The fourth installment of the seven-lesson unit focused on African Americans elected to and serving in the US Congress looks at the period from 1971 through 2007. Class members read a contextual essay that provides background information about these elected officials, the political and social conditions they faced, and their accomplishments. Groups then select a Black Member of Congress from this era and create an exhibit that introduces the class to the Member's life and congressional service.

Concepts

black history month, african american history, racism, the united states congress, congress, the united states government, critical thinking, civil rights, the civil rights movement

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Create a reading guide for the essay to support comprehension and keep readers focused
• Keep the exhibits posted throughout the unit

Classroom Considerations

• The contextual essay is lengthy (seven sections) and complex; although the resource includes comprehension questions, most readers will need additional support

• This resource is only available on an unencrypted HTTP website.It should be fine for general use, but don’t use it to share any personally identifiable information

Pros

• Offers two options for the main activity
• The packet includes a link to the essay, comprehension, discussion, and critical thinking questions

Cons

• None