Unit Theme: Civil Rights

Grade: 11th
Timeline: 4-6 weeks
Team Members

Alex

Houston

Drey

Subjects

English

Government

U.S. History

Rationale: Civil rights are essential for students to know as they progress through life
because it is the driving force in protecting their freedoms. Part of our jobs as teachers is to
help create well rounded and open minded citizens and part of that comes from teaching the
students about the struggle that occurred for civil rights. The purpose of our unit is to teach
the students that not everyone has always had equal rights; it took many years of fighting and
struggling for those rights to be given to everyone. We are planning on creating a cross
content unit so that we can teach students about civil rights in all its facets and how it affected
people differently. Teaching students about civil rights and the struggle that came to acquire
those rights will help the students not take their rights for granted. During this unit, we want
the students to understand that their rights were not always given to everyone and that people
had to fight and struggle to earn their rights. We really want the students to be able to
understand where their rights came from and to be able to support and help those groups of
people who are still trying to acquire their rights.
Student Learning Outcomes
English

(ELA) 11-12.
RL.3

(ELA) 11-12.RL.6

Analyze the impact of the authors choices

regarding how to develop and relate elements of a
story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the
action is ordered, how the characters are
introduced and developed).
Analyze a case in which grasping point of view
requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a
text from what is really meant (e.g., satire,
sarcasm, irony, or understatement).

(ELA) 1112.W.4

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the

development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

(ELA) 1112.SL.4

Present information, findings, and supporting

evidence, conveying a clear and distinct
perspective, such that listeners can follow the line
of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives

are addressed, and the organization,

development, substance, and style are
appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of
formal and informal tasks.
(ELA) 1112.SL.5

Government

U.S. History

Strand 3 Concept
4 PO1

Strand 1 Concept
9 PO2

Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual,

graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements)
in presentations to enhance understanding of
findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add
interest.
Analyze basic individual rights and freedoms
guaranteed by amendments and laws.

Civil Rights (e.g., Birmingham, 1964 Civil Rights Act,

Voting Rights Act, Constitutional Amendments)

Enduring
Be good citizens by
Understanding:
learning about a time
Important Concepts when people didnt
have rights
Dont be deceived by
hearsay and have a
baseline knowledge of
your individual rights.
To this day, there are
still people fighting for
their rights.

Theme-Related
Essential
Questions

What are civil rights?

Why is it important to
know your rights?
How does literature
impact your rights?
What should you do
if someone takes
your rights away?
How did the Civil
Rights movement in
the past, affect us
today?

Interdisciplinary
Project

Mock Trial

Essay Prompt

For the final interdisciplinary project, the students will have to put on a
mock trial involving civil rights. The project is interdisciplinary and also
involves two different grade levels: the juniors and seniors. The senior

students will be tasked with embodying the judicial roles in a trial

scenario such as the judge, lawyers, the plaintiffs, the defendants, and
the witnesses. The juniors will be observing the trial and acting as the
jury in this scenario.
During the trial, the juniors will be taking constant notes and looking
for pieces of evidence to either convict or exonerate the accused.
Using the information observed during the trial process, the students
juniors will create an argumentative essay deciding if they want to
convict or not. This will build upon the argumentative writing
information that they will have been learning in class and it will also
allow them to look for examples of logos, ethos, and pathos (and other
literary techniques) in the arguments created by the lawyers.
The seniors will have a writing project that is similar to the juniors
except the seniors will have to summarize the research that they did
leading up to the trial. They will also need to reflect on how they think
the information was received by the jury. Completing the research will
be a large part of the senior component and the essay will be more of
a write up and a reflection of they think they did in the trial.
Common Instructional Strategies
All Learners
Literary Techniques Notebook
Frontloading with Images
KWL charts
Dramatic Role Playing
Partner Reading
Annotating Text
Exit Slips
Word Walls
List/Group/Label
Mapping/Brainstorming
ELLs
Guided Notes
Pre-teach Vocabulary
Re-teach when necessary
Check for understanding throughout lesson
Scaffolding
Differentiate Teaching Techniques
Allow interaction with ELL Resource Teacher
Allow access to resource tools (Spanish-English dictionary, computers)
Cornell Notes
IEP/504 Plans

Strictly follow IEP/504 plans

Individual Unit Theme: Civil Rights and Huck Finn

Subject: English Language Arts

Grade Level: 11
Focus Standards

Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over
the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a
complex account; provide an objective summary of the text. (1112.RL.2)
Analyze the impact of the authors choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a
story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are
introduced and developed). (1112.RL.3)
Analyze how an authors choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the
choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution)
contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact. (1112.RL.5)
Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in
a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement). (1112.RL.6)
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly
as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters
uncertain. (1112.RI.1)
Determine an authors point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly
effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty
of the text. (1112.RI.6)
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. a. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s),
establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing
claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons,
and evidence. b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most
relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner
that anticipates the audiences knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. c. Use
words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text,
create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons
and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. d. Establish and maintain a formal
style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in
which they are writing. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and
supports the argument presented. (1112.W.1)
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a
new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and
audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 13
up to and including grades 1112.) (1112.W.5)
Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using

advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of
the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the
flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a
standard format for citation. (1112.W.8)
Evaluate a speakers point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the
stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used. (11
12.SL.3)
Enduring Understanding

