Creating Cultural Competencies Curriculum

Countering Anti-Muslim Racism in Schools

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 Creating Cultural Competencies Curriculum
Countering Anti-Muslim Racism in Schools

Unit Launch 2

Unit Overview 3

Part 1: Understanding Racism 4

Lesson 1 4

Part 2: Impact of Racism 8

Lesson 2 8

Part 3: Understanding History & Myths 12

Lesson 3.1 12
Lesson 3.2 15

Part 4: Understanding Anti-Muslim Racism in Media 18

Lesson 4 18

Part 5: Understanding Anti-Muslim Racism in Policy 21

Lesson 5.1 21
Lesson 5.2 23

Part 6: Responding to Racism 26

Lesson 6.1 (Individual) 26
Lesson 6.2 (Institutional) 29

Unit Assessment 31

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Unit Launch
Across history, fear and national security have been used to justify the racial and religious
profiling of Muslims and people perceived to be Muslim in the United States. Since the 1960s,
the United States has witnessed a steady rise in violent incidents and policies that intimidate,
harm, and exclude Muslim communities. As critical educators, we have a responsibility to
actively confront and dismantle Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism in our schools and
classrooms. We have designed this unit to help students better understand anti-Muslim racism,
its historical antecedents, and its contemporary implications and consequences for Muslim
communities across the United States. Ultimately this unit plan serves as our response to the
growing number of anti-Muslim policies and practices occurring in and through schools.
In this unit plan, we follow the authors of the ​Islamophobia Is Racism syllabus​, who
reframe “Islamophobia” as “anti-Muslim racism” to “more accurately reflect the intersection of
race and religion as a reality of structural inequality and violence rooted in the longer history of
US empire building.” This means that anti-Muslim racism is a form of institutional racism, rather
than simply an individual phobia or bias. This reframing locates anti-Muslim racism within
enduring global histories and technologies of domination, from white supremacy to settler
colonialism to war, all of which facilitate racial profiling, political exclusion, and daily violence. In
addition, we view anti-Muslim racism as distinct from, but co-constitutive of, anti-Blackness and
anti-immigrant racism. Such an approach connects, for example, the racial logics used to justify
Chicago’s gang database, ongoing immigrant deportations, and targeted criminalization. ​This is
not to say that religion is a race, but that “Muslim” is now a racialized category that organizes
structural inequality, evidenced in how non-Muslims like Arab Christians and Sikhs are often
misidentified and racialized as Muslim.
Given this reframing, the purpose of this unit is to introduce students to institutional
racism and, more specifically, anti-Muslim racism, and how it impacts Muslim communities. We
do this through an exploration of art, poetry, and narratives that center Muslim voices. Another
purpose of this unit is for students to recognize anti-Muslim racism in its various manifestations
– individual biases, one-sided news coverage, and policies and programs that treat Muslims as
a suspect community. Most importantly, this unit scaffolds student learning to think through how
to respond to individual and institutional forms of anti-Muslim racism by learning from other
student-led social movements in Chicago and beyond.

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Unit Overview
The unit focuses on six essential questions to guide student learning on anti-Muslim racism.
Part 1 introduces students to institutional racism and, more specifically, anti-Muslim racism. Part
2 examines the real-life impact of institutional racism on Muslim communities in the United
States through art, poetry, and narrative. Parts 3 and 4 focus on the historical contexts that
organize the myths fueling anti-Muslim racism today and prepare students to recognize and
counter these narratives by enhancing their critical media literacy skills. Anchored by these
understandings, Part 5 explores how anti-Muslim racism manifests itself in US foreign and
domestic policies. Finally, Part 6 examines how students can respond to individual and systemic
forms of racism.
Although the unit focuses on the experiences, struggles, and resistance of Muslims in
the United States, it is not designed only for Muslim students. Rather, the emphasis on
developing critical thinking skills, critical media literacies, and social activism are important for all
students to learn. We do encourage schools serving Muslim students to teach this unit to create
greater empathy and understanding of the struggles faced by members of our community.
Because the unit examines difficult issues, we encourage teachers to create classroom
communities where students feel comfortable to share their honest feelings and emotions.
Students are expected to understand racism and privilege as well as the real-life repercussions
of anti-Muslim racism in the United States. Talking circles are a great way to let students debrief
and process their thoughts and reactions after a particularly difficult lesson.
The unit is best suited for students in middle and high school but can be adapted for
younger grade levels. If followed exactly, the unit takes two weeks, or nine class periods to
teach. Most lessons include suggestions about alternative approaches, so teachers can choose
what methods and materials work best for their students while still covering the same content.
The Appendix includes a variety of resources for teachers to adapt and modify content for time,
space, and student ability.

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Part 1: Understanding Racism

Lesson 1

Essential Question:
What is racism and who perpetrates it?

Enduring Understanding:
Racism is a system of advantage and disadvantage based on race. Racial prejudice, when
combined with social power like access to resources and decision-making, leads to the
institutionalization of racist policies and practices. This means that racism is institutional and can
be enacted by government-sponsored policies as well as individuals.

Students will know:

● Racism is a system of advantage and disadvantage based on race.
● Racism is institutional and therefore can be enacted by governments, their policies, and
their agents.
● Racism can also be perpetrated by individuals.
● When racism is perpetrated by individuals, it is done so by calling upon or harkening to a
larger structure of racism.

Students will be able to:

● Compare and contrast individual and institutional forms of racism.
● Explain how racism is maintained and sustained using examples from a personal
experience (local, state, or federal).
● Draw parallels between the institutional racism experienced by other minoritized
communities and Muslims in the United States.

Standards:
● SS.CV.5.9-12:​​ Analyze the impact of personal interest and diverse perspectives on the
application of civic dispositions, democratic principles, constitutional rights, and human
rights.
● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2: ​Determine the central ideas or information of a
primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from
prior knowledge or opinions.
● CCSS.SL.9-10.1: ​Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades
9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly
and persuasively.

