quest for equality!pbltech.org/proj/quest.pdf · quest for equality! sets high academic goals and...

QQQUUUEEESSSTTT FFFOOORRR EEEQQQUUUAAALLLIIITTTYYY!!!

A standards-based, interdisciplinary projectusing the power of technology to address

the impact of African Americans onU.S. History and Literature

FOR GRADES 7 – 12

USE WITH

AGS UNITED STATES HISTORY

AND

AGS AMERICAN LITERATURE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Project Description _______________________________________________________1

Connecting to AGS Material _____________________________________________3

Performance and Content Standards Driving This Project__________________4Before You Begin_________________________________________________________5

Project ProcedureIntroduction__________________________________________________________8

Phase One: Slavery in America (1619-1865) __________________________13

Phase Two: Freedom and Struggle (1861-1929)_______________________18Phase Three: Seeking Equality (1896-1964)____________________________23

Culminating Activity_________________________________________________28

Handouts and Resources (located after page 28)

Learning Center Activity SheetsDocument Analysis WorksheetMeeting New York City/New York State RequirementsSample Rubrics

© 2002 AGS Publishing4201 Woodland Road, Circle Pines, MN 55014-1796 1-800–328–2560

www.Agsnet.comAGS Publishing is a trademark and trade name of American Guidance Service.

This project was created for AGS by TechKNOW Associates Corporation:26 Lori Street, Monroe Township, NJ 08831, U.S.A. 1-800-860-0773

www.techKNOWassociates.com.

Permission is hereby granted to educators to make copies of portions or all the content of this project,provided that the purposes of the copying are educational and entirely noncommercial.

QUEST FOR EQUALITY !: PROJECT DESCRIPTION

From science to civil rights, from entertainment to education,African Americans have helped to build the United Statesand to enrich its cultural heritage!

The Quest For Equality! project invites your students to “experience” AfricanAmerican history and literature through the use of the AGS United States Historyand AGS American Literature series, the Internet, Web-based primary sourcematerials, and other authentic artifacts. The project is designed for the middle-school and high-school classroom. It strives to engage students’ natural creativityand curiosity while encouraging them to direct their learning at their own pace. Ituses technology to address diverse learning styles and allows students todemonstrate their comprehension through multiple formats.

Quest For Equality! incorporates national performance and content standards ofseveral disciplines.1 The activities are research-based and emphasize the acquisitionof social studies and language arts skills. The project’s structure includes acomprehensive introduction that assesses and augments students’ backgroundknowledge about African American history and culture as it prepares them with theskills they will need to complete the three distinct but interrelated learning phases:

² Phase One: Slavery in America (1619-1865) – Students will research thehistory of slavery in America. Students will discover the efforts to end slavery upto and including the Civil War. Working cooperatively, they will create poems,brochures, maps, and other products that demonstrate their understanding.

² Phase Two: Freedom and Struggle (1861-1929) – Students will conduct in-depth research on Reconstruction, early African American leaders and achievers,and the Harlem Renaissance. Working cooperatively, they will create letters,persuasive essays, a newsletter, and other products to demonstrate theircomprehension.

² Phase Three: Seeking Equality (1896-1964) – Students will conduct in-depthresearch on civil rights and the civil rights movement. They will create a varietyof products, such as a pamphlet and multimedia presentation to demonstratetheir learning.

The culminating event will be an opportunity for students to exhibit their work.Students will organize an “African American Cultural Awareness Day” in which theywill present what they have learned and display their products to invited guests.

1 Quest For Equality! addresses New York State and New York City performance and contentstandards. The project can be used to prepare for the New York State Grade Eight Social StudiesAssessment and can be used to satisfy the New York City Grade Eight Social Studies Exit Projectrequirement. For more information, see the appendix.

Quest For Equality! sets high academic goals and offers students the means toachieve them by employing activities that address multiple learning styles. Theproject emphasizes the use of primary source documents to guide students towardan understanding of history.

Teaching Tip: A distinct component of the Quest For Equality project is itsadaptability. Teachers can adjust any or all of these structures to meet theirstudents’ needs more adequately:

• Group Size: The number of students in each group can be altered.• Time On Task: The time students are given to complete a task can be varied.• Level of Support: Student support can be accentuated when needed.• Task Difficulty: The skill level of each Learning Center can be modified to

address student needs.

Current research in teaching and learning guides the Quest For Equality! project.Students must put time, thought, and effort into their work to produce a meaningfulproduct that exhibits creativity, comprehension, and higherorder thinking. As they engage in this project, your studentswill:

4 Work in small, cooperative groups.4 Engage in active, interdisciplinary learning.4 Spend time in Learning Centers with varied learning

environments.4 Engage in social interactions related to learning objectives.4 Use technology to incorporate resources from the larger

community into their work.4 Meet or exceed local, state, and national content and

performance standards.

Required Materials and SoftwareÜ AGS United States History textbook and ancillary materials (such as

student workbooks, audiocassettes, etc.)Ü AGS American Literature textbook and ancillary materials (such as student

workbooks, audiocassettes, etc.)Ü AGS Teaching Strategies in Social Studies transparencies (Using Graphic

Organizers)Ü A word processing program (such as Microsoft Word™ or AppleWorks™)Ü A presentation program (such as Microsoft PowerPoint™, HyperStudio™, or

AppleWorks)Ü Graphic organizer software (such as Inspiration™)

CONNECTING TO AGS MATERIALS

This project uses a variety of graphic organizers to help students comprehend andsynthesize the information they are researching. You may find it useful to review anduse a variety of these graphic organizers with your students before beginning theproject. Complete at least the four following Activity Sheets from the AGS TeachingStrategies in Social Studies: Using Graphic Organizers transparencies: Timeline(Sheet #2), Web (Sheet #3), KWL (Sheet #5), Venn Diagram (Sheet #6).

Each phase of the project incorporates the following structure:

1. Historical background – Students read and respond to short, relevant readingpassages in AGS United States History textbook. This is supported with ancillarymaterials such as the student workbook, audiocassettes, etc.

2. Literature connection – Students read and respond to one or more pieces ofliterature from the AGS American Literature textbook. This is supported withancillary materials such as the student workbook, vocabulary workbook,audiocassettes, etc.

3. Learning centers – Each cooperative group is assigned (or chooses) onelearning center. Each learning center focuses on a particular aspect or subtopicrelated to the general theme of the phase on which students are working.Students encounter primary source documents and literature, as well asconduct both Internet-based and print-based research to enhance theirunderstanding. Each learning center provides a menu of activities to allowstudents to demonstrate learning in multiple ways.

4. Post-assessment and reflection – Students demonstrate understanding oftheir research through presentations that “teach” their topic to the rest of theclass. They are also provided with an opportunity to reflect on what they havelearned.

PERFORMANCE AND CONTENT STANDARDS DRIVING THIS PROJECT

Social Studies StandardsNational Council for the Social Studies: http://www.ncss.org/standards/2.0.html• Strand #1: Culture – Students will develop and demonstrate an understanding of culture

and cultural diversity.• Strand #2: Time, Continuity, and Change – Students will develop and demonstrate an

understanding of the ways human beings view themselves over time.• Strand #3: People, Places, and Environments – Students will develop and demonstrate an

understanding of people, places, and environments.• Strand #5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions – Students will develop and demonstrate

an understanding of how institutions directly influence group and individual behavior.• Strand #6: Power, Authority, and Governance – Students will develop and demonstrate an

understanding of how people create and change the structures of power, authority, andgovernment.

English Language Arts StandardsNational Council of Teachers of English: http://www.ncte.org/standards/standards.shtml• Standard 1: Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an

understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the world.• Standard 4: Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language to

communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.• Standard 5: Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different

writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a varietyof purposes.

• Standard 6: Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g.,spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create,critique, and discuss print and non-print texts.

• Standard 7: Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas andquestions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a varietyof sources to communicate in ways that suit their purpose and audience.

• Standard 12: Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their ownpurposes (for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Geography StandardsNational Geographic: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/resources/ngo/education/• Standard 1: Students will learn and demonstrate how to use maps and other geographic

representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information.• Standard 2: Students will learn and demonstrate how to use mental maps to organize

information about people, places, and environments in a spatial context.• Standard 6: Students will learn how culture and experience influence people’s perception of

places and regions.

Art StandardsNational Standards for Arts Education: http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/professional_resources/standards/natstandards/index.html• Content Standard 1: Students will understand and apply media, techniques, and processes.• Content Standard 4: Students will understand the visual arts in relation to history and

cultures.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

A project of this scope and magnitude takes planning. Here are some things toconsider before you begin:

Do I have to complete everything?The project plan is designed to meet the needs of a variety of classroomenvironments and curriculums. However, it may be too extensive for a single classto complete. Read through the whole plan and select the activities that are mostappropriate for your class. Also, feel free to change and adapt any aspect of theproject to suit the interests and needs of your students.

Although the phases of the project are designed to work together, each phase meetsspecific curriculum objectives. Consider doing only the phase or phases that meetyour curriculum objectives.

Can more than one class participate in the project?Yes! This project encourages student creativity: no two finished projects will be thesame. Including several classes will enrich your culminating activity. By working

with other teachers or librarians you can makethis a school-wide project. Each class/grade canparticipate at its own level and meet its owncurriculum objectives.

For the culminating activity, each class can givea short presentation of their best work. To keepthe event to a reasonable length, limit eachclass to a specific amount of time forpresentation. Set up a gallery of projects tomake sure all students’ work is seen andappreciated by visitors.

Should cooperative learning experiences be used with this project?Yes! Cooperative learning is an integral component of this project. If you haven’tused cooperative learning before, you will want to ease into it. Conduct an Internetsearch for Web sites that will offer you guidance in setting up a cooperative learningexperience.2

How long will this project take?The estimated time frame for completing the entire project is ten to twelve weeks.However, it is unlikely that any class will complete all three phases of this project.Furthermore, there are many variables (such as access to computers) that mayaffect the actual time it will take your class to complete the project.

Each section includes a suggested time frame, but you may have to adjust this tomeet your students’ needs. Once you begin this project, it is important to set up atime frame and stick with it. Planning when to have your culminating activity andgiving students a real deadline will help keep them focused throughout this project.

2 You can learn more about cooperative learning at: http://ss.uno.edu/SS/homePages/CoopTips.html.

How do I structure an interdisciplinary project?Experts agree that an interdisciplinary approach to learning can give students aricher understanding and increase their interest in a topic, as well as provide acontext for learning.3 One way of creating an interdisciplinary learning environmentis to have several teachers of different content areas collaborate in implementingthis project.

There are two ways to structure this collaborative teaching experience:

Ü One teacher coordinates the project and employs other teachers as resources.(The science teacher helps with the project’s science-related activities; thesocial studies teacher helps with geography and mapmaking, etc.)

Ü Divide the project ahead of time among several teachers according to content.

