Five Myths about Diamonds

Standard: AP Human Geography IV. Political Organization of Space, B. Spatial political patterns reflect ideas of territoriality and power at a variety of scales.

Objective: Jedi will be able to use key vocabulary to explain how the diamond industry has the power to influence territoriality.

1. Get out book, planner, 3 flashcards and a piece of paper. 



Finished before me? You know what to do!

2. Write down Homework. 
• Read
• Study for Benchmark 2 (South America, Asia and Europe)
• CER Questions + Rubric
3. Begin Do Now on your own paper. (You do not have to write the question, just answer it)
• Why do you think Americans purchase diamonds when they get engaged? (3 min)

1. Adam Ruins Everything (5 min)
• How does this video relate to our last unit? 
• How does it relate to our new unit?
2. How does Kanye feel about it?
"Good mornin', this ain't Vietnam still
People lose hands, legs, arms, for real
Little was known of Sierra Leone
And how it connect to the diamonds we own
When I speak of diamonds in this song
I ain't talkin' about the ones that be glowin'
I'm talkin' about Roc-a-Fella, my home
My chain, these ain't conflict diamonds
Is they Jacob? Don't lie to me, man
See, a part of me saying "Keep shining"
How when I know what a blood diamond is?
Though it's thousands of miles away
Sierra Leone connects to what we go through today
Over here it's a drug trade, we die from drugs
Over there they die from what we buy from drugs
The diamonds, the chains, the bracelets, the charmses..."
3. New Vocabulary (15-20 min)
• Power Elite: A political theory that suggests that an elite of corporate leaders, top military officers, and key political leaders make most political decisions.
• Territoriality is the effort to control pieces of the earth's surface for personal, political, or social ends.
• Corporate Social Responsibility: Companies have an obligation to pursue policies, make decisions, and take actions that benefit society.
4. Five Myths about Diamonds Washington Post Op-Ed piece. (15 min)
1. Underline main idea.
2. Star anything you find shocking/surprising
3. Highlight/mark evidence of: 
• power elite
• territoriality
• corporate social responsibility
• Discussion (15-20 min)
• How does the diamond industry use territoriality? 
• What was the purpose of the Kimberley Process? Who does it actually protect?
• By creating artificial scarcity of diamonds, what effect has that had on issues of territoriality in diamond rich areas?
• What assumption can you make about these industries?
• If we really wanted to stop the violence in these areas, how else might we go about it?
5. Exit Slip + Rubric: Explain how the diamond industry has the power to influence territoriality.    (Use all 5 vocab words and SMM—two pieces of evidence to back up your claim.) (10-20 min)
6. Homework: CER Questions + Rubric 
• (Use Vocab words and SMM— two pieces of analyzed evidence from the text)

Thinking Above and Beyond: 

Diamonds suck. Aren't we smarter than our parents? We are independent thinkers! People get that the media is tricking us, right? So, why don’t we just stop buying them?

• Real is Rare ad campaign (5 min)
• How does this video relate to our last unit? 
• How does it relate to our new unit?
• Why does this ad matter?