M.S. Lesson Activity no. 3
An Overview of the Civil Rights Movement and the Impact of Brown v. Board of Education Decision
Application
Students — Grade 7 and 8
Lesson Time
Two to three class periods
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:
- Clearly be able to define the vocabulary terms relating to the Brown v. Board of Education decision and the Civil Rights movement.
- Identify the significant individuals connected with the Brown v. Board of Education decision and the civil rights movement.
- Identify the major events of the civil rights movement.
Materials
Student textbook, dictionaries (2 for each group), other textbooks or books pertaining to Brown v. Board of Education or the Civil Rights movement.
Handouts
- Handout A: Overview of Civil Rights History and the Impact of Brown v. Board of Education
- Handout B: Vocabulary Terms
Activity
Day 1
- Divide class into groups of five students. Distribute a different sheet of five terms to each group and have the groups research these terms. Have students exchange their understanding of these terms with other members of their group and write down the meaning of these terms on their sheet of 25 terms.
- "Jigsaw" the groups by having each group of five confer with another group of five with the purpose of exchanging information about the terms and to write the meaning/ identification of the terms on their sheet of 25 terms.
Day 2
- Continue with "jigsaw" until all groups have conferred with each other and each student has completed the meaning/identification of the terms on their sheet.
- Distribute essay sheet on which students complete the blanks with the appropriate terms, individuals and events. Teachers should use their discretion in using this essay for either a test, homework assignment or group completion.
New York State Standards
Students will describe the evolution of democratic values and beliefs as expressed in the United States Constitution and other important historical documents.
Students will analyze the decisions leading to major turning points in United States history, comparing alternative courses of action, and hypothesizing, within the context of the historic period, about what might have happened if the decision had been different.
