Objectives (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Content Objective: The students will be able to define the Civil Rights Movement and identify its main goals and events. They will understand the context of the movement and its impact on American society.

2. Skill Objective: The students will develop the ability to analyze primary sources related to the Civil Rights Movement. They will learn how to interpret these sources in the context of the time period and use them to draw conclusions about the movement.

3. Language Objective: The students will expand their vocabulary related to the Civil Rights Movement. They will learn and use terms such as segregation, integration, non-violent resistance, and civil disobedience in their discussion and analysis of the movement.

Secondary Objectives:

• Engagement Objective: The students will be encouraged to develop empathy and understanding for the people who participated in the Civil Rights Movement. They will be asked to think about the challenges these individuals faced and the courage it took to fight for their rights.

• Application Objective: The students will be asked to apply their understanding of the Civil Rights Movement to current events. They will be encouraged to draw parallels between the struggles of the past and the ongoing fight for civil rights and social justice today.

Introduction (10 - 12 minutes)

• The teacher begins the lesson by reminding the students of the previous unit on American history, particularly the period of Reconstruction after the Civil War. The teacher prompts the students to recall the issues of racial inequality and segregation that persisted after the war and how these conditions set the stage for the Civil Rights Movement.

• The teacher then presents two hypothetical situations to the students:

  1. The first situation involves the students imagining they are African American students in the 1950s, being told they have to attend a separate and inferior school due to their skin color.
  2. The second situation asks the students to consider how they would feel and what they might do if they were denied service at a restaurant or forced to sit at the back of a bus because of their race.

• These scenarios are designed to help the students understand the injustice and inequality that African Americans faced during the time of the Civil Rights Movement. The teacher emphasizes that these were not just problems of the past, but issues that continue to be relevant today.

• To further engage the students, the teacher shares two interesting facts about the Civil Rights Movement:

  1. The first fact is about Rosa Parks, a well-known figure in the movement. The teacher notes that Parks was not the first person to refuse to give up her seat on a bus, but her arrest sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement.
  2. The second fact is about the March on Washington, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech. The teacher highlights that this was not a one-off event, but the culmination of years of planning and activism.

• The teacher concludes the introduction by stating that the students will be learning about these events and more during the lesson. They are encouraged to consider how the actions of individuals and groups can lead to significant social change.

Development (20 - 25 minutes)

• Topic 1: The Origins and Context of the Civil Rights Movement (5 - 7 minutes)

  • The teacher starts by briefly recapitulating the historical context of post-Civil War America, emphasizing the rise of racial segregation and the systemic discrimination faced by African Americans.
  • The teacher explains how these conditions led to the birth of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s, as African Americans and their allies sought to challenge and change the laws and practices that enforced racial inequality.
  • Key terms such as "segregation," "Jim Crow laws," and "racial discrimination" are introduced and defined during this section.

• Topic 2: Key Figures and Events of the Civil Rights Movement (10 - 12 minutes)

  • The teacher introduces the major figures of the Civil Rights Movement, including Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and the Little Rock Nine. For each individual, a brief biography and their significant contributions to the movement are discussed.
  • The teacher then presents a chronological overview of key events, from the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The teacher emphasizes the importance of each event and its role in the overall progress of the movement.
  • The teacher employs visual aids, such as a timeline or a graphic organizer, to help students visualize the sequence of events and the relationships between them. This aids comprehension and retention of the material.

• Topic 3: Strategies and Tactics of the Civil Rights Movement (5 - 6 minutes)

  • The teacher shifts the focus to the strategies used by the Civil Rights Movement to effect change, particularly the emphasis on nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience. The teacher defines these terms and provides examples of how they were employed in various protests and campaigns.
  • The teacher also touches on the role of the media and the importance of public opinion in shaping the outcome of the movement. They can discuss how the widespread television coverage of events like the Birmingham Campaign and the Selma to Montgomery March, which exposed the brutality of segregation and the courage of the civil rights activists to a national audience, helped to sway public opinion and put pressure on lawmakers to enact change.

