Lesson Plan Template

							                                DRAFT NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION


                                    Charter Oak Collaborative:
                         Teaching American History in the Capitol Region
                          Civil Rights Movement (1954-1974) Lesson Plan

Teachers: Maryam Wardak, Sarah Lawrence, Patrick McManus, Cindy Adajian

District/Schools: West Hartford/ Hall High School, Region 10 Lewis Mills High School

Date: July 18-22, 2005

Will be taught: Hall: Spring 2006; Reg. 10 Winter 2005

Part A: Background Information

Unit Title:

Civil Rights Movement (1954-1974): To the Huddled Masses: Keep on Yearnin’

Unit Overview and Rationale: (including reference to state and national standards)
As citizens of a multicultural society, we need to help our students fully appreciate the ongoing
struggle for equality and freedom by a variety of different groups (African Americans, women,
Native Americans, migrants…) In order to understand the complex dynamics of today’s American
and global communities, our students need to analyze the historical context within which various
groups have been evolving and struggling for freedom. We need to expose them to the multiple
voices, strategies, opposition, goals, successes and setbacks that such groups have faced, and
continue to face.

This unit connects to the following CT state content standards:
   1. Students will develop historical thinking skills
   2. Students will develop an understanding of local, United States, and world history
   3. Students will apply an understanding of historical themes
   4. Students will recognize the continuing importance of applying history
   5. Students will apply knowledge of United States government
   6. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the rights and responsibilities of citizens
   7. Students will explain the nature of political systems
   8. Students will demonstrate an understanding of international relations
   9. 11. Students will interpret human systems

This unit connects to the following national content standards:
   1. culture
   2. time, continuity, and change
   3. people, places, and environments
   4. individual development and identity
   5. individuals, groups, and institutions
   6. power, authority, and governance
   1. global connections

Charter Oak Collaborative: Teaching American History – 2005 - Summer Institute Schedule – Pg 1
   2. civic ideals and practices

Estimated time for the unit: 4 weeks: 2 week study of African Americans’ struggle for Civil Rights
as a core, followed by 2 weeks on other struggling groups in society.

Enduring Understandings, big ideas that have lasting value:
   Societies react to change in many ways
   The concept of Freedom holds many meanings and multiple perspectives.
   The struggle for equality is ongoing.
   Individuals play a vital role in paving the way for social change.
   Individual rights expand and contract based on the conditions in society at the time.

Essential Social Studies Skills:

       Independent research, inquiry skills, presentation skills, geographical skills, analysis,
       synthesis, evaluation, critical thinking, writing, interpretation, empathy, compare/contrast,
       technology/web-based skills…

Essential Questions that will frame the unit:
    How do individuals’ rights and freedoms change with time?
    What is Freedom?
    What individuals have played key roles in the struggle for equality?
    What factors influence society’s reactions to change?
    Have the goals of each social movement been met?
    What are the future implications?
    What role do presidents, the Supreme Court, legislators, grassroots organizations, and
       individuals play in social change?
    How does America’s struggle for equality relate to the global arena?
    What role do youth play in social change?
    What are the similarities and differences amongst the various civil rights groups?

Assessment: What is the evidence that students understand the big ideas and major questions and
            show competency in the essential skills?

      DBQ
      Extended response on Essential Questions through the eyes of the learner
      Journals
      Create lyrics to a song or poem
      Role Play
      Mock Trial
      Authentic Assessment: Town Forum with assigned roles, position paper, role of the media;
       connect to a current topic dealing with civil rights

Part B: Specific Lesson Plan
   (1) Content Objective(s) for the Lesson: “By the end of this lesson, students will .…”


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              understand the role of the Supreme Court in protecting civil rights
              identify and describe the precedents set in the cases of Plessy v. Ferguson,. Brown v.
               Board of Education of Topeka Kansas, and Sheff v. O’Neil
              analyze how civil rights have progressed over time, and how the ongoing struggle
               influences society today

(2) Skill Objective(s) for the Lesson: “By the end of this lesson, students will develop….”

      inquiry skills
      cooperative learning skills
      analyzing and interpreting primary and secondary sources
      determining bias and authenticity
      considering multiple perspectives
      recognizing and moving beyond presentism
      writing and reading skills
      presentation skills

(3) Differentiation Considerations: How does the instructional plan address learning differences
    of modality, style, and multiple intelligences? What inclusions considerations have been made?
    How has the plan for learning addressed the needs of identified special education students?
    What accommodations have been made for gifted students? What materials will be needed?

   Differentiated learning is practiced daily at Hall High School as well as Lewis S. Mills High
   School. The classes in Lewis Mills are grouped by level, whereas at Hall classes are
   heterogeneous. Regardless, lesson plans are geared towards multiple intelligences and various
   learning styles. This lesson focuses on students working cooperatively in groups in which they
   are all accountable for their final group presentation. Students are also required to revisit and
   answer the essential questions so that they may create historical understandings based on the
   materials provided. An additional component of this unit is the independent research project,
   which will be geared more specifically to the learning abilities of the students.

(4) Materials and Resources Needed:

      District school profiles
      Supreme Court case briefs
      political cartoons
      assignment rubrics
      newspaper articles
      other primary and secondary source documents
      protest music
      video clips (Eyes on the Prize…)

(5) Opening/Initiation/Hooking Student Interest: What will the teacher do? What do you expect
students to do?




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Compare/contrast school profile data with other towns (West Hartford, Hartford, District 10
schools… ) in groups; Students will discuss and respond to a number of prompts as a guide to
understanding the profiles. They will be able to reach conclusions related to American society,
political, social, and economic divides.

(6) Main Lesson Activities: What will the teacher do? What do you expect students to do?


Divide students into three to six groups (depending on class size); Each group will be assigned one
of the three court cases. Distribute and explain rubric, briefs and documents, political cartoons, and
question sheet. Students will analyze and discuss the materials in their groups, and will then share
their insights with their classmates.

(7) Closure/Ending the Lesson: What will the teacher do? What do you expect students to do?
    How can you check that students understood the big ideas or could answer the essential
    questions or could demonstrate achievement of the objectives?

    As the groups work on the activity, the teacher will facilitate and check for understanding,
    engage the groups in discussion, and ensure that they are staying on task. The lesson will last for
    one block period. At the end of the lesson, after each group has presented their case, the teacher
    will facilitate a class discussion, referring back to the essential questions. For homework the
    students will be required to reflect on the discussion in their journals and read an excerpt from
    Jonathan Kozol’s Savage Inequalities.

(8) Practitioner Reflection: How did your plan for instruction change based on what you learned
    as a participant in the Teaching American History program? After teaching these lessons, what
    adjustments will you make before the next time you teach this unit



Prepared by Ken Poppe, Diana Roberge, Alan Marcus, Steve McGrath




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