Overview:

The teacher establishes a learner-centered culture that allows all students to be successful while respecting their differences in learning styles. Respect for diversity is apparent in the design of the learning environment, the activities and tasks, the materials and student groupings – to ensure student learning. Students are encouraged to collaborate and to assume responsibility for their positive interaction in the learning environment.

Relevant Description:

Learning Objectives:

   1. illustrate and explain a day of your life in the caste system

   2. demonstrate the behavior of a person in your assigned caste level

   3. identify the job of the person you are in the caste system

SS.7.H.CL1.1 identify the leaders and distinguish the basic principles and philosophies of the major religions as they emerged and expanded

In this lesson, students worked in collaborative groups to draw a picture or write about what a day in the life of their caste level would be like. Groups were decided by the order that the students came through the door. Students with ones were assigned to the Kshatriyas, twos to the Vaisyas, threes to the Sudras, and fours to the Outcastes. Once students were seated in their respective group sections, I explained that in the Indian caste system they would not be allowed to speak to a person of a higher caste unless they had been spoken to first. They would only be allowed to speak freely with members of their own caste.

The students were then instructed to read the section of the textbook that addresses their caste. Once they finished reading, they needed to pick a particular occupant of their caste and imagine what their day would be like. Students worked with members of their own caste level ONLY; there was to be no talking to members of other caste levels. They needed to speak to members of their own caste to figure out how they would interact with one another. Groups presented their caste's life to the class (with the permission of the upper caste levels granted before they could speak) who they are and how they function in India's caste system.

Reflective Analysis:

Students of each caste had to work together in order to illustrate how their caste occupants would spend their day. This was originally planned as a writing assignment, but after discussing the makeup of the class with my host teacher, it was decided that we include the option of drawing pictures for the assignment. I have learned more and more the need for flexibility in my lesson plans. I was very pleased that we were able to accommodate the students.

This lesson ended up taking on a life of its own! The students took to the caste system so well, that it was decided to keep the caste in place until the chapter test. The students took to their rolls and either loved or hated their caste. The lesson gave students an opportunity to see how life was/is in different parts of the world. The outcastes constantly complained about their poor circumstances, and were even more upset that, per Brahminism, they would never be able to leave their caste.

Days later, I introduced the students to Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism. The higher caste groups were happy to stay under Brahminism, but the Outcastes quickly embraced Buddhism since Buddha's teachings were against the existence of a caste system.

Plans for Improvements:

If I were to do this lesson again, I would try to have the students work at tables. The tables would  add to the exclusivity of the groups and encourage the caste occupants to only interact with their own caste level. I would also create a student ran penalty system. This idea came to me when, on the last day of the caste system grouping, a Kshatriya reported a Vaisya who had dared to try to initiate a conversation with her. The Kshatriya had originally initiated the conversation, but claimed that that conversation was over before the Vaisya began to speak again