DWF Teaching Companion for Asian Studies
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Transcript of DWF Teaching Companion for Asian Studies
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8/4/2019 DWF Teaching Companion for Asian Studies
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A Guide toUsingDivided We Fallin Asian StudiesCourses
Thank you for downloading this
teaching companion for the
documentary film, Divided We
Fall. We are excited to offer you
this resource and hope that you
find it valuable and easy to use.
The activities in this lesson are
guidelines to inspire your
teaching; they may be applied
flexibly. Visit our website http://
www.dwf-film.com/for more
lesson guides, multimedia, and
supplemental resources. If you
have any questions about this
guide, please contact Jodi Elliott
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.participate.net/educatorshttp://www.participate.net/educatorshttp://www.participate.net/educatorshttp://www.participate.net/educators -
8/4/2019 DWF Teaching Companion for Asian Studies
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Intended AudienceThe activities in this guide are designed for college level Asian American Studies, Asian Studies, Cultural
Studies, and Religious Studies courses. They may also be adapted and used as an introduction to Sikhism fo
high school students or general audiences.
Lesson ObjectivesUpon completion of the lesson, students will be able to:
Describe the basic tenets of Sikhism.
Examine the experiences of Sikhs in United States history.
Define the terms Sikhism, gurdwara, and Panj Kakars,
Explain the religious significance of the Sikh turban.
Additionally, the lesson facilitates exploration of these questions: What is Sikhism? What is it like to be Sikh or
Sikh American in the United States? What are some commonalities that Sikh Americans share through their
identity and community? What are some differences?
Teacher TipsThis lesson can be taught before or after students have viewed the film. However, we suggest completing the
brainstorming activity (Activity 1) before showing the film whenever possible. If time is short, the short film The
Sikh Religion: Beyond the Turban (10:25) can substitute for a screening of the entire film. If time is plentiful,you may wish to assign students to watch the entire film plus the two short films about Sikhism on the DVD,
The Sikh Religion: Beyond the Turban(10:25) and Becoming American: The Journey of an Early Sikh Pioneer
(10:43). These shorts will enhance students understanding of the Asian immigrant experience during the early
history of the United States.
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Activity 1
25MIN BRAINSTORM PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE SIKH RELIGION
1 Give each student a copy of Handout 1 (Brainstorm: The Sikh
Religion). Allow students 5 minutes to fill in their ideas about
Sikhism in each column.
2 After the students have had time to brainstorm, ask them to share
what they wrote and record a composite of their answers where all
can see. At this point there is no need to filter or correct wrong
answers, unless you deem one harmful. Tell students to record their
classmates responses on their own paper.
3 Show students the short film The Sikh Religion: Beyond the Turban
(10:25), from the Divided We FallDVD. Instruct students to correct
the responses they have written down on the handout as they watch
the film. If the statement is incorrect, they should cross it out. If the
statement is correct they should put a check mark next to it.
Students may also record questions in column 3, What Id Like toKnow. Questions that are not addressed in the film can be handled
by the instructor afterwards or assigned to students as homework.
3
Written by Irene Yeh and Marisa Jackson Hedges. Produced byMindgate Media
2011 New Moon Productions. All rights reserved
http://mindgatemedia.com/http://mindgatemedia.com/ -
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Activity 2
15MIN SIKHS IN AMERICA
1 Now that students have a better understanding of the Sikh religion,
and why many Sikhs immigrated to the United States from India and
other countries, ask students to think about the experiences of Sikh
Americans: a) In what ways can a person express their beliefs as aSikh and/or Sikh American? b) What are some commonalities that
Sikh Americans share through their identity and community?
c) What are some differences among individuals who identify as
Sikh American?
2 If students have viewed the film in its entirety, ask: In the film, how
did Valarie express her identity as a Sikh American? How did other
characters express their identities?
4
Written by Irene Yeh and Marisa Jackson Hedges. Produced byMindgate Media
2011 New Moon Productions. All rights reserved
http://mindgatemedia.com/http://mindgatemedia.com/ -
8/4/2019 DWF Teaching Companion for Asian Studies
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Activity 3
60MIN MAPPING SIKH AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND HISTORY
1 Explain to students that the purpose of this assignment is to learn
about a Sikh individual or group, and create maps of their
participation in the building of historical and contemporary U.S.
society.