One teacher should take the responsibility of coordinating the project. No matterhow you choose to structure the project, collaboration takes careful planning andcommunication. Use e-mail or arrange common planning time to organize eachphase of the project.

Even if collaborative teaching is not an appropriate choice for your school, you canstill do this project. Start by determining the goals and objectives that you want toaddress. Then establish which aspects of the project will help you meet thoselearning goals. If you only have one period a day with students, time may be animportant factor. Students may be able to complete part of the project outside ofclass time.

How many computers do I need?This project is designed to work in a wide variety of school settings. You cancomplete this project whether you have one computer in the classroom, severalcomputers in the classroom, access to a computer lab or media center, or laptopcomputers. Many of the activities present options for working without a computer.There are several things that you must do before your students can use thecomputer.

You should:

4 Arrange computer(s) and desks (if possible) toaccommodate group work.

4 Establish rules and procedures for using thecomputers and Internet.

4 Set up a time schedule for students so they knowwhat they’re doing and when it is due.

4 Demonstrate each program or activity on thecomputer to the whole class.

4 Limit students to one activity at a time.

3 For more information on the benefits of interdisciplinary instruction, visit:

http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/8/c016.html. Also, see Jensen, E. Teaching with the Brain in Mind.

Students should be prepared before going to the computer. You can assign one ortwo “computer savvy” students to help other students with simple tasks likeInternet searches or saving documents.

The following is a checklist of things that you should complete before introducingthis project to your students:

q Make sure any software that students will need is pre-installed on eachcomputer. Students should have access to basic tool software, such as wordprocessing and presentation software.

q Bookmark any articles or other Internet links students will be using.q Make sure necessary plug-ins (such as Flash and QuickTime) are loaded and

working.q Make sure your speakers and microphone are working. Students will need to

hear and record sound for many of the activities. PC users will need a soundcard installed.

q Be sure to have all reading and project handout materials copied andavailable for your students ahead of time.

q Prepare for what to do if the technology doesn’t work. If the printer breaks oryour connection to the Internet goes down, you should have activities readyas substitutes.

What planning should I do with my students?Be sure to review the rubrics and any other assessments you will be using ahead oftime, so students know what is expected of them. This project encourages studentsto make choices among activities. Allow students to be creative in developing theirfinished products. This will give them a stronger sense of ownership and motivation.

How will students benefit from this project?Project-based learning, as exemplified by the activities suggested here, has manyadvantages. It appeals to a variety of learning styles, helps to motivate students,and promotes skill building by providing hands-on, real-time experiences.

Each phase of the project includes motivating and engaging tasks. As studentscomplete each section, they develop skills that will enable them to expressthemselves and communicate their ideas more effectively. Regardless of eachstudent’s individual abilities, all will learn and feel that their contribution isimportant and respected.

Best of all, project-based learning is fun for students and exciting for teachers!

Project Procedure

INTRODUCTION

Estimated Time Frame: 1 week

Initial PreparationsBefore you introduce this project to your class, you shouldprepare for the project by reading it completely andbecoming familiar with its goals and activities. Read thehandouts closely, and make sure you understand thesequence in which they are distributed. Visit therecommended Web sites listed in the appendix, and becomefamiliar with the topics your students will be encountering.

Next, read the AGS materials that this project incorporates; become familiar withtheir content and structure. Think of the needs of your students, and make note ofhow many and which passages you will ask them to read.

The project uses Learning Centers to help students understand and synthesize thecurriculum being taught. Each center provides different activities that addressmultiple intelligences4 and allow students to make choices in how they demonstratelearning. At the end of each phase, each cooperative group will use the productsthey created at their learning centers to “teach” the content to the rest of the class.You should prepare all of the materials that you will need for each of the LearningCenters.

Teaching Tip: All the text in the AGS student textbooks is available oncassette. Each Learning Center should include a tape player with theappropriate recorded materials. Encourage your students to listen to the textas they read it.

Forming cooperative groups

Ask your students to form at least five cooperative groups. Ideally, there should beno more than four to five students per group. Each student should assume a rolewithin the group to ensure that all of the group’s responsibilities are equitablydistributed. Possible roles include leader, recorder, reporter, timekeeper, researcher,proofreader, etc. Be sure that your students understand the tasks that each role isresponsible for performing. In some cases, you may want to assign multiple roles tosome students. At first you should assign roles. As students become morecomfortable with cooperative learning, you may allow groups to change or chooseroles, as conditions allow.

If you have more than five cooperative groups, you may need to have enoughmaterials available in each Learning Center so that two groups can work at the samecenter at the same time, if necessary.

4 The learning centers are based on Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. For more

information about teaching and learning by using this approach, visithttp://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/month1/index.html.

Introducing the project

Introduce the content and scope of the project to your students by explaining theproject’s historical focus and the related activities and goals. Use a graphicorganizer, such as a tree map, to help your students visualize the various activitiesand associated deadlines. Stop frequently to check for understanding. Ask yourstudents to explain what they are being asked to do. You may wish to makehandouts for the class to read and keep.

Keeping a project notebook

Have students maintain a project notebook just for workon this project. Encourage students to keep all theirnotes, ideas, research, and sketches in this notebook. Inaddition, students should reserve separate sections of thenotebook for self-reflection and vocabulary.

Ü Self-reflection: Students should use this section oftheir notebook to reflect on what they’ve learnedafter each class session. Asking students to thinkabout their learning is an excellent way of gettingthem to realize just how much they’ve learned andto think about what else they would like to know.

Ü Vocabulary: Students should use this section of the notebook for newvocabulary they encounter in the project. Tell your students that it is theirresponsibility to add at least four new words to their notebooks each week.They are to define each new word and use it in a sentence of their own.Reserve time each week to review these entries and tell your class that theywill need these words for one of the activities later in the project.

Technology Tip: Create a database of new vocabulary words, using adatabase program such as Microsoft Access, AppleWorks, or FileMaker Pro.Ask each cooperative group to contribute four new words each week to thedatabase. Print out copies of the full database each week and review thewords with the class. At the end of the project, students can use thedatabase to create a Dictionary of African American History.

Preparing to Encounter TextStudents will read a wide variety of text in this project. It is important that studentsunderstand that each genre (form), of writing has a specific purpose and style, andfollows specific conventions. This is true of both fiction and nonfiction writing.

Ask students to brainstorm as many different genres of writing as they can and todefine each genre as best they can. Record their responses on chart paper or theboard. Have students refer to the Genre Definitions on page 1 of the AGS AmericanLiterature textbook to clarify definitions.5

5 There are many genres in addition to the ones listed here. Encourage students to include as many

different genres as they can on their list.

Next, tell students that most writing can be sorted into one of the followingcategories of writing:

• Narrative: Writing that tells a story. This type ofwriting conveys what happened (real or imaginary)in a sequential order.

• Expository: Writing that presents factualinformation clearly.

• Personal Expression: Writing that describes vividsensory details and expresses individualfeelings.

• Persuasive: Writing in which the writer takes aposition for or against an issue. The writingintends to convince the reader to believe or dosomething.

• Speech: Spoken language uttered for a particular purposeand audience.

Ask students to work within their cooperative groups to categorize each of thegenres from the class list. Ask each group to create a graphic organizerdemonstrating their categories. Have each group present its graphic organizer to theclass.

Teaching Tip: There may be some disagreement about how to categorize aparticular genre. The purpose of this activity is to have students develop anunderstanding of genre. Encourage students to debate, both within theirgroups and with the class, how each genre should be classified. Also, remindstudents that some genres may fall into more than one category. (Forexample, a diary entry may be narrative or personal expression, dependingon the particular purpose and/or style of the entry.)

Assessing Background KnowledgeWhen you feel that your students are ready to begin the project,introduce the topic of African American history. Initiate ageneral discussion with your class about the historicalcontributions of African Americans. Tell them that thefirst African Americans arrived on U.S. shores in theyear 1619. Ask students to calculate the number ofyears between then and now. Tell the class that overthe course of the next few weeks they will experienceAfrican American history.

Next, ask your students what they know about AfricanAmericans and their history in the United States. Askthem to draw a circle map in their notebooks and to listeverything that they can think of about African Americanpeople and history in the outer circle. You may want to modeleach step of this activity before asking students to work independently.

When your students have finished, ask them to write a sentence for each idea,name, or event that they included in the circle. Draw a tree map on the board andmake three branches. Label each branch as follows: Science and Technology, Politicsand History, and Sports and Entertainment. Ask each student to read one or moresentences and to determine under which branch the sentence belongs. Record thesentences on the tree map.

When each student has had a chance to read a sentence, ask the class to look atthe tree map. Note which branches have the most—and the least—representation,and ask your students to explain why they think this is the case.

Establishing a ContextIt is important to give your students a sense of the time that has passed betweenthe events they are studying and the present time. To do this, you can ask them tocreate a time line of African American history.

Ask each cooperative group to create a poster-sized time line that lists importantevents in African American history, beginning with the arrival of the first Africans tothe Virginia colony in 1619. You may want to provide the class with the followingevents (but do not provide them with the dates listed)6:

• The first law regarding slavery is passed inMassachusetts (1650) [p. 69]

• Legislation preventing the import of slaves is passed(1807 [enacted 1808]) [p. 174]

• Nat Turner’s revolt (1831) [p. 219]• The Dred Scott decision (1857) [p. 290]• The Emancipation Proclamation (1863) [p. 312]• The Freedmen’s Bureau (1865) [pp. 328-329]• The 14th Amendment (1868) [p. 341]• Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) [pp. 390-391]• Brown v. BOE (1954) [p. 557]• Civil Rights Act (1964) [p. 572]

6 The page numbers in [brackets] indicate the related pages in the AGS United States History

textbook. Do not provide these page numbers to your students unless they need additionalsupport and assistance.

Students can find information for their time lines in the AGS United States Historytextbook. You may need to model how to use the index and table of contents to findthis information for your students. Encourage students to make their time lineslarge enough and with ample space between listed dates so they can add to theirtime lines as the project progresses.

Next, ask each cooperative group to find out more about two of the events on theirtime lines. Be sure that each event is covered by at least one group. To keep thisactivity manageable, students should not get too deeply involved in each researchtopic at this stage of the project. Instead, tell students that you only want them tofind out the main details related to the event. You canprovide students with the following questions to helpdirect their research:

Ü When did the event occur?Ü Where did the event occur?Ü Who was affected by this event?Ü What was the impact of this event?Ü Why is this event important to a study of African

Americans?

Have each group create a simple multimedia presentation that demonstrates itsfindings. Each slide in the presentation can answer one of the questions. Studentsshould include an appropriate graphic with each slide to illustrate their research.

Before students begin working on their presentation, distribute the presentationrubric and review it with your students. Be sure your class understands how allwork will be assessed. Remind students that each student within the group shouldbe responsible for one part of the presentation. When the presentations arecompleted, each group should present its slide show to the class.

