Lesson Two: Response to Sex Trafficking
Grade Level: 9th - 12th
Timing: 50 minutes
Overview
Students now have the basic understanding of sex trafficking, and it is time to introduce and research laws and advocacy being done to end sex trafficking. Depending on the location of the classroom, these findings will differ but the activities in the lessons will support them without exception. Also in this lesson, students will be able to make more tangible connections to the issue through photography.
Essential Questions
● Can you identify laws that address sex trafficking in your country and abroad?
● What are examples of advocacy toward ending sex trafficking?
● Can you list verified impact that advocacy projects have had on ending sex trafficking?
● How does viewing the photos affect your perception of sex trafficking?
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Investigate and analyze work done by activists, aid organizations, and former sex trafficking victims’ campaigns to end sex trafficking
Common Core
Standards Met:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.11-12.1a Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences the claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.3 Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.6 Evaluate authors’ differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors’ claims, reasoning, and evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.11-12.9 Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.
Subject areas where the topic can be included: History, Current Events, Torture, Mapping, something about viewing photos?
Glossary
Sex Trafficking: a form of slavery and involuntary servitude resulting in grave human rights violations.
Moldova: a country in Eastern Europe located between Romania to its west and Ukraine to its north, east, and south. Its capital city is Chișinău.
Advocacy: the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal.
Materials for Instructor
Telling History Exhibit
Advocacy Letter Template
Resource: Polaris project: https://polarisproject.org/
Materials for Students
Telling History Project Journal
Advocacy Letter Template
I. Review of Homework Assignment from Lesson One (10 min.)
Have students share the research they investigated in their homework assignment.
Entry point questions can include:
● Were you surprised this event occurred so close to home?
● Did your article explain the background of the situation?
If not, can you make sense of or speculate the potential background from what you have learned about sex trafficking?
● Did anyone find an article that included information on advocacy and support taking place for the victim?
● What organizations have you identified as working to stop sex trafficking?
● Are there laws against sex trafficking? If so, list them.
● Do you feel these laws have been effective?
II. Gallery Walk: 10 minutes (This is an optional activity.)
Step One
Place James Whitlow Delano’s photos around the room.
Step Two
Have students walk to each poster and spend two to three minutes viewing the image. As they view the image, have them reflect on the following questions in their THP journal:
● What do you think the photographer is trying to convey?
● How did the photographer convey the message through the photo?
● What aspects of the photo help to convey this message?
Step Three
Ask students to list words that describe their thoughts, feelings, and questions.
Closing
Share with students that they will be writing advocacy letters in the next lesson.