National Endowment for the Humanities
Revolution '67, Lesson 2: What Happened in July 1967? How Do We Know?
Even in a world in which dozens of participants and curious onlookers record every controversial event, the basic facts of what happened are often in dispute. Revolution '67, Lesson 2 explores 1967 Newark, New Jersey using an examination...
PBS
The Sixties: Hitsville USA
James Jamerson. You probably heard him but may not have heard of him. But fans of Motown Records will certainly recognize his contributions to the sound that desegregated popular music during the 1960s. Challenge young history...
Curated OER
From Jim Crow To Linda Brown: A Retrospective of the African-American Experience from 1897 to 1953
High schoolers examine African American issue between the years 1897 and 1953. In this African American history lesson, students research the social, economic, and political conditions of African Americans during the aforementioned time...
Curated OER
Just-Us and Kindness: A Voice for Children: King Day
Eighth graders investigate philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, 8th graders read human rights literature and use information gleaned to discuss children's rights around the world. Students discuss scenarios meant to prompt...
Curated OER
Equality: Are Some More Equal than Others?
Students research a person who has been active in supporting human rights around the world. They simulate an international conference and write a newsletter focused on human rights in a specific country.
Curated OER
Big Words
Students discover philanthropy. In this philanthropic lesson plan, students read Martin's Big Words and explore voluntarily being nice to people. Students discover how they may perform acts of service for others. Extension activities are...
Curated OER
The Power of Protest
Students explain how Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white man. They discuss how her actions were heroic and how they affected the civil rights movement. They reflect on the lesson in journal entries.
Curated OER
Apartheid and Segregation
Learners view a television program that depicts the history South African Apartheid and the United States' system of segregation. They discuss how laws were used to uphold these institutions and compare and contrast racism and...
Curated OER
Go Animate the 20th Century!
Young scholars create animations to match their social studies. in this 20th century lesson, students work in groups to read and present to their classmates World War I, World War II, The Great Depression, The Space Race, or the Civil...
Curated OER
You and the Law -- Beating the Odds
Young scholars examine the rate of institutional racism in the United States. Individually, they write in their journals about how they can make better choices and increase their self-esteem. Using historical documents, they identify...
Curated OER
African American Poetry: Songs of Protest and Pride
Students are introduced to various time periods in history in which African Americans wrote songs and poetry to cope. In groups, they travel between different stations to listen or read poems and music from the Civil War period, Civil...
Curated OER
Women in the Civil War
Students study the Civil War era in the US with a concentration on women during this time through literature and biographies. They create a timeline or multimedia presentation as one product of this series of lessons.
Curated OER
I Have a Dream...
Students explore the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr. In this civil rights instructional activity, students utilize their computer skill as they compose "I have a dream" statements.
Anti-Defamation League
Harriet Tubman on the $20 Bill: The Power of Symbols
How important are symbols and symbolic gestures in society? Middle schoolers have an opportunity to analyze the importance of symbols on American currency with a lesson that investigates the controversies surrounding redesigning the $5,...
Center for History and New Media
Growing Up in a Segregated Society, 1880s–1930s
What did segregation look like in the beginning of the 20th century? Middle and high schoolers view images of segregated areas, read passages by Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois, and come to conclusions about how the influence of...
Curated OER
Change: Just a Matter of Time
Young scholars analyze the Declaration of Independence and primary sources to explain civil rights. Then, students write a Declaration of Change to express the grievances of African Americans, and their desire to participate fully in the...
Curated OER
Court Documents Related to Martin Luther King, Jr., and Memphis Sanitation Workers
Young scholars read about the civil rights movement in their textbooks. They engage in a whole-class discussion of how nonviolent direct action can be a powerful tool for bringing about social, economic, or political change.
Curated OER
Brother Outsider
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.
Curated OER
Rosa Parks
Students examine the actions of Rosa Parks. They identify the reasons why philanthropy is good for the community and individuals. They write a letter to someone they admire because of their qualities.
Curated OER
Discrimination
Students investigate what discrimination is and study Article 2 from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They participate in a role play activity involving majority and minority groups for which a letter was sent home to parents....
Curated OER
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Students learn what goals Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had when he wanted to change the inequality of the United States.
Curated OER
MLK: using Nonviolence to Make Positive Change
Young scholars read about Martin Luther King and discuss the rights and responsibilities of citizens. For this Martin Luther King lesson, students recognize the vocabulary words associated with freedom and nonviolence. Young...
Curated OER
Birmingham 1963
Students analyze a written document for position of writer and content, synthesize an historical position based upon document analysis and explain the events of Birmingham in 1963.
Stanford University
Letter from Birmingham Jail: The Power of Nonviolent Direct Action
What strategies are most effective in changing an unjust law? Class members examine the tactics used in the Birmingham Campaign of 1963 (Project C) to achieve social justice and social transformation. After examining documents that...