Author:  Robert Rivera-Amezola

Seminar: Cities through the Lens of Race, Class, and Gender

In this unit, children in grades 3 and 4 are made aware of their responsibility as citizens of their neighborhood and their city by calling attention to elements as it concerns race, class, and gender. This is accomplished through the reading of mentor texts, photo analysis, classroom discussion, and written reflections. Students then use this awareness to inform their responsibility as digital citizens. They critically analyze digital games and ultimately use that awareness to create their own digital game. This is accomplished through the use of digital tools in a gaming environment. Adaptations will be made for limited use of technology in the classroom. The game that will be critically reviewed and analyzed will be “Brookhaven,” a popular game in the “Roblox” platform. Students will think about the city through the lenses of race, class, and gender and engage with social justice challenges that are triggered by these categories. Students will then use these observations to create their own digital game.