Lesson 1: Greensboro Sit-Ins
Essential Question: Why is it important to take a stand for our rights?
Guiding Questions: Who were the Greensboro Four and what did they do? How did they stand up by sitting down?
*Important Note: This is the lesson I taught in my classroom. Because of the time restraints and pacing guide, I had to cover the Civil Rights Movement and the Greensboro Sit-Ins in 25 minutes, thus making for a broad lesson. This lesson could be used to teach the Greensboro Sit-Ins if time is an issue and CMAPP must be used to stay on pace. However the next four lessons will offer an in-depth look at the Greensboro Sit-Ins, which could be used if time isn't as much of a pressing issue and if CMAPP doesn't have to be followed.
Detailed Lesson Plan Preparation
Elementary Education
Name: Sarah Hamrick
Title: The Civil Rights Movement
Grade: 3
Concept/Topic: The Civil Rights Movement/ Greensboro Sit-Ins
Time Needed: 35 minutes
Backward Design Approach: Where are you going with your students?
Identify Desired Results/Learning Outcome/Essential Question:
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.”
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.
Assessment Plan: 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.
Meeting the student where they are:
Prior Knowledge/Connections: Students have just learned about the European explorers and settlers as well as the Tuscarora indigenous people. From this study, they evaluated how the different groups of people may have felt during this time. For this lesson, students will also be evaluating different perspectives after learning about the Civil Rights Movement.
Lesson Introduction/Hook: “Today we are going to be talking about our rights as citizens. We have been talking about the Declaration of Independence, and in it, it talks about our rights as people. Civil rights are rights that no one can take away. Rights are what everybody deserves no matter who they are, what they believe, the color of their skin, or where they live. Civil rights include a right to privacy-where we are free to keep our own information to ourselves, freedom of religion- where we are free to believe what we want to believe, freedom of a fair trial- which means having the equal opportunity to be innocent until proven guilty with an unbiased and fair jury, freedom of thought-where we are free to think, and freedom of speech, where we are free to express what we think.
What else do you know about rights?” (student answers will vary, answers should reflect that people have rights and they can’t be taken away.) We know that everyone has basic rights, regardless of skin color, gender, religion, nationality, age, or disability without discrimination, or judgment.
Heart of the Lesson/Learning Plan:
Differentiation/Same-ation: Students will be given multiple entry and exit points throughout the lesson by responding to class discussions and activities in multiple ways. Students will have the opportunity to work is small groups, and to write their responses independently. They also are able to participate in class discussion throughout the lesson. They will listen to the read aloud, which can meet the needs of auditory learners, and they will be able to see my notes on the board to meet the needs of visual learners.
Lesson Development: “Before 1960, some people had more rights than others. Has anyone heard of the Civil Rights Movement?” (Allow time for students to share their responses.) “The Civil Rights Movement came about because African Americans were not receiving the same rights that White people were. We are going to read some of “Freedom on the Menu”, which is going to shed some light on how African Americans were treated unfairly during the Greensboro Sit-Ins. This movement affected the entire country, including North Carolina. One of the most famous protests occurred in Greensboro, about an hour away. (READ ALOUD). As I read I will pause for brief discussions, “how do you think this made them feel?” “Why did they take a stand?” “What does it mean to take a stand by sitting down?” “Who was it that took a stand? Can anyone take a stand for equality?” (Students should discuss how anyone can take a stand and make a change when they aren’t being treated fairly. They took a stand because they knew that everyone has rights, and those rights weren’t being respected. *I will reinforce this if not said).
After read aloud, students will go back to their seats. “This book helped us understand how people were treated unfairly, which is why many people, both black and white, protested to give everyone equal rights that they deserve. Now we are going to watch a short video that will explain more about how the Woolworth Lunch Counter Sit Ins promoted equality.”
This video discusses that on February 1, 1960 at 4:30 pm, four students from NC Agricultural Technical State University visited Woolworths store. After they bought some items, they sat down at the lunch counter. No one would serve them because of the color of their skin. They were sitting in the “whites only” section. The store manager asked them to leave, but the boys stayed until the store was closed.
Within days, many other students, both black and white, began to participate in the movement. They began protesting by making signs and marching outside to let others know that they would not be shopping at stores whose lunch counters wouldn’t allow blacks to sit down and eat. This event is now called the Greensboro sit-in. (watch video)
Video – Woolworth Lunch Counter – Greensboro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbbcjn4d1cE
(If time allows- if not, we will split the lesson into two days, where I end the first lesson with a few potential perspectives on the board as a class, then the next day students will work with their small groups and fill out the worksheets independently.)
Now we are going to work at our tables on the “Multiple Perspectives Handout.” Please try to imagine what it would be like to be an African American during this time, and what it would be like to be a white person during this time. Since we were not there during this time, we can’t know for sure how every person felt. However, we can try to put ourselves in their shoes and think about how we may feel if we were experiencing what the people in this time were experiencing and going through.
