Discussion Model Lesson Plan

Teacher Elizabeth Herbert Subject: American History Level: 9th or 10th grade
Topic : Lynching in the American South
CCSS (include number and descriptor):
Us History SS 6 1.6, DOK 3, Concept L Changing Roles of Various Groups

Analyze how the roles of class, ethnic, racial, gender and age groups have changed in
society, including causes and effects.

US History SS 7 1.7, 1.5, DOK 2, Concept A Identify, select, use analyze and create
appropriate resources for social science inquiry

Distinguish between and analyze primary sources and secondary sources.

Objective(s):
Students will be able write a 1 page synthesis of a class discussion based on their reading of
excerpts of James H. Madisons A Lynching in the Heartland: Race and Memory in America and
Chris Crowes Getting Away With Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case. Students will
score at least a 3 on the writing rubric.

Materials needed: Computer and internet access to watch video, copies of lyrics to Strange
Fruit, discussion rubric, popsicle sticks
Phase 1: Clarify aims and establish set:
Instructor will tell students that there will be a class discussion on the two readings that they had
for homework. Additionally, the class will watch a musical performance and talk about how
listening to music can help expand understanding of history.

Sources used: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/education_lesson7_steps.html

http://www.blueshighway.org/nehross.pdf
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/classroom/jazzfreedom.htm
http://www.learntoquestion.com/class/discussion/showthread.php?t=2657

Phase 2: Focus the discussion:

Instructor will write the following discussion ground rules on the board:
Participate!
Listen when your classmates are talking
Keep your tone civil
Absolutely no personal attacks. You will be immediately removed from the room if you
personally attack your classmates.
Dont interrupt
Ask questions if someone says something that you dont understand. You are here to learn from
each other!
Students will watch a recording of Billie Holiday performing Strange Fruit while reading
along with the lyrics on a provided handout.
Students will be asked How does this song relate to last nights reading?
Phase 3: Hold the discussion:
Small Groups: In addition to the previous nights reading, students were told to bring 2
discussion questions on the material to class. Students will be put into groups of 4 and asked to
spend about 3 minutes discussing one of the questions from each member of the group.
Come Back Together: After the small group work, students will arrange their desks into a U
shape in the classroom, with the teacher sitting in the opening of the U. Going around the room,
each student will share their question that they discussed with the group and briefly summarize
their groups discussion of the question.
Teacher will then give students 3 popsicle sticks each and told to write their names on them.
Students will be told that the teacher will collect 1 popsicle stick every time they contribute to
the group conversation. Students are expected to contribute at least 3 times. The group
discussion then commences with teacher providing the questions
Group Discussion Questions:
Why do you think I had you guys watch the Billie Holiday video?
Sources used: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/education_lesson7_steps.html
http://www.blueshighway.org/nehross.pdf
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/classroom/jazzfreedom.htm
http://www.learntoquestion.com/class/discussion/showthread.php?t=2657

Do you think that music can be powerful politically?

Did watching the video help you understand last nights readings?
Last nights readings were secondary sources and the video of the song is a primary source.
What is the difference? How are these two types of sources similar? How are they different?
Which do you prefer to work with when learning about history?
What are some of the limitations of primary sources? Of secondary sources?
How would you define lynching?
What makes lynching different from murder?
Why do you think Emmett Tills lynching has become so iconic? What was distinctive about his
lynching? How important do you think his death was in spurring the Civil Rights Movement of
the 1950s and 1960s?
Lynchings were often public spectacles- events that many people would attend. Although I know
it is difficult to imagine, what do you think these onlookers were thinking? What can you say
about a society in which lynchings were, to an extent, a form of entertainment?
How was lynching a tool to maintain white supremacy?
As you know, law enforcement did not punish people who lynched others. Do you think that this
fact has continued to affect the relationship between African Americans and the police?
What could have been done to address and to stop the act of lynching in the late nineteenth and
twentieth centuries? Remember that lynching did not end until the 1960s.
How do you think we should, now, as a nation address the reality of lynching as a part of our
history?
Do you think lynching is acknowledged as often as it should be?
Do you think we adequately honor the memory of the thousands of people who lost their lives to
lynching?
Do you think we should have a national monument devoted to Americans who were lynched? If
so, where do you think it should be? What do you imagine it looking like?
Lynching was essentially state-sanctioned terror against African Americans. Do you think that
anything in our modern society can be compared to lynching?

