This interdisciplinary unit focuses on the topic of race from both a historical and scientific lens. Students will explore how concepts of race developed over time and the biological fallacies of race, but also examine the powerful real-world consequences of racial construction on identity, power dynamics, and communication throughout history. For their summative assessment, students will connect two topics - one from science on the biology of skin color or human evolution, and one from history on the impact of race in areas like government, housing, or education - by writing a letter to the editor exploring the relationship between the scientific and historical aspects of how race has been understood and operationalized in society.

1. Teacher(s) Mac, HT, Fletcher, Langley <3 Subject groups
and disciplines
Individuals and Societies, Language and Literature Science
Unit title
Race - The Power of an Illusion
MYP year 2 Unit duration
(hrs)
MP3
Inquiry: Establishing the purpose of the interdisciplinary unit
Purpose of Integration
Students will be learning about the history of race from a historical and scientific lens. In science, students will focus on topics of human evolution,
collective learning, and the biology of skin color. In humanities, students will explore how race impacted history in the United States.
Key concept / related concept(s) Global context
Key concept: Identity
Related Concepts: Power (I&S),
Consequences (Science), Communication
(L&L)
Fairness and Development - inequality, difference and inclusion
Statement of inquiry
Big Takeaway: Race is a social construct and does not have a biological grounding, but the effects of its construction have powerful
consequences which impact identity, communication, and power.
Inquiry questions
Factual—​ ​What is race? Why are there different skin colors? How does the environment affect skin color? What are the important
features of a letter?
Conceptual— ​How have ideas of race impacted history? How do ideas of race impact the present?
Debatable—​ ​Is race real?
Middle Years Programme Unit planner
1

2. Summative assessment – interdisciplinary performance(s) of understanding
Interdisciplinary Criteria Outline of summative task /
GRASPS
What is race?
Tool used to oppress, justification for historical injustice, modern injustice, based on skin color,
social construct which could be a point of pride or shame
What is the relationship between science and history?
What race is and what it is not…..
Students will present an informational writing piece describing race from a historical and
scientific point of view. Students must address 2 of the following topics for science
● the biology of skin color
● evolution
● genetics
● environmental racism
● disease
They must use data from the sources in class in their explanation.
For humanities, students must address…
● The impact of race on some part of American society
○ Government
○ Housing
○ Employment
○ Fashion
○ TV/Media
○ Education
○ Tech
○ Wealth gap
● How personal narrative can help us better understand the experience of racial groups in
America/the world
Middle Years Programme Unit planner
2

3. Students will choose one Science topic and one Humanities topic, and write an essay connecting
the two topics under the larger umbrella of race.
Ex:​ How does the racialization of disease impact government issues?
How does the racialization of skin color impact the fashion industry?
Their ​audience​ changes based on who they are writing.
They are writing a ​letter​ to the editor.
Letter - choose audience for the letter
Middle Years Programme Unit planner
3

4. Approaches to learning (ATL)
Action: Teaching and learning through interdisciplinary inquiry
Disciplinary Grounding
Subject: Science Subject:
MYP objective(s) MYP objective(s)
Related concepts Related concepts
Content
Human Evolution
The biology of skin color
Race
Content
Disciplinary learning engagements and teaching strategies Disciplinary learning engagements and teaching strategies
Middle Years Programme Unit planner
4

5. Interdisciplinary learning process
Interdisciplinary learning
experiences and teaching
strategies
Formative assessments
Differentiation
Resources
http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/science-genetics-reshaping-race-debate-21st-century/
https://www.biointeractive.org/classroom-resources/activity-biology-skin-color
https://www.pbs.org/race/001_WhatIsRace/001_00-home.htm
biogeography
https://www.facinghistory.org/holocaust-and-human-behavior/chapter-2/science-race
https://www.tolerance.org/classroom-resources/tolerance-lessons/analyzing-environmental-justice
http://theconversation.com/study-racism-shortens-lives-and-hurts-health-of-blacks-by-promoting-genes-that-lead-to-inflammation-and-illness-122027
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/healthcare/news/2010/12/16/8762/fact-sheet-health-disparities-by-race-and-ethnicity/
https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.24.2.343
https://www.asanet.org/sites/default/files/savvy/images/research/docs/pdf/race_ethnicity_health.pdf
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/race-is-a-social-construct-scientists-argue/
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01968-z
https://newsela.com/read/lib-social-darwinism-affects-america/id/30103/
Middle Years Programme Unit planner
5

6. https://newsela.com/read/lib-biological-social-race-dna/id/30738/
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniemlee/your-23andme-dna-can-be-used-in-racist-discriminatory-ways#.drM0aeO01
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-10-craze-dna-heritage-bolster-racism.html
Notes and Links:
Teaching Hard History​ -- Teaching Tolerance Guide to American Slavery (includes American Revolution - Reconstruction)
Race the Power of an Illusion
https://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04-background-02.htm
Include parts of Trevor Noah’s Memoir
Thomas Jefferson ​phrenology​ arguments
Science Connections:
Biology of Skin Color
Pseudoscience
Land as Power
Reflection: Considering the planning, process and impact of the inquiry
Prior to teaching the unit During teaching After teaching the unit
Good Resources found:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/
graphics/2019/local/education/tea
cher-diversity/
https://www.justice.gov/crt/condu
ct-law-enforcement-agencies
Middle Years Programme Unit planner
6

7. Middle Years Programme Unit planner
7