Lesson Plans
We Shall Overcome
Students analyze historical and contemporary primary sources to examine how citizens persevered to overcome injustice and affect change during the 1960s civil rights era and consider the lessons the first March to Selma and the events that followed in 1965 provide for us today.
Examining Social Justice Through Historical, Classic and Contemporary Sources
This outline of a unit plan has students considering the power of literature and investigating social justice. Students begin by analyzing primary sources to spark inquiry and gain historical context, then combine study of To Kill a Mockingbird with a contemporary text of their choosing as they consider how real-life events influence fictional narratives, and wrap up their study by researching a relatively recent social justice case and creating a social justice statement of their own that they showcase in a visual presentation.
Note: lesson length listed is based on activities and does not include time spent reading.
Pledge of Allegiance Image Sequencing
Most school children in the United States recite the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. But what does the pledge really mean? By analyzing primary source images and pairing them with the text, students deepen their understanding of a citizen's commitment to country. After, students create and decorate their own pledge to family, heritage, culture, class, or school.
To Kill a Mockingbird: A Historical Perspective
Through study of literature and and analysis of relevant primary sources, students of all backgrounds better grasp how historical events and human forces have shaped relationships between black and white, and rich and poor cultures of the United States. After, students may consider whether there are people in their community with an historical perspective on social attitudes and behaviors regarding prejudice and invite them to take part in an oral history interview conducted in front of the class.