Discussing Discrimination
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Gail Junion-Metz -- School Library Journal, 01/13/2010
pbskids.org/wayback/fair/index.html
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is next Monday. This year, focus on one of the issues Dr. King devoted himself to changing—discrimination. This site explores many different forms of discrimination, not only against African Americans.
One of the niftiest features is the two-player online game “Inequity.” Kids earn points by “buzzing in” and correctly answering the multiple-choice questions, which cover gender and social discrimination as well as stereotyping. There are different rounds, each one more difficult than the previous.
Kids can learn more and begin discussing different types of discrimination by clicking on "Fairness Fighters," which covers discrimination against the Amish, women, Japanese Americans, and children. Another super discussion starter is “Snapshot” which contains powerful pictures of children laboring in factories, in fields, and on the streets. Each picture is accompanied by a question designed to get kids talking. The “Speak Out” section lets kids write about what’s not fair in their lives and read responses to some of these situations. Helping kids to learn and talk about “what’s not fair” will help them better understand Dr. King's dream for America.