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Vocabulary:
● Racism
● Institutional Racism
● Racial Profiling
● Orientalism
● Anti-Muslim Racism

Time: ​50-60 Minutes

Materials:
● Copies of Racism Task Cards
● Copies of ​Is This Racism ​handout

Procedure:
1. I Have/Have Not Activity
a. Explain to students that you will read six statements and that, after each
statement, they will think to themselves as to whether or not they have
experienced that situation.
b. Read the following statements to students, giving them a minute to consider the
situation:
i. Have you ever had trouble finding beauty products for your hair type?
ii. Have you ever been told not to speak your native language?
iii. Have you ever watched entire films without seeing a character who looks
like you?
iv. Have you ever been monitored, like followed in a store, because of your
race or religion?
v. Have you ever been verbally or physically harassed (or bullied), like
someone yelling a racial slur at you, because of your race or religion?
vi. Have you ever seen US policies prevent your loved ones from traveling or
immigrating to the United States?
c. Explain to students: If you have experienced any of these scenarios, you have
experienced racism. Although our communities are often sources of pride,
knowledge, and belonging, we sometimes face barriers that prevent our full
participation in society.
d. Ask students: Turn and talk to your partner: Given what you already know and
have experienced, how would you describe racism to a friend?
e. Select a few students to share out their answers with the class.
2. Racism Task Cards:
a. Have students divide into groups of four to work on the next activity. Distribute
four task cards to each group. Have students fill out the graphic organizer: Is this
racism?
b. Have students discuss their answers in small groups using the graphic organizer.

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 3. Bring students back together to discuss the different types of racism​​ (individual
and institutional). Be sure to discuss how anti-Muslim racism isn’t always about race but
can still be considered racism.
a. Teacher should reflect on the content of the discussion, highlighting important
points that students brought up. Teacher should also bring up the key talking
points that did not come up in jigsaw discussions and whole class discussion.
*See the list of key talking points below.
4. To end class, bring students back together for a quick reflection​​. You can ask
students to share with the whole class or have them reflect with a Quick Write/Journal
Prompt.
a. What is institutional racism?
b. How is institutional racism perpetrated?
c. How has institutional racism affected your own life or the lives of the people
around you?

Talking Points:
1. Racism is a system of advantage and disadvantage based on race.
a. Muslims, no matter their race, are still seen as the “Other.”
i. The term Islamophobia, with an emphasis on “phobia,” suggests that
anti-Muslim discrimination is the result of individual bias. Unfortunately,
this erases the systemic production of anti-Muslim racism.
ii. Rethinking Islamophobia as anti-Muslim racism​​ is about connecting
our analysis of history and forms of dominance that produce racial
exclusion, including white supremacy, slavery, settler colonialism, war,
and colonialism.
b. Anti-Muslim racism isn’t always about race, but can still be considered racism
i. Saher Selod: “Muslims are incredibly diverse in the United States. They’re
white, they’re Arab, they’re South Asian, they’re African-American. It is
not to say that Muslim has become a racial category. ​It’s just that a
Muslim identity has been racialized.​​ It has imposed newer racial
meaning to these bodies of people who already occupy a specific racial
category. I think the strongest case is when a white convert—for example,
a white woman who is born and raised in America—is considered white in
the United States until she starts to wear the hijab. Then, all of a sudden,
she stops being treated as if she’s white. The hijab somehow marks her
as foreigner. My work tries to show how a religious identity intersects with
one’s racial identity....For example, religious discrimination is based on
people’s behaviors or belief systems. ​Racialization is when you identify
somebody based on what you see—not on their behaviors or belief
system​​.”
c. Other groups racialized as Muslim, like South Asians, Sikhs, Arab Christians,
also experience anti-Muslim racism.

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 2. Racism is institutional and therefore can be enacted by governments, their policies, and
their agents.
a. The US government has a long history of enacting racist policies that
disproportionately affect people of color.
b. Institutional racism prevents people from being able to fully participate in society
due to barriers that affect where people live, what jobs they can have, how much
they earn etc.
3. Racism also can be perpetrated by individuals.
a. Individual racism is discrimination directed at one or a few individuals and
functions on the premise that one’s own racial group is superior to another.
b. When racism is perpetrated by individuals, it is done so by calling upon larger
structures of racism.

Alternative Methods:
Supplement student discussions with texts that explicitly draw connections to institutional
racism.
1. Classes/students that have had little to no exposure to the idea of institutional racism
would benefit from reading the ​Definition of Institutional Racism​ article. Teachers can
choose to:
a. Read it to students (modeling how to close read/annotate)
b. Explain main ideas and examples of institutional racism
c. Have students read with a partner before beginning the next article.
2. Distribute the ​Rethinking Islamophobia​ article to students. Teachers can choose to:
a. Have students read and annotate as needed to prepare for a class discussion or
Socratic Seminar​.
b. Break the text into smaller portions and have students do a Jigsaw or ​Stay and
Stray​ activity with small groups.

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Part 2: Impact of Racism

Lesson 2

Essential Question:
How does racism impact the lives of Muslims in the United States?

Enduring Understanding:
Racism does more than impact a person’s feelings. Racism also can affect a person’s safety as
well as their ability to travel, obtain a job, and interact with public spaces.

Students will know:

● Anti-Muslim racism has social, economic, and emotional consequences for many
Muslims.
● The Muslim experience is diverse and varies depending on race, ethnicity, and
background.

Students will be able to:

● Compare and contrast the experiences of different Muslims.
● Analyze first-person narratives of Muslims of different backgrounds.

Standards:
● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.1:​​ Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8
topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
● SS.H.7.9-12: ​Identify the role of individuals, groups, and institutions in people’s struggle
for safety, freedom, equality, and justice.
● ISBE SEL 2A: ​Recognize the feelings and perspectives of others.
a. 4a:​​ Analyze similarities and differences between one’s own and others’
perspectives.
b. 5a​​: Demonstrate how to express understanding of those who hold different
opinions.
c. 5b:​​ Demonstrate ways to express empathy for others.