Learn not to conform to societys

corrupt ideals
Learn how to be fair and just in
their decisions in the real world
Learn about the faults of the
people in the past so that they
can move forward and create a
better world for tomorrow

Learning Outcomes

Students will learn how to read and

understand texts of differing levels and
understand them, even if they are a little
complex using reading strategies.
Write an argumentative paper and be able
to analyze both sides of the argument and
present the information in an appropriate
way.
Evaluate different sources and their
credibility and be able to understand and
evaluate their information against other
credible sources.

Texts

Assessment

Scottsboro: An American Tragedy

Formative:
Summative:
One to two
Argumentative
sentences
essay relating to
identifying the
the mock trial
main point of
Participate in the
the lesson
mock trial
Entry/Exit
Literature quizzes
ticket
Application of
Submit
vocabulary quizzes
outline early
Early course
evaluations

Horton Hears a Who

To Kill a Mockingbird
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finns
A Letter from Birmingham Jail
Civil Disobedience
History.com
Civil Rights Movement
About.com/1900ahistory
Getting Away with Murder: The True
Story of the Emmett Till Case

Learning Plan: Scope and Sequence

Week 1:
o Begin Civil Rights
notebook
o Intro to argumentative
writing
o Begin reading Huck
Finn
o One article
o Word Walls
o Horton Hears a Who
Week 2:
o Group analysis of trials
o Quiz
o Personal letter from
jail
o Letter from
Birmingham Jail
o Continue Huck Finn
Week 3:
o Civil Disobedience
o Analyze several
different pieces
o Synthesize the
information
o Continue Huck Finn
o Storyboard project
Week 4:
o Watch Video
o Mapping Activity of
several trials
o Finish Huck Finn
o Huck Finn activities
o Close reading
o Prep for Mock Trial
Week 5: Mock Trial Week
o Mock Trial
o Finish and submit
argumentative writing
piece

Differentiation

Chunking of text and read allows to ensure

that all learners get the appropriate
information necessary to understand
Meeting the accommodations and needs of
IEPs and 504 plans for those learners who
have them
Extra teachers assistance for those who
need more one on one time to help
develop their ideas and understanding
Rubrics and assignments can be given
prior to the rest of the class receiving them
if the student needs additional time to
prepare for the assignment

Individual Unit Theme: Roles in a Courtroom

Subject: Government

Grade Level: 12
Focus and Literacy Standards

Strand 3 Concept 4 PO1: Analyze basic individual rights and freedoms guaranteed by
amendments and laws.
1112.WHST.1 Write arguments focused on disciplinespecific content. Introduce
precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish
the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically
sequences the claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. Develop claim(s) and
counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant data and evidence for
each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims
in a disciplineappropriate form that anticipates the audiences knowledge level,
concerns, values, and possible biases. Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as
varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the
relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and
between claim(s) and counterclaims. Establish and maintain a formal style and
objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which
they are writing. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from or supports
the argument presented.
1112.WHST.2. Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical
events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes. Introduce a topic
and organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element
builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g.,
headings), graphics (e.g., figures, and tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension. Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and
relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information
and examples appropriate to the audiences knowledge of the topic. Use varied
transitions and sentence structures to link the major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. Use precise
language, domainspecific vocabulary and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and
analogy to manage the complexity of the topic; convey a knowledgeable stance in a
style that responds to the discipline and context as well as to the expertise of likely
readers. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
information or explanation provided (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of
the topic).

Enduring Understanding

Learning Outcomes

* Be good citizens by learning about a

time when people didnt have rights.

*Write arguments focused on disciplinespecific

content.

*Gain an understanding of courtroom

*Write informative/explanatory texts, including the

roles and procedures.

narration of historical events, scientific procedures/

experiments, or technical processes.

*Formulate ones own opinion based on

testimony and evidence from a court
case.

* Analyze basic individual rights and freedoms

guaranteed by amendments and laws.

Texts

Assessment

History.com

Formative:
Entry/Exit Tickets

Summative:
Exam

Readwritethink.org

Cornell Notes

Mock Trial

Civil Rights Bill Passed 73-27; Johnson

Urges All to Comply; Dirksen Berates
Goldwater

Guided Notes

Research Paper with

Reflection from Mock Trial

Vocabulary Word
Walls

Vocabulary Quizzes

Roosevelt is Asked to Intervene to

Protect Scottsboro Negroes
Racism, School Desegregation Laws,
and the Civil Rights Movement in the
United States
Green Eggs and Ham
Baynard Rustin: Behind the Scenes of
the Civil Rights Movement
Getting Away with Murder: The True
Story of the Emmett Till Case
Video
Learning Plan: Scope and Sequence

