Unit Title: Integration of the Schools in the South

Unit Title: Integration of the Schools in the South

Lesson Title: Integration of the Schools in the South

Grade Level: Fourth grade

Subject: Social Studies

Duration: 7 – 50 minute sessions

Description: This lesson is part of a larger unit about the desegregation and integration of the schools in the South. The lesson is intended to discuss desegregation and integration, and to introduce the students to the Little Rock 9. During this lesson, the Internet will be used to introduce the students to the Little Rock 9, and a PowerPoint presentation will be used to teach about desegregation versus integration.

Materials:

• Computers (including teacher’s computer and projector) with Internet Access, Microsoft Software
• Little Rock Nine Web Quest – online Webster dictionary (if needed by students)
• Integration Internet Scavenger Hunt
• Desegregation v. Integration PowerPoint
• Toni Morrison’s Remember: The Journey to School Integration
• Rubric
• Notebooks and Pens
• Integration worksheet
• Writing journals
• Chalk/chalkboard
• Television and VCR/DVD player
• Ruby Bridges’ Movie

Lesson Goals: The goal of this lesson is to raise awareness amongst fourth grade students about the privilege of being able to share a decent education with other students who are from different races and cultures. It is also meant to help students realize that the civil rights that they enjoy today were not always available to everyone.

Objectives: While using the Internet, students will be able to locate and analyze information about desegregation, integration and the Little Rock 9. After learning about desegregation, integration and the Little Rock 9 through research and the teacher’s PowerPoint presentation, students will be able to prepare a persuasive argument for or against desegregation in groups.

MDE Standards:

Technology

-Technology Research Tools – By the end of grade 5 each student will:

1. Use web search engines and built-in search functions of other various resources to locate information.

-Technology Productivity Tools – By the end of grade 5 student will:

1. Know how to use menu options in applications to print, format, add multimedia features; open, save, manage files; and use various grammar tools (e.g. dictionary, thesaurus, and spell-checker).

-Technology Communications Tools – By the end of grade 5 student will:

1. Use basic telecommunication tools (e.g. e-mail, Web Quests, IM, blogs, chat rooms, web conferencing) for collaborative projects with other students.

Social Studies

Standard I.IV Historical Perspective

All students will evaluate key decisions made at critical turning points in history by assessing their implications and long-term consequences.

1. Select decisions made to solve past problems and evaluate those decisions in terms of ethical considerations, the interests of those affected by the decisions, and the short- and long-term consequences in those decisions.

Standard III.III Civic Perspective

All students will describe the political and legal processes created to make decisions, seek consensus and resolve conflicts in a free society.

2 Describe issues that arise over constitutional rights.

Standard VI.II Public Discourse and Decision Making

All students will engage their peers in constructive conversation about matters of public concern by clarifying issues, considering opposing views applying democratic values, anticipating consequences, and working towards making decisions.

1. Engage each other in conversations, which attempt to clarify and resolve issues pertaining to local, state, and national policy.

Prerequisite Skills: Students must be able to open files on a computer, word process, navigate the Internet, and navigate the Web Quest. Students must also know how to move back and forth between the scavenger hunt and the given links.

Day One:

Anticipatory Set: I will read aloud Toni Morrison’s Remember: The Journey to School Integration. I will ask the students if anyone is familiar with the event that the book is referring to. I will remind the students that we had previously discussed racism, equality, discrimination, and segregation, as well as a brief discussion of the Civil Rights Movement. The students will be asked to reflect on the characters in the book. I will say, “Imagine being a student during this period of time. How do you think you would feel?”

I will say, “During the African Americans’ fight for civil rights, many people were negatively affected, including students from all grades. We learned that one such student, Linda Brown, and her parents sparked the pivotal court case that changed American history. Does anyone remember what case I am referring to? (Look for students to respond Brown v. Board of Education) Over the next couple of weeks, you will learn about a group of courageous students who were affected by this decision. You will also prepare a persuasive argument for or against this ruling by working in groups.”

Preparation: I will arrange to have the media cart in my classroom and will have prepared a PowerPoint presentation.

Procedure: “Today I would like for you to view a PowerPoint presentation that I have prepared. Many people use the terms desegregation and integration interchangeably, but they are not the same! Desegregation, which was brought about by Brown v. Board of Education, inevitably led to the integration of the schools in the south. Does anyone know what desegregation means? The definition of desegregation is to eliminate segregation in; especially: to end by law the isolation of members of a particular race in separate units. I would like for you to get into small groups and come up with at least 2 ways in which desegregation affected daily life.” Students will be given 5 minutes to brainstorm ideas. The group will then come together in whole class format where they will tell the ideas that they came up with. I will list their responses on the board. I will be looking for answers such as: public restrooms, drinking fountains, restaurants, public transportation, and most importantly schools. “By looking at the definition, you can conclude that integration was the next step after desegregation. After ending segregation, the next step was to integrate society, in particular the school system. Integration was very important in the goal of desegregation. Does anyone know why? Integration was important in that, for the first time, it would bring Blacks and Whites together in areas of life that were once not shared by the 2 groups of people.” The class will discuss integration, and how the students feel about it. The students will be asked to reflect in their journals about the day’s discussion. “In class tomorrow, you will either work with a partner or in groups of 3 to complete an Internet scavenger hunt on integration. Who can tell me what a scavenger hunt is? Well, you will link to different websites to gather information that will help you answer questions that I will provide. You will be able to find the information needed on these different sites.”

