Table of Contents
Lesson 1: Civil Rights Movement/Greensboro Sit-Ins
Lesson 2: What are Rights?
Lesson 3: Let’s Explore Primary Sources with the Greensboro Sit-Ins
Lesson 4: *Freedom On the Menu- A Reader’s Theatre Guide to the Greensboro Sit-Ins (Creative Arts Activity)
Lesson 5: *Non-Violent Protests- Then and Now (Cultural Arts Activity)
Overview:
Essential Question: Why is it important to take a stand for our rights?
This unit covers the Greensboro Sit-Ins, which was a movement to desegregate the Woolworth Lunch Counter by starting a non-violent protest. Through this unit, students learn about rights they have as citizens and rights they have as students. They then apply this knowledge to understanding why African American’s weren’t being given the rights that they deserved during the Greensboro Sit-Ins. Students learn about the importance of primary sources when we study the Greensboro Sit-Ins, so that they can understand the importance of understanding multiple perspectives from individuals who experienced the event. Students continue practicing empathy as they participate in a Reader’s Theatre that helps them put themselves in their character’s shoes and see things from their perspective as we as a class reflect on “Freedom on the Menu.” Finally, students begin to synthesize the information presented so that they can see the effectiveness of nonviolent protests in order to stand up for injustice and personal beliefs, both in the Greensboro Sit-Ins and in present times. The lessons build on each other in this way so that students can understand the importance of standing up for rights. First, students have to have a baseline understanding of what rights are, and that they can be unjustly taken away. Then they have to practice identifying multiple perspectives so that they can have a better understanding of what it may feel like to not have their protected rights. One safe way to stand up for rights is to nonviolently protest. That is why I focused on non-violent protests in my final lesson, so that students can have an action they could take if they ever felt like their rights were being violated or not respected. Overall, this unit answers the question, “Why is it important to take a stand for our rights?” by answering it in several ways: we talk about how African Americans were treated unfairly, so students led a nonviolent protest to stand up for their rights. If this protest didn’t occur, lunch counters may have not been desegregated for years afterward. It was crucial that students took a stand for their rights so that everyone could have the rights they deserved.
Justification: This topic is crucial for students to understand because it explains the importance of not only understanding our rights as citizens, but it also emphasizes the importance of taking a stand for our rights and the rights of others if they are taken away. Students also learn about multiple perspectives throughout this unit, which is also very important. Students need to practice empathy so that they can have a better understanding of those around them.
Connection to Citizenship Development: Students will learn to become better citizens as they learn to identify their rights and learn ways to protect those rights. Students will be able to identify nonviolent protests as a safe way to defend their rights, which will in turn allow them to develop responsible citizenship characteristics.
Standards:
· NCSCOS/Common Core Standards: 3.H.1.1 Explain key historical events that occurred in the local community and regions over time.
· 3.H.1.2 Analyze the impact of contributions made by diverse historical figures in local communities and regions over time.
· 3.H.1.3 Exemplify the ideas that were significant in the development of local communities and regions.
Objectives:
Lesson 1: After studying the Civil Rights Movement and the Greensboro Sit-Ins, students will be able to compare African American and White people’s potential perspectives before and after the civil rights movement by filling out a “Multiple Perspectives Chart.”
Lesson 2: Students will create their own “Classroom Rights” after we discuss rights we have as citizens and students.
Lesson 3: Students will complete multiple handout question sheets that will require them to synthesize and analyze pieces of primary and secondary sources that we will study as a class.
Lesson 4: Students will complete the “Reflection Handout” after participating in a Reader’s Theatre of “Freedom on the Menu” and discussing multiple perspectives as a class.
Lesson 5: Students will complete a question and answer handout that will demonstrate their understanding of multiple perspectives in regards to the Eric Garner current event. Students will also participate in class discussions about non-violent protests.
Assessments:
I will collect the handouts and activity guides from students from each lesson. While I will be informally assessing students throughout the unit by asking probing and thought provoking questions, I will also be formally assessing them based on their thoughtful responses to the handouts I provide listed below in each lesson.
Lesson 1: I will collect the worksheets in order to review the students’ comprehension of the lesson. I will also informally assess students as I ask questions throughout the lesson.
Lesson 2: I will collect the “Classroom Rights” chart from students to formally assess their ability to apply their knowledge of rights to their own lives. I will also be informally assessing their understanding by asking questions throughout the lesson.
Lesson 3: I will collect the Handout Sheets from students to formally assess their synthesis of the new information. I will also be informally assessing their understanding by asking questions throughout the lesson.
Lesson 4: I will collect the Reflection Handout from students to formally assess their understanding of the book and assess if they were able to come up with further questions and ideas after reading the book. I will also be informally assessing their understanding by asking questions throughout the lesson.
Lesson 5: I will collect the “question and answer handout” from students to formally assess their ability to identify multiple perspectives. I will also be informally assessing their understanding by asking questions throughout the lesson.
Final Assessment: Students will participate in the “Agree/ Disagree Activity” where students will form a line based on their answer to “I would participate in a nonviolent protest to protect my or someone else’s rights” where one side of the room is the “agree” side and another side is the “disagree side.” I would have several students from every area of the line share their thoughts after they discussed with people around them why they chose the spot that they did. After students from the agree, disagree and middle shared, I would have students go back to their seats and fill out their explanation of why they would or would not participate in a nonviolent protest. Below that, I would have a 2nd question on their exit ticket, “Regardless of if you would or would not participate in a nonviolent protest, why is it important for us to stand up for our rights?” Students would answer that question as well, as a form of a final assessment for me. I could determine if students were able to synthesize information learned throughout the unit to answer the essential question.