Week 1:
o Intro to the U.S.
Courtroom
o Overview of Judge
o Overview of Lawyers
(Defending and
Prosecuting)
o Overview of Plaintiffs

Differentiation

Follow IEPs and 504s

Provide rubrics to all students for clear
instructions.
Allow students an extra 2 days to turn in
assignments if they have an IEP, 504 Plan,
or ELLs.
Allow students to work in resource room.

and Defendants
U.S. Courtroom
Test/Mock Trial
Assignment of Roles
Week 2:
o Introduction to Civil
Rights
o Analyze Civil Rights
Cases
o Court Case Chart
o Green Eggs and Ham
o Watch Video of Mock
Trial/Discussion of
Mock Trial
Week 3:
o Courtroom Role
Research
o Courtroom Role
Research (contd)
o Role Research
Discussion (same
roles will group and
share what they found)
o Present Role
Research Findings
o Civil Rights Act
Newspaper Article
Analysis
Week 4:
o Civil Rights Video
o Mock Trial Case
Introduced
o Review Role and Case
for Mock Trial
o Review Role and Case
for Mock Trial (contd)
o Prep for Mock Trial
o Prep for Mock Trial
(contd)
Week 5: Mock Trial Week
o Mock Trial
o Paper Regarding the
Outcome of Mock Trial
and Their Role
o

Allow students to work with a partner.

Provide students additional assistance, if
needed (before or after school).

Individual Unit Theme: Civil Rights in the U.S.

Subject: U.S. History

Grade Level: 11-12

Focus Standards

Strand 1 Concept 9 PO 2: Civil Rights (e.g., Birmingham, 1964 Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights
Act, Constitutional Amendments)
1112.RH.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary
sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a
whole.
1112.RH.2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source;
provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and
ideas.
1112.RH.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including analyzing how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term over the
course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
1112.WHST.2. Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events,
scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes. Introduce a topic and organize
complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which
precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g.,
figures, and tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. Develop the topic
thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete
details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audiences
knowledge of the topic. Use varied transitions and sentence structures to link the major
sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and
concepts. Use precise language, domainspecific vocabulary and techniques such as
metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic; convey a
knowledgeable stance in a style that responds to the discipline and context as well as to the
expertise of likely readers. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and
supports the information or explanation provided (e.g., articulating implications or the
significance of the topic)
Enduring Understanding

Comprehend why civil rights are

important for all U.S. citizens
Be knowledgeable of the significance
of the Civil Rights Movement in todays
society
Understand that civil rights are still

Learning Outcomes

Analyze primary and secondary

sources
Write argumentative essays based on
content knowledge and notes from
mock trial
Develop critical thinking skills and

being fought for in todays society

problem solving skills

Texts

Assessment

projects.seattletimes.com/mlk/index.html

Formative:
Entry/Exit
tickets

history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rightsmovement

Summative
Unit test
Weekly quizzes

Close reading
I Have a Dream Speech

Argumentative essay
Guided notes

How the Media Covered the Civil Rights

Movement

KWL charts

Review activities

Freedom Riders

Annotating text

Civil Rights and the 1950s: Crash Course U.S.

History
Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro SitIns
Coming of Age in Mississippi
Freedom Walkers
Learning Plan: Scope and Sequence
Differentiation
Week 1:
Follow IEPs and 504 plans
o Origins of the Civil Rights
Provide guided notes for students
Movement
Provide samples and example
o history.com/topics/blackanswers for activities and worksheets
history/civil-rights Provide rubrics for students
movement activity
Provide different lexile level readings
o Coming of Age in
for students
Mississippi reading
o How the Media Covered the
Civil Rights Movement
analysis
o Civil Rights and the 1950s:
Crash Course U.S.
History/Overview of the
Civil Rights Movement
Week 2:
o Goals of the Civil Rights
Movement

Coming of Age in
Mississippi reading
continued
o Freedom on the Menu: The
Greensboro Sit-Ins reading
and analysis
o Analyze primary and
secondary sources of
segregation and
discrimination
o Watch Video of Mock
Trial/Discussion of Mock
Trial
Week 3:
o Major events/leaders of the
Civil Rights Movement
o Martin Luther King Jr. online
exhibit
projects.seattletimes.com/m
lk/index.html
o I Have a Dream Speech
o Freedom Riders and
Freedom Walkers
o Coming of Age in
Mississippi reading
continued
Week 4:
o Accomplishments of the
Civil Rights Movement
o Coming of Age in
Mississippi final activity
o Mock trial case assignment
introduced
o Prep for Mock Trial
o Overall Civil Rights
Movement review
Week 5: Mock Trial Week
o Mock Trial
o Paper Regarding the
Outcome of Mock Trial
o

Appendix: Text Rationale

English Text
Lexile
Website

Author / Publisher

Citation/Link

How the Resource Will Be Used

Evaluation

A&E Networks
sponsors the History
channel which is
where the video
components of this
website aired.