Technology Tip: Most presentation programs, such as PowerPoint,AppleWorks, or HyperStudio allow students to record their own voices.Students who have difficulty speaking in public can pre-record their part ofthe presentation using a microphone. This can be a particularly helpfuladdition for students who are shy or who have limited language skills.

Post-assessment and reflectionAt the end of each activity, students should be encouraged to add new vocabularyand to reflect on what they have learned in their project notebooks. Studentreflection is a very important component to project-based learning. In addition, youmay want to provide students with the following questions to prompt their writing:

Ü How did African Americans impact the history and culture in the UnitedStates?

Ü How have conditions changed for African Americans over the past fourhundred years?

PHASE ONE : SLAVERY IN AMERICA (1619-1865)

Estimated Time Frame: Three to Four Weeks

Historical BackgroundPlace the following terms on the board or on chart paper. Ask your students to addthese terms to their notebooks:

Abolitionist Enslavement Import Slave State

Compromise Free State Indentured Servant Spirituals

Cotton Gin Fugitive Slave Law Rebellion Underground Railroad

After you have posted this list, review it with the class. Make sure that all of yourstudents can pronounce each term correctly. Do not define the terms or givestudents clues as to their meanings at this time.

Next, ask each group to write a sentence using each term. Tell your students thatthey can write whatever they know—or think that they know—about these terms intheir sentences. Assure them that if they don’t know anything about a term, theyshould attempt to write something that seems to make sense. It doesn’t matter iftheir sentences use the term correctly at this point. Tell them to make educatedguesses. Remind your students that this is a cooperative effort and that they canand should work collaboratively.

Next, students should use a variety of sources to find the actual meanings of eachterm. Some suggested resources are the AGS textbook glossary, dictionaries, andthe Internet.

After students complete the activity, ask them to return to their cooperative groupsto review each of their sentences. Students should use dictionaries and otherresources to help refine their definitions of each term. They should rewrite thedefinitions in their own words and write a new sentence for each of the terms.

Then, ask the group to create a graphic organizer like the one below in which theycompare and contrast what they thought each term meant and what the termactually means.

When they have completed this task, ask each group to share its work with theclass. Make sure that all students have a good understanding of the vocabularybefore moving on to the next activity.

Required Reading

Students should read the following passages from the AGS United States Historytextbook:

• “What Was Colonial Life Like?” p. 69 (including sidebar)• “Spirituals” (sidebar), p. 219• “How Did Slavery Become an Issue?” and “How Did

Maine and Missouri Become States?” pp. 205-206• “Which Other Writers Attacked Slavery?” (including the

paragraph above the header), pp. 246-247• “Why Was Cotton Important in the South?” and “Which

Industries Developed in the North?” pp. 201-202• “The Debate Over Slavery,” “What New Debate Started

in Congress?” and “What Compromise Helped theSlavery Issue?” (including sidebars), pp. 273-275

Provide students with as much support as necessary with this reading. Incorporatethe appropriate activities from the Student Workbook.

Have students create a KWL organizer based on the question heading each readingselection. After reading each selection, students should summarize what they readin their own words in their project notebooks. Provide students with time to sharetheir reflections, either within their cooperative groups or as a class.

Hands-On Activity #1: Mapping Slavery

Each cooperative group should create a poster-sized map of the United Statesdemonstrating which states were “free states” and which states were “slave states”after the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Students can use the map on p. 207 of theAGS United States History textbook. Additional information and resources can befound at:

http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/underground/routes.htmor http://www.fiu.edu/~woodk/1850comp.htm.

If your class has the time and resources, consider having students make athree–dimensional map with clay or papier-mâché. Additional information on map-making in the classroom can be found at:

http://www.ket.org/artonair/artists/cookeguide.htmor http://www.col-ed.org/cur/sst/sst221.txt.

Hands-On Activity #2: Opposing Viewpoints

Each cooperative group should create two brochures: One brochure should promotethe northern point of view while the other should promote the southern point ofview. Each brochure should:

• Explain the issue from the appropriate point of view.• Provide reasons that support this point of view.• Use language designed to persuade readers of this point of view.• Include appropriate graphics to help convey meaning.

Technology Tip: Most word processing programs, such as Microsoft Wordand AppleWorks, provide templates for creating brochures. Students can usethese templates to create professional-looking brochures quickly and easily.

After the maps and brochures are completed, have each group present their work tothe rest of the class. Create a bulletin board to display the finished products.

Literature ConnectionSpirituals were religious and emotional folk songs developed by slaves in the South.Although these spirituals are often associated with feelings of faith and hope for abetter life, many times these songs contained double meanings or hidden messages.

Introduce the topic of spirituals by playing some for your students. Many spiritualsare available on CD. The following Internet sites include the two spirituals includedin the AGS American Literature textbook:

• Swing Low, Sweet Chariot: (instrumental only)http://store.yahoo.com/lib/manhattanbeachmusic/swing-low.mov

• Swing Low, Sweet Chariot: (includes QuickTime movie of choir)http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/singers/sfeature/songs_swing_qt.html

• Deep River: http://www.mnstate.edu/music/soundfiles/deepriver-25.mp3

Have students listen to the songs before reading the text. Ask students whatemotions or feelings each song conveys. What is the overall mood or tone of eachsong? Ask students to compare and contrast the two songs. You may need to playeach song several times for students to establish an overall impression of mood ortone.

Next, have students read the text of each song (pp. 126-127) silently to themselves.Discuss any unfamiliar words or phrases. Then, play each song again, this timeasking students to read along.

As a class, discuss why slaves sang spirituals. Ask students if they can think of anysongs today that resemble spirituals, either in tone, emotion, or intent of meaning.Some students may find connections between spiritual and church music, whileothers may connect spirituals with certain expressions of rap and/or hip-hop.

Ask each cooperative group to choose one modern song, of any genre, and create aVenn diagram comparing and contrasting it with one of the spirituals that theyread/heard. Encourage each group to choose a different modern song. Aftercompleting this task, ask each group to present its graphic organizer to the rest ofthe class.

Supporting Reading

Students should complete the questions on p. 128 of the textbook. You may want tohave students complete some of the following supplementary activities as well:

• Student Study Guide #22• Activity #22• Workbook #22• Writing Activity #19

Writing in Response to Reading

Students can work individually or with a partner to writetheir own poem in the form of a spiritual. Students maychoose to write a slave spiritual, incorporatinginformation that they have learned about the life of aslave, or they may choose to write a poem that expressesemotions and feeling from their own lives.

Have students publish their spirituals in poster formand present their poems to the class. Encouragestudents who are musically inclined to put theirpoems to music or to rap them. Students who prefernot to sing should be allowed to read their poems.

You can combine all the individual writings into one collection and publish them asa book. Books can be created using a variety of software programs. Most teachersuse word processors such as AppleWorks or Microsoft Word. There are alsoprograms designed specifically for student publications. If you are interested inlearning more about student publishing, you can request a free copy of A Guide toPublishing Student Work from [email protected].

Learning CentersThere are five Learning Centers for this phase:

Ü Center #1: The Slave SystemÜ Center #2: Politics and SlaveryÜ Center #3: Voices Against SlaveryÜ Center #4: Runaway Slaves and Slave RevoltsÜ Center #5: Events Leading to the Civil War

Each cooperative group should choose one learning center. Make sure that eachcenter is utilized by at least one group. If you have more than five cooperativegroups, two groups may have to work at the same center.

Distribute the appropriate Learning Center Activity Sheet handout to each group.Make sure that each group has the necessary materials for its learning center. Ifaccess to the Internet is limited, you may want to print selected pages from some ofthe required Web sites. You should also distribute copies of the Document AnalysisWorksheet. Students should complete this form for every primary source printdocument they encounter.

Students are prompted to choose three products from a list of six choices. If thisseems overwhelming for your class, consider having each group choose twoproducts to demonstrate learning. If students wish to adapt these products or createtheir own ideas, you can encourage them to do so. However, be sure that thesemodified activity ideas are clearly outlined and approved before students begin.

Groups should work on their products cooperatively. They may divide the taskshowever they wish as long as each student is responsible for an equal share of thework. All students should be involved in creating and presenting their research tothe class.

Presenting What We’ve Learned

After each group has finished the requirements of itsassigned Learning Center, students in each group shouldpresent both what they learned and the products theycreated to the class. Limit each group to 7–10 minutes fortheir presentation. Provide students with rubrics ahead oftime so they know how they will be assessed.

It is important that they use this time to present the mostimportant information and issues of what they learned totheir classmates. Remind students that each member ofthe cooperative group should be responsible for one part ofthe presentation.

Post-assessment and reflectionEach cooperative group should create three open-ended questions about its topic.The questions should be designed to determine if the rest of the class learned fromthe presentation. Since this is the first time students are “testing” their classmates,they may need a lot of support. You can model the “do’s and don’ts” of goodquestioning.

Remind students that their questions should focus on overall themes rather thanelicit minute details. Make sure to edit carefully each group’s questions to makesure they are both appropriate and clearly stated. Then, have all students respondto each of the questions in their project notebooks.

Technology Tip: Create a single “assessment” document, using a wordprocessor such as Microsoft Office or AppleWorks. Have one student fromeach group type the groups questions into this document. Then, you can runoff enough copies and have students add these to their project notebooks.

Provide time for students to add new vocabulary to their notebooks and to reviewthis vocabulary with them. Allow students to reflect, in class discussion or inwriting, both what they learned in this phase of the project and the process bywhich they learned it.

PHASE TWO : FREEDOM AND STRUGGLE (1861-1929)



Carpetbagger Emancipation Proclamation ReconstructionCivil War Freedmen’s Bureau Scalawag

Confederacy Harlem Renaissance Tuskegee Institute



Next, students should use a variety of sources to find the actual meanings of eachword. Some suggested resources are the AGS textbook glossary, dictionaries, andthe Internet.

After students complete the activity, ask them to return to their cooperative groupsto review each of their sentences. Students should use dictionaries, Web sites, andother resources to help refine their definitions of each term. They should rewrite thedefinitions in their own words and write a new sentence for each of the terms.



Required Reading

Students should read the following passages from the AGS United States Historytextbook:

• “The War Continues” and “What Did Many Runaway Enslaved People Do?”p. 312

• “What Were the Problems in the South?” pp. 326-327• “Johnson’s Conflict With Congress Continues” and “What Was the Freedman’s

Bureau?” pp. 328-329• “Why Did Congress Try to Impeach Johnson” pp. 330-331• “George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington” (sidebar), p. 376• “What Other Groups Faced Discrimination?” p. 390

Provide students with as much support as necessary with this reading. Incorporatethe appropriate activities from the Student Workbook.

Have students create a KWL organizer based on the question heading each readingselection. After reading each selection, students should summarize what they readin their own words in their project notebooks. Provide students with time to sharetheir reflections, either within their cooperative groups or as a class.

Hands-On Activity #1: Letter from an African Soldier

For this activity, students will “step into the shoes” of one of the 180,000 formerenslaved people who fought against the Confederacy. This will help your studentsmake personal connections to the history and people they are researching.

