Lesson #1:
Introducing the Idea of Bias
Text: The Lowlands - Guicciardini
1. Hand out copies of LOWLANDS.
2. Discuss "physical" elements of the piece:
- typeface with "f" instead of "s"
- changes in spellings and usage over time
- printing presses and dissemination of information
3. Read LOWLANDS (the original text) aloud to students asking them to keep two questions in mind:
- What are you finding out about the Lowlands (content)?
- What are you finding out about the author (voice/point of view)?
4. After reading the piece, ask students to refer back to the text and pinpoint answers to the following:
- What do Lowlanders look like?
- What kind of trade goods do Lowlanders produce?
- What kind of speaking and writing skills do Lowlanders possess [note that the piece only addresses the literacy of men]?
- How are family goods distributed among children?
- What kind of sailing skills did the Lowlanders have?
- Of what religion are Lowlanders?
- Do the Lowlanders appreciate music?
5. Ask the students to now think about the author of the piece and his/her opinions. Using quotes from the text to back up statements, have them answer the following and write it on the overhead or blackboard:
- What does the author think about women’s natural desires?
- What does the author think about keeping bloodlines pure?
- What does the author think about marriage between different classes of people?
6. Also write the following on the board:
Different people may view the same event in different ways. This sometimes occurs because people have differing backgrounds and beliefs that influence, or BIAS their opinions. Knowing how to recognize bias helps you evaluate what you read or hear.
…To evaluate what you read, you often need background information. Also keep in mind that there may often be an emotional element involved.
From Across the Centuries
7. Tell the students that the author of the piece they read was Ludovico Guicciardini, an Italian who wrote a book entitled Description of the Lowlands published in the Lowlands in 1557. Knowing just this small bit about the author and looking at the answers on the board to #5 above, ask them the following:
- Did the author’s gender surprise you? Why or why not?
- Did you think the author was from the Lowlands before you found out he was Italian? What clues did you have from the text that he was a "foreigner"?
- List items/qualities you think were valued in Italy after reading Guicciardini’s comments.
QUESTION FOR THOUGHT: How might bias on the author’s part influence what he chooses to write about?
Top of page