Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil Rights: An Investigation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers take a closer look at the political side of the American Civil Rights Movement. In this 20th century American history lesson, students research the contributions of President Johnson, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and J....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rosa Parks Day

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students conduct research to discover about Mrs. Rosa Parks' historic role in the U.S. civil rights movement. They create an original artwork to depict the setting in which Mrs. Parks acted for fairness and then create a puppet show to...
Lesson Plan
Penguin Books

Core Curriculum Lesson Plans for The Lions of Little Rock

For Teachers 5th - 7th Standards
Schools in the 1950s and 60s looked very different from the schools we know today. An educator's guide explores the civil rights movement and, specifically, the process of integrating schools. Questions cover key themes in the novel and...
Interactive
DocsTeach

Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Fight for Civil Rights

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Find clues to the past with photos! Young historians use a photo from one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s peaceful protests to practice photo analysis. Academics look at the image to gain clues about what is happening and why. To finish,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Social and Cultural Issues in the Civil Rights Movement

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students watch videos, listen to speeches and analyze the information that is presented about the civil rights movement. They examine visual art of the period.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Civil Rights Movement

For Students 6th - 8th
In this social studies learning exercise, students find the words that define the civil rights movement and the answers are found at the bottom of the page.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Separate is Not Equal: Brown vs. Board of Education

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Brown vs. Board of Education was a landmark case, but what other cases were influenced by its decision? By researching 1 of 14 civil rights legislative events, scholars follow this court case through recent events. Keeping in mind 6...
Lesson Plan
1
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Facing History and Ourselves

Eyes on the Prize Lesson 1: The Philosophy of Nonviolence

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the concept of nonviolent demonstration. In this Civil Rights Movement activity, students investigate examples of injustice and discuss the philosophy of nonviolence fueled by leaders of the movement. Students apply...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Martin Luther King Jr.: From Civil Rights to Human Rights

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students read essays and participate in a discussion that examines Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s stance on both civil rights and the broader issue of human rights. They conduct research about King's life and work, analyze quotes from his...
Handout
2
2
K12 Reader

Glossary of Non-Violence

For Students 3rd - 8th
Make sure your class is sure of terminology when referring to the non-violent methods used in the civil rights movement. This glossary includes 19 terms paired with parts of speech and definitions. 
Lesson Plan
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Center for Civic Education

Citizenship Schools and Civic Education During the Civil Rights Movement and in the Present

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Your young historians will discover the importance that citizenship education has played in the social progress of the United States as they learn about early efforts to discourage African Americans from voting in the 1960s.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Secret Life of Bees Research

For Teachers 9th - 10th
The Secret Life of Bees provides high schoolers an opportunity to connect the events in the novel to events in America’s history. After choosing a topic from a provided list, individuals research how the event affected the Civil Rights...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Responses to Discrimination During the Civil Rights Period

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the effects of discrimination. In this American Civil Rights Movement lesson, students participate in a classroom activity that requires them to personally feel the effects of discrimination. Students then explore...
Unit Plan
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1
Cesar Chavez Day of Service and Learning

Cesar Chavez Curriculum Guide Day of Service and Learning

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Cesar Chavez, the United Farmworker's Movement, and the struggle for Chicano Civil Rights are the focus of a Day of Service and Learning curriculum guide that asks participants to investigate the conditions, events, and...
Lesson Plan
PBS

From Selma to Montgomery: An Introduction to the 1965 Marches

For Students 6th - 12th
The 1965 Civil Rights marches from Selma to Montgomery and the resulting Voting Rights Act of 1965 are the focus of a social studies lesson. The resource uses film clips to inform viewers not only about the discrimination that gave rise...
Lesson Plan
C-SPAN

Last Days of Martin Luther King, Jr.

For Teachers 6th - 12th
On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Four video clips reveal the events of that time, including the shift in the focus of the Civil Rights Movement, the aftermath of the assassination, and...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

"Sí, se puede!": Chávez, Huerta, and the UFW

For Teachers 6th - 12th
"Sí, se puede!" Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta believed organizing farm workers and changing their working conditions were possible. Scholars examine provisions of the Bracero Program, videos, and the United Farm Workers' (UFW) work....
Interactive
DocsTeach

To What Extent was Reconstruction a Revolution? (Part 2)

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
While Reconstruction laid the groundwork, many believe its revolutionary ideals weren't realized until the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. Using the 1965 Voting Rights Act, budding historians consider why it took more than 100 years to...
Interactive
DocsTeach

Red Record of Lynching Map Analysis

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Long before the civil rights movement, leaders were working to secure equal rights. An informative activity explains the 1922 anti-lynching campaign with a map. Scholars analyze the map, complete a worksheet, and participate in group...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Developing an Opinion Based on the Textual Evidence: Jackie Robinson’s Role in the Civil Rights Movement (Promises to Keep, Pages 50–57)

For Teachers 5th Standards
Caption this. Scholars look at pages 50-57 of Promises to Keep and discuss the photographs on the pages. They analyze the captions with the pictures and then discuss vocabulary such as human rights and civil rights. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Language of the Civil Rights Movement

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders develop a website documenting poetry integral during the civil rights movement in the United States. Working in pairs, 10th graders research the people and poetry of that was prevalent during the civil rights movement. ...
Worksheet
Curated OER

The Civil Rights Movement: Internet Research

For Students 4th - 5th
In this Civil Rights research worksheet, students go to a specified Internet site to do research on the Civil Rights movement. Students answer 6 multiple choice questions.
Worksheet
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Time For Kids

A Peaceful Leader

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
The legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's life and message is just as important today as it was in his lifetime. Introduce elementary learners to the movement for civil rights with a timeline of Dr. King's life, as well as...
Interactive
DocsTeach

The 19th Amendment and the Road to Universal Suffrage

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Your vote matters! An informative activity focuses on the Nineteenth Amendment and explains how it paved the way for universal voting rights. Young historians analyze several documents and a complete a worksheet, describing the impact of...