First, have students look at the recruiting poster urging “colored men” to join theUnion Army: This can be found at:http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/blacks_in_civil_war/images/recruitment_broadside.gif If necessary, students can learn more about this topic atthe following Web sites:

• http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/blacks_in_civil_war/blacks_in_civil_war.html

• http://americancivilwar.com/colored/histofcoloredtroops.html

Next, ask your students to imagine that they are one of the African soldiers whoresponded to the advertisement and enlisted in the Union Army. Each studentshould write a letter home describing the experience. The letter should explain whythe soldier enlisted, what his expectations are, and what he hopes to accomplish.(Remind your students that only male soldiers were being accepted into the army atthat time.) Encourage your students to express themselves as creatively as theywish. However, tell them that the letter should be historically accurate. Encouragestudents to add illustrations to their letters to enhance meaning.

Technology Tip: If students are typing their letters on the computer, theycan use handwriting fonts to make them look as if they were hand-written.You can download many fronts free from the Internet. Their hand-drawnillustrations can be scanned and added to the finished product. Finally, useparchment-type paper to give the letter an authentic look.

Hands-On Activity #2: Newsletter

Each cooperative group will create a newsletter of important events from theReconstruction period. Each newsletter should include articles that provideinformation about at least four of the following:

• The Freedmen’s Bureau• The “Black Codes”• Jim Crow laws• The Civil Rights Act of 1866• The Reconstruction Act of 1867• The Civil Rights Act of 1875• Congress’ attempt to impeach President Johnson

Students can give their newsletter a more authentic look by adding “fillers.” They caninclude weather reports, advice columns, advertisements, etc., keeping themappropriate to the decade. Encourage students to be creative.

Technology Tip: Most word processing programs, such as Microsoft Wordand AppleWorks, provide templates for creating newsletters. Students canuse these templates to create professional-looking newsletters quickly andeasily. Students can save time by typing their articles into separate textdocuments. They can copy and paste their individual articles into theappropriate place on the newsletter template.

After the letters and newsletters are completed, have each group present their workto the rest of the class. Create a bulletin board to display the finished products.

Literature ConnectionBegin by having students read about Frederick Douglasson p. 152 of the AGS American Literature textbook. Youcan provide students with additional details aboutFrederick Douglass and his life, such as:

• Douglass was a renowned speaker. His speakingskills were developed in a secret debating club calledthe East Baltimore Mental Improvement Society.

• Douglass worked with William Lloyd Garrison, whoowned the leading white abolitionist newspaper, TheLiberator.

• Douglas traveled in Great Britain from 1845 to 1847.He gave many speeches supporting the eliminationof slavery and presenting his view of the struggle forhuman rights.

• During the Civil War, Douglass worked as an enlistment officer and workedclosely with President Lincoln. He urged Lincoln to make the emancipation ofblacks a priority issue.

The speech students are about to read was in response to the question “Why doesthe Negro want to be able to vote?” Ask your students to write a paragraphpredicting how Frederick Douglass responded to that question. After students havefinished, have students share their responses with the class. Create a graphicorganizer on chart paper or on the board that records student responses.

Next, have students read the speech “What The Black Man Wants” on pp. 153-156.Since this was a speech, you may want to have several students read passagesaloud. If you do so, be sure to provide students with the selection they are readingahead of time, so that they can rehearse their section.

Finally, return to the predictions graphic organizer. Ask students to compare theirpredictions with what Douglass actually said and to evaluate their predictions.

Supporting Reading

Have students work in their cooperative groups tocomplete the questions on pp. 157-158 of thetextbook. You may want to have students completesome of the following supplementary activities as well:

• Student Study Guide #26• Vocabulary Workbook #17• Workbook #27• Writing Activity #23


Write the following sentence on the board: AfricanAmericans have all the rights and equalities Frederick Douglass espoused in hisspeech “What The Black Man Wants.” Each student will write a persuasive essaythat agrees or disagrees with this sentence.

Before students begin to write their essay, ask them to think about the pointsFrederick Douglass made in his speech. Not only did Douglass discuss the right tovote, but he also explained other rights and justices to which he believes AfricanAmericans are entitled. Students should create a graphic organizer listing thespecific rights and justices Douglass discusses in his speech. Students should usequotations from the text in their graphic organizers.

Next, students should determine if African Americans have achieved these goalstoday. Students should provide specific examples to support their viewpoints. Theywill use the information from this graphic organizer, as well as their notes, to writetheir essay. Provide students with rubrics ahead of time so they know how they willbe assessed.



Ü Center #1: Law and Government After the Civil WarÜ Center #2: ReconstructionÜ Center #3: African American Voices of ChangeÜ Center #4: Segregation and DiversityÜ Center #5: The Harlem Renaissance






After each group has finished the requirements of its assigned Learning Center,students in each group should present both what they learned and the productsthey created to the class. Limit each group to 7–10 minutes for their presentation.Provide students with rubrics ahead of time so they know how they will be assessed.

It is important that they use this time to present the most important informationand issues of what they learned to their classmates. Remind students that eachmember of the cooperative group should be responsible forone part of the presentation.

Post-assessment and reflectionEach cooperative group should create three open-endedquestions about its topic. The questions should be designedin such a way so as to determine if the rest of the class learned from thepresentation. Since this is the first time students are “testing” their classmates, theymay need a lot of support. You can model the “do’s and don’ts” of good questioning.

Remind students that their questions should focus on overall themes rather thanelicit minute details. Make sure to edit carefully each group’s questions to makesure they are both appropriate and clearly stated. Then, have all students respondto each of the questions in their project notebooks.

Technology Tip: Create a single “assessment” document, using a wordprocessor such as Microsoft Office or AppleWorks. Have one student from eachgroup type the group’s questions into this document. Then, you can run offenough copies and have students add these to their project notebooks.


PHASE THREE : SEEKING EQUALITY (1896-1964)



Assassination Civil Disobedience DesegregationBlack Power Civil Rights Freedom Rides

Boycott Controversial Riot



Next, students should use a variety of sources to find the actual meanings of eachterm. Some suggested resources are the AGS textbook glossary, dictionaries, andthe Internet.

After students complete the activity, ask them to return to their cooperative groupsto review each of their sentences. Students should use dictionaries, Web sites, andother resources to help refine their definitions of each term. They should rewrite thedefinitions in their own words and write a new sentence for each of the terms.



Required Reading

Students should read the following passages fromthe AGS United States History textbook:

• “How Did the Civil Rights Movement Begin?”pp. 557-558

• “How Did Groups Attack Segregation?”pp. 571-572

• “New Movements Try to Change America”p. 579

• “I Have a Dream” (Source Reading), p. 586

Provide students with as much support asnecessary with this reading. Incorporate theappropriate activities from the Student Workbook.

Have students create a KWL organizer based on the question heading each readingselection. After reading each selection, students should summarize what they readin their own words in their project notebooks. Also, ask students to respond to the“Source Reading Wrap-Up” questions on p. 586. Provide students with time to sharetheir reflections and answers, either within their cooperative groups or as a class.

Hands-On Activity #1: Pamphlet

Ask students to name some of the organizations and groups that led the civil rightsmovement in the 1950s and 1960s. Some possible answers might be the NationalAssociation for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Congress ofRacial Equality (CORE). Tell students to imagine that they are activists during thistime period. Each cooperative group will create its own civil rights organization.They should name their organizations and create a “mission statement.” Theyshould also plan a protest, boycott, or act of civil disobedience. (Note: Make sureyour students understand that this is only a simulation.)

Each “new organization” will create a pamphlet advertising their plans. Remindstudents that the pamphlet will have two purposes: first, to inform readers aboutthe organization and its activities, and second, to persuade readers to get involvedin the organization and its planned protest. Tell students that the pamphlet shouldprovide readers with the following:

• Information about the organization and its founding members• The organization’s mission statement• The purpose of the planned protest• The details of the planned protest (including place, date, and time)• The expected results of the planned protest

Encourage students to use persuasive language and appropriate graphics to add tothe effect of their pamphlet.

Hands-On Activity #2: Multimedia Presentation

Each cooperative group will create a multimediapresentation about at least five important events in theCivil Rights Movement. Students should use theInternet and other resources to find additionalinformation about the events they choose to include intheir presentation. You may want to provide studentsthe following list to help them get started. However,encourage students to include some events not on thislist in their presentation:

• Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka • Rosa Parks / Montgomery Bus boycott• National Guard sent to Little Rock, Arkansas • Civil Rights Law of 1957• Freedom Rides • Civil rights protests in Birmingham, Alabama• March on Washington, 1963 • Civil Rights Law of 1964• Riots in Watts (Los Angeles) • Martin Luther King Jr. assassination

The presentation should include an introductory slide, one slide for each topic, anda concluding slide. Students should include at least one graphic with each slide.Encourage students to create their own graphics or use primary source photographsand illustrations rather than clip art. When appropriate, students can incorporatesound and video clips in their presentations.

Technology Tip: Students may want to download primary sourcephotographs or other graphics from the Internet to include in theirpresentations. On a Windows-based computer, you can download a graphicby right-clicking and selecting “Save Picture As….” On a Macintoshcomputer, you can download a graphic by holding down the mouse buttonand selecting “Download Image to Disk.” In some cases, this technique alsoworks with video and sound clips.

Students should save all of their graphic images in one folder to help themfind them later. Remind students to keep track of where they get theirimages and information so that they can cite their sources as necessary.

After the pamphlet and presentations are completed, have each group present theirwork to the rest of the class. Create a bulletin board to display the finishedproducts.

Literature ConnectionBefore beginning the reading selection, ask your students to define anautobiography. Create a graphic organizer comparing and contrasting biographiesand autobiographies. Ask students why a person might decide to write anautobiography. Have students list other autobiographies they have read and spendsome time discussing different formats of autobiographies (such as narratives,journals, memoirs, etc.).

Next, have students consider the title of the passage they are going to read – To BeYoung, Gifted, and Black by Lorraine Hansberry. Ask students to make predictionsas to what they are about to read, specifically the tone and mood of theautobiography. Have them write their predictions in their project notebook.

Have students read the autobiography from pp. 337-341. For this reading activity,consider having students pair up for “shared reading.” Each pair of students canmake a time line of important events in the author’s life as they read.

Finally, have students reread their predictions. Students should write a paragraphor two comparing their predictions with what they read. Have students share theircomparisons with their reading partner and/or cooperative groups.

Supporting Reading

Students should complete the “Critical Thinking”questions on p. 343 of the textbook. You may want tohave students complete some of the followingsupplementary activities as well:

• Student Study Guide #39• Activity #47• Workbook #49


Students will write their own autobiographies. Ask students to write about a singleevent from their past that made a lasting impression on them. Remind students thatthese autobiographies will be shared with the class as well as people outside theclass, so they should write about a topic they feel comfortable sharing.

