Title of Lesson: Movements for Equal Rights

Duration of lesson: 45 mins

Modified from:
Teacher: Sharlie Howe

Grade: Third Grade

Standards (Arizona Social Studies, AzCCR, Az Tech):

AZSS: Strand 1, Concept 9, PO 1. Recognize that individuals (e.g., Susan B. Anthony, Jackie Robinson, Rosa
Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Csar Chavez) worked for and supported the rights and freedoms of others.
AzCCR: Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the
same topic. (3.RI.9)
AZ ELP: B-3: taking notes using a teacher selected and student created graphic organizer or cloze notes
with instructional support (e.g., teacher modeling, visuals, word banks, etc.).
Summary/Overview of the lesson:
Students will be reading a variety of texts, both literature and non-fiction, about Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks,
and Ruby Bridges. They will be recording key details from the lives of these three individuals on picture frames.
Students will be broken into three groups. They will work with their classmates to write the key details on the
frames of their paper. Then they will draw a picture of the important Civil Rights Activist they studied inside the
frame. The students will present their individual to the class. The frames and drawings will be hung in the
classroom.
Objectives, SWBAT:
Draw key details about important Civil Rights activists from both informational texts and literature pieces.
Students will be able to present those details orally to the class.
Assessment/Evaluation/Evidence of Mastery (Measurable):
The students will be assessed on their oral presentations. A checklist will be used to be sure they present the
required information.

Prerequisite knowledge:
Students will understand that many people were involved in the Civil Rights movement.
Students will be able to read texts on their own.
Students will be able to work collaboratively to create a finished product.
Key vocabulary:

Materials:

-Segregation
-Boycott
-Protest

At least 8 copies of each of the reading

materials
Non-Fiction Reading Materials:
In Memory of Dr. King
http://www.readworks.org/passages/memory-dr-kin
Biography of Ruby Bridges
http://www.biography.com/people/ruby-bridges475426
Biography for Kids: Rosa Parks
http://www.ducksters.com/biography/women_leade
rs/rosa_parks.php
Literary Reading Materials:
If a Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks
by Faith Ringgold
-The Story of Ruby Bridges By Robert Coles
-Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. by by Doreen Rappaport and Bryan Collier
3 Large white papers (About 3X4)
1 red, 1 blue, and 1 yellow paper frames to go on
and around the white papers (3X4)
Markers and Pencils

Opening (state objectives, connect to previous learning, and make relevant to real life, anticipatory set):
Remember yesterday we spoke about a little girl who did something which was hard for her but she made a big
difference. Today we are going to be talking about other people just like her. These people helped our nation
make big changes in the way our Nation worked. Their actions, together with many others, influenced new laws
that made it so everyone had equal rights.
Teacher Will:
Introduce to the class three important Civil Rights
activists that will be studied throughout the day;
Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Ruby Bridges.

Students Will:

Instructional Input

Sit with their groups.

Break the class into three groups, about 8 students
per group. Instruct the students that they will be
working with their group to create an informational
poster about one of these three individuals. Assign
an individual to be studied to each group.
Each group will have a story about their individual to
read as well as a fact sheet. The information from
these two reading pieces will be used to create the
posters.

Listen carefully to the directions from the teacher.

Ask any clarifying questions if they do not
understand the directions.

Guided

Take the students up to the gym where this lesson

will be taking place. The posters the students will
create are large and the extra space will be needed
so the students can move freely and collaborate.
Differentiation (ELL): An example of a finished poster can be shown to the class if students need a visual.

Teacher Will:
Instruct students to sit on one end of the gym. Tell
them that their reading materials are on the other
end of the gym. Instruct them that they must move

Students Will:
Move to the other side of the gym as creatively as
possible. Once there they will sit with their group
members and read aloud the literature piece they

to the other side of the gym as creatively as

possible. This will get their energy up and the blood
moving.

have been given. Each student will take a turn

reading until the story has finished. All students
will listen and follow along as the story is read.

Independent Practice

Practice

Walk around and listen to the groups as they read.

Assist students when needed.
Instruct students that they will next march to the
other side of the room where their next reading
material is waiting for them.

Show they are ready by doing 5 jumping jacks and

then sitting with their group in a circle

Once students have finished, ask them to show that

they are ready by doing 5 jumping jacks and then
sitting with their group in a circle.
Differentiation (ELL):
Students may receive assistance as they read their portion of the texts aloud from their peers or from the
teacher.
Teacher Will:
Students Will:
Tell the students that first they will be writing facts
Work with their groups to write facts and details
about the individual they have studied (Martin
about the individual they studied on the frame of
Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, or Ruby Bridges) on the
their poster. They can use the stories they read as
frame part of their poster. They will write the
well as the fact sheets as reference for their
individuals name across the top of the poster and
writing.
then write the facts on the rest of the frame.

Tell the students that they will be drawing a sketch of Collaboratively work together to create a picture of
the person they studied inside the frame. They will
the individual each group studied.
need to work together to create the picture.
Once the groups have their projects complete, take
the class back to the classroom.

March across the room and begin reading the fact

sheet. Each student should have the chance to
read.

Differentiation (ELL):
Teacher can provide students with a sentence frame and students can fill in the blanks with the
information from the text.
Closing/Student Reflection/Real-life connections: Lead a class discussion about what the class learned about the
Civil Rights Movement. Ask each group to give a short presentation of the individual they studied.
Additional Accommodations which might be made:
Students with gifts/talents: Students might be given more challenging texts which will better fit their
reading level.
Students with special needs: Students can have the option of having someone assist them throughout this
activity. If movement across the room is not possible the student may skip that part of the activity.
Resources: Picture Frame idea was suggested to me by an experienced teacher.