History.com Staff. "Civil

Rights Movement."
History.com. A&E Television
Networks, 01 Jan. 2009.
Web. 17 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.history.com/topi
cs/black-history/civil-rightsmovement>.

This will be a very useful resource

for the students because it has so
many different types of resources
including text, videos, pictures, and
speeches.

1340 L

History.com
Civil Rights
Movement

Website
About.com/1900ahi
story

1160 L

About.com hires
experts to write pieces
about different topics
to inform people about
the issues at hand.

Rosenburg, Jennifer. "Civil

Rights Around the World."
About.com. About.com, n.d.
Web. 17 Apr. 2016.
<http://history1900s.about.co
m/od/civilrightsinworld/abou
t.com>.

This resource shows several

interesting articles about the Civil
Rights Movement written by a
historian and will be good for the
students to have access to a global
perspective on the Civil Rights
Movement.

This source is reliable because the

History Channel publishes it.
The authors of this source are credible
because the information came from a
book called The Readers Companion
to American History, which is an
accurate source on history.
The website is constantly updated and
the mediums in which the information
is presented is updated and polished as
new mediums become available.
The purpose of the website is to have a
one stop location for user to learn
about the Civil Rights Movement and
to have access to a number of different
types of sources.
There is no bias present because the
website aims to inform about what
actually happened and to teach about
the Civil Rights Movement.
This website can be an awesome
reference tool for the students who
may need a break from the text and
want to witness the movement as it
happened through the speeches and
videos provided. It can also be viewed
anywhere with Internet access so it
makes it more mobile and accessible.
This source is reliable because the
author is a Historian who works for
about.com. She has been an expert fact
checker for several books and even
written some of her own.
The website is heavily accessed and is
constantly updated with new articles.
The overall purpose of the website is
for people to be able to ask questions

Informational Text

920 L

A Letter from
Birmingham Jail

Martin Luther King Jr.

wrote this piece when
he was held in prison
in Birmingham for
protesting.

King, Martin Luther, Jr.

"Letter from a Birmingham
Jail [King, Jr.]." Letter from
a Birmingham Jail [King,
Jr.]. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr.
2016.
<http://www.africa.upenn.ed
u/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmi
ngham.html>.

This resource will be used as a text

even though it will be accessed
online. It was written during the
time period by a man who was
trying to lead the movement and
was frustrated with the way things
were working.

Article
Civil Disobedience

1240

Henry David Thoreau

wrote this piece when
he was imprisoned for
not paying his taxes
and it was published
by Houghton Mifflin
alongside his book,
Walden.

Thoreau, Henry David.

Walden and Civil
Disobedience. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin, 1960.
Print.

This resource will be used to

understand the mindset that most of
the Civil Rights leaders had. Most
of them did not want the revolution
to get violent but they felt that they
could no longer sit by idle as they
were being constantly mistreated.

and get the answers they seek from

experts on one handy website.
Being a historian, Rosenburg has
learned to write articles presenting
facts and nothing but facts.
The website relates to the overall
theme of Civil Rights but adds an
interesting dynamic because this
particular site shows Civil Rights on a
global scale (and in the U.S.) rather
than just focusing on the U.S.
This source is reliable because it is the
original piece that Dr. King wrote
while he was in jail.
The author is credible because he
experienced the Civil Rights
Movement first hand and was able to
see the inequality in the world at the
time.
This website is merely a vessel for
reading the piece and has no other
value other than displaying the piece
online.
The piece does have bias because Dr.
King saw things one way because he
was being segregated against and
mistreated because of the color of his
skin.
This piece is better than an article I
think because it came first hand from a
man who so famously spent his life
fighting for equality and trying to gain
equal rights for the people who did not
have them.
This is a reliable primary document
written by a man who experienced a
form of segregation for breaking the
rules that our nation established and
was imprisoned for it. The text covers
his thoughts about revolting when the
rules that are created to protect us are
not doing their job.
Henry David Thoreau is a reliable

Video
Scottsboro: An
American Tragedy

N/A

PBS Home Video

created the movie.

Scottsboro: An American
Tragedy. Dir. Daniel Anker,
Barak Goodman, and Kay
Boyle. By Barak Goodman.
Perf. Frances McDormand,
Stanley Tucci, Andre
Braugher. PBS, 2000.
Videocassette.

This resource will be good to use as

a means to teach some history to the
situation that occurred where 9 men
where punished for a crime they did
not commit because they were
African American.

writer because he actually got to

witness slavery and although this text
was not written about Civil Rights, it
was used as a platform for change
during the actual movement.
While this piece was written long ago,
the lesson and values that Thoreau
included in his book are still very
applicable today when dealing with a
government that may not being doing
all that it can to ensure equality for all
its citizens.
This book was written to ignite a
people into change and to open their
eyes that disobedience to the rules can
be civil and appropriate.
The piece probably does express some
bias because Thoreau was thrown into
jail for refusing to pay his taxes but
from that bias, his views that were
counter-government inspired a
revolution.
The piece will be used as a vantage
point into the mind of the
revolutionaries who wanted to revolt
against the system that was so casually
segregating against them.
This source is reliable because it was
funded and created by PBS and they
are a trusted source for educational
content.
Barak Goodman is a director who has
worked with PBS on several projects
and works his hardest to spread around
good facts in the name of PBS.
The movie was really not created too
long ago and will be a perfect
companion to the two novels that the
class will be reading.
The purpose of the movie was to teach
people about what happened in the
case of the Scottsboro boys and how
they were denied their liberty.

