Race is Real

This blog was posted a couple of weeks ago, but I just got to reading it.  It examines how I've taught about race--there are no "races" in terms of biology, but rather social categories made up by groups of humans to justify whatever their aims were.  The blog entry is here:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/busting-myths-about-human-nature/201204/race-is-real-not-in-the-way-many-people-think

But the best part of this was an introduction to some resources including this one:
http://www.understandingrace.org/



Do check out the intro at least once.  Valid questions.  The main home page is here:
http://www.understandingrace.org/home.html

The American Anthropology Association has create a look at race through three lenses: history, human variation, and lived experience.  This site will take you some time to examine, but is totally worth it if you want to provide some additional context to your students.  I'd never seen this one before and it is an excellent site.  Kudos to the AAA.  At the end, there is a section for resources for teachers and families. Great stuff.

 Posted by Chuck Schallhorn

Race: The Power of Illusion and Race Sorting

I was just reading my email from Teaching Tolerance, an offshoot of The Southern Poverty Law Center trying to raise awareness of racial/ethnic issues and decreasing the conflict related to them.  In the newsletter there was a link to a PBS site called "Race: The Power of an Illusion, a video from 2003."  The main activity I was directed to was to look at pictures and sort the faces into racial categories.  Wow.  

Let's just say I was not successful.  Nor are most people.  It's a real eye-opening activity that can be done by a person on under five minutes and could be a great beginner to a social psychology unit or a mini-unit on race, ethnicity and/or prejudice/discrimination.  Great for sociology as well.

What is Race?  Is Race for Real?

Sorting Activity

Main Page of Race/Illusions Site

posted by Chuck Schallhorn

Bill Nye and Pseudoscience

Bill Nye, the new generation's Mr. Wizard, is known world-wide for his television work introducing children (and adults) to the wonderful world of science. Bill Nye also has a website that has a few features that include fast facts, featured scientists, and video clips. The section on pseudoscience is a short clip on fire walking at the end of which Bill exhorts viewers to be astounded by science and not by people trying to take advantage of them. Short and convincing. There are other features, one of which is on race. Informative and interesting.