I. Curricular Framework

Concept:

Injustice

Essential Question:

Why was legal discrimination carried out for years in our country?

Bridge:

Victims

Content:

Jim Crow Laws, Legal Discrimination

Outcomes:

II. Standards Aligned

III. Instruction and Assessment

1. Connect: Connecting to the Concept Experientially

Objective: To set the mood and allow students to experience discrimination.

Activity: Separate the class into two groups based on anything you choose (hair color, shoe style, etc.) and actively favor one group at the expense of the other. Continue this for an entire class period or day if possible. If you continue beyond one day, try reversing the groups.

Assessment: Student reaction and involvement

2. Attend: Attending to the Connection

Objective: To debrief students about their experience with discrimination.

Activity: Class discussion of experience. The teacher might also share how it felt to have to discriminate against a large group for an extended period.

Assessment: Quality of student participation and response.

Assessment, Phase One, Level of Engagement, Fascination:

3. Image: Creating a Mental Picture

Objective: Students will express their feelings about discrimination.

Activity: Students may draw or write a poem or song expressing their feelings about being a victim of discrimination.

Assessment: Quality of student responses. Poems and drawings should be displayed.

Assessment, Phase Two, Seeing the Big Picture:

4. Inform: Receiving Facts & Knowledge

Objective: Students will learn about nature and extent of Jim Crow Laws and other discriminatory practices used in U.S. before 1965.

Activity: Using text and other resources students will learn about legal discrimination. Students will read The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis.

Assessment: Test of knowledge and participation in discussions centered around book.

Assessment, Phase Three, Success with Acquiring Knowledge:

5. Practice: Developing Skills

Objective: Students will apply skills to knowledge about Jim Crow laws.

Activity: Students will map route for the Watsons, answer questions and make charts about Jim Crow Laws.

Assessment: Work graded for accuracy.

Assessment, Phase Four, Success with Acquiring Skills:

6. Extend: Extending Learning to the Outside World

Objective: Students will examine Jim Crow laws on a more personal basis.

Activity: Class field trip to a Civil Rights Institute. STudents will be asked to pay particular attention to Jim Crow exhibits at facility. Students should also ask parents, grandparents and friends about their experiences with Jim Crow laws before 1965 Information could be part of an oral history project.

Assessment: Student reaction to field trip and information they bring back in.

7. Refine: Refining the Extension

Objective: Students will express feelings and knowledge of Jim Crow laws and experience of discrimination.

Activity: Students will write poem, song, play or story based on trip to Civil Rights Institute and oral history information they have collected. Work could be done individually or in small groups.

Assessment: Quality of student work. Students should be given a rubric by which they will be graded.

8. Perform: Creative Manifestation of Material Learned

Objective: Group sharing of feelings and work.

Activity: Within classes or, if possible, in a larger group, students will share their work. Parents, other classes or school administrators might be invited.

Assessment: Have students write an evaluation of the entire experience, listing at least 4 things they have learned as well as what they liked or disliked.

Assessment, Phase Five,Performance, Creative Use of Material Learned: