U.S.

Civil Rights in the 1960s - Blended Learning

SUBJECT: History
TOPIC: U.S. Civil Rights in the 1960's
GRADE LEVEL: 10-12
CREATORS:James Barbret, Joel Circrone, Sharon Drochak, Natalie Surowy, Doug Walden
Unit plan can be found here.

U.S. Civil Rights in the 1960's - Unit Plan Road Map

Day 1 Introduction
Day 2 Beginning of Movement
Day 3 Rosa Parks (lesson plan)
Day 4 Marches\Rallies (lesson plan)
Day 5 Field Trip - African American History Museum
Day 6 Field Trip follow-up

Unit Goals
1. To accomplish the goals in the strands and benchmarks of the Michigan Social Studies
Framework listed below
STANDARDS
1.2

Comprehending the past

1.3

Analyzing and interpreting the past

1.4

Judging decisions of the past

2.1

Diversity of people, places, and cultures

3.2

Ideals of American democracy

Public discourse and decision making

BENCHMARKS
1.2.2

Challenge arguments of historical

inevitability by formulating examples
of how different choices could have
led to different consequences.

1.4.10 Evaluate the responses of

individuals to historic violations of
human dignity involving
discrimination, persecution and
crimes against humanity.

2.1.9

Describe how major world issues

and events affect various people,
societies, places and cultures in
different ways.

3.2.8

Identify the benefits and challenges

of diversity in American life.

6.1.9

Identify the benefits and challenges

of diversity in American life.
Conversations would examine the
public policy and help to make
reasonable and informed decisions.

2. For students to be aware of the people and events that were involved in the Civil Rights
movement and understand the effects it had on our society.

Unit Objectives

Students will participate in online discussions, class discussions, small group collaboration,
online quizzes, individual writing assignments, VoiceThreads, and other stimulating activities to
gain knowledge about the people, and significance of the Civil Rights movement in our society
in the 1960's and how it affects people today.
Students will be able to recognize the names of the key people, players, places and events in
the movement.
Students will become aware of racism and how it has influenced our society.
Students will define what the Civil Rights movement was.

Unit Procedure
1. Identification of topic
2. Anticipatory set
3. Online Discussions
4. Class Discussions
5. VoiceThreads
6. Formative Assessments
7. Videos
8. Group Activities
9. Field Trips
10. Evaluation

Unit Body of Presentation

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Anticipatory Set
Make generalizations about the civil rights movement and the people involved
Explanation of people and events in the movement
Small group activities
Discussion of presentation
Evaluation

Lesson Plan Day 1: Introduction

OBJECTIVES
After answering the questions in the Google Doc, students will:
Know the name of the unit
Know the players and major events in the Civil Rights movement
Be exposed to the significance of the people and the major events
RATIONALE
To recognize the names and major events in the Civil Rights movement in the 60's

MATERIALS NEEDED
Laptops or iPads
Access to the Internet
Access to class LMS with a link to a Google Doc containing the following names and events
from the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960's:
Rosa Parks
Rallies
Alabama
Martin Luther King
Black Muslims
Malcolm X
Riots
Access to Google Docs
Google Doc containing a list of questions about the people and events (see above) connected
with the Civil Rights movement
Websites with information, photos, and videos from the Civil Rights movement
History.com
Biography.com
PBS - Civil Rights Movement
The Civil Rights Movement: Major Events and Legacies
PROCEDURE
Students will answer questions contained in the Google Doc by searching the list of websites
(see above) for information about the key people and events of the Civil Rights Movement.
After students have finished this they will construct a definition of Civil Rights and a statement
about why they think this period was significant in history. Students will post their definitions and
statements on Padlet. (Link to Padlet will be posted to the class LMS.)
WRAP-UP
Discuss activity with class, review definitions and statements posted on Padlet by students, and
come up with a group consensus as to what Civil Rights in the 60's meant.
TRANSITION
The teacher will display photos from the Civil Rights movement (from the website listed below)
and discuss content leading into tomorrow's lesson.

The Civil Rights Movement in photos - CNN

EVALUATION
Formative assessment: Using Kahoot!, the teacher will check for student learning by having a
contest to see who can recall the various people and events that were in the list of questions
contained in the Google Doc.
IMPACT ON INSTRUCTION AND/OR LEARNING:
The use of a class LMS allows for all materials to be organized in one place and helps to
facilitate communication between teacher and students.

The use of Google Docs allows for collaboration among all students in the class and the
sharing of information between teacher and students.

The use of Padlet promotes creativity, communication, and collaboration among

students.

Kahoot! enables the teacher to engage students while conducting formative

assessments to check for student learning.

Lesson Plan Day 2: Beginning of the Movement

OBJECTIVES
During todays lesson, students will:
Become aware of the reasons why the movement started
Become aware of some of the issues of the various groups involved
RATIONALE
For students to understand why the movement started.

