Archie Bunker

Archie Bunker's Neighborhood

Supplies:

Paper

Tape

Markers

Signs- swamp, landfill, chemical waste, polluted stream, lake

When students walk in, each student gets a color marked on their hand. Try to divide students evenly into groups. Try not to put someone in a group that they are already a part of in everyday life. This may be hard to do at times. It is very important that the students do not know what group they are a part of. They need to figure it out based on the name-calling and stereotypes you provide.

Guidelines:

Purple= African American= $15,000

Red= Lesbian · = $15,000

Green= Gay = $15,000

Pink= Latino= $15,000

Blue= White= $50,000

*Each group must build at least:

1 Police Station

1 Fire Station

1 School

2 Houses

Building Proposals

In order to build, residents must go to the Mayor at City Hall and present a proposal. The proposal must state what they plan to build. They must write the cost of the proposed building. They may only propose 1 building at a time. If the Mayor declines the proposal, they must go back and create a new proposal. All members of the community must contribute. In order to go to City Hall, an officer must escort residents. Any one who is not escorted will be sent to jail. None of these rules apply to the white people.

Jail

A person can be forced to go to jail by any police officer. A person may be released from jail by 3 means:

1. Paying bail set by officer (bail money may go to white people)

2. Person is replaced by someone else from their community

3. Officer says their time is up

________________________________________________________________________

Officers

You may send anyone to jail at any time for any reason. If they look at you funny, send them to jail. Remember that this is not a power trip for you and to keep it realistic. Play up name-calling and stereotypes. Do not try to be funny. We are trying to make a point here.

Some reasons to send people to jail may include, but are not limited to:

- Crossing borders

- Unescorted proposal

- Staring at officer

- Rude comments

- Belligerence

Mayor

You may pass some proposals. You MUST pass all proposals given by the white people. Give the white group breaks, saying they are trying to pay too much for their proposal. It is best if you can let other groups hear you doing this. Give the white people more options once they have finished- build a mall or a restaurant. Do NOT let the other groups finish before the white group. You need to be direct and forceful, just like the officers. Play up name-calling and stereotypes.

Wrap up questions:

1. Did you like this activity?

2. How did you feel? Be sure to ask the white people too.

3. Were any of you offended?

4. What were some of the things that you were called?

5. How does this relate to everyday life?

6. What have you learned from this activity?

Be sure to stress at the end:

Most of you just experienced what it is like to be discriminated against. I want you to remember what just happened to you when you leave our pretend neighborhood and step out into the real world. Maybe next time you make fun of someone for something they cannot control, you will think about what just happened here and how it made you feel. The next time you hear an off-color joke, you won't respond with an uncomfortable laugh, but by responding that you do not appreciate those kinds of comments. Use it as a teachable moment. Educate others. Just as much as hate breeds hate, kindness and education breed understanding and respect. You don't have to be friends with everyone who is different from you and you don't have to go out of your way to be nice to them. I ask that you simply understand what it is like to be in someone else's shoes and that differences are what makes us humans unique.

Good luck!