Felicia R. McKinnon
In our seminar a strong emphasis is placed on a person’s ability to decide what is a true representation of history. Given an adequate amount of resources, students should be able to determine the value of the information they are receiving, the quality of the medium, and research methods used to gather information. It is my hope that students are able to evaluate and question any information presented in such a way that they make informed decisions about the truth -whether the vehicle of information is film, documentary, or literature. The following is a list of curricular objectives for social studies:
1. History. Students will:
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A. Demonstrate sensitivity to values and behaviors of people in a different historical context.
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B. Use facts drawn from the literary resources to make decisions about representation of truth in films.
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C. Compare and contrast the appropriateness of films or literature to represent history.
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D. Compare behaviors and lives of African-Americans during the 1870-1940s to today.
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E. Identify needs and wants of African-Americans during the post war years.
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F. Understand cause and effect as it relates to ending slavery, migration, and living in a new region.
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G. Explain the different culture of African-Americans in the North and contrast that with Southern culture.
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H. Explore possible interpretations of the Great Migration from perspectives different from that of the documentaries, e.g. that of White Southerners, White Northerners, the leadership of the various Northern cities, etc.
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I. Compare the lives of African-Americans who migrated to those who remained in the South.
2. Geography. Students will:
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A. Identify the major cities in the North to which many African-Americans migrated and the areas from which they came.
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B. Map the northern routes taken by African-Americans from the Southern states.
3. Economic. Students will:
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A. Evaluate the system of sharecropping to determine who benefited the most.
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B. Draw comparisons and contrasts between sharecropping and slavery.
4.Community/Family. Students will:
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A. Investigate when and from where their own families came to the North.
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B. Interview family and community members who may have experienced migration themselves.
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C. Learn about the efforts of local industries to specifically recruit African-Americans from the South, e.g. the Winchester Rifle Company in New Haven, CT.