Lesson 3: How does social class affect housing?

Materials Needed: 
1) Internet access
2) Pennies (as many as possible!)
3) Blindfold for each student
4) Notebook for each student

 Objectives:
Main Objective: To allow students to explore the affect social class has on housing
1) Students will research different neighborhoods in their community in small groups.
2) Students will compile their group research into the creation of a community map made by the whole class. 
3) Students will engage in a reflective discussion about their community map, analyzing the differences they found in each neighborhood and why.
4) Students will explore their personal connection to social class through the "Drop a Penny" activity.
5) Students will journal about their experience during the "Drop a Penny" activity.
 
Assessments:  
1) Class creation of community map- formal way to assess what each group discovered through their research, as well as how the class is making all of these pieces of information whole (many neighborhoods -> community).
2) Discussion post-map-making- informal way to see what students learned through their research and the community map project. Look for students to connect access to different services/facilities to levels of income/wealth.  
3) Journaling- formal way to gauge where students are at (particularly emotionally) in terms of how they responded to the "Drop a Penny" activity.

Procedures:
Have students explore one of the ways that they brainstormed that social class impacts their lives/society: housing. Students will research different neighborhoods in their community. Break students up into small groups, giving each group a different neighborhood in the community. *This part of the unit would be a great opportunity to take students on field trips to places in their community and/or on walking tours around their community. Although some information may be obtained online, encourage students to get out in the community and observe their surroundings, as well as interview family members and community members. Have students take pictures to document what they see in their designated neighborhood. (Some of this research can be done outside of school with a parent or adult's permission/supervision.) *Another option would be to bring community members into the classroom as guest speakers, so that they can share what they know with the students.

Some questions to guide this research process are: what kinds of housing (apartments, townhomes, single family homes, etc.) is there in each neighborhood?  Is there a "gated community" in the neighborhood? If so, are there special laws there? If yes, what are they? What is the average price of a home in each neighborhood? What stores/restaurants are in each neighborhood? Are there banks/ATM machines in all areas? What other facilities are there (libraries, recreation centers, hospitals, etc.) Ask each student to record the price of a staple item (for example milk) in their neighborhood. Compare the prices across the community.

Have groups come together as a whole to compile their research into a community map. One innovative way to do this would be to use Google Maps, http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl.

Some more questions to think about: who are the people who tend to live in the various neighborhoods? What are their professions? What are the differences in terms of costs, facilities, stores/restaurants, access to ATM machines, etc., in each neighborhood? Are there people in the community who are homeless? Where are they sheltered? What is being done in the community to provide homes for low-income people?

(Side note: If this unit goes in the direction of students having a further interest in the issue of homelessness, www.nationalhomeless.org, is an excellent resource in which students can learn more about the their questions- why are people homeless? who is homeless? how many people experience homelessness? There is also information on this website about how students can help. Consider pursuing one of these ideas with students and/or taking a field trip to a local food pantry or shelter.)

As a class, discuss the final product: the community map. Ask students, did what you find about the neighborhood you were given surprise you? What was more surprising to learn about other neighborhoods? Why? Why are there differences in neighborhoods in our community?

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Closing activity for this section of the unit...
Tell students that, now that we've explored some of the ways in which social class affects society, we are going to explore how social class more directly impacts our individual lives by participating in an activity. Have each student take a handful of pennies. Have students spread out in a large empty space (push desks to the corners of a classroom or use an empty space like a gym- has to be a place without carpet!!!). Have each student blindfold themselves. Tell students that they can slowly walk around during this activity (can look at their feet under the blindfold). Instruct students to drop a penny if what they hear is true for them. *The idea is to read aloud things that students may/may not have in common, but could be true of them, and would illustrate their personal connection to social class. Some examples:

Drop a penny if you've ever had the experience of not knowing where your next meal is coming from.
Drop a penny if you've ever been discriminated against because of how you dress.
Drop a penny if you've ever gotten sick but haven't been able to go to the doctor because your family doesn't have health care.
Drop a penny if you've ever been embarrassed to have a friend over at your home.


These are just some ideas... this activity will largely depend on knowing your students and making it appropriate for them. The goal in doing this activity is for students to be able to explore their personal connection to social class in an anonymous way; at the same time being able to discover whether or not others share their experiences.

After this activity, have students reflect on what the experience was like in their journal. Did you like the activity? Why or why not? What did you learn from the activity? Did anything surprise you?