Lesson Plans

CLASSWORK: Principles of Environmental Justice

Points: +10

Due: END OF CLASS

Unit: Climate Justice

Lesson Idea: In 1991, at the National People of Color Environmental Leadership summit in Washington, DC, the delegates, activists, urban farmers, and ecologists who were present formulated The Seventeen Principles of Environmental Justice. These principles are the pillars of environmental justice (EJ) in theory and in practice and continue to guide this vital work to this very day and beyond.

In our previous assignment, we took a broad look at the history and theory of EJ. Today, I want to encourage you, using these principles, to discover and research which groups, communities, and movements are or have been putting these principles into action.

Lesson Plan:

1. In groups of 4-5, you will be assigned 3-4 of the principles in the document below.

2. In your groups, you will utilize online search tools such as Google or ChatGPT to discover at least two organizations. You can also look at the article "What is environmental justice?" that we looked at in our previous assignment. I would like everyone to find at least 2 examples so we can make sure we don't have too many repeating examples

To help with research:

-For example, you can ask Google or ChatGPT which groups or communities are putting the principles you have been assigned in action

-If you see specific language in your principle, for example, relating to toxic waste or demanding a safe and healthy working environment or the destructive operations of multi-national corporations, use those keywords to guide your research

-Hint hint you can also research environmental justice organizations in the DMV to see what is going on locally

3. Each person in the group will write a full paragraph (5-6 sentences) summary of the group/community/movement in your own words to be submitted below

4. Each group will choose 1-2 people (with +1 extra credit point) to do a short 2-3 minutes presentation for the class on the result of your research.

For both your summary and the group presentation, focus on who/what/when/where/why/how. Explain how the group/community you found represents at least one of the principles of EJ you worked with.

Seventeen Principles of Environmental Justice

CLASSWORK: For/Against Nonviolent Resistance

Points: +10

Due: Reflection is due BEGINNING OF NEXT CLASS

Unit: Nonviolent Resistance

Lesson Idea: We have already discussed and practiced the idea of "turning the other cheek." With this foundation of understanding how to be nonviolent to each other in our personal relationships, let us look now at the philosophy of nonviolent resistance vs violent resistance.

This is preparation for our first DEBATE!! coming up in a couple of weeks. To prep for the debate, we need to know both sides of the debate and you need to be capable of arguing from both sides of the debate.


Lesson Plan: To begin, I want to get some initial sense of how you would like to participate in the debate. Do you want to be on team Nonviolent Resistance, Team Violent Resistance, or one of the Judges. EVERYONE will be required to participate in the debate and write a one-page reflection essay following the conclusion of the debate.

Next, I want us to read about and collect our knowledge of both nonviolent resistance and violent resistance. Your table will be assigned either NONVIOLENCE or VIOLENCE


If you are assigned NONVIOLENCE:

1. In the Peter Levine article, read together the first section (up to where it says II: The Case Against? and stop there.

2. Each person must take one point from the article and write it on the mind-map on the Smart Board (+5 points)


If you are assigned VIOLENCE

1. In the Peter Levine article, read the short section beginning from II: The Case Against and read the entire Speaking of Riots article

2. Each person must take one point from the article and write it on the mind-map on the Smart Board (+5 points)

After everyone has added to the Board, we will review and discuss to make sure we have our philosophical understanding.


REFLECTION: (Due beginning of next class) (+5 points)

I asked our good friend ChatGPT what a good debate scenario and argument would be in our discussion of nonviolent vs violent resistance. Here is what it said:

Scenario: A student is being bullied by a group of their peers. The bullying includes verbal taunts, social exclusion, and physical aggression, such as pushing and hitting. The student has reported the bullying to teachers and school administrators, but no action has been taken. The student and their friends are considering taking matters into their own hands and fighting back against the bullies.

Nonviolent Resistance Argument: The student and their friends should use nonviolent resistance to combat the bullying. They can organize a peaceful protest or walkout to draw attention to the issue and pressure the school to take action. They can also create a social media campaign to raise awareness about the effects of bullying and promote a culture of kindness and respect. By using nonviolent resistance, they can show that violence is not necessary to create change, and that peaceful solutions are possible.

