Most of us have heard of Rosa Parks, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and Martin Luther King, Jr. But what about Claudette Colvin, Virginia Durr, Freedom Summer, or the Birmingham Children's Crusade? A five-lesson unit prompts class...

Introduce the class to the Civil Rights Movement by taking a critical look at the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. They will pay close attention to the role women played in organizing the boycott and bringing national attention to the...

What led to the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and how might historians approach this question differently? This rich series of lessons includes a short introductory video clip, analysis of six primary source documents, and...

Many educators focus on the civil rights movement as it occurred after Rosa Parks incited the bus boycott. Extend the understanding of the fight for civil rights in the United States with this post-WWII lesson. Learners examine and...

Learners listen to a story about Rosa Parks and examine the bus seating rules of the 1950s. In this civil rights movement lesson, the teacher reads students a book about Rosa Parks, then learners complete a worksheet with a diagram of...

Add to your instruction on the civil rights movement with this biography of Rosa Parks. Class members read the one-page summary of her life, which focuses mainly on the part she played in the bus boycott. After reading, pupils respond to...

How do authors play to people's moods? After briefly reviewing mood using a Conditional and Subjunctive Mood handout, learners practice identifying conditional and subjunctive sentences in the Montgomery Bus Boycott speech before reading...

There aren't a lot of details on the document, but Rosa Parks's arrest is now a legendary story of the civil rights movement. Class members examine the record—with Parks's names blotted out—to see if they can tell who this document...

Boycotts and bus rides, sit-ins and speeches. The focus of this amazing resource is on those people who were willing to put themselves at risk to take a stand for their belief in equal rights for all. A must-have for your curriculum...

How can evidence and perspective challenge even the most well-known of stories? Through primary and secondary source analysis, think-alouds, and discussion, young historians evaluate the historical narrative of Rosa Parks across multiple...

Young people played significant roles in the Civil Rights movement. Class members examine the contributions of Barbara Johns, Claudette Colvin, Mary Louise Smith, and the children of Birmingham,...

Young scholars read a story called Civil Rights Leader Rosa Parks Diesand answer vocabulary and comprehension questions about it. In this current events Rosa Parks lesson plan, students respond to literature by answering questions,...

Students write the story of Rosa Parks from the perspective of someone who was sitting on the bus that day.  In this Rosa Parks/biography lesson, students read the story of Rosa Parks and discuss it in small groups.  After...

Studying African American history? Explore and discuss famous African Americans such as Martin Luther King Jr., George Washington Carver, Harriet Tubman, and more. Simple bulleted facts detail the heroic deeds of these individuals. Use...

Young scholars view a sculpture of Rosa Parks and discuss it's meaning. They examine her story, produce illustrations and develop and perform a skit recreating her experience.

Students examine protest music and songs from the Civil Rights movement. In this music of the Civil Rights era lesson plan, students listen to selected music before working in groups to determine who the music was directed at, what...

In this comprehension worksheet, learners read a selection about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and answer a set of 10 fill-in-the-blank comprehension questions. 

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a social activist and Baptist minister who played a key role in the American civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. King sought equality and human rights for African...