Vocabulary:
● Slam Poetry
● Narrative
● Poetic devices (rhyme, rhythm, repetition)

Time: ​50-60 Minutes

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Materials:
● Pew Forum graph, either to show on screen or copies for students to look at
● Copies of poetry graphic organizer
● Jigsaw videos
● Copies of the op-ed articles for the jigsaw (optional activity)

Procedure:
1. Opener: Display the Pew Forum ​graph o ​ n Muslim demographics.
a. Think-Pair-Share: What does this graph show us about Muslim communities in
the United States? What inferences can we draw?
2. Introduce Slam Poems: ​Explain to students that each group will receive a slam poem
by a Muslim poet, which they will analyze and then teach to their classmates. Students in
each group should become experts on their poem and be prepared for a Jigsaw. After
they have completed the graphic organizer, students will regroup in order to teach their
classmates about the poem they read.
a. Divide students into four groups. Each group will receive a poem to analyze.
i. Ideally, groups should be no more than four students. To accommodate
larger class sizes, consider running two simultaneous rotations of eight
groups (with two groups working on each poem).
ii. Poems are leveled from least to most complex. Teachers can choose to
group students randomly or strategically based on reading level/ability.
b. Encourage students to track their thinking and organize their thoughts using a
graphic organizer or discussion questions.
i. Poetry Graphic Organizers: ​SIFT​, T​ P-CASTT​, ​SOAPSTONE​ (Additional
strategies ​for analyzing poems).
ii. Discussion questions:
1. What experiences have shaped the poet’s worldview?
2. How would the poet define racism?
3. What connections can you make (from your own life, other texts,
or world events) to the poet’s message?
4. Consider the poet’s use of rhyme, rhythm, repetition, and other
poetic devices. How do they affect tone and meaning?
5. Given what you have learned, how would you respond to the
poet’s message?
c. Poems:
i. Group 1: ​"My Name is Zainab, and I am NOT a Terrorist"
ii. Group 2: “​Muslim Ban​”
iii. Group 3: ​“Islamophobia”
iv. Group 4: ​“A Brief History of Parking Disputes”
3. Jigsaw:​​ Regroup students into groups of four so that each student in the new group has
studied a different poem. Encourage students to discuss what they have learned using
their graphic organizers or discussion questions.

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 4. Bring students back for a whole-class discussion.
a. Teacher should reflect on the content of the discussion, highlighting important
points that students brought up. Teacher should also bring up the key talking
points that did not come up in jigsaw discussions and whole class discussion.
*See list of key talking points below.
5. Bring students back together for a quick reflection.​​ You can ask students to share
with the whole class or have them reflect with a Quick Write/Journal Prompt.
a. How does racism impact the lives of Muslims in the United States?

Talking Points
● Anti-Muslim racism has social, economic, and emotional consequences for many
Muslims.
○ The enacting of racist policies often leads to the dehumanization of Muslims in
the media and in government
● The Muslim experience is diverse and varies depending on race, ethnicity, and
background.
● Many Muslims consider themselves a part of a global community of Muslims that is often
ignored and blamed by mainstream media.
● Muslims of every background experience discrimination and the effects of individual and
institutional racisms.

Alternative Methods:

Opener:
● Teachers can show this ​video​, A Brief Visual History of Black Muslims in Chicago by the
Chicago Reader​, as an opener to the discussion about Muslim communities in the
United States.
● Teachers can use this ​Encyclopedia entry​ for more information about the history of
Muslim communities in Chicago.

Socratic Seminar:
Socratic Seminars work best when all students are working on the same text or document.
Teachers can choose one of the slam poems (that they think will be most beneficial to their
students) and watch it as a whole class. Students can then work in groups to fill out a graphic
organizer and/or create ​discussion questions​ that they can bring to a whole class discussion.
After working in small groups (or individually), students should gather in a circle in the middle of
the classroom to face each other (space permitting). Explain the rules of a ​Socratic Seminar​ to
students before allowing them to engage in a whole-class discussion. Allow students to explain
the poem they studied and discuss major takeaways. Debrief as a whole class, bringing up key
talking points, and connections to Lesson 1.

Op-Ed/Narrative Jigsaw:
Teachers can also teach this lesson using op-eds by various Muslim figures. This can be taught
with a Socratic Seminar (as described above), or with a Jigsaw.

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Possible Narratives for the Jigsaw:
1. Our Own Great Witnessing: An American Muslim’s Reflection on 9/11 (​Facing History
and Ourselves).
2. Typecast as a Terrorist (​The Guardian)
3. Linda Sarsour, in ​American Like Me: Reflections on Life Between Cultures
4. I Want ‘Allahu Akbar’ Back (​New York Times​)
5. An Anti-Muslim Narrative Has Shaped Policy For Decades (​Vox​)
6. From Aleppo to LA: Coming of Age as a Muslim Girl in America (​New York Times
OpDocs, a ​ vailable on ​YouTube​)

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Part 3: Understanding History & Myths

Lesson 3.1

Essential Question:
How does history influence the myths that fuel anti-Muslim racism today?

Enduring Understanding:
Enduring histories of colonization, anti-Blackness, and Orientalism have shaped contemporary
“us versus them” narratives, which characterize Muslims as barbaric, irrational, and dangerous.

Students will know:

● Orientalism has influenced anti-Muslim sentiments long before the September 11, 2001
attacks.
● Orientalist narratives shape our understandings of Muslims, which have real
repercussions in people’s everyday lives.

Students will be able to:

● Explain the historical context that led to anti-Blackness, Orientalism, and anti-Muslim
racism.
● Analyze how historical events fuel modern-day myths, which form the foundation of
anti-Muslim narratives.

Standards:
● SS.H.1.9-12: ​Evaluate how historical developments were shaped by time and place as
well as broader historical contexts.
● CCSS.RH.9-10.1: ​Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and
secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.

Vocabulary:
● Orientalism
● ​“The Orient”
● Anti-Blackness
● Anti-Black racism
● (Controlling) Narrative

Time: ​50-60 Minutes

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Materials:
● Sticky notes
● Bold markers
● Whiteboard/chalkboard/wall space to post myths
● Video on Orientalism
● ​Modification: large print-outs of video transcript

Procedure:
1. Opener
a. Because dangerous and often offensive myths will be discussed during this
class, it is worthwhile to begin the class by revisiting classroom discussion
ground rules/community standards.
2. Myths Activity ​(small groups)
a. Group students into small groups of four or five.
b. Ask each group to list myths or commonly held beliefs about Muslims and Islam.
c. They can write their answers on sticky notes, one belief per note. Hand in to the
teacher, who organizes them into common themes.
3. Whole group brainstorm/discussion
a. Organize the myths on the whiteboard, grouping sticky notes according to their
themes. As you arrange the myths on the board, encourage student discussion of
the myths, with an emphasis on the origins of these myths.
b. To tie previous class discussion on forms of institutional and individual racism
and violence, create two columns on the board—one for individual harm and one
for institutional harm.
i. Solicit suggestions from students using the probing questions below. If
you feel it may be helpful/more productive, students can re-enter into
small groups for the brainstorming activity.
1. What kinds of individual acts of violence do these myths enable?
(e.g., verbal attacks, pulling headscarves, attacks on mosques)
2. What kinds of institutional forms of violence do these myths
enable? (e.g., racial profiling, surveillance in mosques, the Muslim
ban)
4. Mini-Lesson: Construction of Narratives, Intro to Orientalism
a. Introduce concept of the narrative by reframing these myths as controlling
narratives.
i. These myths are actually ​stories w ​ e tell in our culture—they are
constructed. They also function as ​controlling narratives. W ​ e reach for
these narratives to make sense of Muslims and Muslim communities.
Unfortunately, these controlling narratives reduce Muslims to
one-dimensional caricatures.