Violent Resistance Argument: The student and their friends should use violent resistance to combat the bullying. They can confront the bullies directly and use physical force to defend themselves and deter future attacks. By using violence, they can show that they are not weak and will not tolerate being bullied. Additionally, they can create fear among the bullies and make them think twice before attacking them again.

In your Reflection (one full paragraph 4-5 sentences MINIMUM)

-In the bullying scenario, which argument do you agree with? Tell me why?

The Case For and Against Nonviolence (Peter Levine article)

Speaking of Riots: The Complicate Reality of Violence vs Nonviolence (article)

DEBATE: Nonviolent Resistance vs Violent Resistance

Assignment (+25 points total)  COUNTED AS A TEST IN GRADEBOOK

  1. Participation in debate prep with preparatory argument/question assignment (+5)

  2. Participation in debate with immediate reflection assignment due that evening (+10)

  3. One-page essay explaining your position with references from assignments (to be assigned following the debate) (+10)


Format of debate

  1. Introduction of debate by Dr. Fici (format of debate, rules and expectations of respect and listening)

  2. Scenario presented followed by individual responses from each team member (3-5 minutes for each team)

  3. Cross-examination question by opposing team (5 minutes for each scenario)

  4. Questions from judges to each team (5 minutes for each scenario)

  5. Concluding statement from each team (1 minute for each team)

  6. Voting by judges (Dr. Fici can act as a tiebreaker vote)


Rules of debate (“Turn the Other Cheek” style)

  1. Please listen respectfully to everyone who is speaking. Listening means you actually HEAR what the other person is saying. Don’t assume or project.

  2. Please minimize interruptions of the people who are speaking. Let the person finish their thought/argument/question before you respond.

  3. Please be RESPECTFUL!! Cussing and calling other peoples’ names will have a negative impact on your teams’ chances of winning as well as your overall grade for the assignment. 

Scenarios:

#1: What would you do if someone broke into your home and violently threatened your family? What if they were threatening you and your family with death? Would you protect yourself and your family with violence if necessary and if you are capable of doing so? Or would you be able to defuse the situation nonviolently?

#2: Within your own country, you are an active part of a major ongoing movement for justice-making against a powerful systematic injustice. (Think the Civil Rights struggle/Black Power movements of the 1960’s or the Black Lives Matter movement of our current day or the Indian independence movement against the British empire). You are only using nonviolent methods up to this point to create the change you want to see. 

You are making some progress winning rights and making change, but the powers-that-be are slow-walking the positive change you are fighting for. Even worse, reactionary forces are committed to maintaining the racist/white supremacist/colonial status-quo. They are fighting back against your movement with violence and people in your movement are being seriously harmed. You realize that nonviolent resistance is going to take a long time. In fact, you are starting to wonder if nonviolent resistance will EVER work! Do you consider the possibility of violent resistance (by any means necessary) to make the change you want to happen? Or do you stick to nonviolent resistance at all costs?


Research materials for your arguments:

The Case For (and Against) Nonviolence

The Black Panther Party’s Ten-Point Program

Is There a Right Way to Protest?

Who is Mahatma Gandhi? (the founder of massive nonviolent resistance)

Dr. King’s Principles of Nonviolence

The Example of John Brown


#3: Let us think ahead to 15 years from now. Climate change is intensely affecting our everyday lives. Many people are suffering from weather-related disasters. Refugees from these disasters are amassing at the borders of wealthier and more stable countries. Yet, fossil-fuel companies refuse to stop producing fossil fuels and creating carbon emissions. You are part of the climate justice movement. Do you continue to respond with nonviolent resistance to force these companies to stop producing fossil fuels, or do you join those who are actively sabotaging and destroying fossil-fuel infrastructure in order to immediately stop the production


Research materials for your arguments:

Nonviolent Direct Action and the Struggle for Climate Justice

The Climate Case for Property Destruction


#4: A student is being bullied by a group of their peers. The bullying includes verbal taunts, social exclusion, and physical aggression, such as pushing and hitting. The student has reported the bullying to teachers and school administrators, but no action has been taken. The student and their friends are considering taking matters into their own hands and fighting back against the bullies.

But is this the best idea? If you are a friend of the student being bullied, can you respond in a nonviolent way to make the bullying stop? Or would you feel the need to use physical force, in a pre-emptive way or in self-defense (to protect yourself and your friend) to stop the bullying?