“Marching Towards Equality: A Journey Through Civil Rights

 Averishia Simpkins

ENGL2016-44378

Doctor Harris

November 27, 2023

Lesson Title: “Marching Towards Equality: A Journey Through Civil Rights”	Unit:  Civil Rights Movement	Date:  November 27,2023
Unit Goal:  To aid students in comprehending key events, historical background, and important personalities of the Civil Rights Era. My goal is to also teach students to value diversity, equality, and advocacy by having them study many facets of the Civil Rights Movement along with encouraging critical thinking and a feeling of social justice.
Lesson Objective:  By the end of this lesson... Students should be able to analyze the impact of the civil rights movement, identify key figures and events Understand the ongoing significance of Civil Rights in today’s society. Understand the struggles of marginalized communities Identify long term effects of the Civil Rights Act Learning Target: Students should be able to recognize key events/figures of the civil rights era and emphasize understanding and application of civil rights.		Words to Know: Boycott Segregation Civil liberties Jim Crow Suffrage Integration Civil Rights Act of 1964 Intersectionality Redlining Affirmative Action Systemic Oppression Implicit Bias
Introduction/Steps: Survey students’ knowledge about Civil Rights Begin by asking students questions--- “What are Civil Rights?”, “What is the Civil Rights Movement”, “Have your rights ever been violated” etc. Explain the importance of the Civil Rights Era Introduce students to important figures and events of the Civil Rights Era. Figures: Martin Luther King, Malcolm x, Rosa Parks Events: Montgomery Buss Boycott, March on Washington, Selma to Montgomery, Little Rock Nine, Brown vs. Board, Brown/Blue eyes experiment Have students discuss their thoughts and encourage them to speak about any Civil Rights figures/ events they know of that was not mentioned. Discuss the role that JFK played in the Civil Rights Act and what it provided for marginalized communities Discuss the strategies and tactics used during the civil rights movement (nonviolent resistance, civil disobedience, grassroots organizing, and legal challenges)  Examine these strategies' efficacy as well as how they affect public perception and effect change.		Independent Work: Source Analysis Provide students with sources related to the civil rights movement, (speeches, photographs, articles) Individually, they will analyze the sources, considering the perspectives of those involved and the impact of these sources on public opinion.
Class Activity: (30 minutes) Assign students a key event from the civil rights era. (Alone or in pairs based on numbers) Students will have 10 minutes to research their topic They will then write their event, along with a brief description on a sticky note. As a class they will arrange the sticky notes in chronological order. This activity will allow students to visually see the progression of the civil rights movement and understand the sequence of events.		Materials: Sticky Notes Markers  Speeches Articles Photographs
Reflection/Highlights: Discuss lasting impact of the civil rights movement. Discuss strategies used by activist during this time How did the experiences of this movement impact you?		Homework: Choose one aspect inspired by the civil rights movement (art, song, movie, book, etc.) and write on its importance. Include when and how this aspect came about. This should be at least 300 words long.
Questions/Anything to Revisit? When was the Civil Rights Movement? (1954-1968) When was the Civil Rights Act signed into law? (July 2nd,1964) How can we apply this lesson to address current social issues? Did this lesson change your perspective on Civil Rights? If so, how?		Exit Ticket: Who was the Civil Rights movement’s activist who’s strategy was nonviolent resistance? MLK jr.

I would like to begin my Introduction to Black Studies to teach more about the Civil Rights Era. Even though there are laws and a constitution in place, people’s liberties continue to be violated. One excellent strategy to emphasize the significance of this important period in history is to introduce a black studies course that focuses on the civil rights movement. The civil rights movement was a vigorous force that battled for racial justice and equality; it provides a framework for comprehending the struggles and accomplishments of Black people throughout history. By introducing the class with this subject, students can investigate the setbacks, victories, and continuous difficulties encountered by the Black community, while also offering a thorough understanding of their path to equality. Students can also develop a solid basis for further study in black studies and obtain a greater grasp of the historical background by beginning with the civil rights era.

Civil rights should be taught at various grade levels and should be introduced as early as possible so that students are able to build on it as they progress through their education but should be taught to students so they can actively understand and digest the information. I believe that Civil rights should first be taught to students in the 8th grade because that is the year before students' progress to something much bigger school and begin to gain more independence. In 8th grade, students begin to become more aware of inequality and teaching students about civil rights can get them prepared for the inequality they may face growing up in today's society.  Furthermore, discussing civil rights at this age can inspire young minds to make positive changes in their own communities. 

To start my class, I would begin teaching students about the injustices people have faced, how the Civil Rights Movement was created, and how civil rights continue to affect us still today. Before I start this lesson, I would teach my students about various aspects of the Civil Rights Movement . For an in-state field trip, our students would visit Louisiana Civil Rights Museum in New Orleans. The purpose of visiting the museum is to educate students about activist who strategized, marched, sang, etc., for change.  Students will also visit Canal Street which was the main passage for sit-ins and boycotts during the Civil Rights Movement.