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 ii. Recall the myths that students wrote on the sticky notes. Explain that
although these myths are culturally constructed, they do not come out of
thin air and impact communities directly. These myths have histories or
logics that support them—one of these logics being Orientalism.
b. Show ​video on Orientalism​ by Al Jazeera English to students. Modification:
jigsaw video transcript in small groups or hang up pieces of the transcript (along
with corresponding video images) around the classroom for a gallery walk.
5. Group Discussion
a. After watching the video or completing the gallery walk, students should gather in
a circle in the middle of the classroom to face each other (space permitting).
Explain the rules of a ​Socratic Seminar​ to students before allowing them to
engage in a whole-class discussion.
b. Use the following probing questions to guide a group discussion on how
controlling narratives impact Muslim communities and also formulate the basis of
institutional and individual racism:
i. How have we learned these controlling narratives? What are the
institutions and cultural influences/factors that reinforce these narratives?
ii. Do the myths on the board correspond with those told about other groups
of people? (common narratives told about Black, Latinx, Indigenous
peoples, other groups….)
6. At the end of class, bring students back together for a quick reflection.​​ You can
ask students to share with the whole class or have them reflect with a Quick
Write/Journal Prompt.
a. Where do you believe the myths we discussed come from?

Talking Points:
● ​The “East” or “the Orient” is not a stable or natural category. Myths about the “East” are
culturally-constructed controlling narratives with real-world consequences.
● Orientalism is term that captures how the West views the East in ways that
facilitate/justify colonialism. This process never gives the East the opportunity to speak
for, and define, itself.
● Impact of these controlling narratives:
○ “All forms of Muslim political activity, religiosity, and life (including the mundane)
are viable forms of terrorism and can be coded as such.” This means that
controlling narratives justify the treatment of Muslims as potential terrorists.
○ Muslims are portrayed as either agents of oppression or helpless victims of
oppression (where Islam is frequently seen as the source of this oppression).

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Lesson 3.2

Essential Question:
How does history influence the controlling narratives that fuel anti-Muslim racism today?

Enduring Understanding:
Enduring histories of colonization, anti-Blackness, and Orientalism have shaped contemporary
“us versus them” narratives about Muslims, which characterize them as barbaric, irrational, and
dangerous.

Students will know:

● Orientalism has influenced anti-Muslim sentiments long before the September 11, 2001
attacks.
● Orientalist narratives shape our understandings of Muslims.

Students will be able to:

● Explain the historical context that led to anti-Blackness, Orientalism, and anti-Muslim
racism.
● Analyze how historical events fuel contemporary controlling narratives that justify and
advance anti-Muslim racism in both its individual and institutional forms.

Standards:
● SS.H.1.9-12: ​Evaluate how historical developments were shaped by time and place as
well as broader historical contexts.
● CCSS.RH.9-10.1: ​Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and
secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.

Vocabulary:
● Orientalism
● Anti-Blackness
● Anti-Black racism
● (Controlling) Narrative
● Dichotomy/binaries

Time: ​50-60 Minutes

Materials:
● Several printed copies of the three articles (accessible/electronic copies available based
on need)
● Poster paper or small/medium whiteboards for group concept maps
● Markers

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Procedure:
1. Opener​​ (re-cap from previous lesson)
a. Have students write/respond: What histories inform these narratives?
(Continuation from Lesson 3.1)
2. Jigsaw
a. Divide class into groups of 3-5 students. For the first round of the jigsaw,
students will read and annotate their group’s article together. During the second
round of the jigsaw, new groups will be formed so that each article is represented
in the group. Students will then discuss the main points in their article and work
together to create a concept map. Remember to explain that they will read the
article and annotate as needed to prepare for a small-group jigsaw discussion,
whole class discussion, and creative group project afterwards. To help facilitate
fruitful discussions of the articles, encourage students to create a graphic
organizer to help organize their thinking.
i. ​ rticle, ​Islamophobia as Racism​, to groups.
Distribute the ​Vox a
ii. Distribute the ​Boston Globe ​article, ​Ferguson Must Force Us to Face
Anti-Blackness​, to groups.
iii. Distribute ​Teen Vogue ​article, ​Colonialism, Explained​, to groups.
3. Collaborative Creative Concept Maps
a. In the second jigsaw groups, students will work together to create concepts maps
collaboratively that answer/speak to the essential question for the lesson:​ How do
the histories of Orientalism, anti-Blackness, and colonialism fuel the controlling
narratives that support anti-Muslim racism today?
4. Share out:​​ Encourage groups to share their work and present their understanding of
these interconnected histories to the class. This activity aims to help students draw
connections between the histories of Orientalism, anti-Blackness, and colonization as
well as give students opportunities to share their own thinking with their peers.
5. (Time permitting) Whole Class Discussion: Teacher leads group discussion on histories
that have led to these myths/forms of institutional racism.
6. Reflection 1-2-3
a. Explain one way that the histories of Orientalism, anti-Blackness, and colonialism
continue to reinforce anti-Muslim racism in your own community (community
being as broad or as specific as you choose to define it).
b. Name two things that people in your community are doing to fight against
anti-Blackness, Orientalism/anti-Muslim racism, and/or colonialism?
c. Think of a person in your life who is difficult to confront. Think of at least three
strategies you could use to educate them on Orientalism, anti-Blackness, and
colonialism.