Day Two:

Anticipatory Set: “Yesterday, we discussed the difference between desegregation and integration. Who can tell me what they mean? What did one have to do with the other? Today, you will complete a scavenger hunt in which you will learn more about integration and the student like you who were affected by integration.”

Preparation: I will have accessed enough laptops for the students to work in groups of 2-3. If the school does not have laptops or computers in the classroom, I will have reserved the computer lab for my class for approximately 25-30 minutes. I will also have grouped my students by 2s and 3s (if necessary). I will also have arranged to have the media cart (teacher’s computer and projector) in my classroom, as well as the television and VCR/DVD player.

Procedure: “Your computers should have the Internet scavenger hunt pulled up on your screens. Take a few minutes to read the instructions. You will work in your groups or with your partner to complete the scavenger hunt. You can decide amongst yourselves how you will work together to do it. Read each question and go to the assigned link in order to answer the question. Each assigned link provides the information that is needed to answer the question. Locate the necessary information and respond in complete sentences and IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Does anyone have any questions? You have approximately 20-25 minutes to complete the scavenger hunt.” Students will complete the scavenger hunt and return to the classroom. Allow for 10 minutes to proceed to and from the computer lab. “I would like for everyone to take their seats and get out their writing journals. Take 5 minutes to reflect on 1 thing that you learned from the scavenger hunt.” Allow students 5 minutes to do this. During this 5 minutes, set up the movie and online video. “As you learned from the scavenger hunt, there were students of all ages affected by integration. Who can tell me the names of the student(s) that you researched? First, we are going to learn a little about the story of Ruby Bridges. Our focus will be on the Little Rock 9, so we will briefly discuss Ruby Bridges. Please turn your attention to the television.” After watching the movie, we will have a whole group discussion about the story of Ruby Bridges, and how her experience was significant to integration. “While completing the scavenger hunt, you also learned about the Little Rock 9. Throughout the duration of this lesson, we will continue to focus on this group of students. The Little Rock 9 are considered the most significant and notable group in the struggle towards integration. Now, turn you attention to the projector to view an online video about the Little Rock 9.” After watching the online video, the class will discuss what they learned from the video. The students will be given a worksheet about integration, which they will work on in class and complete for homework.

Day Three:

Anticipatory Set: “Yesterday we discussed some key figures from the period of time when the schools in the south were being integrated. Can anyone tell me who they were? We are going to focus on the Little Rock 9 and their integration experience. We have discussed Web Quests previously, and today you are going to participate in a Web Quest about integration and the Little Rock 9.”

Preparation: I will arrange to have the media cart (teacher’s computer and projector) in my classroom. If there are not any laptops or computers in the classroom, I will reserve the computer lab for 30 minutes the first day; 40 minutes the second day; and 35-45 minutes the third day. I will also plan for 10 minutes to proceed to and from the computer lab each day. Beforehand, I will also split the students into groups of 6 in which they will complete the Web Quest, and prepare their persuasive arguments.

Procedure: “On the board I have listed the groups that each of you will be in to complete the Web Quest. Also, listed in the board is the website where you can find the Web Quest. If you turn your attention to the projector, you will see that I have accessed the Web Quest.” I will proceed through each page of the Web Quest, explaining to the students what they are to do in order to complete the Web Quest. In addition, I will explain that the final product of the Web Quest will be a persuasive argument that the group has collaborated on. In this argument, the students will argue for or against desegregation. “The reason why your argument will be for or against desegregation and not integration is because desegregation was the main catalyst of integration. In other words, without desegregation there could not have been the process of integrating. Does anyone have any questions about the Web Quest or your final product?” The class will proceed to begin the Web Quest. My role will be that of facilitator. I will be present to answer questions, provide suggestions and assistance, and monitor progress. I want to have a very limited role because I want the students to depend on their group members as much as possible to complete this assignment.

Day Four:

The students will continue to work on the Web Quest. I will monitor their progress and provide assistance where and when needed, often reminding the students to consider their end product as they proceed.

Day Five-Six:

If necessary, the students will continue to work on their Web Quests, but must have them completed by the end of day five. On day six, the students will work on and must complete their persuasive argument in order to present them to the class on day seven. “Now that you have completed the Web Quest, you will now prepare a persuasive argument in which you will argue for or against desegregation. Your argument must be a stated opinion with logical reasons behind it. You must also provide evidence (from the Web Quest) that clearly supports your argument. Since you will orally present your argument, as well as submit a written copy, you must express it in such a way that your position is clearly stated. You will also be graded on how well you worked together. Does anyone have any questions?” The students will work on their arguments and prepare their presentations. I will be available for conferencing to provide assistance and give suggestions to those who need it.

Day Seven:

Each group will be given 5-7 minutes to present their arguments to the class. They will state their position and give 2 supporting details that support their argument. Each group will submit a word-processed copy of their argument.