The Save Our History Educator s Manual

Transcription

1 The Save Our History Educator s Manual Curriculum Links to State History and Social Studies Standards in Georgia Social studies standards from each state have been adapted and aligned to Save Our History lesson plans by Susan Ganley, Social Science Education Faculty, University of South Florida. The Save Our History lesson plans and activities focusing on The Civil Rights Movement are inclusive of NCSS Performance Standards and fulfill many of the objectives of National Standards for History guidelines as recommended by the National Council for History Education. In addition, the activities connect with many state history and social studies standards. The information below provides a guide for using these activities to achieve the recommendations of these performance and skill standards. For further standards matching, we recommend that you consult the curriculum goals outlined by your state or school district. Elementary Lesson Plan Throughout these interactive experiences, students will examine civil rights and civil rights movements using thoughtful and engaging strategies. Research using multiple sources, interviews, and the creation of a visual history are a few of these activities. Elementary Activity #1 Categorizing to Build Understanding This lesson has students brainstorm to come up with a list of rights they believe people in the United States have. The teacher provides examples of situations and the students must name the right that they think this situation involves. Limits to some freedoms are also discussed. The principal is then called in to the class to discuss the rules of the school and the rights of the children in the school. A local official might also discuss community rights. SS4CG4 The student will explain the importance of Americans sharing certain central democratic beliefs and principles, both personal and civic. Elementary Activity #2 Learning about Civil Rights Leaders This activity is appropriate for all elementary levels. The activity includes a focus on leaders of the civil rights movements. The students work cooperatively to research various sources that highlight and illustrate the assigned civil rights leader. Interviews will then be conducted to question and record vivid memories of local persons who experienced and lived during the civil rights SS2H1 The student will read about and describe the lives of historical figures in Georgia history.

2 SS3H1 The student will explain the political roots of our modern democracy in the United States of America. SS3H2 The student will discuss the lives of Americans who expanded people s rights Elementary Activity #3 I Have a Dream Ways to Learn About the Past This elementary level activity has as its focus Dr. Martin Luther King s I Have a Dream speech. Students will use books, in addition to audio and video clips to begin to realize that history is about real persons and events from the past. Following an explanation of Dr. King s dream, the students will write and illustrate a dream of their own for America. SS2H1 The student will read about and describe the lives of historical figures in Georgia history. SS3H1 The student will explain the political roots of our modern democracy in the United States of America. SS3H2 The student will discuss the lives of Americans who expanded people s rights Elementary Activity #4 Creating a history of the Civil Rights Movement in Recent Times A civil rights topic is researched through books and the Internet by small groups of students. This information in the form of a visual report is shared with the class. The class then creates a timeline with the visuals provided by each group. They can also compare this timeline to events and movements that occurred in their local area at that time in history. SS3H1 The student will explain the political roots of our modern democracy in the United States of America.

3 SS3H2 The student will discuss the lives of Americans who expanded people s rights Elementary Activity #5 Making History Local The Civil Rights Movement in Our Community This unit of study will culminate with a field trip to a local museum to see primary documents and artifacts from the civil rights era with a follow up museum display to present to the school. SS2H1 The student will read about and describe the lives of historical figures in Georgia history. SS3H2 The student will discuss the lives of Americans who expanded people s rights Middle School Lesson Plan Activities provided in these lesson plans allow students to think critically and carefully about the civil rights movement while students explore many of the issues at the core of American history and democracy. Middle School Activity #1 Questions about Equal Rights Key terms are defined and clarified in this lesson. A discussion will follow, generated by a list of statements in which students agree or disagree. These opinions must be supported with explanations.

4 SS8CG1 The student will describe the role of citizens under Georgia s constitution. S8CG2 The student will analyze the role of the legislative branch in Georgia state SS8CG3 The student will analyze the role of the executive branch in Georgia state SS8CG4 The student will analyze the role of the judicial branch in Georgia state Middle School Activity #2 The Shape of The Struggle Students think chronologically through many important events that occurred through the civil rights Students will conduct individual research on these topics, describe the event in a brief essay, and draw a visual representation on cardboard or poster paper. A classroom bulletin board or wall will provide a display of their individual drawings placed chronologically on this timeline display. SS8CG1 The student will describe the role of citizens under Georgia s constitution. S8CG2 The student will analyze the role of the legislative branch in Georgia state SS8CG3 The student will analyze the role of the executive branch in Georgia state SS8CG4 The student will analyze the role of the judicial branch in Georgia state Middle School Activity #3 Changing Laws and Traditions Students put themselves in the place of African Americans or their supporters attempting to gain equal rights in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. Situations based on actual events will provide a chance for students to come up with a constructive plan of action or a critique of this plan. Non-violent actions and civil disobedience will be examined within this context. Federal laws prohibiting discrimination and providing equal rights will be prepared and compared to the actual Civil Rights Acts.

5 SS8CG1 The student will describe the role of citizens under Georgia s constitution. S8CG2 The student will analyze the role of the legislative branch in Georgia state SS8CG3 The student will analyze the role of the executive branch in Georgia state SS8CG4 The student will analyze the role of the judicial branch in Georgia state Middle School Activity #4 Profiles of Purpose The activity includes a focus on leaders of the civil rights movements. The students conduct historical research to investigate a civil rights leader in addition to the movement identified with this leader. These investigations will then be share and discussed with the class. Middle School Activity #5 Making History Local This activity involves the interview process. Each student will conduct an interview with local people who have firsthand knowledge and memories of this time. Local libraries and archives can identify local individuals who were active in the civil rights Middle School Activity #6 Making History Local A roundtable discussion with several people who were active in the civil rights movement will provide the students with a description of the movement as seen through the eyes of those who were involved.

6 Middle School Activity #7 Defining the Dream This activity has as its focus Dr. Martin Luther King s March on Washington and his I Have a Dream speech. Students will read or listen to the speech and think about each statement that begins I Have a Dream. They will select those they think are most important to illustrate. They will follow this with a letter to a local public figure to ask about what he or she sees as the American dream. High School Lesson Plan Activities provided in these lesson plans allow students to think critically and carefully about the civil rights movement while students explore many of the issues at the core of American history and democracy. High School Activity #1 Rights from the Start Key terms are defined and clarified in this lesson. A discussion will follow, generated by a list of statements in which students agree or disagree. These opinions must be supported with explanations. High School Activity #2 Making History Local Students are asked to think chronologically through many important events that occurred through the civil rights Students then will conduct group research on these events, and place brief descriptions on a classroom bulletin board or wall for a chronological timeline display. Illustrations of events that were occurring in the local community at the same time will be added and discussed.

7 High School Activity #3 Is Separate Equal or Unequal? Brown v. Board of Education provides an opportunity to role-play this important U.S. Supreme Court case. A thorough research for background information must be completed in order to prepare for a group presentation before a simulation of this Supreme Court case. High School Activity #4 Making History Local Equal rights in the local community is researched and a single publication is developed that will provide a historical perspective. Interviews with people in the community who were active in the civil rights movement will provide the students with a description of the movement as seen through the eyes of those who were involved. High School Activity #5 Letter from a Birmingham Jail This activity involves the concept of civil disobedience. King, Thoreau, Gandhi, and Malcolm X are compared and contrasted.