Unit 1 Introduction
In this unit, students are introduced to a foundational understanding of segregation, desegregation, the role of the NAACP, and the Brown ruling. Exploring the historical roots of segregation and desegregation requires a fundamental exploration of the ways segregation emerged and was justified as well as the strategies for building a case against segregation.
5 Questions - Brown v. Board
This lesson invites students to investigate the processes and procedures of desegregation as outlined by the NAACP following Brown v. Board. This lesson pays specific attention to students' language-based analysis skills.
Grade level: 🎓
High School (upper grades)
Subject: 🕮
American History
Literacy Skills: ✎
High level primary source analysis; Rewriting and explaining
Time Required: 🕗
60 mins
Lesson Pairing:
Primary: Unit 1: Introduction
Secondary: Unit 2: Impact of Brown (K-12) (Legacy of Brown)
Brown Ruling and Immediate Response to Integration
This lesson is meant to both increase student reading and research skills, while also providing historical information about the Brown decision and the immediate response to it.
Grade level: 🎓
8-10
Subject: 🕮
Social Studies/Government/Reading
Literacy Skills: ✎
Reading and Explaining Court Decision, Reading Personal Responses, Reflection Writing
Time Required: 🕗
90 mins
Lesson Pairing:
Primary: Unit 1: Introduction
Secondary: Unit 2: Impact of Brown (K-12) (Legacy of Brown)
The Start of the NAACP
This lesson allows students to explore ideas of social grouping and racism using a primary source document from the creation of the NAACP.
Grade level: 🎓
Late middle school
Subject: 🕮
History, Sociology
Literacy Skills: ✎
Primary source analysis; reading comprehension
Time Required: 🕗
45 mins
Lesson Pairing:
Primary: Unit 1: Introduction
Not Just Brown - Desegregation and Hispanic Students
This lesson will cover the Mendez v. Westminster case.
Grade level: 🎓
Middle School
Subject: 🕮
Social Studies/History
Literacy Skills: ✎
Children's Literature, Summary Writing and Drafting Process
Time Required: 🕗
45 mins
Lesson Pairing:
Primary: Unit 1: Introduction
Plessy v. Ferguson and Jim Crow, the context for Brown v. Board
This lesson introduces students to Plessy v. Ferguson and Jim Crow laws. In this activity, students will work on reading comprehension and targeted reading by focusing on summarization and reading for specific content topics.
Grade level: 🎓
Middle School
Subject: 🕮
History
Literacy Skills: ✎
Reading Academic Sources
Time Required: 🕗
90 mins
Lesson Pairing:
Primary: Unit 1: Introduction
The Two Rulings of Brown v. Board
This lesson introduces students to the complexities of legal language and desegregation by analyzing the dual rulings of Brown v. Board. Students will complete an online investigation course to answer questions about the two rulings.
Grade level: 🎓
Early High School
Subject: 🕮
American History
Literacy Skills: ✎
Secondary source comprehension; Language analysis in primary sources
Time Required: 🕗
60mins
Lesson Pairing:
Primary: Unit 1: Introduction
The Doll Case, 1947
Through this lesson, students can investigate the findings of the Doll Case, a psychological study on the effects of segregation on Black children. This case influenced Brown v. Board.
Grade level: 🎓
Middle or High School
Subject: 🕮
History, Psychology
Literacy Skills: ✎
Data analysis; graphing practices
Time Required: 🕗
45 mins
Lesson Pairing:
Primary: Unit 1: Introduction
What is Segregation
In this lesson, students will explore key questions around segregation, not just defining it but exploring the effects of segregation on people’s lives, especially young children. Segregation and its impact on people and their culture as shaped by policy and practices is a key element of both historical and sociological exploration.
Grade level: 🎓
Grades 8-10
Subject: 🕮
U.S. History; Sociology; Government & Politics
Literacy Skills: ✎
Reading source documents (x2) and drawing conclusions about people's perspectives on the impact of segregation on their lives; supporting claims with text evidence
Time Required: 🕗
45 mins
Lesson Pairing:
Primary: Unit 1: Introduction
Secondary: Unit 5: Life in a Multiracial Democracy