1. Station 0
WHY ARE WE HERE?
WHY SHOULD WE CARE
ABOUT ENGLISH CLASS?

2. Agenda
 Oppression
 Dominant and counter narratives
 Crab-on-crab violence

3. OBJECTIVE
SWBAT define and explain new vocabulary that shows
one reason why we need to care about English class
VOCAB:
 oppression
 dominant narrative
 counter narrative

4. NEW VOCABULARY
What is oppression?
Oppression is unjust or cruel exercise of power over
groups of people. While privilege opens doors of
opportunity, oppression slams these doors shut.
For example, during the years of segregation and
slavery, whites oppressed blacks.
 Oppressor in this scenario = whites
 Oppressed in this scenario = blacks

5. What does this quote mean?
The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor
is the mind of the oppressed.
--Stephen Bantu Biko,
South African Activist

6. How do we believe the things that we believe?
 TV
 Movies
 Government
 School
 Family
 Etc.
Stories that are most often told in society are called
dominant narratives.
 Dominant = powerful and controlling

7. Examples of Dominant Narratives
 Stereotypes
 (all Black people like rap music, all Asians are good at math,
etc.)
 Money = power
 Being gay is not normal
What other dominant narratives can you think of?

8. :60 seconds
QUICK CHAT
1. Do you agree that money equals
power?
2. Who decides that money equals
power?

9. Answer this…
1. Do you agree with dominant narratives?
2. Are dominant narratives always telling the
truth?
3. Who decides what the truth is in our society?

10. What is the purpose of this class?
 To understand the dominant and counter narratives
being told to us through texts
 To capture and express our voices to tell our own
truths or counter-narratives
Counter narratives are narratives that go against
dominant narratives.

11. Example of a counter narrative:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_emb
edded&v=ltun92DfnPY

12. Example: Crab-On-Crab Violence
SCENARIO: There are live crabs in a barrel at a
market, and they’re fighting over each other to
escape.

13. Example: Crab-On-Crab Violence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm2CTLkqCsw
CLICK on the link above and watch the video

14. Write a two sentence summary of what you learned on
the back of your notes.