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SPORTS & AMERICAN CULTURE

UNIT 5: SPORTS AS AN AGENT FOR CHANGE

Sports have the ability to not only reflect society, but to help change attitudes and shape culture.  In this unit students will analyze the extent to which sports may have played a role in helping minority groups such as women and African-Americans attain more opportunities in our society as well as help diminish some of the prejudices existent in our country.  Furthermore, students will study how certain sports and sports figures (such as Babe Ruth in the 1920s) may have contributed to a growing mass culture amongst Americans.  Finally, students will examine current cultural issues in sports such as the controversy over the Washington Redskins name/logo and the unwillingness of many athletes to socially accept homosexuals as their teammates.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

  • Are sports democratic?

  • Do sports promote racial and gender equality?

  • To what extent are sports inclusive and exclusive?

  • How can sports break down political and cultural barriers?

  • To what extent are cultural changes redefining “masculinity” in sports?

Essential Questions

VIDEOS

Ken Burns On Jackie Robinson

  • Why did Jackie Robinson transcend sports?

  • Is Jackie Robinson still relevant today?

Equality, Sports, and Title IX

  • What is Title IX?

  • How has Title IX changed societal views on gender and sports?

Young Girl Speaks for Gender Equality At The White House

  • Is the phrase, "you play like a girl" still considered an insult to athletes?

American Soccer's Gender Wage Gap: The Daily Show

  • Why does gender inequality exist in soccer despite the women's success on the field?

Jason Collins Interview

  • Has Jason Collins changed people's perspectives about sports and sexuality?

  • Are gay athletes more accepted in some sports than in others?

Caitlyn Jenner

  • Has Caitlyn Jenner positively changed people's attitudes about transgendered people?

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Videos

UNIT SOURCES

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