MATERIALS NEEDED
Computer (for teacher)
SmartBoard
Laptops or iPads (for students)
Internet access
Websites containing information related to the beginning of the movement
Access to Google Docs
Access to class LMS

OPENERS
The teacher will divide students into five different groups. Using the information contained on
the websites, students will brainstorm and come up with various issues that they think were
involved in the Civil Rights movement.

PROCEDURE
Give each group a slip paper with one of the following names: Black Southern Baptists, AfricanAmerican citizens, Governor of Alabama, Governor of Mississippi, Protesters.
Each group will assign one its members the role of scribe. Students will pretend they are
members of each of these groups and collectively list issues that would relate to them as a
group at this time in history. It will be the responsibility of the scribe in each group to record the
groups answers in a Google Doc and share the Google Doc with each of the members of the
group.
Next, students will divide up to have one member of each group form another group and define
the problems and listen to the sides of the other groups' issues.
WRAP-UP
List in a class Google Doc (which will be shared with all students in the class LMS via a link) all
the issues that the students came up with and discuss as a class. Teacher and students add to
the list in the Google Doc, which teacher projects on SmartBoard.
EVALUATION
Homework: Each student writes an editorial, using Google Docs, for a newspaper representing
one of the groups. The editorial should discuss reasons (including the ones we listed in class)
why the group is being discriminated against. Students should post a link to their Google Doc in
the discussion forum section of the class LMS. Each student should comment on the editorial of
two other students.
IMPACT ON INSTRUCTION AND/OR LEARNING:
The use of a class LMS allows for all materials to be organized in one place and helps to
facilitate communication between teacher and students.

The use of Google Docs allows for collaboration among all students in the class and the
sharing of information between teacher and students.

The use of various websites containing information about the Civil Rights movement
allows students to research topics and collect information.

Lesson Plan Day 3: Rosa Parks and Selma, Alabama

OBJECTIVES
Students will:
Be able to identify who Rosa Parks was and understand the importance of the famous bus trip
Know the geographical location of the "formal" start of the Civil Rights movement
Be aware of the events that followed which resulted in desegregation
RATIONALE

To introduce students, through images and audio, to Rosa Parks and help them to understand
why her bus ride was so significant to the movement in the 60's

MATERIALS NEEDED
Computer (for teacher)
SmartBoard
Internet access
Video on YouTube: Rosa Parks - Quiet Revolutionary
laptop or iPad (for students)
Access to the class backchannel on Todays Meet (link will be posted in class LMS)
PROCEDURE
Students will watch documentary on YouTube about Rosa Parks during class.
While watching video, students will post questions and comments on the class backchannel in
Todays Meet.
WRAP-UP AND TRANSITION
After the movie ends, the teacher will review and discuss the questions and comments that
were posted to the class backchannel on Todays Meet.
The teacher explains the homework assignment that is due tomorrow.
EVALUATION
Formative assessment: The teacher will have students complete a self-graded 15-question
quiz on the Rosa Parks documentary to check for student learning. The quiz will be posted to
the class LMS, and students may take the quiz a maximum of 2 times. The higher of the 2
grades will be recorded.
Also, students will participate in a VoiceThread (link will be posted in the class LMS). Using
audio in order to reply, students will post an answer the following 2 questions: Why was Rosa
Parks act of defiance, and the subsequent Montgomery Bus Boycott, so effective? What do you
think would have happened if Rosa Parks had given her seat to the white man? Posts should be
at least 2 min. in length, and students are to respond to the posts of 2 of their classmates.
IMPACT ON INSTRUCTION AND/OR LEARNING:
The use of video allows students to experience through audio and video voices and
images of Rosa Parks and other people and events from the Civil Rights movement.
The class backchannel Todays Meet, provides a space where students can ask
questions and make comments without interrupting the video. It also allows more
introverted students a vehicle for expressing themselves.

The online quiz serves as a formative assessment to check student learning. Students
are given 2 chances so that they may learn from their mistakes and correct them.

VoiceThread promotes student expression and communication.

Lesson Plan Day 4: Marches/ Rallies of the Civil Rights Movement

GOALS
To inform the students of the importance of various marches during the Black Civil Rights Era.
To inform the students of the accomplishments of Civil Rights marches and rallies.
OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to:
Cite 5 important marches/rallies that occurred in the Civil Rights era.
Create a map containing 5 important marches/rallies that occurred in the Civil Rights era and
crucial information, including dates, about each
RATIONALE
We must strive to understand the significance of the marches/rallies of the Civil Rights
movement and identify the areas in the U.S. where some of the most important of these
marches/rallies and what occurred at each.

MATERIALS NEEDED
Civil Rights: The 1960's Freedom Struggle book
Laptop or iPad
Access to the Internet
Access to class LMS
Access to Google Maps
YouTube videos about marches/rallies during Civil Rights movement
OPENERS
The teacher will show video clips from YouTube showing masses of people on the mall in
Washington DC and ask the students what reason could make these people all come together.
PROCEDURE
Assigned group reading will have been given to each small group the night previous to the start
of this lesson.

