Challenging

Class Bias
Grades 712
2005

www.tdsb.on.ca

Challenging Class Bias

2005 Toronto District School Board
Reproduction of this document for use by schools within the Toronto District
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This document has been reviewed for equity.

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements
Having been created over a period of ten years, Challenging Class Bias has benefited from many
contributors and reviewers from the former boards of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB)
and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE).
Project Managers
Moira Wong
Terezia Zoric
Lead Writer
Terezia Zoric
Key Contributors

Reviewers

gulzar raisa charania

Joanne Dillabough

Jenny K. Chen

Mark Evans

Jill Goodreau

Rosemary Evans

Rodney Handelsman

Robin Hinitz

Nadya Weber

Ilda Januario

Moira Wong

David Livingstone
Tim McCaskell

Other Contributors

Myra Novogrodsky

Marcie Goldenberg

Peter Sawchuk

Ilda Januario

Marian Shehata

Tim McCaskell

Carly Stasko

Lyndsay Moffat

Alice Te

Julie Mori

Dianne Vandervlist

Jill Morris

Jennifer Zurba

Natalie Oman

The Glen Ames Public School Equity

Committee, administration, staff, and
students

Stefi Oriotis
Vanessa Russell
Marian Shehata
Dianne Vandervlist
Jennifer Zurba

Special thanks to the Family Service Association of Toronto, the

Community Social Planning Council of Toronto, the United Way of
Greater Toronto, The Atkinson Charitable Foundation, and the Canadian
Council on Social Development for the use of Falling Fortunes: A Report
on the Status of Young Families in Toronto (2004), and Poverty by Postal
Code: The Geography of Neighbourhood Poverty 19812001 (2004).
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Acknowledgements

Table of Contents
Page
being poor is (a poem by Grades 4 and 5 students from North Bay)

Introduction

FAQs
Definitions
General Recommendations for Teachers
Sample of Suggested English-as-a-Second-Language Strategies
Sample of Suggested Special Education Accommodations
A Checklist to Evaluate Learning Materials for Class Bias
Themes to Consider When Teaching about Class Bias
Connecting Lessons and Themes

2
6
10
13
14
15
17
21

Part I: Understanding Power

22

Rationale
Curricular Expectations
Lesson #1: Defining Classism, Racism, and Sexism
Lesson #2: Mapping Power

22
22
23
27

Part II: Needs, Wants, and Haves

31

Rationale
Curricular Expectations
Lesson #3: Poverty in Canada Quiz
Lesson #4: Walking in the Shoes of Welfare
Lesson #5: What Do We Value? (A Values Auction)
Lesson #6: Needs, Wants, and Haves
Wrap-Up Lesson for Part II: Actions People Can Take

31
31
32
41
52
57
61

Part III: Understanding Class Bias in the Media

64

Rationale
Curricular Expectations
Lesson #7: Class Bias in the Media
Lesson #8: The Good Life According to
Lesson #9: Visions of the Good Life
Lesson #10: Necessary for What?
Wrap-Up Lesson for Part III: Feeling Overwhelmed?

64
64
65
67
71
74
77

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Global Connections

Part IV: Investigating Poverty and Economic Inequality

81

Rationale
Curricular Expectations
Lesson #11: Why Are People Poor?
Lesson #12: Case Studies of Poverty in Canada
Lesson #13: Poverty and Homelessness
Lesson #14: Musical Chairs (Wealth Distribution)
Lesson #15: If Only We Had More Money
Wrap-Up Lesson for Part IV: Taking the Class Bias Temperature of Your School

81
81
82
87
92
100
104
107

Part V: Labour Issues

114

Rationale
Curricular Expectations
Lesson #16: Exploring Our Work Experience
Lesson #17: What Are Your Rights on the Job?
Lesson #18: Fighting for Justice in the Workplace
Lesson #19: Introduction to Labour History
Lesson #20: Investigating the Uneven Effects of Poverty and Unemployment
Wrap-Up Lesson for Part V: The Government and Labour Issues

114
114
115
120
129
135
145
149

Part VI: Global Connections

158

Rationale
Curricular Expectations
Lesson #21: Poverty and World Resources
Lesson #22: Supermarket Exercise
Lesson #23: Global Clothes Hunt
Lesson #24: Behind Our Labels
Lesson #25: Child Labour
Lesson #26: Child Labour Case Studies
Wrap-Up Lesson for Part VI: Global Change Theatre

158
158
159
163
168
170
178
184
200

Culminating Activity: Rise Up!

207

TDSB Equity Foundation Statement and Commitments to

Equity Policy Implementation

210

Print Resources

212

Websites

221

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