Lesson 1: Civil Rights Movement/Greensboro Sit-Ins
Lesson 2: What are Rights?
Lesson 3: Let’s Explore Primary Sources with the Greensboro Sit-Ins
Lesson 4: *Freedom On the Menu- A Reader’s Theatre Guide to the Greensboro Sit-Ins (Creative Arts Activity)
Lesson 5: *Non-Violent Protests- Then and Now (Cultural Arts Activity)
Overview:
Essential Question: Why is it important to take a stand for our rights?
This unit covers the Greensboro Sit-Ins, which was a movement to desegregate the Woolworth Lunch Counter by starting a non-violent protest. Through this unit, students learn about rights they have as citizens and rights they have as students. They then apply this knowledge to understanding why African American’s weren’t being given the rights that they deserved during the Greensboro Sit-Ins. Students learn about the importance of primary sources when we study the Greensboro Sit-Ins, so that they can understand the importance of understanding multiple perspectives from individuals who experienced the event. Students continue practicing empathy as they participate in a Reader’s Theatre that helps them put themselves in their character’s shoes and see things from their perspective as we as a class reflect on “Freedom on the Menu.” Finally, students begin to synthesize the information presented so that they can see the effectiveness of nonviolent protests in order to stand up for injustice and personal beliefs, both in the Greensboro Sit-Ins and in present times. The lessons build on each other in this way so that students can understand the importance of standing up for rights. First, students have to have a baseline understanding of what rights are, and that they can be unjustly taken away. Then they have to practice identifying multiple perspectives so that they can have a better understanding of what it may feel like to not have their protected rights. One safe way to stand up for rights is to nonviolently protest. That is why I focused on non-violent protests in my final lesson, so that students can have an action they could take if they ever felt like their rights were being violated or not respected. Overall, this unit answers the question, “Why is it important to take a stand for our rights?” by answering it in several ways: we talk about how African Americans were treated unfairly, so students led a nonviolent protest to stand up for their rights. If this protest didn’t occur, lunch counters may have not been desegregated for years afterward. It was crucial that students took a stand for their rights so that everyone could have the rights they deserved.
Justification: This topic is crucial for students to understand because it explains the importance of not only understanding our rights as citizens, but it also emphasizes the importance of taking a stand for our rights and the rights of others if they are taken away. Students also learn about multiple perspectives throughout this unit, which is also very important. Students need to practice empathy so that they can have a better understanding of those around them.
Connection to Citizenship Development: Students will learn to become better citizens as they learn to identify their rights and learn ways to protect those rights. Students will be able to identify nonviolent protests as a safe way to defend their rights, which will in turn allow them to develop responsible citizenship characteristics.
Standards:
· NCSCOS/Common Core Standards: 3.H.1.1 Explain key historical events that occurred in the local community and regions over time.
· 3.H.1.2 Analyze the impact of contributions made by diverse historical figures in local communities and regions over time.
· 3.H.1.3 Exemplify the ideas that were significant in the development of local communities and regions.
Objectives:
Lesson 1: After studying the Civil Rights Movement and the Greensboro Sit-Ins, students will be able to compare African American and White people’s potential perspectives before and after the civil rights movement by filling out a “Multiple Perspectives Chart.”
Lesson 2: Students will create their own “Classroom Rights” after we discuss rights we have as citizens and students.
Lesson 3: Students will complete multiple handout question sheets that will require them to synthesize and analyze pieces of primary and secondary sources that we will study as a class.
Lesson 4: Students will complete the “Reflection Handout” after participating in a Reader’s Theatre of “Freedom on the Menu” and discussing multiple perspectives as a class.
Lesson 5: Students will complete a question and answer handout that will demonstrate their understanding of multiple perspectives in regards to the Eric Garner current event. Students will also participate in class discussions about non-violent protests.
Assessments:
I will collect the handouts and activity guides from students from each lesson. While I will be informally assessing students throughout the unit by asking probing and thought provoking questions, I will also be formally assessing them based on their thoughtful responses to the handouts I provide listed below in each lesson.
Lesson 1: I will collect the worksheets in order to review the students’ comprehension of the lesson. I will also informally assess students as I ask questions throughout the lesson.
Lesson 2: I will collect the “Classroom Rights” chart from students to formally assess their ability to apply their knowledge of rights to their own lives. I will also be informally assessing their understanding by asking questions throughout the lesson.
Lesson 3: I will collect the Handout Sheets from students to formally assess their synthesis of the new information. I will also be informally assessing their understanding by asking questions throughout the lesson.
Lesson 4: I will collect the Reflection Handout from students to formally assess their understanding of the book and assess if they were able to come up with further questions and ideas after reading the book. I will also be informally assessing their understanding by asking questions throughout the lesson.
Lesson 5: I will collect the “question and answer handout” from students to formally assess their ability to identify multiple perspectives. I will also be informally assessing their understanding by asking questions throughout the lesson.
Final Assessment: Students will participate in the “Agree/ Disagree Activity” where students will form a line based on their answer to “I would participate in a nonviolent protest to protect my or someone else’s rights” where one side of the room is the “agree” side and another side is the “disagree side.” I would have several students from every area of the line share their thoughts after they discussed with people around them why they chose the spot that they did. After students from the agree, disagree and middle shared, I would have students go back to their seats and fill out their explanation of why they would or would not participate in a nonviolent protest. Below that, I would have a 2nd question on their exit ticket, “Regardless of if you would or would not participate in a nonviolent protest, why is it important for us to stand up for our rights?” Students would answer that question as well, as a form of a final assessment for me. I could determine if students were able to synthesize information learned throughout the unit to answer the essential question.