Encourage students to use sensory descriptions in their autobiographies. Tellstudents to include images that appeal to the five senses: sight, sound, taste, touch,and smell. These types of descriptions will help connect the reader to the memory.



Ü Center #1: Civil Rights Laws and LegislationÜ Center #2: Early Civil Rights StrugglesÜ Center #3: The Civil Rights MovementÜ Center #4: Martin Luther King Jr.Ü Center #5: African American Voices of Dissent






After each group has finished the requirements ofits assigned Learning Center, students in eachgroup should present both what they learned andthe products they created to the class. Limit eachgroup to 7–10 minutes for their presentation.Provide students with rubrics ahead of time so theyknow how they will be assessed.

It is important that they use this time to present themost important information and issues of what theylearned to their classmates. Remind students thateach member of the cooperative group should beresponsible for one part of the presentation.

Post assessment and reflectionEach cooperative group should create three open-ended questions about its topic.The questions should be designed to determine if the rest of the class learned fromthe presentation. Since this is the first time students are “testing” their classmates,they may need a lot of support. You can model the “do’s and don’ts” of goodquestioning.

Remind students that their questions should focus on overall themes, rather thanelicit minute details. Make sure to edit carefully each group’s questions to makesure they are both appropriate and clearly stated. Then, have all students respondto each of the questions in their project notebooks.

Technology Tip: Create a single “assessment” document, using a wordprocessor such as Microsoft Office or AppleWorks. Have one student fromeach group type the group’s questions into this document. Then, you canrun off enough copies and have students add these to their projectnotebooks.


CULMINATING ACTIVITY

After the project is completed, it is time to celebrate student achievement. This isone of the more important aspects of the project, and it will give your students anopportunity to share their accomplishments and what they have learned with eachother as well as with other classes, teachers, administrators, and parents.

Your students will plan a celebration of African American culture and history. Theywill present a variety of the work completed in this project. At this event, studentswill represent the different time periods and themes they have researched byhighlighting the people and events.

Student work that was created digitally should be presented digitally wheneverpossible. Creative pieces such as newsletters, journals, poems, and letters should beattractively displayed in the room chosen for the event. You may want to delegateone area for display and one area for presentations.

It is important that each student be given a chance to present at least one project orpart of a project in his or her own words. However, you should try to keep eachpresentation brief (4-5 minutes). Allow students to choose what they would like topresent. Keep the day flowing by alternating different presentation types. Somestudents may even want to write short skits or plays to present some of the thingsthey have learned. Students should never “read” their work to the audience.Instead, have them summarize or discuss what they learned and how theyaccomplished their task. Discuss the assessment process with students ahead oftime. Provide time for rehearsals so that everyone is fully prepared.

Involve your students in planning the day as much as possible. Students should feelthat this is their day! Some possible student responsibilities could be:

² Create an invitation and/or posters for the event to distribute to other classes,teachers, administrators, and parents.

² Secure a location for the event. Confirm the date, time, and place of the event.Decorate the room where you are holding the event.

² Plan and prepare refreshments for the audience.

² Establish an agenda or schedule of presentations.

² Arrange a gallery of displays. Create a brochure or guidebook for the displayarea.

² Write memos informing other teachers, administrators, or custodial staff of anyschedule or room changes caused by the event.

Finally, have fun. This is your reward for a job well done!

PHASE ONE : LEARNING CENTER #1: THE SLAVE SYSTEM

Historical Background:1. Read “Triangular Trade in the Colonies” (pp. 79-80) from AGS United States History. Then,

answer the questions on (p. 80) and complete Workbook Activity #12.2. Visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1narr4.html and read “The African Slave Trade and the

Middle Passage.”• What was the middle passage? Why was it called that?• Describe life for Africans on a slave ship.

Primary Source Documents:3. Visit http://www.iath.virginia.edu/vcdh/jamestown/servlaws.html#1 and read the entries dated

August 3, 1619 and March 1660-1661.• Explain why the role of indentured servants became “increasingly less significant” in Virginia.• What was Thomas Garnett accused of doing and what was his punishment?• By 1660, were blacks servants or slaves? Explain your answer based on the document from

1660.• What was the punishment for a white servant who ran away with a black slave?

Literature Connection:4. Visit http://vi.uh.edu/pages/mintz/3.htm and read the narrative of Olaudah Equiano.

• List the sequence of events that led up to Equiano’s kidnapping.• Why was Equiano kidnapped?• Write a news article about Equiano’s kidnapping.

Products to Demonstrate Learning: Choose three of the following activities and complete them. Youmay need to do additional research to complete each activity properly.Ü Create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting indentured servitude with slavery.Ü Write a fictional slave narrative, journal, or diary of what it must have been like for a slave

kidnapped from Africa and enslaved in a new land.Ü Research the story behind the Amistad and create a newsletter from that time period. Additional

information can be found at: http://www.amistadamerica.org/new/main/html/history.html.Ü Create an “artifact” representing slavery and the slave trade, such as a reproduction of a “bill of

sale” or an advertisement of a slave auction.Ü “Interview” a slave: Act out a fictional interview of a slave detailing the conditions of slavery.Ü Download at least two different slavery spirituals from the Internet.1 Create a multimedia

presentation that includes: an audio clip of the spiritual, the complete text of the spiritual, anexplanation of the meaning of the spiritual, and an explanation of any double meaning in the song(if applicable).

Presentation to the Class: Prepare a 7–10 minute presentation to demonstrate to your classmates whatyou have learned and what you have created.

1 You can download slavery spiritual clips from

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/TWH/TWH_sounds.html or http://besmark.com/gospel.html.

PHASE ONE: LEARNING CENTER #2: POLITICS AND SLAVERY

Historical Background:1. Read “What Was the Declaration of Independence?” (pp. 120-121) and “What did Jefferson Do

as President?” (p. 168 including sidebar) from AGS United States History.• What clause did Thomas Jefferson want to include in the Declaration of Independence?• Who disagreed with this clause and why do you think they did so?• What key legislation regarding slavery was enacted during Jefferson’s presidency?

2. Visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part2/2narr5.html and read “The Constitution and the New Nation.• Why did some slaves try to sue for emancipation after the Constitution was ratified? What

were the results of these lawsuits?• Explain how free blacks were treated during this time period.

Primary Source Documents:3. Read “Prevention of Slave Trade” Source Reading (p. 174) from AGS United States History. Then,

answer the “Source Reading Wrap-Up” questions.

Literature Connection:4. In 1864, former slave and abolitionist Sojourner Truth interviewed President Abraham Lincoln.

Visit http://www.sojournertruth.org/Library/Speeches/Default.htm#LINCOLN to read heraccount of this interview.

• What was Sojourner Truth’s impression of President Lincoln before meeting him? Whatwas her impression of him after their meeting?

• Explain what Lincoln meant when he said, “If the people over the river had behavedthemselves, I could not have done what I have.”

• Rewrite the interview as a play, including [stage directions]. Act your play out as a skit.

Products to Demonstrate Learning: Choose three of the following activities and complete them. Youmay need to do additional research to complete each activity properly.

Ü Conduct research about Sojourner Truth and write a biography of her life. Add illustrations andpublish your biography as a book.

Ü Read “The Father of Modern Advertising” (p. 68) from AGS United States History. Create a seriesof at least three different newspaper advertisements from the early 1800s designed to promoteantislavery laws to be enacted.

Ü Conduct research about any laws, bills, or important Supreme Court cases related to slavery and/orthe abolition of slavery. Create a time line that identifies and explains each of these events.

Ü Conduct a “mock interview” with Thomas Jefferson about his views on slavery. Be sure to ask“hard-hitting” questions about his owning of slaves and his views about “the black race.”

Ü Conduct research about the debate regarding the antislavery clause Jefferson wanted included inthe Declaration of Independence. Stage a “mock debate” about this clause. Have one side argueJefferson’s point of view and the other side argue for the removal of this clause.

Ü Read the first two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence (Appendix A) from AGS UnitedStates History. Think about all you have learned about Thomas Jefferson and his wishes regardingslavery. Then, write a journal entry from Thomas Jefferson’s point of view that demonstrates whatyou think he was feeling as he wrote this document.


PHASE ONE : LEARNING CENTER #3: VOICES AGAINST SLAVERY

Historical Background:1. Read “Uncle Tom’s Cabin Ignites Slavery Issue” (p. 281) from AGS United States History.

• Explain how Uncle Tom’s Cabin changed attitudes about slavery. How did northernersreact to the book? How did southerners react to the book?

• Why do you suppose imitations of Uncle Tom’s Cabin began to appear?2. Visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4narr2.html and read “Abolitionism.”

• Describe the conflicts between black and white abolitionists?• What role did women play in the abolition movement?

Primary Source Documents:3. Visit http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Literature/Douglass/Autobiography/01.html and read the first

four paragraphs.• Why did Douglass’ master forbid slaves from knowing their ages?• How did Douglass estimate his age?• What did Douglass know about each of his parents? Why did he know so little?

Literature Connection:4. Visit http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/utc/songs/sopo12at.html and read the poem entitled

“Hopeless Bondage.” This poem is based on the excerpt from the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin.• Explain the meaning of the poem. How does it compare to the excerpt? How does it differ?• Draw an illustration to accompany the poem.


Ü Conduct research on the biography of Frederick Douglass. Create a time line depicting importantevents in his life.

Ü Conduct research about the life of Harriet Beecher-Stowe. Present her biography in a briefmultimedia presentation.

Ü Read the “Scene from Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Matilda Blaire, which can be found at:http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/utc/childrn/cbplmbat.html. Create a picture book or comic bookdepicting this scene.

Ü Read “Abraham Lincoln’s Letter to Horace Greeley,” which can be found at:http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/greeley.htm. Conduct a “mock interview”of President Lincoln. Be sure to include “hard-hitting” questions in your interview.

Ü Imagine you work for an abolitionist newspaper. Create a “mock-up” of the front page of yournewspaper the day after the Missouri Compromise was reached.

Ü Conduct research about one of the following authors and write a biography about that author: JohnGreenleaf Whittier, Horace Greeley, or William Lloyd Garrison.

Presentation to the Class: Prepare a 7–10 minute presentation to demonstrate what you have learnedand what you have created to your classmates.

PHASE ONE: LEARNING CENTER #4: RUNAWAY SLAVES AND SLAVE REVOLTS

Historical Background:1. Read “How Did Maine and Missouri Become States?” (p. 206), “Growing Tension in the

South” (p. 219), “Slavery Issues Continue” and “How Did the Underground Railroad HelpEnslaved People?” (pp. 276-277), and “Harriet Tubman” (p. 288 sidebar) from AGS UnitedStates History.

• Who was Denmark Vesey and what happened to him?• What was the result of his planned rebellion?• Who was Nat Turner and what happened to him?• What was the result of his planned rebellion?• What was the Fugitive Slave law?• What was the Underground Railroad?

