The History of Civil Rights!

Day 1:

Questions to ask yourself...

1.) What are civil rights?

2.) Why is it important to stand up for those rights?

3.) What are some rights that everyone has today that not everyone had in the past?

4.) Who is Rosa Parks and why is she remembered and celebrated?

5.) Who is Martin Luther King Jr. and why is he remembered and celebrated?

6.) Who is Cesar Chavez and why is he remembered and celebrated?

Social Studies Strand 1 (American History): Concept 9 (Post War United States). Today you will learn about Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Cesar Chavez, who they are and the part they each played in the history of Civil Rights. You will listen to the audio story Rosa Parks: Not Giving In (The Time Travelers Adventure), by James Collins. In this book you will transported back into history and sit with Rosa Parks on the bus in Alabama where she refused to give up her bus seat to a white man.  After listening to the story, you will be grouped into groups of 4 students. In your groups you will talk about why it is important that Rosa Parks did not give up her bus seat. As a group you will write a story about a child your age doing something that brings about a change in the way something is for a group of people. After these stories are completed you and your group will read the story to the class. We will have a class discussion on what started the Civil Rights Movement. We will briefly discuss slavery. We will discuss the laws that allowed people to be treated "equally" but separately. We will discuss the roles of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Cesar Chavez and what their roles in the Civil Rights Movement were.

Words to know... Please write the definitions as you find them.

1.) Civil Rights

2.) Segregation

3.) Slavery

Day 2:

Questions to ask yourself...

1.) What Civil Rights issues from the past were overcome that has lead to President Barack Obama being elected President of the United States?

2.) Who are his immediate family members? What are their names?

Social Studies Strand 2 (World History): Concept 9 (Contemporary World). In today's lesson you will listen to the inauguration speech from January 20th, 2009 of President Barack Obama. In the same groups as yesterday discuss what has allowed Barack Obama to become president. Discuss why or why he would not, have been allowed to be elected in the 1950's. In your groups you are going to go on a "Civil Rights Scavenger Hunt" within the classroom. You will find clues that lead to answers that will allow you to answer questions for your group worksheet. Some important things that will be reinforced are who the key players in the Civil Rights Movement were and what would be different today without these people.

Words to know... Please write the definitions as you find them.

1.) Election

2.) Inauguration

Day 3:

Questions to ask yourself...

1.) What is citizenship?

2.) What are the roles and responsibilities of being a citizen within a classroom or community?

3.) Why is it important to follow rules or laws?

4.) Why is it important that Civil Rights leaders went about bringing change in ways that were respectful and peaceful?

Social Studies Strand 3 (Civics/Government): Concept 4 (Rights, Responsibilities and Roles of Citizenship). In today's lesson you will read the story Believing Sophie, by Hazel Hutchins. In this story young Sophie is accused of shoplifting. You will read along about her the hurt and fear she feels until she is found innocent. After reading the story we will discuss as a class why it is important to use your role as a citizen to bring about change to bring about positive changes that benefit all citizens within a community or classroom. You and your classmates will discuss one thing within the school that you would like to see changed to better all students. As a class you will list steps that can be taken to bring about this change and why this change is important for the good of all students within the school. Throughout the school year you and your classmates will work to bring about this change.

Words to know... Please write the definition as you find them.

1.) Citizenship

2.) Community

3.) Responsibility

4.) Respectful

5.) Nonviolence

Day 4:

Questions to ask yourself...

1.) What is a culture?

2.) Why is culture important?

3.) What are some different cultures?

Social Studies Strand 4 (Geography): Concept 4 (Human Systems). In today's lesson as a class, you will watch the movie The Rosa Parks Story, staring Angela Bassett. You will pay special attention to the clothing, homes, religion, foods, and holidays in Alabama in the 1950's. After the movie is over there will be a classroom discussion about the importance of culture. You will walk through the classroom and look at different clothing that is displayed from the 1950's. You will compare it to things that are worn today. We will discuss holiday's that exist now, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, that did not exist in the 1950's and why this is an important holiday celebration. Lastly, as a fun activity we will sample Martin Luther King, Jr.'s favorite pecan pie. We will also make and sample the favorite pancake recipe of Rosa Parks, her "featherlite pancakes."

Words to know... Please write the definitions as you find them.

1.) Culture

Day 5:

Questions to ask yourself...

1.) What are wants and needs?

2.) What are the different kinds of currency that we use within the United States?

3.) Why would you have to make choices about what you buy?

4.) How did the Civil Rights Movement effect economics?

Social Studies Strand 5 (Economics): Concept 1 (Foundations of Economics). In today's lesson you will learn how the Civil Rights Movement effected economics. In your groups you will read the book Alexander Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday, by Judith Viorst. After reading the book you will discuss the difference between how much things cost in the book and how much things actually cost today. You will find this information by looking through magazines and fliers, cutting out the photos, and gluing them on to a comparison worksheet you are given. As a class we will discuss the differences between wants and needs. You will give one example of each. As a class we will create a list. We will discuss the differences between different currency, we will discuss a consumer and their role as a buyer of goods. We will discuss what a seller of goods is. We will discuss making choices and how people make choices because of their resources. You will break back up into your groups. Discuss the choices Alexander made that were not good choices. Each member of your group will draw and color a picture of a choice that Alexander could have made that would have been a better idea. As a class we will discuss the serious issue of economics. We will discuss the impact of civil rights on economics. As a class we will view a PowerPoint presentation on the Civil Rights Movement. We will talk about the effects of the Montgomery bus Boycott and the impact it had on the economic state of the bus industry and other businesses.

Words to know... Please write the definitions as you find them.

1.) Currency

2.) Economics

3.) Impact