Cynthia H. Roberts
This Unit is designed to be taught a minimum of four forty eight minute periods per day for a duration of twelve to fourteen weeks. This section will provide the reading with some possible strategies which could be use as motivating factors in teaching the goals of this unit.
WEEK 1—WEEK 3
The first weeks will focus on the roots of the movement, describing the civil rights movement of the late 1950’s and the 1960’s. I will point out hot the civil rights movement inspired other groups such as farm workers and women to combat what they too considered unequal treatment. Also I will discuss the passing of the Jim Crow Laws and their legitimation by the Supreme Court; We will also include controversial decisions make by the U.S. Supreme Court.
WEEK 4—WEEK 6
This section focuses on the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1954 decision in the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, which declared school segregation unconstitutional. We will trace previous Supreme Court rulings involving segregation and explore Americans reaction to Brown ruling.
Activity: In order for students to understand the Supreme Courts reasoning in the Brown decision. I will have the class pretend it is the Supreme Court hearing the case. We will review the facts of the case, making sure that students understand the key terms involved:
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1) Segregation—separate facilities for blacks and whites was the legal system in much of the South and in some Northern and Western Communities.
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2) Linda Brown had to travel two miles a day to an all black school when an all white school existed a few blocks from her home.
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3) Her father sued to allow her to attend the closer white school. Having lost the suit in lower courts, he appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
At the end of class, I will allow student to reach a decision by voting. They will be reminded that the Supreme court makes it decisions by majority rule.
WEEK 7—WEEK 10
This section will open up with well know “names in the news” during the civil rights movement.
Students will be divided up into four groups. They will be given two days to find information about as many of these people as they can. They will be asked to write down who the people are, what role they played in the civil rights movement, and what they are doing now.
Students will use the following sources: encyclopedias, biographical dictionaries, current biography, U.S. text, and books about the civil rights movements.
WEEK 10—WEEK 11
This section will examine the careers and beliefs of several individuals who contributed to the Movement. I will begin by discussing Martin Luther King, Jr. his background and describe his ideals of civil disobedience and peaceful resistance. Much of the talk will focus on his stirring “I Have a Dream” speech made during the 1963 “March on Washington
Have students analyze their feelings about King’s view through the following activity:
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1) In a class discussion, have students arrive at a definition of unjust law.
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2) On the basis of their definition, have them decide if any of the following are unjust:
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1) Segregation Laws
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2) A law saying all men over 18 must serve in the arm forces.
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3) A school rule that you must not cut any classes.
Students may like to compare their definition of an unjust law with Martin Luther King’s:
“Any law that uplifts human personality is just”.
“An unjust law is a code that any law that degrades human personality is unjust”.