LESSONPLAN:BridegroomDocumentary SUBJECT(S):U.S.

History,Civics,LanguageArts,
Health

GRADES:912 DESCRIPTION
ShaneBitneyCroneandThomasLeeBridegroom's relationshipwascutshortafteratragicaccident. BridegroomtellsthestoryofShane'sjourneytohonorhis partner'smemoryandindoingso,highlightsthecivil rightschallengesfacedbytheLGBTQcommunity. Thislesson,basedonthedocumentaryfilmBridegroom, willhelpstudentsbetterunderstandtheissues concerningthedisparityofcivilrightsextendedto differentcommunitiesinAmericansociety.Thelessonalsoaddressesstudentstrategiesfor copingwithbullyingandovercomingfeelingsofsocialisolation.

LEARNINGOBJECTIVES
AfterviewingthedocumentaryfilmBridegroom,studentswillunderstandthefollowing: IssuesconcerningthedisparitiesbetweenidealsandrealityinAmericanpoliticaland sociallife. TheroleofdiversityinAmericanlifeandtheimportanceofsharedvalues,politicalbeliefs andcivicbeliefsinanincreasinglydiverseAmericansociety. Majorcontemporarysocialissuesandthegroupinvolved(thecurrentdebateoversame sexmarriageandtowhatdegreelawsandpublicpolicieshavereachedtheirgoalsthe emergenceofLGBTQcivilrightsofgayAmericanscontinuingdebatesovergroup identityandrightsvs.individualrightsandidentitysuccessesandfailuresofthemodern gayrightsmovement). Howdifferentgroupsattempttoachievetheirgoals(e.g.,thegrievancesofminority groups)andthetheirreferencetothenationscharterdocumentstorectifypast injusticeslocalcommunityefforts. Increasestudentawarenessoftheextentandnatureofnamecalling,physicalandverbal bullyinginhighschoolandhowitmaycontributetoteensuicide.

1 LicensedunderaCreativeCommonsAttributionNonCommercialShareAlike3.0UnportedLicense. PreparedbyDerekE.Baird,M.A.|NotendorsedbyoraffiliatedwithTheBridegroomMovie.

LESSONMATERIALS
Tocompletethislesson,studentswillneedaccesstothefollowing: CopyofthedocumentaryfilmBridegroom(DVD)AlsoavailableonNetflix BridegroomTeacherDiscussionGuide TomBridegroomsCelebrationofLifeMontage:http://youtu.be/_4ZBbUWr6dQ ShaneBitneyCroneItGetsBetterhttp://youtu.be/T6k_tJ1NXKU ShaneBitneyCrone:ItCouldHappenToYouhttp://youtu.be/pR9gyloyOjM

ADDITIONALTEACHERMATERIALS
BridegroomOfficialWebsite:http://bridegroommovie.com/ CrisisTextLine:http://www.crisistextline.org/gethelpnow/ MeetShaneBitneyInterview(PopSugarEntertainment):http://youtu.be/1kxjYhDem4w YouthSuicidePreventionGuide:http://theguide.fmhi.usf.edu/pdf/Overview.pdf HowtoReportSuicidalExpressionsonFacebook:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/75718714/Facebook101HowtoReportSuicidalExpressions

TrevorProjectResources:http://www.thetrevorproject.org/section/resources

ACTIVITY1:CivilRights&theLGBTCommunity Studentswillconductresearchonthecurrentstatusofcontemporarysocialandlegalissues relatedtocivilrightsandtheLGBTcommunityintheirownstate.Studentswillsharetheir findingswiththeirclassmatesinapresentationormultimediaformat(video,FacebookPage, website/blog). Specialfocusshouldbegiventothefollowingdiscussionpoints: LearnhowlawsaffectthecivilrightsofLGBTcitizensinyourstate. Conductresearchandsharethestoriesoflocal/nationalLGBTcivilrightsleaders. CreateatimelineofpivotalmomentsintheLGBTcivilrightsmovement.

ACTIVITY2:AntiBullyingPublicServiceAnnouncement(PSA) StudentswillcreateaPublicServiceAnnouncementposterthathelpshighlighttheissueof bullyingraisedinthedocumentaryfilmBridegroom.Ifstudentsfeelcomfortable,theycanshare theirownexperienceswithbeingabullyorarecipientofbullyingbehaviors. HavethestudentstalktotheprincipalaboutsharingtheirPSAontheschoolwebsite,class FacebookPageand/orYouTubechannel.Encouragestudentstoposttheirvideoontheirown socialnetworkingprofiles.