For 10 minutes, students will break into small groups for short discussion to answer these three
questions:
1. Where did the march/rally occur?
2. What were the reasons that the march or rally was held?
3. What did the march/rally accomplish?
Class discussion will then be held. The teacher will then ask for each of the groups' answers to
the three questions. The teacher will record each of the groups answers in a Google Doc which
will be projected on the board and shared with students later.

The teacher will ask each group representative if the group thought the march or rally they were
assigned was a success or failure.
Discuss with each group their reasoning.

1.
2.
3.
4.

WRAP-UP
While still in their groups, students will create a Google map in which they identify 5 important
marches/rallies that occurred in the Civil Rights era. For each march/rally, students should
include information that provides answers to each of the following questions:
Where did this march/rally occur?
When did it occur?
Why was it so important?
What did this march/rally accomplish?
Evaluation
Each group will submit their Google Map to the teacher by posting a link to it in the dropbox of
the class LMS. Each student will take a 10-question self-graded quiz on the marches/rallies of
the Civil Rights era. The quiz is posted to the class LMS, and students may take the quiz a
maximum of 2 times. The higher of the 2 grades will be recorded.
IMPACT ON INSTRUCTION AND/OR LEARNING:
The use of Google Maps allows students to work together to demonstrate their learning
by creating a product thus promoting creativity and collaboration.

The use of video allows students to experience through audio and video important
footage of the marches and rallies of the Civil Rights movement.

Lesson Plan Day 5: Field Trip to the African-American History Museum

RATIONALE
Living in the metropolitan Detroit area means that the students will belong to or come in contact
with the African-American culture on a daily basis. A field trip to the African-American History
museum in Detroit will be planned on the basis of studying the Black Civil Rights movement in
the 1960's. Only a portion of the museum is going to be dedicated to this topic. Therefore the
trip will have to incorporate more than just the study of the Civil Rights movement. The students
will be able to immerse themselves in the culture of the African-American. By doing so they will
get a feel of the way that this cultural group views the United States of America.
PROCEDURE
Details
1. Permission slips will have been passed out for parent approval 2 weeks prior to the field trip.
2. Students will be told ahead of time to bring with them a mobile device that has Internet access
3. The day before the trip, a link to a class backchannel in Todays Meet will be posted to the class
LMS for students to access the day of the trip

4. The class will leave in the morning and be gone the whole school day.
5. The tour opens with a lecture in the museum auditorium (1 and a half hours).
6. During the lecture and throughout the tour, students are to post questions and comments to
Todays Meet about what they hear and see in the museum
7. The students will be led throughout the entire museum by a tour guide.
8. During lunch the teacher will discuss with the students what they will expected to know for the
Field trip follow-up on Day 6.
9. The tour will close with a movie shown in the museum auditorium.
IMPACT ON INSTRUCTION AND/OR LEARNING:
The use of the class backchannel Todays Meet during the trip to the museum enables
students to record questions and comments as they tour the museum that can be
addressed the next day in class.

Lesson Plan Day 6: Field Trip Follow-up

OBJECTIVES
The teacher will project the classs backchannel in Todays Meet on the SmartBoard and review
and answer questions and comments posted by students when at the museum
Students will record in a class Google Doc their experiences at the museum the day before by
answering 3 questions posed by the teacher
Students will participate in a class discussion, mediated by the teacher, based on their answers
to the 3 questions
PROCEDURE
The teacher will project the classs backchannel in Todays Meet on the SmartBoard and review
and answer questions and comments posted by students when at the museum.

Using a shared class Google Doc, students will answer three questions posed to them by the
teacher in written form.
1. What did you learn about the Civil Rights Movement?
2. What were the two most interesting things that you saw in the museum?
3. How do you think African-Americans perceive the United States?
After these questions are answered each student will be called upon to present his or her
answers orally.
The students' answers will provoke a class discussion that is mediated by the teacher.
WRAP-UP
The teacher will ask each student to write a 5 paragraph essay on the state of the African
American culture due on Day 7. The class discussion along with the perceptions gathered
during the field trip will provide enough material for the essay. The essay topic should be one of
the following:
1. The Museum's perception of the Black Civil Rights Movement
2. The African-American Museum's collection.
3. African-American perceptions of the USA

Students will post their essays to a discussion board in the LMS. Each student will read and
comment on the essays of 2 other students.
IMPACT ON INSTRUCTION AND/OR LEARNING:
The use of the class backchannel Todays Meet during class allows students to revisit
the questions and comments they recorded as they toured the museum the previous day
and promotes class discussion. It also gives the teacher an idea about what types of
questions the students have before seeing them in class.

The discussion board in the LMS promotes communication between students and the
sharing of ideas.

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