There is not a black America and a white America and Latino America and Asian America- there's the United States of America.1
Rationale and Objectives
Although my students are very excited about the election of President Obama, they have very little awareness of the Civil Rights struggle, the political process, and what they can do to make a difference. They are able to recite events about Obama's life, including his community organizing experiences, but have little understanding of how this fits into the Civil Rights Movement or how it relates to their own lives. I plan to use my students' current interest and excitement surrounding Barack Obama to spark curiosity about the history of Civil Rights and also to motivate and encourage students to become involved in their communities.
The students who will be participating in this teaching unit are tenth through twelfth graders in an urban, non-traditional setting of 500-800 students. Students range in age from sixteen years old to young adults in their twenties. Some of the students have failed the ninth grade required American Government class and some have moved to the district from systems which do not require the course. Students transfer to the school voluntarily from the nineteen other high schools throughout the county-wide school district. Since we offer nearly all required courses each semester, students choose to come to us to fill in gaps in their transcripts so that they can graduate sooner than they would at their home schools. It is rare that any of my students have participated in political campaigns or community projects.
The one-semester American Government course is taught in each of our four nine-week semesters. This unit will be incorporated throughout the nine week course. The class periods are ninety minute blocks, divided into two forty-five minute sessions. In addition to including Civil Rights and political process information within the proscribed (state) units, I anticipate using several second halves of the period each week for hands-on activities, guest speakers and planning community projects.
I plan to move students through a discussion of due process and equal protection rights, to a brief history of the Civil Rights Movement and the individuals involved, to general discussion about how citizens can and should participate in a democracy, and finally, to the actual planning and/or participating in a community activity. I will use Barack Obama's story and the stories of 1960's Civil Rights leaders to show continuity of the movement and to inspire and motivate the students to become involved in their communities. I plan to invite John Lewis to speak to my students, as he is the House Representative in the district where many of my students reside and has been responsive to such requests in the past. I would suggest that anyone teaching this unit invite civil rights leaders and members of Congress from their states to speak to their classes.
At the beginning of the semester, students will be told that part of the final exam will be a project whereby each student either writes a paper planning a detailed community action project (along with data demonstrating the need for such a project) or participates in a community project or political campaign, complete with journal entries. I will have to allow a choice in this because my school system does not allow mandated community projects. In the past, I have had success in getting students to volunteer in political campaigns by structuring this option in a way that seems more fun than the option which requires more formal writing. Throughout the semester, I will continue to tie the examples of historic Civil Rights leaders and Barack Obama to the idea of what can be achieved through personal involvement.
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