Lesson 6: Mall Crawl Ethnography

Did the store seem to favor a race, class, age, ability, or gender?
Was the store seemingly heteronormative?
What seemed to be the main message that the store wants its customers to think or feel?
To what extent do you think the store participates in exploiting its employees?
Does the store and/or its products seem to exploit nature?
Does the store subtly or overtly try to make its customers biologically or mentally-emotionally addicted to its products?
Did the store use patriotism as a way to sell products?
What countries are listed as being where products are made?
Does the store have its own credit card?
Do you have any additional insights, comments, or analyses about the store that you’d like to share?
What does this experience make you think about in terms of consumerism in your life and in our society?

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.11-12.7

Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem

Vocabulary in Context Study and apply vocabulary related to education, diversity, and social justice in reading passages and essays.

Evidence-Based Writing: Practice constructing well-supported arguments on topics such as the impact of societal and cultural factors on education, referencing historical documents, court cases, and educational policies.

Passage Analysis: Analyze excerpts from key texts, speeches, or court cases related to the history and evolution of education in the U.S

Purpose: analyze consumerism and the impact in your life and our society.

Description: Conduct a cultural and ethnographic analysis of various stores in a mall, examining issues of diversity, inclusivity, consumerism, and environmental impact.


DOK 1
List the 6 stores in the mall and identify the cultural backgrounds they represent.
DOK 2
Compare marketing strategies
DOK 3
Assess the effectiveness of a specific store’s efforts to cater to diverse communities and
their cultural needs
Draw conclusions about how the presence of diverse stores in the mall influences consumer behavior

Conducting a cultural and ethnographic analysis of various stores in a mall involves examining how these spaces reflect and impact broader societal issues such as diversity, inclusivity, consumerism, and environmental impact

misconception that ethnography is only about describing what is seen (e.g., the layout of the store, the products sold), rather than interpreting the cultural meanings and social practices associated with these observations

one one instruction, Google classroom. Paper or or online assignments, online instructional tools, videos, Spanish version available for ELL students

submit a written report analyzing 6 different stores from at least 3 different types, addressing all the questions provided in the guide. The report should demonstrate critical thinking, observational skills, and an understanding of cultural and societal issues in consumer spaces. Graded by a rubric

EDF 215 Syllabus, rubric