The social issues unit covers different social issues in literature. Students read through many books, fiction and nonfiction, and find a social issue that interests them. While they research, students will learn why authors write about social and then learn more about them on their own. For pssoible final projects in this unit, students can analyze a book that contains a social issue and then research that social issue in real life. Our class takes an annual field trip to the Stars and Rain School for Autism (星星雨自闭症学校) in Beijing to learn about Autism or ASD and how it affects the people and families around it. We will learn a lot about ASD and hear a PAT Talk in the auditorium in this unit.
Xingxingyu is a nongovernment organization (NGO) in Beijing China for young children with autism and their parents. The families learn applied behavior analysis (ABA) to help their children learn outside of school. Xingxingyu is not a traditional school as each semester only lasts a few months before the next class of families comes in to learn. Often children with Autism cannot learn in traditional public school settings in China. Xingxingyu gives these young children the chance to learn at home by teaching parents how to teach their kids. Our class will take a field trip here in the spring to learn about autism in China and how we can make our community more welcoming and understanding of this social issue.
Visit the School's WebsiteThis is a story about a young girl who has a brother wish Autism. He can't learn how to act by watching and copying people's behavior, so his sister makes a bunch of rules for him to follow as he grows up.
Everybody is different, but we should be tollerant and accepting of everybody's uniqueness. This book is about a flower who learns acceptance and to value differences.
Smoky Night is about a family whose apartment building catches on fire during some rioting. People of different backgrounds who normally avoid each other, come together to get along.
social issue |
autism |
racism |
stereotype |
prejudice |
outcast |
fitting in |
poverty |
perceptions |
discrimination |
homeless |
domestic difficulty |