In the beginning, we will develop a common language by creating a "Road to Equality" word wall. Students will generate a list of words that they would expect to use during this unit based upon their prior experiences with lessons pertaining to Black History Month and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. As the unit is taught, we will refer back to this word wall as we use the words already on the word wall and add new ones that we learn about. Such words will include concepts such as segregation, equality, and racism along with famous people such as Harriet Tubman, Moses, and Ruby Bridges. The word wall will be a fluid display to illustrate the progress of students with this unit. Words will be added through class discussion about their relevance and meaning to this unit.
Throughout
The Road to Equality
, famous African Americans that broke through the color barrier will be highlighted. These individuals include but are not limited to Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Marian Anderson. Each person represents an historical period of time that played an important role in
the road to equality.
There is a multitude of past and current children's literature for students to read as a means to develop background knowledge and enhance their own understanding. Students enjoy reading biographies of their role models as a way to connect with them and somehow emulate the positive characteristics that these role models display. Also, the use of non-fiction provides more opportunities to include the CMT strands A-3, B-3, and C-2 that are being focused on in this unit.
Authentic children's literature is the key to any meaningful unit of instruction. While the internet has its place, there is nothing more meaningful than holding a book in your hand, delving into the mysteries of the past, trying to make meaning for yourself as you attempt to find your place in history. A book can physically connect you to the past. This is especially true when using primary resources. One can truly connect to the slave's desire to learn to read books and then write their own. The skill of reading and writing allows anyone the right to record their own history for others to read. Much of the history that we know of for this unit came from the recorded stories of people who lived the ordeal. These stories were recorded on paper as well as utilizing the oral tradition by word of mouth. Stories were passed down from parent to child in order to keep their history alive. In addition, blacks used quilts to tell their stories using codes in the design of varied quilt blocks. There are many children's books that illustrate this form of storytelling. Quilts or "Show Ways" also told of the road to freedom in its story. These quilts were hung out windows giving directions to escaping slaves. The most recent children's story illustrating this part of history is Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson which was published in 2005.
This unit will be taught in the form of a narrative timeline in history using literature that represents different periods of time as African Americans traveled the road to equality. Our basic text is Sienna's Scrapbook: Our African American Heritage Trip by Toni Trent Parker, published in 2005. Ideally I would teach this unit in small groups of 10-12 students with enough copies of the text for reading and research. Student interest and participation is augmented when there are enough copies of a text for students to touch and interact with. However, this unit could be taught with a single copy if needed.
Sienna's Scrapbook: Our African American Heritage Trip has print that represents a child's handwriting and includes photos and images of primary artifacts. It is written in a child-friendly manner, using high interest visuals and print. The book begins in New Haven, CT with the Amistad. Children will have an opportunity to make a local connection to history by reading this section of the book and visiting the Amistad Memorial downtown and/or taking a tour of the Amistad when it is docked at Long Wharf.
The struggle for equal rights truly began during the time of slavery in the United States. Therefore, background knowledge will be established by introducing students to slavery in America and those individuals who played a prominent role in the quest for freedom and the end of slavery in our country. Such individuals and events include, but are not limited to, Harriet Tubman, President Abraham Lincoln, The Civil War, The Emancipation Proclamation, and Booker T. Washington. I would use the A-3, B-3, and C-2 CMT strands with the following texts: …If You Lived When There Was Slavery In America, …If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad, and "Wanted Dead or Alive" The True Story of Harriet Tubman. These books include sections such as chapters that deal with one sub-topic at a time. For younger children, these types of books provide information in small easily digestible chunks. A teacher could assign a small section with a CMT comprehension question for homework or as seatwork within a classroom. In addition, a teacher could differentiate instruction by providing the easier passages to the more immature student and the more difficult passages to the advanced student. Then all students could report back to the class about what they had learned. Students would utilize their written and oral skills when reporting on information they had learned. The whole class would benefit from this type of interaction.
Next I will introduce readings that talk about the turn of the century when African Americans were free yet did not have all the rights of American citizens. They were not equal to the average Caucasian male. (I specify male because women, in general, did not have equal rights either at this time.) Our society practiced segregation which meant that various services were provided separately for African Americans and Caucasians. For example, there were separate restaurants, water fountains, neighborhoods, and schools. This segregation was most prominent in the Southern states. I would apply the CMT strands to excerpts from the Emancipation Proclamation, and the 13th, 14th, and 15th Constitutional Amendments to the Constitution.
The beginning of the Civil Rights Movement is typically attributed to the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 with the struggles of Rosa Parks. We would read the new book Rosa by Nikki Giovanni and excerpts from Dear Mrs. Parks: A Dialogue with Today's Youth by Rosa Parks. Students will write summaries of Rosa Parks' life and her impact on the Civil Rights Movement. I chose these pieces of literature because of their current status and their great appeal to children. Most students are fascinated by the life of Rosa Parks and want to delve into her life to learn her significance in history.
Next, I would introduce Ruby Bridges, who became the heroine of all African American children by being the first black child to attend an all white elementary school with the courage and dignity beyond her young years. She was escorted to and from school daily by federal marshals while facing angry protesters. This is an important event in the desegregation of public schools in America. The court case, Brown V. Board of Education, will play an important historical role at this point in the unit. We would read The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles and excerpts from Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges. Students will compare their own experience with school to that of Ruby Bridges. Students will respond to a C-2 question that asks how their school experience was the same as or different from Ruby Bridges' school experience.
Next, I would introduce Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to the students, reflecting on his life and importance to the civil rights movement. We would read …If You Lived at the Time of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Ellen Levine and Martin's Big Words. Students will summarize his life and determine his importance to their present lives.
In addition, students will look at excerpts from Dr. King's famous "I have a dream" speech. They will also have an opportunity to hear audio clips from his famous speech utilizing the internet. They will analyze its content and then determine ways to illustrate his speech in art. We will then create a visual interpretation of Dr. King's speech using the students' artwork. This visual display will be presented at our school's town meeting in January. At this town meeting, we feature the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and brotherhood among all people.
Students work will also be presented in the form of a timeline outlining the significant events and people that led to equality for all people. This visual display of written work will illustrate the multitude of events that contributed to our present day society where all people can live, play, and work together as a community no matter their cultural background.