Childrens Book
Horton Hears A
Who

490 L

This book was written

by Dr. Seuss and was
published by Random
House.

Seuss. Horton Hears a Who!

New York: Random House,
1954. Print.

This text is an interesting one

because it shows the loss of Civil
Rights can be even in an imaginary
world. The overall moral is that
everyone deserves their rights now
matter how small they are which is
similar to the lesson in TKM.

The movie does not present any bias

because it constantly refers back to the
textual documents and the facts that
were present during the time of the
trial.
This will help break up the pacing in
the class and allow us to watch
snippets of the movie as we read
further and further in our books to see
how the fictional events unfolded and
the historical ones.
This source is reliable because it does
not really have any facts that have to
due with Civil Rights but it definitely
does have a strong moral that can help
the kids understand the rights that all
people should have prior to applying
the moral to the real world text of
TKM and Huckleberry Finn.
Dr. Seuss is a reliable writer because
he grew up during the 1940s and got
to see the poor treatment of the Jews
by the Germans when he was young so
he knew about the rights that every
person should have.
This story was written a long time ago
but since it is not based on reality, the
lesson is mainly what is to be taken out
of the story.
This book was written to entertain
children and being a literary master,
Dr. Seuss definitely wrote the book
with such a strong moral to teach the
kids to be nice to everyone.
The story does not present any bias
because all that it focuses on is the
story of the elephant finding the tiny
people on the dust cloud.
This book will be used early on in the
lesson as a means to teach kids about
Civil Rights in a way that is easy to
understand and relatable (most kids
have probably read or heard of this

Childrens Book

800 L

The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn

This book was written

by Mark Twain and
was published by
Chatto and Windus.

Clemens, Samuel Langhorne.

The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn. N.Y.:
Baronet, 1990. Print.

This is the main text that the kids

will be focusing on. This book will
allow the students to relate to a
character going through the struggle
of interacting with someone who
has no Civil Rights and personally
deciding how they should interact
with that person on their own.

Trade Book
Getting Away with
Murder: The True
Story of the
Emmett Till Case

820 L

This book was written

by Chris Crowe and
was published by
Phyllis Fogelman.

Crowe, Chris. Getting Away

with Murder: The True Story
of the Emmett Till Case. New
York: Phyllis Fogelman,
2003. Print.

This text will serve as another court

case for the students to look at as
we gather knowledge on how
poorly African Americans were
treated during the 60s in America.

story before) and can hopefully help

reinforce the lesson that all people
deserve the same rights.
Similar to TKM, The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn is a reliable source
because it was written by someone
who personally lived through the
segregation and racism in the South
and it has been taught for many years
all across the country.
Samuel Clemens, or Mark Twain, is a
reliable author to be relating a story
such as this because he was alive in the
1880s and saw the racism and
segregation and a level that was even
worse than Harper Lee. His humanity
and superior writing skills helped him
relate a great story.
The text is a great one to use because it
covers the American History aspect
that Junior teachers use and it is written
in a way that will allow the kids to
associate with the main character.
The original purpose of this text was to
be a childrens story but to teach more
than just a story to kids.
The bias that is present in this book is
there because Mark Twain was a good
person who thought slavery was wrong
but if the reader did not agree with that,
it would appear biased.
This book directly relates to the theme
of Civil Rights.
This is a reliable source because the
author is a professor at BYU who has
written many texts on the Civil Rights
Movement.
The source can be used because it
covers a different court case so that the
class can have a good knowledge base
of different court cases leading up to
the mock trial that will be coming at
the end of the unit.

Trade Book
To Kill A
Mockingbird

790 L

This book was written

by Harper Lee and is
published by
Lippincott.

Lee, Harper. To Kill a

Mockingbird. Philadelphia:
Lippincott, 1960. Print.

This will be a text that will be used

mainly as scaffolding due to the fact
that the students are juniors. The
book details a case that shows the
oppression and lack of Civil Rights
that were displayed in the South
during the 1930s.

The original purpose of this text was to

inform readers about the tragedy that
occurred to Emmett Till in the 50s.
This book presents the facts of the
matter and may seem bias because they
shed such a horrid light on the people
of the town who committed the crime it
almost seems biased.
The book relates to the finial project
the students will have to be partaking
in and also has to do with the overall
theme of Civil Rights.
This is a very reliable source; it has
been taught to students for many years
and accurately mirrors the case of the
Scottsboro boys in an easy to read
narrative for students.
Harper Lee is an expert person to write
such a book because she grew up
during the 30s and grew up in
Alabama so she saw the effects of the
racism first hand.
This source can be used even though it
is a little dated because the segregation
and cruelty that is detailed in the book
is still alive in the world today.
The original purpose of this text was to
be a childrens story but to teach more
than just a story to kids.
There is a bias in the book because
Harper Lee writes the main characters
to have good consciousness and to
respect everyone regardless of their
skin color. If you are someone who is
racist, this might not be the book for
you.
The goal of this unit is to teach the
students about civil rights and this
book accurately shows how the Civil
Rights of the African Americans was
denied them in American History.

