Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Martin Luther King Jr.

For Teachers 1st
First graders examine the life and goals of Martin Luther King Jr. They listen to a biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. from the "Let's Read Biography" book series and discuss discrimination and Dr. King's goals. Students complete a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ruby Bridges: One Little Girl's Brave Act

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders examine the life of Ruby Bridges. In this bravery instructional activity, 2nd graders read the story of Ruby Bridges and discuss Ruby's actions and decisions.  
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Adarand Case: Affirmative Action and Equal Protection

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine the Adarand case.  For this American Government lesson, 11th graders create a list of reasons for each affirmative action program.  Students develop a defense on certain issues and present it to the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rights and Responsibilities, Is It Breaking the Law?

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students investigate the life and trial of Rev. John Mahan who was involved with the illegal Underground Railroad. The issue of breaking the law to help slaves escape is examined in this lesson.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Big Words

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students discover philanthropy. For this philanthropic lesson, 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...
Worksheet
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The Hartford Convention and the Battle of New Orleans

For Students 6th - 8th
In this United States history activity, students utilize a word bank of 10 terms or phrases to answer 10 fill in the blank questions about the Hartford Convention and the Battle of New Orleans. A short answer question is included as well.
Lesson Plan
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Credit to the Nation: Human Rights Cards

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the lives of refugees. In this human rights lesson, students use the provided refugee cards to play games that require them to learn details about the lives of the refugees. 
Worksheet
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Martin Luther King Word Search

For Students 2nd - 4th
In this Martin Luther King instructional activity, students complete a word search of vocabulary pertaining to this individual. Students locate 10 words written in various directions within the puzzle.
Lesson Plan
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Lesson 4: Fact and Opinion - Rosa Parks: My Story

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders examine implicit and explicit opinions in a text about Rosa Parks. In this explicit and implicit opinions lesson, 6th graders participate in direct teaching, guided practice, and independent practice while reading an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Contributions that Martin Luther King Jr. Made to Society

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders discover the positive effects Martin Luther King, Jr. had on society. In this U.S. history instructional activity, 2nd graders investigate racial tensions from sixty to seventy years ago and view a video about MLK, Jr....
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Black Diamond

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Score a home run with this packet of information on the very first player of the Negro League to be elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame — cultural groundbreaker and sports legend Satchel Paige. These worksheets include a...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Eleanor Roosevelt and the Rise of Social Reform in the 1930's

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Eleventh graders explore the various roles that Eleanor Roosevelt took on. In this US History lesson plan, 11th graders analyze the views that Eleanor Roosevelt held as an advocate for social justice. Young scholars evaluate her...
Lesson Plan
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C¿¿sar Ch¿¿vez, Organizes the Farm Workers Association - Act I, Scene I "The House Meeting"

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders analyze the development of federal civil and voting rights for minority groups. In groups, they discuss how Cesar Chavez organized the farm workers and the techniques he used when protesting. They define and practice...
Lesson Plan
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"Separate But Equal" Revisited

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the struggle for desegregation during the Civil Rights Movement. They assess ways in which race relations have and have not changed since the Brown v. Board of Education decision.
Lesson Plan
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Equality: Are Some More Equal than Others?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners 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.
Lesson Plan
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Social Studies: Segregation, Jim Crow Laws, Plessy vs. Ferguson

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Students examine the concept of segregation. In this civil rights lesson, students discuss the separate but equal theory as well as the Plessy vs. Ferguson decision. Students also research women of the Civil Rights Movement and Jim Crow...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Democracy Work for Everyone, 1877-1904

For Teachers 6th - 11th
Young scholars investigate the culture of the post Reconstruction South. They participate in a jigsaw research activity, conduct Internet research on an assigned topic, and write a report to present to the class.
Lesson Plan
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Breaking the Unjust Law

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Learners consider the concept of civil disobedience. In this instructional activity on changing unjust laws, students use primary sources to understand how Gandhi and King changed the law. Learners will then list laws that they feel are...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Concept Formation Lesson Plan: Understanding "Protest"

For Teachers 7th - 10th Standards
After analyzing both examples and non-examples of a variety of protests conducted by ethnic groups in Seattle and the state of Washington during the twentieth century, your class members will work to identify the key ideas and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Role of Protest Songs

For Teachers 6th - 12th
tudents will illustrate the role, significance, and history of protest songs from the African American Civil Rights Movement. They will verbally answer the question: "What is the link between the Civil Rights Movement and Hip Hop music...
Lesson Plan
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The American Dream

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Young scholars expand their knowledge by researching on the Internet the African American civil rights movement and compiling a timeline of events and heroes. In addition to the civil rights timeline, students identify the key historical...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ralph McGill: the "Conscience of the South"

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students view a film, "Dawn's Early Light: Ralph McGill and the Segregated South." As groups of students observe the movie, they list key dates, significant persons interviewed, and cultural characteristics. Upon completion of the movie,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Broadcast from the Past

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students will be responsible for presenting (either performing live or videotaping and playing) a newscast dealing with an aspect of the Civil Rights Movement that connects to the unit topic of media and social justice. During the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Analyzing Persuasion

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
A reading of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech launches a study of rhetorical devices such as hyperbole, allusion, metaphor, simile, personification, connotative language and parallel structure. Class members then...