2 LicensedunderaCreativeCommonsAttributionNonCommercialShareAlike3.0UnportedLicense. PreparedbyDerekE.Baird,M.A.|NotendorsedbyoraffiliatedwithTheBridegroomMovie.

ACTIVITY3:CreateaSuicideAwarenessCampaignforYourSchool Inthisactivitystudentswillconductresearchonallfacetsofteensuicideand,aspartofa suicideawarenesscampaign,sharetheirfindingswiththeirclassmates. Theyshouldfindrelevantvideos,readcasestudies,theroleofbullying,distinguishbetween factsandmythsaboutsuicide,identifysuicidewarningsignsandparticipateinclassdiscussion. Specialfocusshouldbegiventothefollowingcriteria: Understandhowserioustheproblemofsuicideisamongteenagers. Namethreepossiblereasonsfortheincreaseinteensuicides. Nameatleastthreemythsandfactsaboutsuicide. Listsomeofthewarningsignsofpossiblesuicide. Knowhowandwheretogotoreportsuicidalexpressions. Knowwhattodoifyoufeelsuicidal. LearnhowtoreportsuicidalexpressionsonFacebook. Explaintheimpactofasuicideonfamilyandfriends.

Studentswillcreateavideo,podcast,FacebookPageorpostertohelpraiseawarenesson teensandsuicidepreventionandshareitwiththeirclassand/orschool.Studentsshouldtalkto theprincipalaboutsharingtheirvideoontheschooland/ordistrictwebsite,FacebookPage and/orYouTubeChannel.

ASSESSMENTBASEDONLEARNINGOBJECTIVES
Studentshouldunderstandthehistoricalinstancesinwhichjudicialprotectionshavenot beenextendedtoLGBTQpersonsandcommunities. Studentshouldbeabletoexplaincontemporaryinstancesinwhichjudicialprotections havebeenextendedtothosedeprivedoftheminthepast. Studentshouldbeabletodefinewhatactivitiescontributetobullyingpreventionatschool andhowtoidentifyandhelpstudentswhohavewithsuicidalexpressions. Teacherwillevaluatethereflectivewritingexercisetoseeifthestudenthasan understandingoftheroleandimportanceoflawintheAmericanconstitutionalsystem andissuesregardingthejudicialprotectionofindividualrights. Essayorblogpostshoulddemonstratecompetenceinthegeneralskillsandstrategies ofthewritingprocess.

NATIONALACADEMICSTANDARDS
ThesestandardsareprovidedbytheMidcontinentRegionalEducationalLaboratory(McREL) onlinepublication,ContentKnowledge:ACompendiumofStandardsandBenchmarksforK12 Education.Thefollowingstandardsareaddressedbytheactivitiesofthislesson:
3 LicensedunderaCreativeCommonsAttributionNonCommercialShareAlike3.0UnportedLicense. PreparedbyDerekE.Baird,M.A.|NotendorsedbyoraffiliatedwithTheBridegroomMovie.

CivicsLevelIV:HighSchool(Gr.912) Standard18:UnderstandstheroleandimportanceoflawintheAmericanconstitutional systemandissuesregardingthejudicialprotectionofindividualrights. Benchmark:Knowshistoricalandcontemporaryinstancesinwhichjudicialprotections havenotbeenextendedtoallpersonsandinstancesinwhichjudicialprotectionshave beenextendedtothosedeprivedoftheminthepast. Standard19:Understandswhatismeantby"thepublicagenda,"howitisset,andhowit isinfluencedbypublicopinionandthemedia Benchmark:Understandsthewaysinwhichtelevision,radio,thepress,newsletters, andemergingmeansofcommunicationinfluenceAmericanpoliticsandunderstandsthe extenttowhichvarioustraditionalformsofpoliticalpersuasionhavebeenreplacedby electronicmedia Standard21:Understandstheformationandimplementationofpublicpolicy Benchmark:Knowsthepointsatwhichcitizenscanmonitororinfluencetheprocessof publicpolicyformation