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Talking Points/Teacher Resources:
● Anti-Muslim racism is informed by the logics of anti-Blackness, Orientalism, and
colonialism. For example, the transatlantic slave trade included African Muslims and the
police targeted the Nation of Islam during the Black freedom movement of the 1960s and
70s. ​Servants of Allah ​by Sylviane Diouf provides important insight into the experiences
of enslaved African Muslims.
● Understanding Islamophobia as anti-Muslim racism is a shift from previous
understandings of Islamophobia. It is important to understand this.
● Orientalism includes the use of racist tropes of non-Western and non-white people
(particularly those from Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa) as dangerous, irrational,
weak, deviant, and Other.
● The term Orientalism refers, in part, to the West’s projection of an image of the East in
opposition to the West. Through this lens, the West appears civilized, refined, and
educated--the direct opposite of the barbaric and uncivilized East. This “us versus them”
narrative justified colonialism. This means that Orientalism enables and limits what we
and say about the East and the West. Edward Said, who coined the term, writes, “In
short, Orientalism [is] a Western style of dominating, restructuring, and having authority
over the Orient.”
○ Anti-Blackness is the “absolute denial of Black and African humanity and
autonomy. Defining humanity of white/western/European and non-Black people
in opposition to Blackness.”
● Anti-Blackness and Orientalism establish and in turn rely upon binaries, such as white
vs. Black, East vs West, civilized vs barbaric/violent.
● Dichotomy, or binary, is the division of ideas/concepts/things/peoples into two
contrasting or contradictory parts. Oftentimes, this involves giving differential value to
one side of the binary over the other. We often define concepts, like whiteness, by its
opposition (non-white).
● Thus, Orientalism, anti-Blackness, and colonialism work in tandem to dominate “the
Other” and legitimize white supremacy.

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Part 4: Understanding Anti-Muslim Racism in Media

Lesson 4

Essential Question:
How do US media perpetuate controlling narratives that fuel anti-Muslim racism? In what forms
has anti-Muslim racism/sentiment manifested itself in US media?

Enduring Understanding:
US media often rely on biased news coverage that perpetuates stereotypes and cultivates
anti-Muslim fears in the US public. The casting and writing of racial stereotypes in film and
television also reinforce anti-Muslim racism.

Students will know:

● US media reinforce controlling narratives that fuel anti-Muslim racism.
● Biased news coverage contributes to anti-Muslim racism.
● Muslim representation in film and television is often racist and perpetuates stereotypical
narratives about Muslims.

Students will be able to:

● Identify biases in news reports (oral, written, graphic).
● Compare and contrast news reports of crimes committed by people of color and their
white counterparts.
● Explain how representation in film and television reinforces controlling narratives and
reduces Muslims to dehumanizing stereotypes.

Standards:
● CCSS.RH.9-10.2:​​ Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary
source;
● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.2:​​ Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse
media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g.,
social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.
● ISBE SEL standards 2B: ​Recognize individual and group similarities and differences.
○ 4a. Analyze the origins and negative effects of stereotyping and prejudice.

Vocabulary:
● Bias
● Perspective/Point of View

Time: ​50-60 Minutes

18
Materials:
● Homeland i​ mage, for digital display or copies for students
● Videos and images for gallery walk
● Poster paper or whiteboard for gallery walk
● Graphic Organizer handout
● Markers

Procedure:
1. Opener: ​Display ​picture​, a poster for the tv show ​Homeland​. Ask students: What
impressions do you get from this picture? What is implied? Is it racist? Why or why not?
2. Introduce media pieces for Gallery Walk:
a. Teachers can set up laptops at various locations in the classroom to display
videos/images (if available).
i. Videos
1. CNN Student News, May 27, 2016
2. CNN 10, November 28, 2017
3. Aladdin clip (Prince Ali, available on YouTube)
ii. Images
1. Massacre at Chios
2. Katy Perry, ​Dark Horse photo
3. Students will work in small groups​​ of 3-4 students to identify purpose and biases in
each media piece using the graphic organizer.
4. Bring students back for a whole-class discussion.
a. Teacher should reflect on the content of the small-group discussions, highlighting
important points that students brought up. Teacher should also bring up the
key/talking points that did not come up. *See list of key talking points below.
b. Teachers should also use this space to draw connections between institutional
racism (covered in Lesson 1) and how it affects the lives of Muslims in America
(Lesson 2).
5. At the end of class, bring students back together for a quick reflection.​​ You can
ask students to share with the whole class or have them reflect with a Quick
Write/Journal Prompt.
a. In what forms has anti-Muslim racism/sentiment manifested itself in US media?
Cite evidence. Provide examples.

Talking Points
● Homeland i​ s considered an “American spy thriller” television series based on the Israeli
television series, ​Prisoners of Wars​ (whose original title in Hebrew means “abductees”).
Fun fact: ​Homeland p ​ roducers hired artists to graffiti the tv set so it would look like a
refugee camp. As a form of political protest, the artists spray painted statements critical
of the show’s portrayal of Muslims. For example, artists spray painted “​Homeland i​ s
racist” in Arabic. Because the producers didn’t know Arabic, these images appeared in
the show.

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 ● Portrayal and perpetuation of negative images of Muslim people have real effects on the
lives of people--on both personal and institutional levels.
● The problem with controlling/dominant narratives of Muslims is that they are often
singular ​and​​ false. They depict Muslim people as dangerous, violent, radical, militant.
The controlling narratives also portray Muslim people as oppressed victims (specifically
women). Muslims are essentialized - reduced - to these traits and treated monolithically.
These narratives carry cultural weight and significance--they not only influence the way
we think about people, what we allow to happen to them, and what we imagine people
deserve. They also influence policies and laws that impact Muslim peoples’ lives.
● When consuming media, it is important to understand not only the message, but the
framing of that message: What language is being used? What visual aids are utilized as
supplement? What is the impact? Who is the audience? What myths and stereotypes
are driving the narratives at play? You can visit ​https://namle.net/​ for more information.
○ Audience & Authorship: ​Who made this message? Why was this made? Who
is the target audience (and how do you know)? Who paid for this? Who might
benefit from this message? Who might be harmed by it? Why might this message
matter to me? What kinds of actions might I take in response to this message?
○ Messages & Meanings:​​ What is this about (and what makes you think that)?
What ideas, values, information, and/or points of view are overt? Implied? What
is left out of this message that might be important to know? What techniques are
used? Why were those techniques used? How do they communicate the
message? How might different people understand this message differently? What
is my interpretation of this and what do I learn about myself from my reaction or
interpretation?
○ Representations & Reality: ​When was this made? Where or how was it shared
with the public? Is this fact, opinion, or something else? How credible is this (and
what makes you think that)? What are the sources of information, ideas, or
assertions?