Government Text

Website
History.com

Lexile

Author / Publisher

Citation/Link

How the Resource Will Be Used

Evaluation

1670L

History.com Staff

http://www.history.com/topic
s/black-history/civil-rightsact

This website will be used as a

resource for students to gather
information on the Civil Rights
Movement at the beginning of the
lesson.

Website
Readwritethink.org

Article
Civil Rights Bill
Passed, 73-27;
Johnson Urges All
to Comply;
Dirksen Berates
Goldwater

550L

1100L

Readwritethink.org
Staff

E.W. Kenworthy/The
New York Times

http://www.readwritethink.o
rg/files/resources/lesson_im
ages/lesson799/Roles.pdf

http://www.nytimes.com/lear
ning/general/onthisday/big/
0619.html

This website will be used as a

summary of the different
assignments for the mock trial.
This resource will be used after
students go more in depth on the
different roles in a courtroom.

This article will be used to

establish the baseline for the
beginning of the Civil Rights
portion of the semester.

This website provides articles, audio

speeches, and videos regarding the
Civil Rights Movement.
The website is easy to navigate
around, which limits student
confusion.
The videos and audio speeches are
short and to the point, which is
important to maintain student
engagement and provide the teacher
with more time to check for student
understanding of the content.
This website provides a short and to
the point summary of the
responsibilities of the different roles
in the mock trial.
This resource is a good way to provide
students with an alternate explanation
for what they wrote in their notes.
This article is reliable because it was
published at the time that the Civil
Rights Act was passed.
The article provides details of the bill
and gives statements made by those
that voted for the bill and those that
voted against it.
Students will be able to read the
article in sections and formulate their
own opinion about the reading. After
every student has had a chance to
read each section of the article,
he/she will then share their opinions
in groups of 4.

Article
Roosevelt is Asked
to Intervene to
Protect Scottsboro
Negroes

1470L

F. Raymond
Daniell/The New York
Times

https://blogs.baylor.edu/scott
sboroboys/newspapers/

This article will be used as a prime

example of why the Civil Rights
Movement began. The plan is for
this article to get an emotional
reaction out of the students,
regardless of which side they are
on.

Video
Racism, School
Desegregation
Laws, and the
Civil Rights
Movement in the
United States
Childrens Book

N/A

490L

The Film Archives

YouTube page.

Dr. Seuss/ Random

House

Green Eggs and

Ham

Trade Book
Bayard Rustin:
Behind the Scenes
of the Civil Rights
Movement
Trade Book

1200L

1060L

James
Haskins/Hyperion

Chris Crowe/Phyllis
Fogelman Books

https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=U9ACS4PgDFA

Seuss. Green Eggs and

Ham, New York: Random
House, 1960. Print.

Haskins, James. Bayard

Rustin: Behind the Scenes
of the Civil Rights
Movement. New York:
Hyperion, 1997. Print.
Crowe, Chris. Getting Away
with Murder: The True

This documentary is a great

resource because it provides actual
footage of the Civil Rights
Movement.

This book is interesting because

students will be surprised to see
this as a book about the Civil
Rights Movement. However, this
book was published at the same
time that Eisenhower signed the
Civil Rights Act of 1960. This book
is about the stubbornness of
resistance and how we should not
judge a book by its cover.
This biography is a great source to
use multiple excerpts for students
to analyze.

The main use for this text will be

to use excerpts from the Emmett

This is another article that provides

written testimony from the actual time
of the event.
Too many times, we give our students
analyses of historical events, but fail
to provide students with sources that
were immediate reactions to the
situation.
The most intriguing part for the
students will be the age of the boys
because their ages are similar to the
students.
The article will make it easier for
students to put themselves in the boys
shoes and react based on how they
would feel if it were them.
It always seems better to provide
students with hard evidence rather
than opinionated analysis.
This documentary can be useful as a
model for students to get into
character for the mock trial.
This book will force students to
closely evaluate the text and check for
message behind the words.
This will allow the teacher to conduct
an open discussion allowing students
to give their interpretation of the text
with their peers.

This book can be used to spark

discussion in class.
Students can also formulate a
hypothesis on how they think certain
protest tactics would be played out in
the world today.
This book gives students an example

Getting Away with

Murder: The True
Story of the
Emmett Till Case

Video

N/A

Texas Y&G Training

Videos YouTube page

Story of the Emmett Till

Case. N.Y.: Phyllis
Fogelman Books, 2003.
Print.