Primary Source Documents:2. Visit http://www.historybuff.com/library/refslave.html and read the first newspaper report of

Nat Turner’s capture (located at the bottom of the page).• Describe the conditions of Nat Turner’s capture.• How is Nat Turner presented in this article? How is his confession reported?

Literature Connection:3. Read The Fugitive Blacksmith by James W. C. Pennington (p. 129) from AGS American

Literature. Then, answer the “Critical Thinking” questions on p. 142 and complete StudentStudy Guide #23 (pp. 1-2).


Ü Create a map indicating the people, landmarks, and distance Pennington describes in hisautobiography, using evidence from the text.

Ü Conduct additional research about the slave revolts led by Nat Turner and Denmark Vesey. Createa Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the two rebellions.

Ü Stage a “mock trial” prosecuting either Nat Turner or Denmark Vesey.Ü Create a three-dimensional map that depicts some of the routes of the Underground Railroad.Ü Conduct research about one of the following leaders of the Underground Railroad and create a

multimedia biography about that person: Harriet Tubman, William Lloyd Garrison, SojournerTruth, James Birney, or Levi Coffin.

Ü Write a poem, song, or rap that tells the story of the escape of a slave on the Underground Railroad.You can base your writing on either a real or a fictional slave escape.


PHASE ONE: LEARNING CENTER #5: EVENTS LEADING TO THE CIVIL WAR

Historical Background:1. Read “What Caused Fighting in Kansas?” (pp. 287-288), “How Did the Dred Scott Case Affect

Slavery?” (pp. 290-291), and “What Happened at Harper’s Ferry?” (p. 293) from AGS UnitedStates History. Then, complete Workbook Activity #54.

Primary Source Documents:2. Visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h2933t.html and read paragraphs 2, 3, and 4.

• What ruling did the Supreme Court make in the Dred Scott decision?• What impact did this ruling have on the country?

Literature Connection:3. Visit http://artists.mp3s.com/artist_song/309/309220.html. Read the song “John Brown’s

Body” and listen to the audio clip.• What details about the Harper’s Ferry raid does the song provide?• What is the overall mood or tone of the song?• Rewrite the last stanza in your own words.


Ü The song “John Brown’s Body” was written to the tune of an existing song, “The Battle Hymn ofthe Republic.” Using this tune or another tune, write a song that tells about another event that led tothe Civil War.

Ü Visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h1538b.html and look at the actual headlines from theHarper’s Ferry raid. Write articles about the incident, using these headlines as a “starting point.”Create the front page of a newsletter, including headlines, articles, and appropriate graphics.

Ü Stage a mock trial of the Dred Scott case at the Supreme Court.Ü Create a time line of at least 10 significant events that led to the Civil War.Ü John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry may have been inspired by other uprisings. Conduct research

on an earlier “slave rebellion.” Create a graphic organizer that compares and contrasts the Harper’sFerry incident with the one you chose to research.

Ü Conduct research about Abraham Lincoln’s views regarding slavery, and create a multimediapresentation demonstrating your research. Include appropriate graphics.


PHASE TWO : LEARNING CENTER #1:LAW AND GOVERNMENT AFTER THE CIVIL WAR

Historical Background:1. Read “What Was Reconstruction?” (pp. 326-327), “What Was the Reconstruction Act of 1867?”

(p. 329), and “Reconstruction Ends” (pp. 336-337) from AGS United States History. Then,complete Workbook Activity #61.• What was the purpose of the Reconstruction Act?• Explain the process that southern states had to undergo to be readmitted to the Union.• What did the Fifteenth Amendment do?• Explain what a grandfather clause is and how it could be used to prevent African Americans

from voting.

Primary Source Documents:2. Read the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the constitution, (pp. 712-715) from AGS United States

History.• Rewrite each amendment in common, everyday language, summarizing wherever possible.• According to the 15th Amendment, who was given the right to vote? Who still could not vote?

Literature Connection:3. Read “Aunt Chloe’s Politics” and “Learning to Read” by Frances E. W. Harper:

http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/HarLife.html• What is ironic about the statement, “I don’t know much about these politics”?• Why does the author value learning to read so much?• Write a review of both poems for a magazine. Include a “rating system” in your review.

Products to Demonstrate Learning: Choose three of the following activities and complete them. Youmay need to do additional research to complete each activity properly.Ü Conduct research about the first time African Americans were allowed to vote and create a

newsletter from this time period.Ü Congress has only attempted to impeach two presidents: President Johnson and President Clinton.

Conduct research about each of these and create a graphic organizer that compares and contraststhe two events. Additional information about the “Articles of the 1999 Presidential Impeachment”can be found in Appendix E of AGS United States History (p. 731).

Ü Create a pamphlet or brochure advocating the ratification of either the 13th or 15th Amendments.Your finished product should include both an explanation of the Amendment and reasons why itshould be added to the constitution. Use appropriate graphics and historical examples as well.

Ü Create a time line of important historical legislation between 1865 and 1875. In addition to thethree constitutional amendments, include at least 8 additional laws, acts, or court decisions thatdirectly impacted African Americans. Include a brief description or explanation of each event.

Ü Conduct research on one of the following African American politicians, and write a biographyabout that person: Richard H. Cain, Joseph H. Rainey, Hiram R. Revels, John R. Lynch.

Ü Create a graphic organizer that compares and contrasts the Civil Rights Act of 1866(http://www.toptags.com/aama/docs/crts1866.htm) with the Civil Rights Act of 1875(http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/122/recon/civilrightsact.html).


PHASE TWO : LEARNING CENTER #2: RECONSTRUCTION

Historical Background:1. Read “Reshaping the South” and “Who Were the Scalawags and Carpetbaggers?” (p. 332), “What

Happened to the Plantations?” (p. 333), and “How Did Reconstruction End?” (pp. 338-339) from AGSUnited States History. Then, complete Workbook Activity #63 and Activity 50.

Primary Source Documents:2. Visit http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/D/1851-1875/slavery/addres.htm and read the statement by “a

convention of Negroes” held in 1865 in Alexandria, Virginia.• What “warning” do the writers give Congress?• Whose loyalty is described as “lip deep” and what does that mean?• What action do the writers want Congress to take in response to this address?

3. Visit http://blackhistory.harpweek.com/7Illustrations/Reconstruction/UnionAsItWas.htm. Look at theillustration and read the accompanying article.• What is the new terror in the south and why is this “worse than slavery”?• According to the article, give two reasons why white people should fear the Ku Klux Klan.

Literature Connection:4. Read Frederick Douglass’ essay on the meaning of emancipation: http://vi.uh.edu/pages/mintz/46.htm

• Why does Douglass say that the 14th and 15th amendments are “virtually nullified” in most southernstates?

• What does Douglass urge his fellow African Americans to do to correct the situation?• Create a graphic organizer comparing and contrasting the opinions Douglass expresses in this

essay with those expressed in the speech “What the Black Man Wants.”

Products to Demonstrate Learning: Choose three of the following activities and complete them. Youmay need to do additional research to complete each activity properly.Ü Create an Encyclopedia of Reconstruction. Include at least ten entries of important terms, events, and

people related to the Reconstruction era. Each entry should feature a related graphic.Ü Conduct research about the first Ku Klux Klan. Create a multimedia presentation of your research.

(http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/K/KuK1luxK1l.asp)Ü Conduct research about Frederick Douglass and write a biography of his life. Add illustrations and

publish your biography as a book.Ü Create a three-dimensional map showing the five military districts of the southern states. Indicate what

year each state was readmitted to the Union on your map.Ü Write a song, poem, or rap that focuses on one or more significant events from the Reconstruction

period. Publish your finished writing on a poster. Include appropriate graphics on your poster.Ü Read the sidebar “Magazines Gain Popularity” (p. 335) from AGS United States History. Create your

own political magazine from the Reconstruction era. Create three sample magazine covers, each froma different year. Include headlines and graphics to entice readers.


PHASE TWO : LEARNING CENTER #3:AFRICAN AMERICAN VOICES OF CHANGE

Historical Background:1. Read “Advice to African-American Students” Source Reading (p. 340) and “Speech of Booker T.

Washington” Source Reading (p. 444) from AGS United States History. Then, answer the “SourceReading Wrap-Up” questions.

2. Read “George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington” (p. 376 sidebar) from AGS UnitedStates History.• Why did Booker T. Washington help establish the Tuskegee Institute?• Explain why some African American leaders disagreed with Washington’s opinions.

Primary Source Documents:3. Visit http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/WASHINGTON/ch01.html and read the first five

paragraphs from chapter one of Booker T. Washington’s Up From Slavery:• Describe Booker’s early life. How does it compare to your own?• What impression does Booker give of his slave owner and of other slave owners?

4. Read “Blanche Bruce’s Speech to the Senate” Source Reading (p. 398) from AGS United StatesHistory. Then, answer the “Source Reading Wrap-Up” questions.

Literature Connection:5. Read “Sympathy” by Paul Laurence Dunbar:

http://www.web–books.com/Classics/Poetry/Anthology/Dunbar_PL/index.htm.• Give two examples of how the author uses symbolism in this poem and explain what the

symbols represent. Why does the author use these symbols?• According to the author, why does the caged bird sing?• Publish the poem poster-sized. Include a hand-drawn illustration to accompany the poem.

Products to Demonstrate Learning: Choose three of the following activities and complete them. Youmay need to do additional research to complete each activity properly.Ü Conduct research about the life of one of the following African American leaders and present their

biography as a multimedia presentation: Charles Evers, A. Philip Randolph, Madam C. J. Walker,Ida B. Wells, Walter White, or Charlotte Hawkins Brown.

Ü Conduct research about the conflict between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois. Stage a“mock debate” between these two African American leaders.

Ü W.E.B. DuBois founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People(NAACP) in 1909. Create a brochure that explains the purpose of the organization and highlightssome of its accomplishments.

Ü Read “Marcus Garvey” (p. 479 sidebar) from AGS United States History. Conduct a “mockinterview” with Washington about the institute. Be sure to ask “hard-hitting” questions about hisviewpoints and how they differ from his contemporaries.

Ü Read another poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Create a graphic organizer comparing andcontrasting the two poems.

Ü Conduct research about the life of Paul Laurence Dunbar. Create an annotated time line of theimportant events in his life.


PHASE TWO : LEARNING CENTER #4: SEGREGATION AND DIVERSITY

Historical Background:1. Read “What Were Other Changes in the South?” (p. 334) and “What Was Plessy v. Ferguson?”

(pp. 390-391) from AGS United States History.• How and why did education in the south change during reconstruction?• What does it mean that education was “segregated” during this time period? What do you think

was the effect of segregated education?• What was the main issue in the Plessy v. Ferguson case?• Why was the Plessy v. Ferguson case considered a “major setback for African Americans”?

Primary Source Documents:2. Visit http://www.jacksonsun.com/civilrights/sec1_crow_laws.shtml#Florida and read the examples

of Jim Crow laws from various states.• What were Jim Crow laws? What was the purpose of this type of law?• Give two examples of the most common Jim Crow laws.