2 Assign small groups of 3 to 5 students to research a historical or
contemporary Sikh individual, group, or community in the United
States. They can focus on one individuals accomplishments, an
organizations contributions, or even the development of a particular
social or political movement. Ask your media specialist and/or
librarian to help you find a variety of sources to recommend to
studentsscholarly journals, primary sources, multimediawhatever
is most appropriate for the level of the class.
3 Ask the students to focus their research on answering these
questions: a. What contributions has this person or group made toAmerican society? b. How has this person or group served as a role
model for others? c. How has this persons or groups ideas and/or
actions affected the lives of Sikh Americans? All Americans?
4 After completing their research, ask each group to create a visual
map of the subject they learned about. Instruct students to create
their map on the scale that is most relevant to the subject they
researched: a map of the entire U.S. for a government official or
national organization; a map of a town for a community leader or
gurdwara; a map of a school for a local educator or student group;
and so on. Ask students to write key facts and/or descriptions of
key events on several index cards. Then ask them to tape each cardonto relevant locations on their map.
5 Ask each group to present their maps and stories to the class, and
participate in a discussion about the history of Sikh Americans in
U.S. society. Guide the class through a discussion of these ideas:
a) In what ways do these maps change or add to your
understanding of U.S. history and society? b) Had you previously
heard stories about the roles of Sikh Americans in the building of
U.S. society? c) Why do you think these stories are often
unacknowledged? d) What other religious groups have faced
discrimination and persecution based on their religious beliefs?
Compare the histories of Sikh Americans in the United States to
these groups. e) What are some of the similarities and differences in
their experiences of oppression or violence? f) How have these
groups participated in the building of U.S. society over time?
5
Written by Irene Yeh and Marisa Jackson Hedges. Produced byMindgate Media
2011 New Moon Productions. All rights reserved
http://mindgatemedia.com/http://mindgatemedia.com/ -
8/4/2019 DWF Teaching Companion for Asian Studies
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Activity 3 (cont.)
60MIN MAPPING SIKH AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND HISTORY (CONTINUED)
6 This activity may be implemented over a couple of days or a couple
of weeks, depending on the time you have available for the
assignment. If time is limited, provide students with a list of people
or groups to choose from as well as several information sourcesthey can use to learn about them. These websites may be helpful:
The Sikh Coalition (www.sikhcoalition.org)
The Wing Luke Asian Museum, Special Exhibitions, Sikh
Community: Over 100 Years in the Pacific Northwest (http://
www.wingluke.org/pages/sikhcommunitywebsite/mainpage.html)
Khalsa Kids (www.khalsakids.org)
6
Written by Irene Yeh and Marisa Jackson Hedges. Produced byMindgate Media
2011 New Moon Productions. All rights reserved
http://mindgatemedia.com/http://mindgatemedia.com/http://www.khalsakids.org/http://www.khalsakids.org/http://www.wingluke.org/pages/sikhcommunitywebsite/mainpage.htmlhttp://www.wingluke.org/pages/sikhcommunitywebsite/mainpage.htmlhttp://www.wingluke.org/pages/sikhcommunitywebsite/mainpage.htmlhttp://www.wingluke.org/pages/sikhcommunitywebsite/mainpage.htmlhttp://www.sikhcoalition.org/http://www.sikhcoalition.org/ -
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Optional Assignments
REINFORCING LESSON CONCEPTS
1 Ask students to repeat one of the assignments above for a different
religious minority group in the United States such as Mormons,
Mennonites, Amish, Jains, Wiccans, Hasidic Jews, or agnostics.
2 Find out if there is a gurdwara in your region and if so, ask what
types of educational outreach programs they provide. Invite a
gurdwara member to speak to your class about Sihkism and Sikh
Americans in your community. The following website offers a fairly
comprehensive lists of Sikh Gurdwaras in the United States and
Canada: www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwaras_USA.
7
Written by Irene Yeh and Marisa Jackson Hedges. Produced byMindgate Media
2011 New Moon Productions. All rights reserved
http://mindgatemedia.com/http://mindgatemedia.com/http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwaras_USAhttp://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Gurdwaras_USA -
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WHAT I KNOW WHAT I THINK I KNOW WHAT I WANT TO KNOW
Handout 1BRAINSTORM ACTIVITY: THE SIKH RELIGION
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Written by Irene Yeh and Marisa Jackson Hedges. Produced byMindgate Media
2011 New Moon Productions. All rights reserved
http://mindgatemedia.com/http://mindgatemedia.com/