by the facilitator. through demonstrated in in premise Critical Thinking premise discussion by reflection. reflection and the difference individual only. questioning of self and others. Encourages and Responds to Rarely Responds to the facilitates other members interacts discussion interaction of the group. or responds facilitator only. Participation among to members other of the group members of the group. Both Both Both vocabulary and vocabulary and vocabulary vocabulary and writing style writing style and writing style are are are writing style not used. Vocabulary/ writing used used frequently are skill consistently throughout the used throughout the discussion. occasionally discussion. throughout the discussion. Total Score: 30pts. Handout #1 KWL chart

Ask students what they Ask students what they After presenting the topic, ask students what they already know about the want to know about the topic topic learned about the topic