Literature Connection:3. Visit http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/narrative_holloway.html and read at least the first half of

the narrative (to where the family leaves the gas station).• Why didn’t the author know about Jim Crow laws before going on this trip?• Give three examples of Jim Crow laws the family encountered on their trip.• Create a multimedia presentation telling the story of the author’s trip. Include appropriate

graphics to your presentation.

Products to Demonstrate Learning: Choose three of the following activities and complete them. Youmay need to do additional research to complete each activity properly.Ü Create a map demonstrating some of the various Jim Crow laws from each southern state.Ü Stage a mock trial of the Plessy v. Ferguson case at the Supreme Court.Ü Conduct research about African American institutes of learning, such as the Tuskegee Institute,

Howard University, Florida A & M University, and Morehouse College. Create a pamphletproviding the history and accomplishments of at least three of these schools.(http://search.eb.com/blackhistory/timeline.html#1863-1896)

Ü Create a time line of segregation from 1865-1929. Include the dates and a brief description of atleast 12 events, incidents, laws, and court cases that relate to the topic in your timeline.

Ü Read “Lynching” by Dorothea Mathews. Create a multimedia presentation that describes thesetting, mood/tone, and theme of this poem as well as places the poem in a historical context.(http://www.nehs.lane.edu/Departments/SS/americanstudies/activities/poems/lynching.html)

Ü Conduct a “mock interview” with Joseph Holloway about his trip through the South. Be sure to askquestions about the author’s emotional state during the trip and how he felt afterwards.


PHASE TWO : LEARNING CENTER #5: THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE

Historical Background:1. Read “The Spirit of the Jazz Age” (p. 477), “What Was the Harlem Renaissance?” and “The Works

of Langston Hughes” (p. 478 including sidebar) and “Marian Anderson” (p. 497). Then, completeWorkbook Activity #70.• Who was Marian Anderson? For what was she known?• Explain how Ms. Anderson’s personal experiences led her to devote her life to promoting civil

rights.2. Visit http://www.unc.edu/courses/eng81br1/harlem.html and read “Harlem Renaissance.”

• Where is Harlem and why are the 1920s and 1930s called the Harlem Renaissance?• Why does the author call this period “the best of times” and “the worst of times”?

Primary Source Documents:3. Read “James Weldon Johnson” Source Reading (p. 484) from AGS United States History. Then,

answer the “Source Reading Wrap-Up” questions.

Literature Connection:4. Read “Theme for English B” by Langston Hughes (p. 261) from AGS American Literature. Then,

answer the questions on p. 263 and complete Student Study Guide #33 and Activity #39.

Products to Demonstrate Learning: Choose three of the following activities and complete them. Youmay need to do additional research to complete each activity properly.Ü Conduct research on one of the artists, writers, or musicians from the Harlem Renaissance. Write a

biography of that person and publish it as a book.Ü Read “Montage of a Dream Deferred” by Langston Hughes. Create a multimedia presentation that

explains how symbolism is used in the poem. (http://www.cswnet.com/~menamc/langston.htm)Ü Create an illustrated and/or multimedia time line of the Harlem Renaissance from 1920 to 1930.

Include at least 15 notable works of art, music, and poetry in your time line.Ü Create a map of Harlem from the time period. Indicate at least 10 historically significant places on

your map. Include a legend that explains why each place is important to a study of the time period.Ü Choose one painting or other artwork from the Harlem Renaissance. Write a poem or short story

inspired by the painting. Include at least one historical reference in your writing.(http://www.urtonart.com/history/Harlem.htm)

Ü Create a poster of the Langston Hughes poem “Theme for English B.” Include hand-drawnillustrations in your poster.


PHASE THREE : LEARNING CENTER #1:CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS AND LEGISLATION

Historical Background:1. Read “How Did Violence Against Protesters Increase?” (p. 572) from AGS United States History.

• What is desegregation and why was it important to desegregate schools?• What were some of the methods African Americans used to protest segregation?

2. Visit http://search.eb.com/blackhistory/micro/129/79.html and read “Civil Rights Act.”• What was the Civil Rights Act of 1964? List the provisions of this law.• Explain the controversy surrounding this act.

Primary Source Documents:3. Visit http://www.nv.cc.va.us/home/nvsageh/Hist122/Part4/HSTxo9981.htm and read President

Truman’s executive order #9981.• What is the main topic of this executive order? Summarize the four major points of the order in

your own words.• Why do you think this order was necessary at that point in history?

Literature Connection:4. Visit http://www.nv.cc.va.us/home/nvsageh/Hist122/Part4/LBJonVRA.htm and read President

Lyndon B. Johnson’s speech about the Voting Rights Act of 1965.• What does Johnson mean when he says, “There is no Negro problem…there is only an

American problem”?• What reasons does Johnson give for supporting the passage of the Voting Rights Act? What

does he predict will happen if the bill is passed into law?• Write an article for a newspaper reporting on Johnson’s speech and the Voting Rights Act.

Products to Demonstrate Learning: Choose three of the following activities and complete them. Youmay need to do additional research to complete each activity properly.Ü Create an Encyclopedia of Civil Rights Law. Include at least six entries of important terms, laws,

and court cases related to the Civil Rights Movement. Each entry should feature a related graphic.Ü Create a pamphlet or brochure advocating the ratification of either the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or

the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Your finished product should include both an explanation of the billand reasons why it should be signed into law. Use appropriate graphics and historical examples.

Ü Create a time line of important historical legislation between 1950 and 1965. Include at least eightlaws, acts, or court decisions that directly impacted African Americans. Include a brief descriptionor explanation of each event.

Ü Create a graphic organizer that compares and contrasts the Civil Rights Act of 1957(http://www.nv.cc.va.us/home/nvsageh/Hist122/Part4/CRact57.htm) with the Civil Rights Act of1964 (http://www.nv.cc.va.us/home/nvsageh/Hist122/Part4/CRA1964.html).

Ü Imagine you are President Lyndon B. Johnson. Write a diary entry dated July 3, 1964, the day aftersigning the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Include your thoughts and feelings about this event.

Ü Create a brochure or pamphlet encouraging support for the Voting Rights Act of 1965.


PHASE THREE: LEARNING CENTER #2: EARLY CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLES

Historical Background:1. Read “The Crisis at Central High School” Source Reading (p. 560) from AGS United States

History. Then, complete the “Source Reading Wrap-Up” questions.2. Visit http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/civilrights/ak1.htm and read “Little Rock Central High

School National Historic Site.”• Who were the “Little Rock Nine”?• What actions did Governor Orval Faubus take to keep the schools segregated?

Primary Source Documents:3. Visit http://teacher.scholastic.com/rosa/interview.htm and read the interview with Rosa Parks.

• Summarize Rosa Parks’ description of December 1, 1955.• What were the far-reaching effects of her actions that day?

Literature Connection:4. Read “In Honor of David Anderson Brooks, My Father” by Gwendolyn Brooks (p.369) from AGS

American Literature. Then, answer the questions on p. 370 and complete Activity #50.5. Read “morning mirror” and “my dream about the poet” by Lucille Clifton (p. 425) from AGS

American Literature. Then, answer the questions on p. 426 and complete Student Study Guide #49.• Write a poem modeled after the style of either Gwendolyn Brooks or Lucille Clifton. Choose a

topic that has a personal meaning to you.

Products to Demonstrate Learning: Choose three of the following activities and complete them. Youmay need to do additional research to complete each activity properly.Ü Write two diary or journal entries related to the desegregation of Central High School. One entry

should be written from the point of view of Governor Orval Faubus. The other should be from thepoint of view of Elizabeth Eckford, one of the students.

Ü Conduct research on some of the “Little Rock Nine.” Create a multimedia presentation thatincludes what happened to each of these students, both within Central High School and later in life.(http://www.centralhigh57.org/)

Ü Write and produce a play dramatizing the Rosa Parks incident.Ü Conduct research on the “Brown v. Board of Education” Supreme Court case. Create a newsletter

that includes interviews with individuals on both sides of the case.Ü Listen to Gwendolyn Brooks read her poem “A Welcome Song for Laini Nzinga”

(http://search.eb.com/blackhistory/art/oblakhs008u1.wav). Create a graphic organizer comparingand contrasting this poem with “In Honor of David Anderson Brooks, My Father.”

Ü Conduct research on one of the following poets: Gwendolyn Brooks or Lucille Clifton. Conduct a“mock interview” of the author you researched.


PHASE THREE : LEARNING CENTER #3: C IVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

Historical Background:1. Read “What Was the March on Washington?” (pp. 572-573) and “Who Led the Civil Rights

Movement?” (p. 579) from AGS United States History.• Why did so many people gather in Washington? What were they hoping to accomplish?• What part did Martin Luther King Jr. play in the March on Washington?• Who was Malcolm X? What did he advocate? How was his approach different from Martin

Luther King Jr.?• Who was Stokely Carmichael? What role did he play in the civil rights movement? How did his

politics compare to Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.?

Primary Source Documents:2. Visit http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/johnson/lbjforkids/selma-ltr14.htm and read Report No. 14 (as

of 1900, March 25, 1965). Joseph Califano, Jr., Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense,wrote this report. It outlines the progression of the march from Selma to Montgomery.• According to the memo, what was the expected outcome of the march? What was the actual

outcome of the march?• The memo ends with the sentence, “There will be no further written reports of this type.” Why

do you think this is how Califano ended the report?

Literature Connection:3. Read “From Notes of a Native Son” by James Baldwin (pp. 391-395) from AGS American

Literature. Then, complete the “Critical Thinking” questions on p. 397 and Student Study Guide#45.

Products to Demonstrate Learning: Choose three of the following activities and complete them. Youmay need to do additional research to complete each activity properly.Ü Create an Encyclopedia of Civil Rights. Include at least 10 entries of important terms, events, and

people related to the Civil Rights Movement. Each entry should feature a related graphic.Ü Create a map that tracks the route of the 1961 Freedom Riders through Alabama and Mississippi.

Include Anniston, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Jackson, along with captions describing whathappened in each place on your map.

Ü Create a time line of the Civil Rights Movement from 1950-1967. Include the dates and a briefdescription of at least 12 events, incidents, laws, and court cases that relate to the topic in yourtime line.

Ü Imagine you attended the March on Washington and heard Dr. King speak. Write a letter homedescribing your experience. Include personal thoughts and feelings about the event in your letter.

Ü Conduct research on one of the following authors: Chester Himes, Richard Wright, LeRoi Jones,Gwendolyn Brooks, Mari Evans, Maya Angelou, or Lucille Clifton. Write a biography of thatperson that demonstrates how he or she influenced or was influenced by the Civil RightsMovement. Publish your biography as a book.

Ü Conduct research on the life and works of James Baldwin and present his biography as amultimedia presentation.