Additional Resources for Teachers:

● Transcript of The Danger of a Single Story​, a TED Talk by Chimamanda Adichie (​Video​)
● Additional texts to analyze from ​Time for Kids

20
Part 5: Understanding Anti-Muslim Racism in Policy

Lesson 5.1

Essential Question:
How do US foreign and domestic policies advance and reinforce anti-Muslim racism and
sentiments?

Enduring Understanding:
US policies like racial profiling, community surveillance, and targeted policing reinforce
anti-Muslim racism.

Students will know:

● US domestic and foreign policies advance and reinforce anti-Muslim racism.
● Every day, Muslims are subjected to racial profiling at airports, in daily policing, and in
prisons, institutional and individual practices that sustain anti-Muslim racism.
● The global war on terror and its subsequent rhetoric has led to increased fears and
unconstitutional policies (like the Muslim Ban) that reinforce anti-Muslim racism.

Students will be able to:

● Analyze how state and federal policies can discriminate and profile Muslims, intentionally
or unintentionally.
● Debate the benefits and drawbacks of local and national surveillance programs.
● Explain the causes and effects of the global war on terror.
● Interpret maps and graphs to build knowledge on US foreign policies.

Standards:
● ISBE SEL 2B: ​Recognize individual and group similarities and differences.
○ 4a:​​ Analyze the origins and negative effects of stereotyping and prejudice.
● ISBE.SS.CV.2.6-8:​​ Analyze the power and limits of governments, public officials, and
bureaucracies at different levels in the United States and other countries.
● SS.H.7.9-12:​​ Identify the role of individuals, groups, and institutions in people’s struggle
for safety, freedom, equality and justice.

Vocabulary:
● Profiling
● CVE (Countering Violent Extremism)
● Watchlists
● Due process
● Anti-Sharia legislation
● NSEERS (National Security Entry-Exit Registration System)

21
Time: ​50-60 Minutes

Materials:
● Discriminatory US Policies PowerPoint
● Interactive maps (2)
● Copies of the ACLU article on anti-Muslim discrimination
● Copies of six articles on different forms of anti-Muslim discrimination by the ACLU (these
correspond to the ACLU article above)

Procedure:
1. Opener: ​Display the Discriminatory US Policies PowerPoint slide.
a. Students should analyze each picture and caption. Have them think about: What
did the government do? Who did it affect? What does it affect about their lives?
2. Think-Pair-Share: ​What groups have experienced discriminatory policies throughout US
history? What evidence do we have? Based on what you read, how does the
government enact policies that disproportionately affect minority groups?
3. Remind students that discriminatory policies are not new ​and have been used to
otherize and vilify various minority groups throughout history. Explain that the US
government has enacted racist policies that have applied to various minority groups
throughout history. Present the interactive map.
4. Ask students to make inferences about US foreign policy ​using this ​interactive map
available at ​https://tinyurl.com/TripleCmap​ or ​New America Interactive Maps/Graphs
available at ​https://tinyurl.com/TripleCmap2​ ​.
a. Ask students: What trends/patterns do you notice? How might this impact policy
in the United States?
5. Prepare students for a Jigsaw. ​Use the A ​ CLU ​article, Anti-Muslim Discrimination,
which examines anti-Muslim policies in the United States. Number students from 1 to 6.
Allow students to group together and assign each group one portion of the text in
addition to the related materials on their topic (see Appendix). Each group should
annotate and analyze their policy and related materials and be prepared to explain it to
their classmates. Regroup students into mixed groups to allow each group member to
explain the policy they studied.
a. Alternatively, teachers may also choose to have expert groups present their
information to the whole class, or use the ​Stay and Stray​ method in small groups.
6. At the end of class, bring students back together for a quick reflection.​​ You can
ask students to share with the whole class or have them reflect with a Quick
Write/Journal Prompt.
a. How do US foreign and domestic policies advance and reinforce anti-Muslim
racism and sentiments?

22
Lesson 5.2

Essential Question:
How do US foreign and domestic policies advance and reinforce anti-Muslim racism and
sentiments?

Enduring Understanding:
US policies like racial profiling, community surveillance, and targeted policing reinforce
anti-Muslim racism.

Students will know:

● US domestic and foreign policies advance and reinforce anti-Muslim racism.
● Every day, Muslims are subjected to racial profiling at airports, in daily policing, and in
prisons, institutional and individual practices that sustain anti-Muslim racism.
● The global war on terror and its subsequent rhetoric has led to increased fears and
unconstitutional policies (like the Muslim Ban) that reinforce anti-Muslim racism.

Students will be able to:

● Analyze how state and federal policies can discriminate and profile Muslims, intentionally
or unintentionally.
● Debate the benefits and drawbacks of local and national surveillance programs.
● Explain the causes and effects of the global war on terror.
● Interpret maps and graphs to build knowledge on US foreign policies.

Standards:
● SS.CV.5.9-12: ​Analyze the impact of personal interest and diverse perspectives on the
application of civic dispositions, democratic principles, constitutional rights, and human
rights.
● ISBE.SS.CV.2.6-8: ​Analyze the power and limits of governments, public officials, and
bureaucracies at different levels in the United States and other countries.
● CCSS.SL.9-10.1: ​Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades
9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly
and persuasively.

Vocabulary:
● PATRIOT Act
● CVE (Countering Violent Extremism)
● Muslim Ban
● Surveillance

Time: ​50-60 Minutes

23
Materials:
● Connect & Redirect to Respect
● Chart paper or whiteboards
● Pens/ Dry Erase Markers
● Copies of the policy excerpts

