In the United States, cities and states are reporting alarming data that reveals that the coronavirus is disproportionately impacting people who are black and, at least in New York City, Latinx people as well. In Chicago, black residents “are dying at a rate nearly six times greater than white residents,” and in Louisiana, “more than 70% of the people who have died are black, while African Americans only make up 32% of the state's population.” The CDC released data on April 8, 2020, which indicates that racial disparities in coronavirus hospitalizations are a nation-wide problem.
This Teaching Idea is designed to help students learn about this disturbing trend and explore the underlying causes of racial inequity in coronavirus outcomes. It includes student-facing Google Slides, which contain the following three activities:
The Slides are designed to be adaptable to both in-person and online instruction. Each activity contains reflection questions, to which students can respond in a variety of ways including individual written reflections, voice recordings using a tool like Flipgrid, or a synchronous class discussion.
Before teaching this Mini-Lesson, please review the following information to help guide your preparation process.
This activity uses an iceberg diagram to help you learn more about the reasons why the coronavirus is disproportionately impacting black Americans. Look at this image of an iceberg:
Iceberg Diagram
Iceberg Diagram
Reflect:
An iceberg diagram can help you think about the numerous underlying causes that give rise to an event. It’s often difficult to see these causes because they rest “beneath the surface.”
Read the first six paragraphs of the Vox article How racism and poverty made Detroit a new coronavirus hot spot. Stop reading when you reach the line “Residents, as well as health and elected officials, point to the city’s underlying inequalities as a reason.”
Next to the tip of the iceberg, write your answers to the question: What information does the article give about how the coronavirus is impacting black Americans?
Note: You can either draw an iceberg diagram on a piece of paper or respond in the space provided on the Slide.
Continue reading the Vox article How Racism and Poverty Made Detroit a New Coronavirus Hot Spot. Stop reading when you reach the heading “Measures that prevent the virus—hand-washing, social distancing—aren’t easy for residents without resources.”
In the bottom part of the iceberg (under water), write your answers to the questions:
Facing History and Ourselves is designed for educators who want to help students explore identity, think critically, grow emotionally, act ethically, and participate in civic life. It’s hard work, so we’ve developed some go-to professional learning opportunities to help you along the way.
