Introduction
Democracy is not perfect. Winston Churchill states it was the "worst form of government on Earth...except all others." But Franklin told us best (in his analogy about wolves and sheep) that democracy has some pitfalls. He and other were concerned that the minority in this country would have no voice.....that they would be bullied (or in some cases "eaten" by the majority.)
Steps have been taken to preserve the voice and rights of minorities in this country. In this lesson, we will explore those initiatives, but first we have to feel what it is like to be in the position of the lamb.
Procedure
To allow students to have empathy for the plight of minorities in the country, it will be necessary to get them to walk in their shoes. The STARPOWER simulation creates that atmosphere in the classroom. It will take a few days to play the game and another to debrief it. Parents are "tipped off" at Open House so as not to be alarmed by the undiscovered motives behind the game.
Following the game, we will look at the difficult task of protecting minority rights in a democratic society. We will read about historical attempts to preserve minority rights over a "tyranny" of the majority.
Resources
At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
There will be a Q and A debriefing with the Starpower game. Students may be asked to write about their "feelings" from their perspective (experience in the game.) We will have a quiz on the two readings that highlight the historical attempts at preserving minority rights.
State Standards included
CIVICS STANDARD TWO 6-8a: Students will understand that the concept of majority rule does not mean that the rights of minorities may be disregarded and will examine and apply the protections accorded those minorities in the American political system.
CIVICS STANDARD THREE 6-8a: Students will understand that the concept of majority rule does not mean that the rights of minorities may be disregarded and will examine and apply the protections accorded those minorities in the American political system.
Democracy is not perfect. Winston Churchill states it was the "worst form of government on Earth...except all others." But Franklin told us best (in his analogy about wolves and sheep) that democracy has some pitfalls. He and other were concerned that the minority in this country would have no voice.....that they would be bullied (or in some cases "eaten" by the majority.)
Steps have been taken to preserve the voice and rights of minorities in this country. In this lesson, we will explore those initiatives, but first we have to feel what it is like to be in the position of the lamb.
Procedure
To allow students to have empathy for the plight of minorities in the country, it will be necessary to get them to walk in their shoes. The STARPOWER simulation creates that atmosphere in the classroom. It will take a few days to play the game and another to debrief it. Parents are "tipped off" at Open House so as not to be alarmed by the undiscovered motives behind the game.
Following the game, we will look at the difficult task of protecting minority rights in a democratic society. We will read about historical attempts to preserve minority rights over a "tyranny" of the majority.
Resources
- Starpower simulation
- "Majority rule and Minority rights"
- "The Blue-eyed children experiment"
- Video: "A Class Divided" http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/video/flv/generic.html?s=frol02p66&continuous=1
- "Protecting Your Right to Vote: Four Laws with One Goal"
At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
- explain how the majority can rule in a government without being corrupted by its power and violating the rights of the minority
- understand the human need for those in power to hold on to it
- discusss the impact of a financial or political system on human behavior
- empathize with the consequences of powerlessness
- identify steps taken by the founders and others which protect the rights of minorities over a majority rule
There will be a Q and A debriefing with the Starpower game. Students may be asked to write about their "feelings" from their perspective (experience in the game.) We will have a quiz on the two readings that highlight the historical attempts at preserving minority rights.
State Standards included
CIVICS STANDARD TWO 6-8a: Students will understand that the concept of majority rule does not mean that the rights of minorities may be disregarded and will examine and apply the protections accorded those minorities in the American political system.
CIVICS STANDARD THREE 6-8a: Students will understand that the concept of majority rule does not mean that the rights of minorities may be disregarded and will examine and apply the protections accorded those minorities in the American political system.