Unit Ideas

My main focus would like to be the Civil Rights Unit.

1. How did segregation effect everyone?
a. Topic: Have students research and discover how segregation was felt by those who were of color and those who weren't.
b. Grade Level: 6
c. Task: Write a journal entry from both perspectives (one of a white and one of a black) and discover what were some common and not common feelings about segregation.
d. Roles:
Map Person: Someone to tell where in the country segregation was affected the most, but also where it was affected in general.
Connections person: Someone to make connections to how things were run then in comparison to today.
Violence Analysis: Someone to analyze any violence and explain why there might be violence occuring?

2. Why were people outraged?
a. Topic: Why were people of both colors outraged at segregation?
b. Grade Level: 6
c. Task: For students to discover why people were outraged at segregation and why others weren't. Students will put together a play to describe both areas.
d. Roles:
Historian: The person to have background on the city or town that students are focusing on.
Violence Analyzer: Someone to analyze any violence and explain why there might be violence occuring?
Connector: Someone to connect today's life in that town and how things were then. Has anything changed?

3. Do you think that the Civil Rights Leaders were correct in their methods of protest?
a. Topic: For students to think about the protest methods and to think about their means of protesting.
b. Grade Level: 8
c. Task: For students to study protest methods and to think about how some people responded to the protests. Students will come up with a conclusion for each civil rights leader.
d. Roles:
History of Protest Expert: Someone who is familiar with the methods of protests, including what famous protesters are famous for what.
Connector: Someone to connect the methods of protest from then to today.
People Person: The student who is familiar with the information of how people felt about segregation and can relate most to all types of people.

4. Has the Civil Rights Movement benefited or not benefited today?
a. Topic: Students will explore some negative and positive benefits coming from the Civil Rights era.
b. Grade Level: 8
c. Task: For students to present (however they would like to) on how they feel the Civil Rights era has been beneficial to themselves or not and explain why.
d. Roles:
Historian: Student who knows about prior to the Civil Rights movement, including laws.
Law Maker: The student who would constitute/resign any laws they feel is not or is beneficial and would explain why.
People Person: The student standing for the everyday person explaining why certain things have affected them and how and why.