Abuse+of+Power+ELA+Assignment+1

Assignment 1: Abuse of Power

Time needed: One 90 minute Project block

Key Idea: Understanding the relationship between the Abuser and the Abused

Key Vocabulary: apartheid

Procedure: Teacher will begin class by introducing the struggle against apartheid by Nelson Mandela. A brief biography is available here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela

The class will then read an excerpt from his autobiography located here: http://archives.obs-us.com/obs/english/books/Mandela/achap66.html

The class will then answer the following key questions (in a format determined by the instructor):


 * How does Mandela and his cohort experience oppression in prison?
 * What do Mandela’s responses to the actions of the guards tell us about the movements’ goals, aims, and substance?
 * After listing off the different forms of protest that Mandela mentions and brainstorming others, discuss the effectiveness of the different manners of protest available to the oppressed.