Till case to give my students a feel

for the injustices against Blacks in
the courtroom.

https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=qtQDOQM4dM8

The main purpose of this video is

to provide students of what the
mock trial will look like.

of how their case is going to play out

for the mock trial.
Students will view the pictures and
timelines in the book as factual
evidence to figure out their
conclusion of the case.
This video gives students a real-world
example of what to expect in during
the mock trial.
Students will see a model of the dress
code, procedures, and etiquette of the
mock trial.

U.S. History
Resource

Lexile

Author / Publisher

Citation/Link

How the Resource Will Be Used

Evaluation

Website
Martin Luther King
Jr. and the Civil
Rights Movement

1115L

This exhibit was

created by the Seattle
Times

Martin Luther King Jr: An

extraordinary life. (n.d.).
Retrieved April 18, 2016,
from
http://projects.seattletimes.co
m/mlk/index.html

This website will be used as a

resource for students to conduct
independent research. This Seattle
Times exhibit helps students learn
about King as a civil-rights leader
and his sweeping influence on the
civil rights movement and beyond.
Included are a photo gallery,
biography, study guide, quizzes,
essays from students and others and
a focus on black history.

Website
History.com
Civil Rights
Movement

1340L

A&E Networks
sponsors the History
channel which is
where the video
components of this
website aired.

History.com Staff. (2009).

Civil Rights Movement.
Retrieved April 18, 2016,
from
http://www.history.com/topic
s/black-history/civil-rightsmovement

This will be a very useful resource

for the students because it has so
many different types of resources
including text, videos, pictures, and
speeches.

This exhibit is a reliable source

because it is easy for students to use
and learn about Martin Luther King Jr.
The creators of this exhibit work for
the Seattle Times which is a reliable
source.
This exhibit was updated as recently as
November, 2015. However, the guide
contains a variety of resources, with
differing publication dates.
The exhibit serves an
academic/informative purpose.
The exhibit itself does not show bias,
but rather neutrally introduces the
materials available to readers on this
topic.
This website is appropriate because it
allows students to explore the historical
relevance and cultural perspective of
Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil
Rights Movement It includes the work
of photographers, novelists, poets,
playwrights, and historical
information; thus, it shows the Civil
Rights Movement from multiple
perspectives relating to Martin Luther
King Jr.
This source is reliable because the
History Channel publishes it.
The authors of this source are credible
because the information came from a
book called The Readers Companion
to American History, which is an
accurate source on history.
The website is constantly updated and
the mediums in which the information
is presented is updated and polished as
new mediums become available.
The purpose of the website is to have a

Article
Martin Luther King
Jr.s I Have a
Dream Speech

1335L

This is the famous

speech that Martin
Luther King Jr.
delivered at the
Lincoln Memorial,
Washing D.C. on
August 28, 1963. The
website also provides a
recording of the
speech.

Martin Luther King I Have a

Dream Speech - American
Rhetoric. (n.d.). Retrieved
April 18, 2016, from
http://www.americanrhetoric.
com/speeches/mlkihaveadrea
m.htm

This resource will be used for the

students to better understand the
March on Washington event that
took place during the Civil Rights
Movement.

Article
How the Media

1110L

This article was

written by Ryan

How The Media Covered

The Civil Rights Movement:

Students will use this resource to

comprehend the concept of

one stop location for user to learn

about the Civil Rights Movement and
to have access to a number of different
types of sources.
There is no bias present because the
website aims to inform about what
actually happened and to teach about
the Civil Rights Movement.
This website can be a useful reference
tool for the students who may need an
extra researching tool and want to
witness the movement as it happened
through the speeches and videos
provided. It can also be viewed
anywhere with Internet access so it
makes it more mobile and accessible.
This source is reliable because it is the
original speech that Martin Luther
King Jr. delivered during the March on
Washington.
The author is credible because he
experienced the Civil Rights
Movement first hand and was able to
see the inequality in the world at the
time.
This website is merely a vessel for
reading the piece and has no other
value other than displaying the piece
online.
The piece does have bias because Dr.
King saw things one way because he
was being segregated against and
mistreated because of the color of his
skin.
This piece is better than an article I
think because it came first hand from a
man who so famously spent his life
fighting for equality and trying to gain
equal rights for the people who did not
have them.
This is a reliable source because the
author of this source interviewed an

Covered the Civil

Rights Movement

Vasquez for the

Alabama Public Radio
Service.

Black Newspapers. (n.d.).

Retrieved April 18, 2016,
from http://apr.org/post/howmedia-covered-civil-rightsmovement-black-newspapers

segregation and read peoples

experiences during the Civil Rights
Movement.

Video
Freedom Riders

N/A

PBS and American

Experience created the
movie.

Freedom Riders. (n.d.).

Retrieved April 18, 2016,
from
http://www.pbs.org/video/19
25571160/

Certain sections of this video will

be watched in class. The video
should make the lesson more
engaging and fun for the students.