PHASE THREE : LEARNING CENTER #4: MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

Historical Background:1. Read “What Was the March on Washington?” (pp. 572-573) and “What Happened to Martin

Luther King Jr.?” (pp. 583-584) from AGS United States History.• Why did so many people gather in Washington? What were they hoping to accomplish?• What part did Martin Luther King Jr. play in the March on Washington?• What was Dr. King doing when he was shot?• Why does the text call his death “ironic”?

2. Visit http://search.eb.com/blackhistory/micro/321/84.html and scroll down to read “The Letterfrom the Birmingham Jail” and “Challenges of the Final Years.”• Why was Dr. King in jail? How did King explain his philosophy of nonviolence?• What caused the conflict between Dr. King and other black civil rights leaders?

Primary Source Documents:3. Visit http://search.eb.com/blackhistory/art/oblakhs005v1.mov and listen to Martin Luther King Jr.

give the introduction to his “I have a dream…” speech.• How does Dr. King’s use of tone and voice quality affect the impact his speech makes?• Summarize what is meant when he repeated the words “I have a dream….” (Note: Although he

gives many different examples, they are all part of the same “dream.”)

Literature Connection:4. Read “From Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story” by Martin Luther King Jr. (pp. 399-

402) from AGS American Literature. Then, complete the “Critical Thinking” questions on p. 404and Workbook #56.


Ü Conduct a “mock interview” with Martin Luther King Jr. Ask “hard-hitting” questions about someof his more controversial decisions.

Ü Create a multimedia time line depicting important events in Dr. King’s life. Include primary sourcephotographs, sound clips, and videos, as appropriate.

Ü Create a “mock debate” between Dr. King and another Civil Rights leader, such as Malcolm X orStokely Carmichael.

Ü Conduct research about Dr. King’s wife, Coretta Scott King, and their four children. Discover whatDr. King’s family has accomplished and suffered since his death, and create a multimediapresentation demonstrating your research.

Ü Conduct research into the controversy surrounding Dr. King’s assassination.(http://www.cnn.com/US/9804/04/james.ray.profile/). Create a “mock trial” retrying James EarlRey. Have at least one of Dr. King’s children testify at the trial.

Ü Write a poem, song, or rap honoring the life and accomplishments of Dr. King. Publish yourfinished writing on a poster. Include appropriate graphics on your poster.


PHASE THREE : LEARNING CENTER #5:AFRICAN AMERICAN VOICES OF DISSENT

Historical Background:1. Read “Who Led the Civil Rights Movement” (p. 579) from AGS United States History.

• Who was Malcolm X? What did he advocate? How was his approach different from MartinLuther King Jr.?

• Who was Stokely Carmichael? What role did he play in the civil rights movement? How did hispolitics compare to Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.?

Primary Source Documents:2. Visit http://search.eb.com/blackhistory/art/oblakhs002v1.mov. Listen to the words of Malcolm X.

• What distinction does Malcolm X make between “civil” rights and “human” rights? Why doeshe say this distinction is so important?

Literature Connection:3. Read “Passports to Understanding” by Maya Angelou (p. 436) from AGS American Literature.

Then, complete the questions on p. 438 and Student Study Guide #52.


Ü Conduct research on the life and opinions of Malcolm X. Conduct a “mock interview” withMalcolm X, which exposes how his opinions changed during his lifetime.

Ü Create a graphic organizer comparing and contrasting the viewpoints of each of the followingAfrican American leaders: Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael, and Martin Luther King Jr.

Ü Conduct research on the life and works of Thurgood Marshall. Write a biography based on yourresearch and publish it as a book.

Ü Create a “Who’s Who” of African American Civil Rights leaders. Include mini-biographies on atleast six leaders and publish your work as a book.

Ü Conduct research about the conflict between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Stage a “mockdebate” between these two African American leaders.

Ü Read a poem by Maya Angelou (http://www.educeth.ch/english/readinglist/angeloum/#poems).Create a multimedia presentation that describes the setting, mood/tone, and theme of the poem youchose, as well as places the poem in a historical context, if applicable.


Document Analysis WorksheetName: Date:

TYPE OF DOCUMENT (Check one):

q Advertisement q Census report q Congressional record

q Letter q Map q Memorandum

q Newspaper q Patent q Picture

q Press release q Report q Telegram

q Other (describe)

UNIQUE PHYSICAL QUALITIES OF THE DOCUMENT (Check one or more):

q Handwritten q Interesting letterhead q Notations

q Seals q Stamped q Typed

q Other (describe)

DATE(S) OF DOCUMENT:

AUTHOR (OR CREATOR):

FOR WHAT AUDIENCE WAS THE DOCUMENT WRITTEN?

DOCUMENT INFORMATION (There are many possible ways to answer A-E.)

A. List three things the author said that you think are important:

B. Why do you think this document was written?

C. What evidence in the document helps you know why it was written? (Usequotes from the document.)

D. List two things the document tells you about life in the United States at thetime it was written:

E. Write a question to the author that is left unanswered by the document:

Adapted from the U.S. National Archives & Records Administration:http://www.archives.gov/digital_classroom/lessons/analysis_worksheets/document.html

MEETING NEW YORK CITY/NEW YORK STATE REQUIREMENTS

Quest For Equality! can be used to satisfy the New York City Departmentof Education’s Grade Eight Social Studies Exit Project. By completing theIntroduction and either Phase Two, Three, or both, your students will beproducing work that meets the exit project’s requirements for writing,graphic representation, and oral presentation.

The project also meets the following New York City/New York State Standards:

New York State Social Studies Performance StandardsGetting Information: Students will be able to...• Identify a variety of sources of information from visuals, listening, and observing. Visuals

may include such things as maps, globes, atlases, and primary and secondary sources.• Identify types and kinds of information needed.• Locate information from print and non-print sources.• Organize collected information.Using Information: Students will be able to…• Classify and/or categorize data by developing charts, maps, or time lines to clarify ideas.• Generalize from data by applying previously learned concepts and generalizations to a new

situation.Presenting Information: Students will be able to…• Speak in an effective way.• Use media and various visuals for communicating ideas.Participating in Interpersonal and Group Relations: Students will be able to…• Incorporate a set of positive learning attitudes.• Participate in group planning and discussion.• Assume responsibility for carrying out tasks.

New York State Social Studies Content Standards• Seventh Grade: United States History, Pre-Columbian to 1877• Eighth Grade: United States History: 1877-2002

New York City English Language Arts StandardsStudents will:• Show evidence of understanding their reading in both writing and classroom discussion.• Use computer software to support reading and use online and electronic databases.• Produce an informational piece of writing.• Identify information important enough for note taking.• Take turns speaking; respond to each other’s questions and comments, and work together to

come up with group decisions and ideas.• Share data, facts, and ideas and back them up with sources and explanations to persuade a

listener.• Use grammar and conventions correctly.

New York City Applied Learning StandardsStudents will:• Plan and organize an event or activity in which the student takes responsibility for all aspects

of planning and organizing from concept to completion.• Make an oral presentation about project plans or findings to an audience beyond the school.• Publish information using several methods and formats.• Gather information to assist in completing project work.• Use information technology to assist in gathering, organizing, and presenting information.• Develop and maintain a schedule of work activities.• Take responsibility for a component of a team project.

Sample Rubric for Multimedia Project: (Fill in ___s as appropriate.)

1NOT YET

2GETTING THERE

3MEETING THE

STANDARD

4ABOVE STANDARD

TOPIC AND

CONTENT

Includes little essentialinformation to supportargument. Includes nosense of audience andpurpose. Includes fewer

than __ pages.

Includes some essentialinformation to support

argument. Includes littlesense of audience andpurpose. Includes fewer

than __ pages.

Includes essentialinformation to support

argument. Includes somesense of audience and

purpose. Includes at least__ pages.

Covers the topic completelyand in depth. Includes an

understanding of audienceand purpose. Includes at

least __ pages.

MECHANICS

Includes more than __errors in grammar,

spelling, punctuation,capitalization, etc.

Includes between __ and__ errors in grammar,spelling, punctuation,

capitalization, etc.

Includes fewer than __errors in grammar,


Grammar, spelling,punctuation, and

capitalization are correct. Noerrors in text.

COOPERATIVE

GROUP WORK

Cannot work with others inmost situations. Cannot

share decisions orresponsibilities.

Works with others but hasdifficulty sharing decisions

and responsibilities.

Works well with others.Takes part in most

decisions and contributesa fair share to group.

Works well with others.Assumes a clear role and

related responsibilities.Motivates others to do their

best.

ORAL

PRESENTATION

Has great difficultycommunicating ideas.

Uses poor voiceprojection. Shows little

preparation or incompletework.

Has some difficultycommunicating ideas due

to one or more of thefollowing: voice projection,

lack of preparation, orincomplete work.

Communicates ideas withproper voice projection.Adequate preparationand delivery apparent.

Communicates ideas withenthusiasm, proper voice,

projection, appropriatelanguage, and clear delivery.

Is able to get audienceenthusiastic or interested in

topic.

SCALE:TOTAL POINTS TO

DETERMINE SCORE4-6 7-10 11-14 15-16

Sample Rubric for Newsletter or Brochure: (Fill in ___s as appropriate.)

1NOT YET

2GETTING THERE

3MEETING THE

STANDARD

4ABOVE STANDARD

RESEARCH AND

CONTENT OF

INDIVIDUAL PAGE:

Includes little essentialinformation and one or

two facts.

Research is from onlyone source.

Includes some essentialinformation and few facts.Research is from only one

or two sources.

Includes essentialinformation with enough

elaboration to givereaders an

understanding of thetopic. Research is from

several sources.

Covers the topic completelyand in depth. Includes properly

cited sources and completeinformation. Encouragesreaders to know more.

Research is from a variety ofdifferent types of sources.

MECHANICS OF

INDIVIDUAL PAGE

Includes more than __errors in grammar,


Includes between __ and__ errors in grammar,spelling, punctuation,

capitalization, etc.

Includes fewer than __errors in grammar,


Grammar, spelling,punctuation, and capitalizationare correct. No errors in text.

COOPERATIVE

GROUP WORK

Cannot work withothers in most

situations. Cannotshare decisions or

responsibilities.

Works with others but hasdifficulty sharing decisions

and responsibilities.

Works well with others.Takes part in most

decisions and contributesa fair share to group.

Works well with others.Assumes a clear role and

related responsibilities.Motivates others to do their

best.

LAYOUT AND

PRESENTATION OF

INDIVIDUAL PAGE

Individual page is notattractive to look at. It

may be unclear ordifficult to read. Itincludes one or no

graphics.

Individual page is notattractive to look at. Partsmay be unclear or difficult

to read. It includes fewgraphics or poor quality

graphics.

Individual page isattractive to look at. It isclear and easy to read. It

includes a fewappropriate graphics.

Individual page is attractive andinteresting to look at. It

captures the attention and isclear and easy to read. It

includes good quality graphicsthat add to the overall

appearance.

SCALE:TOTAL POINTS TO

DETERMINE SCORE4-6 7-10 11-14 15-16