• Discussion and Analysis of Primary Sources (5 - 7 minutes)

  • To further enrich understanding of the Civil Rights Movement, the teacher presents a selection of primary sources, such as photographs, speeches, or newspaper articles, related to key events or figures of the movement.
  • The teacher guides students through a close reading or analysis of one or two of these sources, helping them to identify key details, understand the perspective of the author or photographer, and draw connections to the broader themes of the movement.
  • This activity fosters critical thinking, historical empathy, and a deeper engagement with the material. It also provides an opportunity for students to see firsthand the documentation of the events and experiences discussed in the lesson.

By the end of this stage, students should have a clear understanding of the origins, key figures, events, and strategies of the Civil Rights Movement. They should also be able to critically analyze primary sources related to the movement, deepening their understanding of the subject matter and developing important historical thinking skills.

Feedback (8 - 10 minutes)

• The teacher initiates a class discussion by asking students to share their thoughts on what they found most interesting or surprising about the Civil Rights Movement. This could include facts they learned, events they found particularly significant, or figures they found inspiring. This open-ended question encourages students to reflect on what they have learned and to start making connections between the historical content and their own lives.

• The teacher then asks students to consider how the strategies and tactics used by the Civil Rights Movement might be applied to other situations where people are fighting for their rights or seeking social change. The teacher could provide a modern-day example, such as the Black Lives Matter movement, to help students make these connections. This question encourages students to think about the continued relevance of the Civil Rights Movement and its lessons for activism today.

• The teacher also prompts students to reflect on the real-life implications of the Civil Rights Movement. They could ask questions such as:

  • "How has the Civil Rights Movement shaped the society we live in today?"
  • "What rights or freedoms do we enjoy today that were won during the Civil Rights Movement?"
  • "What work still needs to be done to achieve the goals of the Civil Rights Movement?"

• To encourage all students to participate in the reflection, the teacher can use a variety of strategies. For example, they could ask students to write down their thoughts in a quick exit ticket exercise, or they could use a digital tool like Padlet or Google Forms to collect and share students' responses. The teacher should emphasize that there are no right or wrong answers and that the purpose of this activity is to encourage students to think critically and make connections between the historical content and their own lives and experiences.

• The teacher concludes the feedback session by summarizing the key points of the lesson and previewing the next lesson. They also remind students of any upcoming assignments or assessments related to the Civil Rights Movement. This helps to reinforce the content of the lesson and ensure that students are clear on what they are expected to do next.

• Finally, the teacher encourages students to continue thinking about the Civil Rights Movement and its relevance to their lives. They could suggest that students do further research on a specific event or figure, or they could recommend a book or documentary for students to explore. This helps to foster a deeper and more lasting understanding of the Civil Rights Movement and its importance in American history.

Conclusion (5 - 7 minutes)

• The teacher begins the conclusion by summarizing the main points of the lesson. They reiterate the basic definition of the Civil Rights Movement and its main goals and events. They also remind the students of the key figures and strategies of the movement and the importance of primary sources in understanding historical events.

• To reinforce the connection between the Civil Rights Movement and the students' lives, the teacher can provide a few examples of how the movement's impact can still be seen today. For instance, they might mention that the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, continues to shape laws and policies related to workplace equality. They could also note that the tactics of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience used by the movement have been adopted by many other social justice movements around the world.

• The teacher then suggests additional resources for students who wish to learn more about the Civil Rights Movement. These could include:

  1. Books: "The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr." edited by Clayborne Carson, "Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965" by Juan Williams, "March: Book One" by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin.
  2. Documentaries: "Eyes on the Prize" series, "King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis", "The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution".
  3. Websites: The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University, the National Civil Rights Museum website, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture website.

• Finally, the teacher emphasizes the importance of the Civil Rights Movement in American history and society. They explain that the movement represents a significant chapter in the ongoing struggle for civil rights and social justice in the United States and around the world. They also stress that understanding the history of the Civil Rights Movement can help us to better understand and address the racial inequalities and injustices that persist today.

• The teacher concludes the lesson by encouraging students to continue learning and reflecting on the lessons of the Civil Rights Movement. They remind students that history is not just about facts and dates, but about understanding the experiences and struggles of real people and how these have shaped the world we live in today.