How do you think African Americans felt when they weren’t given the same rights as white people? (allow a few students to respond. Student answers should reflect that they probably didn’t feel respected because they weren’t being treated fairly, write their responses on the smartboard) How do you think White people felt before any advances were made for everyone to be given equal rights? (allow a few students to respond, students could say that they felt sad that only they were given rights that everyone had. Some people may not have thought about how what was happening was affecting others, and some wanted segregation to continue because they didn’t respect that everyone deserves their rights). Now in the next columns, how do you think African Americans felt after the Civil Rights Movement when they were given the rights they deserve? (allow a few students to respond, students should say that they felt encouraged or happy because steps were being made for equality and that they were now being treated more fairly because they were able to exercise their rights). How do you think white people felt after African Americans were given equal rights? (allow a few students to respond. Students could say that they were also happy because African Americans were now given the rights that they had all along. Maybe some white people felt that they still didn’t deserve to be treated fairly, and some people didn’t think about it since it didn’t directly affect them)
Now we are going to take about 10 minutes to work with your table to brainstorm how different people felt during this time. (During this time, I will be walking around the classroom to ensure students are on task.) Write down with your group some of the ideas we have shared in class, as well as new ideas you come up with on your own.”
Specific Questioning: marked throughout
New Vocabulary: Civil Rights
Concluding the Lesson/Closure/Debriefing: Now we are going to come back together. How did this activity help us understand how people may have felt during the Civil Rights Movement? (Students should say that we now have a better understanding of how different people, both African Americans and white, may have felt during this time, and that they now are able to better understand why it is so important for everyone to have rights.) We learned about rights, and how they cannot be taken away. However, some of these rights were taken away from African Americans, which is why both African American and white people led this movement to make a change and take a stand.
Was there anything special about these four boys? Did they have some special skills that made them able to stand up for their rights? What does that mean for us today? Can anyone stand up for their rights and take a stand? (Engage in a small discussion at the closing of class to get students thinking about the importance of standing up for rights even when it’s difficult to do.”
Materials/Resources: Freedom on the Menu, multiple perspectives handout, smartboard lesson
Teaching Behavior Focus: Since a lot of this lesson requires class discussion and student participation, I will work on my wait time as I give time for students to think and process the question before responding. I will give adequate time for students to think before I offer further direction.
Follow-Up Activities/Parent Involvement: Since this is lesson 3 from my Social Studies Unit plan, I would continue on with my lessons if I were to actually conduct the entire unit. The next lesson is an extension of the Civil Rights Movement, where students further explore multiple perspectives while studying school and bus segregation.
Essential Question: Why is it important to take a stand for our rights?
Guiding Questions: Who were the Greensboro Four and what did they do? How did they stand up by sitting down?
*Important Note: This is the lesson I taught in my classroom. Because of the time restraints and pacing guide, I had to cover the Civil Rights Movement and the Greensboro Sit-Ins in 25 minutes, thus making for a broad lesson. This lesson could be used to teach the Greensboro Sit-Ins if time is an issue and CMAPP must be used to stay on pace. However the next four lessons will offer an in-depth look at the Greensboro Sit-Ins, which could be used if time isn't as much of a pressing issue and if CMAPP doesn't have to be followed.
Detailed Lesson Plan Preparation
Elementary Education
Name: Sarah Hamrick
Title: The Civil Rights Movement
Grade: 3
Concept/Topic: The Civil Rights Movement/ Greensboro Sit-Ins
Time Needed: 35 minutes
Backward Design Approach: Where are you going with your students?
Identify Desired Results/Learning Outcome/Essential Question:
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.”
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.
Assessment Plan: 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.
Meeting the student where they are:
Prior Knowledge/Connections: Students have just learned about the European explorers and settlers as well as the Tuscarora indigenous people. From this study, they evaluated how the different groups of people may have felt during this time. For this lesson, students will also be evaluating different perspectives after learning about the Civil Rights Movement.
Lesson Introduction/Hook: “Today we are going to be talking about our rights as citizens. We have been talking about the Declaration of Independence, and in it, it talks about our rights as people. Civil rights are rights that no one can take away. Rights are what everybody deserves no matter who they are, what they believe, the color of their skin, or where they live. Civil rights include a right to privacy-where we are free to keep our own information to ourselves, freedom of religion- where we are free to believe what we want to believe, freedom of a fair trial- which means having the equal opportunity to be innocent until proven guilty with an unbiased and fair jury, freedom of thought-where we are free to think, and freedom of speech, where we are free to express what we think.
What else do you know about rights?” (student answers will vary, answers should reflect that people have rights and they can’t be taken away.) We know that everyone has basic rights, regardless of skin color, gender, religion, nationality, age, or disability without discrimination, or judgment.
Heart of the Lesson/Learning Plan:
Differentiation/Same-ation: Students will be given multiple entry and exit points throughout the lesson by responding to class discussions and activities in multiple ways. Students will have the opportunity to work is small groups, and to write their responses independently. They also are able to participate in class discussion throughout the lesson. They will listen to the read aloud, which can meet the needs of auditory learners, and they will be able to see my notes on the board to meet the needs of visual learners.