Procedure:
1. Opener: Display Connect and Redirect to Respect
a. Ask students: ​What are the pros/cons of surveillance in CPS?
b. Supporting questions: How would this affect security/personal privacy? How
could this affect how your teachers/administration see you? How could this be
used profile students?
2. Connection: ​Teacher reminds students of what they learned about community
surveillance in the previous lesson and how these policies are made possible through
laws passed by the government.
3. Introduce ​Silent Discussion/Big Paper​​ activity.
a. Teachers can set up chart paper (or 11x17 copy paper or whiteboard space) at
various locations in the classroom for students to write on (if available).
b. Excerpts from the PATRIOT ACT, Countering Violent Extremism (CVE), and
Muslim Ban policies should be placed in the center of the chart paper or
whiteboard space.
4. Students will work silently in small groups​​ (of 3-4 students) to silently analyze and
comment on each piece before moving on to the next.
a. Some guiding questions to help students focus their thinking: ​What does this
policy entail? What are the pros/cons of this? Could this be a tool to enact
racism? How does this support or abuse the rights guaranteed by the
Constitution? How could this be used to enact racism?
5. Teachers should indicate to students when it is time to rotate ​(will vary depending
on students in the class). When students return to their original piece, they should
discuss comments and reactions their classmates wrote down.
a. Prompt students to: ​summarize the policy, describe which myths/narratives
organize the policy, identify institutional racism and think about how this might
impact different communities?
6. Bring students back for a whole-class discussion.
a. Teacher should reflect on the content of the small-group discussions, highlighting
important points that students brought up. Teacher should also bring up the
key/talking points that did not come up. *See list of key talking points below.
b. Teachers should also use this space to draw connections between institutional
racism (covered in Lesson 1), how it affects the lives of Muslims in America
(Lesson 2) and how these biases are enacted through domestic policy.

24
 7. At the end of class, bring students back together for a quick reflection. ​You can
ask students to share with the whole class or have them reflect with a Quick
Write/Journal Prompt.
a. Return the previous lesson exit slip (or have students re-read their responses in
their journal). Ask students: ​Think about how you responded to this question
previously? What new information have you gathered? Has reading these
primary documents affected how you see anti-Muslim racism/sentiment
manifested itself in US domestic policy?

Alternative Methods

Panel Discussion/Debate:
Provide students with documents that address the pros and cons of community surveillance
(​CNN​, ​New York Times​). Teachers can choose to randomly assign students a side or can have
students pick their own argument. Have students analyze each article for evidence. Encourage
students to list talking points and consider counterarguments.

Know Your Rights:

Provide students with the ACLU “​Know Your Rights​” handout. Students should work with a
partner to read and analyze the handout. Use a 3-2-1 exit ticket to get students to think about
their reading. (3 things they learned, 2 things they want to know more about, 1 question they still
have).

Additional Resources for Teachers and Students (see Appendix):

● Anti-Sharia Bills in the United States, Southern Poverty Law Center
● Rauner Halts Syrian Refugees in Illinois, Chicago Tribune
● Justice Department and City of Des Plaines, Illinois Settle Lawsuit Over Alleged RLUIPA
Violations
● Patriot Act: Key Controversies

Talking Points for Lesson 5.1 and 5.2

● Anti-Muslim racism appears in a variety of policies including unwarranted surveillance
(both in communities and on social media), unlawful profiling by police and other state
agents, exclusionary immigration policies, as well as more individualized attacks such as
anti-mosque actions and limitations on the freedom of religion.
● Sometimes the way the state enacts anti-Muslim racism is through the facilitation of
individualized actions and hate crimes (either through how police power is (un)used or
through the justice system)
● Consequences of these discriminatory policies include community fear and mistrust of
police, unwarranted suspicion and stigma, and censorship of religious speech or political
activism.

25
Part 6: Responding to Racism

Lesson 6.1 (Individual)

Essential Question:
How does/should a person respond to individual forms of racism?

Enduring Understanding:
Combating individual forms of racism can take different forms based on the situation.
Techniques can range from asking questions to shifting the narrative.

Students will know:

● Anti-Muslim racism can be countered using different approaches.
● Controlling narratives that fuel anti-Muslim racism can be challenged through specific
strategies, like asking questions and listening for keywords.

Students will be able to:

● Recognize individual forms of racism.
● Apply their understanding of anti-Muslim racism to respond to a variety of
situations/scenarios.
● Reframe conversations about anti-Muslim racism by shifting the narrative.
● Evaluate the most effective ways of responding to anti-Muslim racism.

Standards:
● ISBE SEL 3A: ​Consider ethical, safety, and societal factors in making decisions.
○ 5a. Apply ethical reasoning to evaluate societal practices.
● ISBE SEL 2D: ​Demonstrate an ability to prevent, manage, and resolve interpersonal
conflicts in constructive ways.
○ 4a. Analyze how listening and talking accurately help in resolving conflicts.
● SS.CV.5.6-8: ​Apply civic virtues and democratic principles in school and community
settings.

Vocabulary:
● Shifting the Narrative
● Dominant Narrative
● Framing
● Affirmative Stories

Time: ​50-60 Minutes

26
Materials:
● Social Media Scenario handouts
● Social Media Scenario PowerPoint (if needed)
● Shifting the Narrative Guide (if needed)

Procedure:
1. Opener:​​ Students journal/respond: Have you seen an example of individual racism in
your personal life? What was it? How did you respond? Do you wish you responded?
2. Mini-Lesson:​​ Teacher should go over the basics of argumentation (ethos, pathos,
logos) with students.
3. Social Media Scenarios
a. Student Pairs for Responses​: Distribute the Social Media Scenarios handout to
students. Students should first work in pairs to construct a response to the first
Social Media Scenario using the first column of the handout, looking specifically
at the first tweet by Joel Greenberg. Students should think about these prompts:
How would you respond to this tweet if it came up on your feed? Use the different
modes of persuasion to develop your responses.
i. First tweet: Joel Greenberg: Very simple question...Name just ONE
society in the developed world that has benefited in ANY WAY from the
introduction of more Muslims. Just one. Asking for a friend...

b. Switch Partners​: Have students switch partners and ask each other to: ​Identify
the different modes of persuasion they used to respond and determine whether
the responses are effective.
c. Teacher Modeling on Dos and Don’ts​: Teacher should model how to be reflective
of their own response and come up one item each for Dos/Don’ts.
d. Continue Partner Work on Dos and Don’ts​: Students should continue to work with
their partner to come up with additional Dos/Don’ts (a list of strategies that
worked well and those that did not)
e. Whole Class Discussion about the Dos and Don’ts​: With student responses,
create a visual (t-chart) about the different Dos and Don’ts to shift the
narrative/respond to racist statements. If needed, teachers can use the Shifting
the Narrative PowerPoint and/or handout as a guide (optional).

