Facing History and Ourselves
Emmett Till: Confronting the Murder
The 1955 murder of Emmett Till is often regarded as the catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement of the 20th century. Learn more about the brutal crime—and, as many believe, the miscarriage of justice—that began a national conversation...
Curated OER
Is Environmental Health a Basic Human Right?
High schoolers examine basic human rights as defined by the United Nations. They develop a list of rights by class consensus, read an article, answer discussion questions, and complete a worksheet.
Curated OER
Building a Human Rights Document
Students identify the issue of basic human rights, examine the importance of the UDHR, and compare it to United States Bill of Rights. They create a definition of human rights as a class. Students are divided into groups of four and...
National Woman's History Museum
Susan B. Anthony: She's Worth a Mint!
A instructional activity all about Susan B. Anthony showcases the Civil Rights leader's contributions towards equality. A Susan B. Anthony coin sparks engagement. Scholars take part in a discussion that sheds light on what being an agent...
Curated OER
Rosa Parks
Young scholars explore the life and works of Rosa Parks. In this Civil Rights lesson plan, students consider Rosa Parks' work as a philanthropist. Young scholars then write a letter to someone that they admire for making a difference.
Curated OER
Picturing America: Images and Words of Hope from Romare Bearden and Langston Hughes
A carefully crafted three-day lesson plan integrates poetry and visual art. By analyzing and comparing Langston Hughes' poem "Mother and Son" and Romare Bearden's collage "The Dove," readers explore the theme of hope. The lesson plan...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
New York Times Co. v Sullivan: The Alabama Case that Changed Libel Law
Malice aforethought? Can the New York Times be held libel for false claims appearing in its ads? The Supreme Court case New York Times v Sullivan changed the interpretation of the First Amendment. Class members examine these changes and...
Curated OER
Voices: Voting Rights
Students examine the history of the right to vote in the United States. In this civics lesson plan, students research steps taken during the Civil Rights Movement to secure the rights of African Americans to vote.
EngageNY
Analyzing Experiences: Carlotta Walls
What was life like in the American South following the Civil War? Scholars watch a video that discusses the aftermath of the Civil War and the events during the Reconstruction Period. Additionally, they continue reading Carlotta Walls...
Curated OER
Making More Places at the Table
Fifth graders explore the use of primary and secondary source documents. They identify primary and secondary sources. Students investigate individuals that made a difference during the American Civil Rights Movement through the use of...
Curated OER
Civil War and Beyond
Sixth graders play a game. In this Civil War lesson, 6th graders discuss the beginnings of the Civil War and define vocabulary words associated with the war such as abolitionist and Emancipation Proclamation. Students play a game of...
Curated OER
Youth Participation in Nonviolence
Students explore the use of nonviolent resistance. In this social justice lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture on Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. as well as the Apartheid Movement in South Africa.
Curated OER
"The Circuit" and the Civil Rights Movement
Students compare and contrast concepts of the civil rights movement to the concepts presented in the short story, "The Circuit." In groups, they sort a series of ideas written on index cards into two categories - rights and freedoms. ...
Smithsonian Institution
Resistance to School Desegregation: The Boston Busing Crisis
Despite how it sounds, Boston's busing crisis wasn't a transportation problem. Academics address the problems faced by African Americans following school desegregation and the struggle to receive equal educational opportunities. Scholars...
Maryland Department of Education
Our Children Can Soar
Amazing efforts of African American leaders are celebrated in a lesson plan on civil participation. The engaging resource focuses on primary and secondary sources to analyze the impact of African American leaders such as Ella Fitzgerald....
PBS
Ken Burns: Jackie Robinson Taking the Measure of a Man
During his first few games as the first black player in Major League Baseball, Jackie Robinson proved that he could withstand the wily curveball of Johnny Sain as well as the racial epithets shouted from opposing teams' dugouts. A short...
University of Arkansas
Individuals Making a Difference
The focus of this, the third in a five-activity unit study of human rights, is on individuals who made a difference. Billy Bowlegs, Dr. Sun Yat Sen, Fannie Lou Hamer, Michi Weglyn, and Yuri Koshiyama are some of the people class members...
Curated OER
How Music Motivates
Young scholars form conclusions regarding the motivational effects of music on the mind during the Civil Rights era. In this Civil Rights movement lesson, students describe how music motivates, describe the motivational role in freedom...
Curated OER
Andrew Young
Students explore Andrew Young and his role alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., during the Civil Rights Movement.
Curated OER
Jim Crow Laws and The American South
Learners explore how Jim Crow laws affected the lives of people living in the south during pre and post-Civil Rights. Using a various research methods, students research various aspects of the Jim Crow south and complete a graphic...
Curated OER
Riding the Bus - Taking a Stand
Students identify the policy of segregation which existed in Alabama, define the legal idea of being "separate but equal," and define and describe an editorial.
Curated OER
Supreme Court Decisions and the CRM
Eleventh graders investigate different Supreme Court decisions. For this Civil Rights lesson, 11th graders research and read the decisions of specific court cases. students write a short essay describing the effects of these cases.
Curated OER
The Man, The Dream
Students discuss how one person's life can affect a community . In this Martin Luther King Jr. instructional activity, students read about Dr. King's life and contributions. They formulate ideas about how they can meet the needs of...
Curated OER
Women's Suffrage: Their Rights and Nothing Less
Students explore women's rights. In this women's history activity, students examine primary and secondary sources regarding the women's suffrage movement in the United States. Students compare and contrast the states' methods for...