Lesson Development: “Before 1960, some people had more rights than others. Has anyone heard of the Civil Rights Movement?” (Allow time for students to share their responses.) “The Civil Rights Movement came about because African Americans were not receiving the same rights that White people were. We are going to read some of “Freedom on the Menu”, which is going to shed some light on how African Americans were treated unfairly during the Greensboro Sit-Ins. This movement affected the entire country, including North Carolina. One of the most famous protests occurred in Greensboro, about an hour away. (READ ALOUD). As I read I will pause for brief discussions, “how do you think this made them feel?” “Why did they take a stand?” “What does it mean to take a stand by sitting down?” “Who was it that took a stand? Can anyone take a stand for equality?” (Students should discuss how anyone can take a stand and make a change when they aren’t being treated fairly. They took a stand because they knew that everyone has rights, and those rights weren’t being respected. *I will reinforce this if not said).
After read aloud, students will go back to their seats. “This book helped us understand how people were treated unfairly, which is why many people, both black and white, protested to give everyone equal rights that they deserve. Now we are going to watch a short video that will explain more about how the Woolworth Lunch Counter Sit Ins promoted equality.”
This video discusses that on February 1, 1960 at 4:30 pm, four students from NC Agricultural Technical State University visited Woolworths store. After they bought some items, they sat down at the lunch counter. No one would serve them because of the color of their skin. They were sitting in the “whites only” section. The store manager asked them to leave, but the boys stayed until the store was closed.
Within days, many other students, both black and white, began to participate in the movement. They began protesting by making signs and marching outside to let others know that they would not be shopping at stores whose lunch counters wouldn’t allow blacks to sit down and eat. This event is now called the Greensboro sit-in. (watch video)
Video – Woolworth Lunch Counter – Greensboro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbbcjn4d1cE
(If time allows- if not, we will split the lesson into two days, where I end the first lesson with a few potential perspectives on the board as a class, then the next day students will work with their small groups and fill out the worksheets independently.)
Now we are going to work at our tables on the “Multiple Perspectives Handout.” Please try to imagine what it would be like to be an African American during this time, and what it would be like to be a white person during this time. Since we were not there during this time, we can’t know for sure how every person felt. However, we can try to put ourselves in their shoes and think about how we may feel if we were experiencing what the people in this time were experiencing and going through.
How do you think African Americans felt when they weren’t given the same rights as white people? (allow a few students to respond. Student answers should reflect that they probably didn’t feel respected because they weren’t being treated fairly, write their responses on the smartboard) How do you think White people felt before any advances were made for everyone to be given equal rights? (allow a few students to respond, students could say that they felt sad that only they were given rights that everyone had. Some people may not have thought about how what was happening was affecting others, and some wanted segregation to continue because they didn’t respect that everyone deserves their rights). Now in the next columns, how do you think African Americans felt after the Civil Rights Movement when they were given the rights they deserve? (allow a few students to respond, students should say that they felt encouraged or happy because steps were being made for equality and that they were now being treated more fairly because they were able to exercise their rights). How do you think white people felt after African Americans were given equal rights? (allow a few students to respond. Students could say that they were also happy because African Americans were now given the rights that they had all along. Maybe some white people felt that they still didn’t deserve to be treated fairly, and some people didn’t think about it since it didn’t directly affect them)
Now we are going to take about 10 minutes to work with your table to brainstorm how different people felt during this time. (During this time, I will be walking around the classroom to ensure students are on task.) Write down with your group some of the ideas we have shared in class, as well as new ideas you come up with on your own.”
Specific Questioning: marked throughout
New Vocabulary: Civil Rights
Concluding the Lesson/Closure/Debriefing: Now we are going to come back together. How did this activity help us understand how people may have felt during the Civil Rights Movement? (Students should say that we now have a better understanding of how different people, both African Americans and white, may have felt during this time, and that they now are able to better understand why it is so important for everyone to have rights.) We learned about rights, and how they cannot be taken away. However, some of these rights were taken away from African Americans, which is why both African American and white people led this movement to make a change and take a stand.
Was there anything special about these four boys? Did they have some special skills that made them able to stand up for their rights? What does that mean for us today? Can anyone stand up for their rights and take a stand? (Engage in a small discussion at the closing of class to get students thinking about the importance of standing up for rights even when it’s difficult to do.”
Materials/Resources: Freedom on the Menu, multiple perspectives handout, smartboard lesson
Teaching Behavior Focus: Since a lot of this lesson requires class discussion and student participation, I will work on my wait time as I give time for students to think and process the question before responding. I will give adequate time for students to think before I offer further direction.
Follow-Up Activities/Parent Involvement: Since this is lesson 3 from my Social Studies Unit plan, I would continue on with my lessons if I were to actually conduct the entire unit. The next lesson is an extension of the Civil Rights Movement, where students further explore multiple perspectives while studying school and bus segregation.