27
 f.Teacher Modeling on Applying Dos and Don’ts​: Teacher should model how to
use their class list of Dos/Don’ts to reflect on their previous response.
i. Teachers may choose to use ​real student responses to Trump’s tweets​ to
model what makes an effective response and what does not, or the
Shifting the Narrative PowerPoint for more explicit teaching.
ii. Have students go back to reflect on and edit their previous responses.
Encourage them to use the Dos and Don’ts t-chart and new insights to
craft responses that not only use effective argument strategies but shifts
the narrative as well.
4. At the end of class, bring students back together for a quick reflection.​​ You can
ask students to share with the whole class or have them reflect with a Quick
Write/Journal Prompt.
a. What are examples of individual racism against Muslims? How would you
respond to that situation?
b. Have you seen an example of individual racism in your personal life? What was
it? How did you respond/wish you responded?
c. Which modes of persuasion were most effective in responding to individual
racism?

Talking Points:
● It is important to challenge anti-Muslim messages/controlling narratives in social media
and beyond. Inaction only affirms racism.
● It is important not to replicate anti-Muslim narratives when responding to an anti-Muslim
comment. For instance, if someone posts, “All Muslims are terrorists,” responding, “Not
all Muslims are terrorists,” does not shift the conversation and reinforces the stereotype
that some Muslims are terrorists. Try asking a question instead, like “What makes you
think that?” or “Have you ever met a Muslim person?”
● Like our classroom norms, you should critique the idea, not the person.
● Even if you don’t think you can persuade the person making the anti-Muslim remark,
others will see your comment online, and your thoughtful response will have an impact.
● Research​ conducted by the American Friends Service Committee shows that responding
to anti-Muslim comments with positive shared values is effective. Statements such as
“Everyone deserves to live in safety and peace” or “All people deserve human rights,”
can change the conversation without reinforcing controlling narratives.

Additional Resources for Teachers:

● Shifting the Narrative Guide
● Modes of Persuasion (pathos, logos, ethos) handout
● How to use social media to counter Islamophobia handout
● Real student responses to Trump’s Tweets
● Chicago Area’s Muslim Students Fight Stereotypes, Suspicion, Chicago Tribune
● Telling an Affirmative Story, The Opportunity Agenda
● Shifting the Narrative PowerPoint

28
Lesson 6.2 (Institutional)
(Intro Lesson to Unit Assessment)

Essential Question:
How can/should a person respond to institutional forms of racism?

Enduring Understanding:
A person can respond to institutional forms of racism by shifting narratives in work/school
settings, supporting local Muslim organizations, and practicing allyship.

Students will know:

● Countering institutional forms of anti-Muslim racism requires a continuous practicing of
allyship.
● Educating yourself on anti-Muslim policies and laws should be done by listening to and
supporting those most directly affected: Muslim communities.
● Their privilege to speak out against anti-Muslim policies/laws.
● Their power as voters and change-makers by lobbying their representatives to vote
against anti-Muslim policies.

Students will be able to:

● Analyze patterns and segments of speech to decode subtext or meaning.
● Construct an argument or a persuasive response to anti-Muslim racism in the context of
an oral or written conversation.

Standards:
● SS.CV.5.6-8:​​ Apply civic virtues and democratic principles in school and community
settings.
● SS.CV.8.9-12: ​Analyze how individuals use and challenge laws to address a variety of
public issues.
● CCSS.WHST.9-10.4:​​ Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
● ISBE SEL 3C:​​ Contribute to the well-being of one’s school and community.
○ 3b: Evaluate one’s participation in efforts to address an identified need in one’s
local community.
○ 4b: Plan, implement, and evaluate one’s participation in a group effort to
contribute to one’s local community.

Vocabulary:
● Youth/student-led organizing
● Action Plan

Time: ​50-60 Minutes

29
Materials:
● PowerPoint of examples of student-led organizing
● Copies of the student-led organizing graphic organizer

Procedure:
1. Opener: ​What student-led social movements do you know about?
a. Provide examples of what students have done to respond to these issues, such
as teach-ins, drives, and walkouts. The PowerPoint provides an overview of a
few local efforts.
2. Model the use of the graphic organizer
a. Using the graphic organizer as a guide, brainstorm with students how they might
respond to one of the issues raised in the PowerPoint the situation (e.g.,
privatized school lunch, the gang database, the funding of a new Cop Academy).
3. Have students work in pairs to fill out another row of the graphic organizer​​ to
brainstorm how they might respond to another issue raised in the PowerPoint.
4. As a whole class, ask students:​​ What problems do you see in your school/community
that impact Muslims?
a. Elicit student responses.
5. Explain to students that they should fill out the graphic organizer ​for one of the
problems they see that impacts Muslims.
a. Work with students to come up with options for an Action Plan (writing a letter,
creating an Instagram page to boost awareness, posting flyers/posters around
their neighborhood, conducting a teach-in, etc.). Encourage students to be
creative and to utilize everything they have learned throughout this unit.
b. Explain to students that they saw only a few examples of how students/youth
have led movements resulting in real change. Think about how you can educate
peers not in your class. How can that action lead to a social movement?
6. Introduce this issue as the basis for their end-of-unit assessment. ​Students can
work individually or in small groups (depending on the Action Plan and teacher
discretion).
a. Students should pick an issue that they see in their school/community that
impacts Muslims.
b. Then they should decide on an Action Plan that will best address the particular
issue they chose.
c. Students should also provide a justification for why they believe their issue is
important and why their Action Item is the best way to approach it.
i. Teachers can choose to assess this in whatever way works best for their
particular class: essay, concept map, poster board, etc.

30
Unit Assessment
The end-of-unit assessment is a way for students to showcase the knowledge they have
learned throughout the unit. Encourage students to research and respond to issues they have
noticed in their communities.

Some alternative options to the Action Plan include:

1. Writing an Op-Ed/Newspaper Article
a. Students write an opinion piece that could appear in a newspaper or journal
using what they have learned in this unit.
b. They should focus their writing as a response to the question: What are some of
the unique struggles faced by Muslim communities in the US? What can we
do--as people, community members, and policymakers--to create change?
2. Creating a Concept Map
a. Students create a cohesive concept map that incorporates all the information
they have learned from the unit.
3. Critical Analysis Essay
a. Students identify a biased media or pop culture piece. Students may also choose
to critique other work, like the 2017 8th Grade Performance Task.
b. Students will complete a graphic organizer that asks them to draw on their
knowledge of the unit.
c. Students will write a critical analysis essay focusing on:
i. How does the historical background relate to this incident?
ii. What controlling narratives have been drawn upon to create this piece?
iii. What forms of individual and institutional racism are at play here?
iv. Have people/organizations responded to these pieces? How?

31