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Delete - Last Modified By: JCA at 2/05/2014 6:00:11 PM
Student Activity 1
Catch up time : 30 minutes to share your ideas that relate to your study of the theme of human rights. This may include work done in previous classes on civil rights, indigenous people and your own reading and home learning.
Are your notes up-to-date? Have you got a good system for storing your notes? Have you begun a novel that is relevant to the themes we are studying?
Could you show your parents, teacher or peers your notes if asked?
Student Activity 2
Read the notes on Mark Twain (if there is time) and the extract from his famous novel Huckleberry Finn.
WARNING :
Notice that Mark Twain, who supported equal rights, uses the term 'n*****r' in his novel - this is not acceptable for us to use as it is a racist term. However, Twain uses it to show that this was the way some people regarded African Americans.
Notice as well that Jim's dialogue is written as he would speak. Can you understand it? Twain uses real language and slang.
Huckleberry Finn
Important - Huck's attitude towards Jim changes from him thinking that Jim is just property and an ignorant slave that is below him, to feeling that Jim is his good friend, and equal to him. Huck was raised in a society that devalued the individuality and humanity of slaves; slaves were property to be owned, who couldn't think for themselves, not actual humans with feelings and thoughts.
In the extract, we see Jim's desire to free himself, his wife and children and Huckleberry wonders if this is right. Huckleberry eventually understands that Jim is equal.
Student Activity 3 stretch yourself if you can!
Find out more about American society during this time.
Why was slavery allowed in the South and not in the North?
What was the American Civil War about?
How did Abraham Lincoln contribute to the debate about slavery?
Excerpt from the film Lincoln
You will view the first 5 minutes of the film - your teacher will fast forward the violence of the actual ren-enactment of the civil war and then continue the film viewing :
Mainly the OPENING section of the film where Lincoln has a conversation with two African American soldiers - the Gettysburg address is mentioned.