HealthLevelIV:HighSchool(Gr.912) Standard4:Knowshowtomaintainmentalandemotionalhealth Benchmark1:Knowsstrategiesforcopingwithandovercomingfeelingsofrejection, socialisolation,andotherformsofstress Benchmark2:Knowsskillsusedtocommunicateeffectivelywithfamily,friends,and others,andtheeffectsofopenandhonestcommunication Benchmark3:Understandstheroleofdenialasanegativeinfluenceonmentaland emotionalhealth,andwaystoovercomedenialandseekassistancewhenneeded LanguageArtsLevelIV:HighSchool(Gr.912) Standard1:Demonstratescompetenceinthegeneralskillsandstrategiesofthewriting process Benchmark:Writescompositionsthatarefocusedfordifferentaudiences(e.g.,includes explanationsanddefinitionsaccordingtotheaudiencesknowledgeofthetopic,adjusts formalityofstyle,considersinterestsofpotentialreaders) U.S.HistoryLevelIV:HighSchool(Gr.912) Standard31:Understandseconomic,socialandculturaldevelopmentsintheU.S. Benchmark:Understandsmajorcontemporarysocialissuesandthegroupsinvolved (e.g.,thecurrentdebateovertheevolutionofgovernmentsupportfortherightsofthe disabledtheemergenceoftheGayLiberationMovementandcivilrightsofgay Americanscontinuingdebatesovermulticulturalism,andgroupidentityandrightsvs. individualrightsandidentitysuccessesandfailuresofthemodernfeministmovement).

4 LicensedunderaCreativeCommonsAttributionNonCommercialShareAlike3.0UnportedLicense. PreparedbyDerekE.Baird,M.A.|NotendorsedbyoraffiliatedwithTheBridegroomMovie.

BRIDEGROOMTEACHERDISCUSSIONGUIDE
Note:DiscussionofLGBTissuescanelicitstrongresponsesfromstudents.Teachersshould beawareofthisandcloselymonitorclassdiscussion. 1. BeforeyouwatchedBridegroom,whatdiditstitlemeantoyou?Didthatchangewhen youcompletedthedocumentary? 2. Ifyouweretocreateavideoblogtoalovedone,asShanedidinBridegroom,towhom wouldyouaddressit?Whatwouldyousay?Whatcouldyousayinavideothatyou couldn'tsayfacetoface? 3. InBridegroom,Shanesharesthestoryofbeingdeniedtherighttobewithhisdying partneratthehospital.Askstudentstosharetheirfeelingsaboutthemoraland/orlegal implicationoftheselaws. 4. Inthedocumentary,Shanetalksabouthisstrugglewithsuicidalthoughts.Whatare someofthewarningsignsforsuicidalexpression?Talkaboutresourcesareavailableto helpthosestrugglingwithdepressionand/orsuicidalthoughtsinyourcommunity. 5. Askstudentsunderwhatcircumstanceshavetheykeptsilentabouttheirbeliefs,feelings oractionsbecausetheyfearedtheresponseoftheirpeerstheirfamily.Howdiditmake themfeeltodothis? 6. WhendidShanefinallyfeellikehebelongedtoacommunity?Whatconditionsmadethis possible?HowdidthishelpTomtaketherisktobeopenaboutwhohewas? 7. Whyitisimportanttofeelasenseofbelonging.Whatdoesiffeelliketonotbelong? Whatmakesthemfeelliketheybelong?Havetheyeversharedbeliefs,feelingsor actionsthatsetthemapartwithfamilyorfriends?Whatpromptedorenabledthemto taketherisk?Whatweretheresults? 8. WhatdoesShane'sexperiencetellusaboutgrief?Howdidthedifferentfamiliesand friendsdifferwhenitcomestoexpressingtheirgrief? 9. WhataspectsofShane'sgriefcanyourelateto?Arewesometimestooquicktotell peopleto"getoverit,"andmoveonwiththeirgrief?Howmightwebemorecomfortingto thosewhoarestruggling? 10. HowdidthelocalcommunitybeliefinTheCowboyWaycontributetoShanes experienceofbeingbulliedatschool?Havestudentssharetheirexperienceasabully and/orbeingbulliedatschool.Askwhatstrategiesdostudentsuseforcopingwithand overcomingfeelingsofrejection,socialisolation,andotherformsofstress.
5 LicensedunderaCreativeCommonsAttributionNonCommercialShareAlike3.0UnportedLicense. PreparedbyDerekE.Baird,M.A.|NotendorsedbyoraffiliatedwithTheBridegroomMovie.