Sources used: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/education_lesson7_steps.html

http://www.blueshighway.org/nehross.pdf
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/classroom/jazzfreedom.htm
http://www.learntoquestion.com/class/discussion/showthread.php?t=2657

Phase 4: End the discussion:

Students will be thanked for their contributions to a discussion on a difficult topic.
Students will be asked what they think is the most important thing for people to know about
lynching. This will act as a synthesis of the information discussed during class.
Students will also be asked how to keep the culture of lynching in mind as we move through the
Civil Rights unit. We need to always be aware of the violence against African Americans in this
time.
Phase 5: Debrief the discussion:

Instructor will distribute the discussion rubric. Students will take 3-4 minutes individually to
evaluate their performance during the discussion. (attached at end of lesson)
Instructor will ask students questions about the discussion1) Was this discussion helpful for your understanding of last nights readings?
2) Was it useful to start out in small groups?
3) Was it helpful to make 2 of your own discussion questions in advance? Do you think
your questions were successful?
4) Do you have any suggestions for how to make future discussions better?
As a homework assignment, students will be asked to write a 1 page summary of the class
discussion. Students must use examples from the discussion in their summary.

Modifications: Students that have difficulty focusing for long periods of time will
be given tactile objects (koosh balls, etc.) in order to help control restlessness and
avoid disrupting the class.

Sources used: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/education_lesson7_steps.html

http://www.blueshighway.org/nehross.pdf
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/classroom/jazzfreedom.htm
http://www.learntoquestion.com/class/discussion/showthread.php?t=2657

QualityofComments

Timelyandappropriate
comments,thoughtful
andreflective,responds
respectfullytoother
student'sremarks,
provokesquestionsand
commentsfromthe
group

Volunteers
commentsbutlacks
depth,mayormay
notleadtoother
questionsfrom
students

Strugglesbutparticipates,
occasionallyoffersa
commentwhendirectly
questioned,maysimply
restatequestionsorpoints
previouslyraised,mayadd
nothingnewtothe
discussionorprovokeno
responsesorquestion

Doesnotparticipate
and/oronlymakes
negativeordisruptive
remarks,comments
areinappropriateor
offtopic

Resource/Document
Reference

Clearreferencetotext
beingdiscussedand
connectstoittoother
textorreferencepoints
frompreviousreadings
anddiscussions

Hasdonethe
reading;lacks
thoroughnessof
understandingor
insight

Hasnotreadtheentiretext Unabletoreferto
andcannotsustainany
textforevidenceor
referencetoitinthecourse supportofremarks
ofdiscussion

ActiveListening

Posture,demeanorand
behaviorclearly
demonstraterespect
andattentivenessto
others

Listenstoothers
someofthetime,
doesnotstay
focusedonother's
comments(toobusy
formulatingown)or
losescontinuityof
discussion.Shows
someconsistencyin
respondingtothe
commentsofothers

Driftsinandoutof
discussion,listeningto
someremarkswhileclearly
missingorignoringothers

Disrespectfulof
otherswhentheyare
speaking;behavior
indicatestotalnon
involvementwith
groupordiscussion

Rubric source: https://sites.google.com/a/cvcatholic.org/middle-school-reading/home/participation-discussion-rubric

Sources used: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/education_lesson7_steps.html

http://www.blueshighway.org/nehross.pdf
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/classroom/jazzfreedom.htm
http://www.learntoquestion.com/class/discussion/showthread.php?t=2657