Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Fred Seibel, the Times-Dispatch, and Massive Resistance
A lesson challenges scholars to analyze editorial cartoons created by Fred Seibel, illustrator for the Times-Dispatch, during the Massive Resistance. A class discussion looking at today's editorial pages and Jim Crow Laws leads the way...
Stanford University
Ruby Bridges
A two-part lesson features Civil Rights hero, Ruby Bridges. Part one focuses on the heroic actions of Ruby Bridges then challenges scholars to complete a Venn diagram in order to compare themselves to her. Part two begins with a...
Judicial Learning Center
Civil Rights and Equal Protection
Almost every American is familiar with the Supreme Court case of Brown vs. Board of Education. Far fewer understand the constitutional reasoning or the wide-ranging consequences of the ruling in the field of criminology. The interesting...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Birmingham, 1963: Spring Jubilation Part 2
The release of Martin Luther King, Jr. from the Birmingham jail, the Children's March, and the bombings of the Gaston Motel and the home of Reverend A.D. King's home. As part of a study of the civil rights movement, class members...
Stanford University
Voices of the Struggle: The Continual Struggle for Equality
As part of a study of the Civil Rights Movement from 1868 to the present, class members examine first person narratives, the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, and other significant events in civil rights history. They then...
Curated OER
Paul Conrad's Perspective on Civil Rights
Students review a political cartoon and discuss desegregation. In this cartoon analysis lesson, 11th graders discuss the impact of a political cartoon and its relation to a Supreme Court case. Students read additional information and...
Curated OER
Racial Inequality: Remnants of a Troubled Time
Eighth graders study the ratification of the 14th Amendment and the Plessy v. Ferguson decision. For this US History lesson, 8th graders read excerpts from the Brown v. Board of education decision. Students investigate one of three...
Curated OER
An Introduction to the Central High Crisis
Students identify key events and participants in the Central High Crisis
Curated OER
Prudence Crandall House and Little Rock High School
Pupils examine how Prudence Crandall influenced the education of African Americans in New England prior to the Civil War and compare and contrast events in Canterbury, CN in the 1830's to those in Little Rock, AR in the 1950's.
Curated OER
"Separate But Equal" Revisited
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.
Curated OER
Brown v. the Board of Education: Success or Failure?
Learners identify reactions to Brown v. Board of Education. They evaluate the extent to which Brown was successful in desegregating American education. Students evaluate the role of the judiciary in affecting societal change.
Curated OER
Learning the Hard Way
Students explore instances of segregated education around the world, supporting and refuting the idea through debate and persuasive essay.
Curated OER
Creating Historians: Giving Scholars the Answers
How allowing index cards on tests can empower critical thinking; part one of a series on approaching social studies as a group of historians.
Stanford University
Civil Rights or Human Rights?
Young citizens consider the American civil rights movement as part of the global struggle for human rights. After using a timeline activity to learn about the major events in the civil rights movement, class members study Malcolm X's...
Teaching Tolerance
Civil Rights Activity Book
An activity booklet includes a timeline of the movement, a song, and various informational reading passages on leaders, events, and the Civil Rights Memorial in Washington DC. Reading response questions and word puzzles are sure to...
Curated OER
Call It a Hunch
Give young scholars a chance to practice making inferences after reading the book Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges. They confirm whether or not their conclusions are true, have a class discussion, and then independently complete an...
Soft Schools
Civil Rights
Informational text about the Civil Rights Movement challenges young historians to prove their reading comprehension skills with six multiple choice questions. After answers are submitted a new screen displays a score, answers—correct and...
Curated OER
Understanding JFK's Presidency through his Speeches
Students reflect and discuss the major events that happened in the United States in the 1950's and 1960's. In this U.S. History lesson, students read and analyze the famous speeches during this time frame, then complete a worksheet that...
Curated OER
We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution
Robert Coles’ The Story of Ruby Bridges forms the basis of this powerful cross-curricular study of civic education and civic responsibility. Class members consider how the book presents authority, responsibility, justice, and privacy.....
Curated OER
"The New Television Set" a Gateway to the Post World War II Era
Eleventh graders demonstrate their knowledge of the effects of television on the political, economic, religious, social, intellectual and artistic life of the US nation from the 1950's. Research how television shaped public opinion with...
Curated OER
The Living Constitution
Tenth graders explore the Constitution as a "living document." After reading three specific cases, learners consider characteristics that make up a living document. In groups, they conduct guided research on each case. Pupils write a...
Curated OER
Re-Examining Brown
Students explore and describe the impact of segregation on African Americans and other non-white minorities. In this segregation lesson students identify, research and report on the legal cases that led to the Brown vs. Board of...
Curated OER
Brown v. Board: Where are We Now?
Students explore the concept of resegregation. In this civil rights lesson plan, students research the impact of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling in their community. Students define and research resegregation.
Curated OER
Teaching Empathy : The Story of Ruby Bridges
Students explore "The Story of Ruby Bridges," by Robert Coles to uncover examples of courage in the lives of others and in themselves. This search into the story is meant to help students form connections with others and to foster the...