Video
Civil Rights and the
1950s: Crash

N/A

Crash Course is a
YouTube channel
created, written, and

C. (2013, November 21).

Civil Rights and the 1950s:
Crash Course US History

This video will be watched in class,

with the subtitles on because John
Green tends to speak very quickly.

individual that experienced the Civil

Rights Movement.
Ryan Vasquez is a part of the Alabama
Public Radio Service.
This site is updated daily with stories
and articles relating to the Civil Rights
Movement
The purpose of the article is to inform
and entertain
This article is unbiased because the
individual that is being interviewed is
just detailing his life experiences
during the Civil Rights Movement.
Ultimately, this is a reliable source and
it is appropriate for my classroom
because students must understand the
historical events during the Civil rights
Movement.
This source is reliable because it was
funded and created by PBS and they
are a trusted source for educational
content.
Stanley Nelson Jr. is an American
director and producer of documentary
films known for examining the history
and experiences of African Americans
This video was published on May 16,
2011
This video was made for the purposes
of education as well as entertainment
The video is unbiased because it offers
several different perspectives of the
freedom riders
Ultimately, this is an appropriate
source because it not only informs
students about the freedom riders and
their experiences through their
journeys during the Civil Rights
Movement.
This source is entertaining and reliable
in the literary information provided. As
a writer and literary critic, the speaker
in the video presents credible

Course U.S. History

produced by the
Vlogbrothers John
and Hank Green.

#39. Retrieved April 18,

2016, from
https://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=S64zRnnn4Po

This will increase engagement

because John Green is a notable
writer of popular teen fiction, such
as The Fault in Our Stars; however,
he is also a very knowledgeable
educator who believes that learning
should be fun.

Childrens Book
Freedom on the
Menu: The
Greensboro Sit-Ins

660L

This novel was written

by Carole Boston
Weatherford and
published by the
Penguin Group

Weatherford, C. B., &

Lagarrigue, J. (2005).
Freedom on the menu: The
Greensboro sit-ins. New
York: Dial Books for Young
Readers.

This book will be used toward the

end of the lesson to see what
connections the students can create
about the book and the Civil Rights
Movement.

knowledge and viewpoints regarding

the Civil Rights Movement. The
historical references are cited within
the video, which also lend to its
credibility.
John Green has a Bachelors Degree in
English and Religious Studies from
Kenyon College. He has written for
Booklist, The New York Times Book
Review, NPRs All Things Considered,
and WBEZ, a Chicago Radio Station.
He has also published 6 teen fiction
novels. As an author and English
major, Green is knowledgeable on the
literary traditions. He also utilizes a
number of reliable sources in his Crash
Course videos
This video was published in November
21, 2013
Crash Course is specifically designed
to be educational, but to make learning
fun and entertaining. As a writer for
teens, Green knows how to keep a teen
audiences attention.
There is no biased in this video
because John Green is only stating
facts.
This is an appropriate source because it
not only informs the students about the
Civil Rights Movement but it is
entertaining for students as well.
This source is reliable because the
book has information that relates to the
Civil Rights Movement.
Carole Boston Weatherford is an
African-American author and critic.
She writes children's literature and
some historical books, as well as
poetry and commentaries.
This book was published in 2005.
The purpose of this book is to educate
and entertain children.
I do not believe that there is a bias in a

Trade Book
Coming of Age in
Mississippi

870L

This novel was written

by Anne Moody and
published by Bantam
Dell

Moody, A. (1968). Coming

of age in Mississippi. New
York: Dial Press.

This book will not be read in its

entirety; rather, the most poignant
excerpts from the novel will be
utilized in class to examine the
major themes/essential questions of
the unit.

Trade Book
Freedom Walkers

1110L

This novel was written

by Russell Freedman
and published by
Holiday House

Freedman, R. (2006).
Freedom walkers: The story
of the Montgomery bus
boycott. New York: Holiday
House

This novel will be used as a

reference for students when
discussing about the Montgomery
bus boycott.

childrens book because it is for

children and not for adults.
This book is appropriate for this unit
because it will help the students make
connections to the information that
they are learning about the Civil Right
Movement.
This source is reliable because the
author of this book is describing her
involvement in the Civil Rights
Movement. It is a non-fiction book.
Anne Moody was an AfricanAmerican author who wrote about her
experiences growing up poor and black
in rural Mississippi, her involvement in
the Civil Rights Movement
Moodys novel was published in 1968
during the time of the Civil Rights
Movement.
The purpose of this source is to inform
and educate readers about what it was
like living in Mississippi during the
Civil Rights Movement.
This book is not biased because she is
describing her life in Mississippi and
her involvement in the Civil Rights
Movement.
This is an appropriate resource to use
because the reader is informed about
the Civil Rights Movement.
This source is reliable because it is a
nonfiction book that is about an event
during the Civil Rights Movement.
Russell Freedman is an American
biographer and the author of nearly 50
books for young people.
This novel was published in 2006.
The purpose of this book is to entertain
and inform readers about the
Montgomery bus boycott that took
place during the Civil Rights
Movement.

There is no bias because the author of

the book is a biographer and has no
experience with the Civil Rights
Movement.
This source will be used in the unit for
background information about the
Montgomery bus boycott.