Lesson Plan

Blockbusting: Social and Economic Change through Real Estate

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

"Redlining," "Blockbusting," and "White Flight" may not be terms familiar to young historians. Here's a instructional activity that introduces middle schoolers to these terms and the actions associated with them. Class members examine a series of primary source materials that reveal the fears and frustrations of city dwellers, the unscrupulous practices of some real estate agents, and the attitudes adopted by some politicians and social reformers.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Ideas
  • Use the resource during February's Black History Month
  • Create a class set of the seven handouts and bind them together to permit reuse
  • Conduct a read-aloud of the Historical Background article to provide class members with a context for the lesson
  • Have partners list the words in the primary sources that reveal the attitudes of the speakers
  • As a final assessment, have groups research current laws designed to prevent discriminatory housing practices
Classroom Considerations
  • Presumes a protocol is in place to permit a safe, respectful discussion of controversial issues
  • One of six resources in the series
  • The "Blockbustin'" digital story referenced in the lesson is no longer available, making the #7 Resource Sheet no longer applicable, but an alternative video can be shown in its place
Pros
  • The lesson introduces learners to some of the complex factors involved in social and economic change
Cons
  • The "Blockbustin'" video is not available
Common Core