Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Have a Metaphor

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Learners locate the literary devices used in Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. In this figurative language lesson plan, students first distinguish between similes, metaphors, analogies, personification, etc. Learners...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Brother Outsider

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students view the film "Brother Outsider" and read an article by Bayard Rustin as springboards to discuss the concept of civil rights in the United States. They follow a discussion guide.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Importance of Self-Governance in Changing Laws

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the teachings of Gandhi and King. In this nonviolent resistance lesson, students listen to a lecture that reveals how Gandhi and King educated their followers about nonviolent resistance. Students analyze contemporary...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Religion in Social Change: What's God Got To Do With It?

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Learners determine how religion influences social change. In this religion and social change lesson, students examine how the religious beliefs of Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. were inspirational as they worked to reduce...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

ANTICIPATORY SET

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students are be able to analyze primary sources (photographs and speeches) and write a definition of American Democracy. They are shown a photograph of Martin Luther King Jr. by Ben Fernandez, students are asked what is happening in the...
Organizer
Curated OER

"I Have a Dream" T-Chart

For Students 7th - 9th
In this Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "I Have a Dream" speech worksheet, students identify dreams and actions called for as they read or listen to the speech. Students complete a T-chart.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"I Have a Dream"

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students identify the main points and unique qualities of the "I Have a Dream" speech and write their own speech.  In this "I Have a Dream" lesson, students read the speech and discuss why the speech was written and the historical...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The African-American Experience During the Vietnam Conflict

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the experiences of African-Americans in the Vietnam War. They illustrate their experiences showing how these events related to the Civil Rights movement. They compare and contrast the views of sailors and officers aboard...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Committing to Nonviolence: A Lesson from Viva La Causa

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the social change movements of the American 20th century. In this nonviolence lesson, students research the work of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Caesar Chavez. Students compare and contrast the social...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Students Speak Out: A Discussion Activity

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners read a collection of student essays addressing racism and racial disparities and discuss them. In this racism lesson plan, students discuss the essays and talk about their impact.
Organizer
Curated OER

ESL Holiday Lessons: International Day of Non-Violence

For Students 6th - 10th
In this language skills instructional activity, students read an article regarding  International Day of Non-Violence. Students respond to 6 matching questions, 29 fill in the blank questions, 30 multiple choice questions,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eyes on the Prize: The Philosophy of Nonviolence

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine the goals and rationale of nonviolence. As a class, they identify the concept of the Beloved Country and how they wanted to use nonviolence to achieve it. They discuss how the philosophy of nonviolence can relate...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spirituals

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students review factors that contributed to the development of the spiritual, which reflects the influence of African religious and Christian traditions, and slavery. Students collect spirituals/songs of their heritage from family...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: Civil Rights Movement

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This activity on the Civil Rights movement is organized into three sections: "Identifying the Need for Change," "Ordinary People in the Civil Rights Movement," and "Historic Places in the Civil Rights Movement."
Website
Other

New York Public Library: Africana Age: The Civil Rights Movement

For Students 9th - 10th
This is an extensive review of the Civil Rights movement from the 1940s to the 1960s. Read about the ways African Americans protested discrimination in employment and education over several years. Be sure to click on the images to find...
Handout
CommonLit

Common Lit: Text Sets: The Civil Rights Movement

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a collection of 34 Grade-Leveled texts (4-12)on the topic The Civil Rights Movement. The Civil Rights Movement emerged after nearly a century of little progress for African Americans following the end of slavery. Explore the...
Primary
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Gilder Lehrman Institute: The Civil Rights Movement: Major Events and Legacies

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An essay that speaks of the major events and legacies of the Civil Rights Movement.
Website
Curated OER

National Park Service: Travel Places of the Civil Rights Movement

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides a list of historic places of the Civil Rights Movement, complete with an itinerary and a map. Clicking on a place on the map will give information about that place.
Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: American Masters Collection: Sammy Davis Jr.

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a collection of three video lessons about Sammy Davis Jr., comedy, race, segregation in 1960's Hollywood, politics, identity, and The Civil Rights Movement.
Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Civil Rights Special Collection

For Students 9th - 10th
Multimedia collection of video, primary text documents and audio on Civil Rights, especially Brown vs. Board of Education.
Lesson Plan
Discovery Education

Discovery Education: Civil Rights: An Investigation

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Through the instructional activity provided here, learners will not only learn about civil rights and civil liberty but also understand the key roles played by President Johnson and Martin Luther King Jr. during the civil rights...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: Competing Voices of the Civil Rights Movement

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this Curriculum Unit, students will consider "Competing Voices of the Civil Rights Movement" in 2 Lessons. The unit also includes worksheets and other student materials that can be found under the resource tab.
Lesson Plan
PBS

The March on Washington and Its Impact : Lesson Plan

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Learn about the social conditions in the United States that led up to the Civil Rights Movement. Also, explore peaceful resistance and the immediate impact of the march.
Article
Stanford University

Martin Luther King, Jr. And the Global Freedom Struggle

For Students 9th - 10th
This article takes readers through the events leading to the expansion of the Civil Rights Movement to the north through a major non-violent campaign protesting unfair housing practices in Chicago.