ELA / 5th Grade / Unit 4: Young Heroes: Children of the Civil Rights Movement

Young Heroes: Children of the Civil Rights Movement

Students study the Civil Rights Movement through the eyes of the children who contributed to its success by reading and analyzing multiple accounts of the same events.

ELA

Unit 4

5th Grade

Unit Summary

In this unit, students study the Civil Rights Movement through the eyes of the youth who contributed to its success firsthand. Students analyze the key characteristics shared by children who participated in the Civil Rights Movement, particularly their courage, determination, and unending commitment to making positive change. Over the course of the unit, students realize that through community organizing and a strong desire for justice, regular people, and especially children, were able to come together to use a variety of nonviolent tactics to fight for change, even when faced with resistance. It is our hope that this unit inspires students to notice and challenge injustices and to feel confident in the power of their voices. Even children can have an impact.

Students refine their skills as critical consumers of texts by analyzing the point of view from which a text is written and noticing how the point of view influences what and how information is presented to a reader. Students read multiple accounts of the same topic or event and are challenged to notice the similarities and differences in the points of view they represent and how the author uses evidence and reasons to support a particular point of view. Photographs are an important part of the texts in the unit. Students are challenged to analyze photographs as a source of information to support an author's point. Students also continue to practice determining one or more main ideas of a text and explaining how they are supported by key details, summarizing a text, and explaining the relationship between one or more events or individuals in a historical text. In previous units, students focused on sharing and elaborating on their own ideas when discussing the text. In this unit, students begin to build on their classmates' ideas, seeking to genuinely understand what their peers are saying by asking questions, adding on, or engaging in multiple exchanges.

Students continue to build their writing fluency by writing daily in response to the Target Task. Students also continue to work on informational writing, using what they know about writing strong paragraphs to write multi-paragraph essays. The unit culminates with a short research project, in which students write a brochure about a lesser-known young person in the Civil Rights Movement.

Please Note: In November 2025, this unit and its lesson plans received a round of enhancements. This unit revision removes Selma, Lord, Selma from the text list. This unit is now 34 instructional days (previously 44 days). The overall content, sequencing, and writing projects of the unit have been adjusted significantly. Teachers should pay close attention as they intellectually prepare to account for the updated pacing, sequencing, and content.

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Texts and Materials

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Core Materials

Book: Witnesses to Freedom: Young People Who Fought for Civil Rights by Belinda Rochelle (Puffin Books, 1993) — 1040L
Book: Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March by Lynda Blackmon Lowery, as told to Elspeth Leacock and Susan Buckley and illustrated by PJ Loughran (Speak)

Supporting Materials

Excerpt: “Gwendolyn Patton, Pat Shuttlesworth, and Fred Taylor” from Freedom’s Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories by Ellen S. Levine
Excerpt: “Ernest Green” from Freedom’s Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories by Ellen S. Levine
Excerpt: “Chapter 1” from Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
Excerpt: “Chapter 4” from Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
Excerpt: “Chapter 7–8” from Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
Poem: “Day 1: March 5, 1770: Crispus Attacks” from 28 Days: Moments in Black History that Changed the World by Charles R. Smith Jr.
Poem: “Ruby Bridges' Brave Step” by Latorial Faison
Rubric: Informational Writing Rubric (G5)
Rubric: Narrative Writing Rubric (G5)
Rubric: Single Point Informational Writing Rubric (G5, U4)
Rubric: Single Point Narrative Writing Rubric (G5, U4)
Rubric: Editing Checklist 1 (G5, U4)
Rubric: Editing Checklist 2 (G5, U4)
Resource: Unit Essential Questions Tracker (G5, U4)
Resource: Unit Essential Questions Tracker Teacher Copy (G5, U4)
Resource: Main Idea and Details Graphic Organizer (GK–5)
Resource: Discussion Brainstorming Page 1 (G5, U4)
Resource: Discussion Brainstorming Page 2 (G5, U4)
Resource: Caption This! Worksheet (G5, U4, L6)
Resource: Brainstorming Page (G5, U5, L7)
Resource: Brainstorming Page Sample Response (G5, U4, L7)
Resource: Two Paragraph Outline 1 (G5, U4)
Resource: Two Paragraph Outline Sample Response (G5, U4, L7)
Resource: Poetry Brainstorming Template (G5, U4, L13)
Resource: Poetry Brainstorming Template Sample Response (G5, U4, L13)
Resource: Time Traveler Activity Cards (G5, U4, L15)
Resource: Two Paragraph Outline Sample Response (G5, U4, L23)
Resource: Brainstorming Page (G5, U4, L25)
Resource: Two Paragraph Outline 2 (G5, U4, L25)
Resource: Two Paragraph Outline Sample Response (G5, U4, L25)
Resource: Brochure Template 1 (G5, U4, L25)
Resource: Brochure Template 2 (G5, U4, L25)
Resource: Brochure Sample Template (G5, U4, L25)
Resource: Revision Handout (G5, U4, L25)
Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading

Text Selection Rationale

All Course Materials

Assessment

The following assessments accompany Unit 4.

Content Assessment

The Content Assessment pushes students to synthesize unit content knowledge or unit essential questions in writing. The Content Assessment should be used as the primary assessment because it shows mastery of unit content knowledge and standards.

Cold Read Assessment

The Cold Read Assessment tests students' ability to comprehend a "cold" or unfamiliar passage and answer standards-based questions. The Cold Read Assessment can be given in addition to the Content Assessment as a pulse point for what students can read and analyze independently, a skill often required for standardized testing.

Fluency Assessment

The Fluency Assessment allows teachers to monitor students' oral reading fluency progress with a reading passage drawn from one of the unit's core texts. Find guidance for using this assessment and supporting reading fluency in Teacher Tools.

Download Fluency Assessment

Unit Prep

Intellectual Prep

Suggestions for how to prepare to teach this unit

Unit Launch

Before you teach this unit, unpack the texts, themes, and core standards through our guided intellectual preparation process. Each Unit Launch includes a series of short videos, targeted readings, and opportunities for action planning to ensure you're prepared to support every student.

Essential Questions

The central thematic questions addressed in the unit or across units

What role did children and teens play in the Civil Rights Movement?
What tactics and strategies did activists use during the Civil Rights Movement to help change laws and institutions?
How does reading both historical texts and personal stories help us understand the past?

Reading Focus Areas

The purpose and point of view of a text influence the type of information presented.
The main idea is the central point or big picture understanding that the reader should get from the text.
Authors use a variety of reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.

Writing Focus Areas

Poetry Writing

Include a theme, events, and descriptive language in poems.
Use rhyme and figurative language to add beauty and meaning to poems.
Use punctuation in poetry to support rhythm and meaning.

Informational Writing

Synthesize details to craft a topic sentence that introduces a big, thematic idea.
Use a text structure and signal words that match the information in a paragraph.
Include appropriate background information in the introduction section and leave readers with a final takeaway in the conclusion.
Elaborate on main ideas by adding supporting text features.

Speaking and Listening Focus Areas

Elaborate to support ideas. Provide evidence or examples to justify and defend a point clearly.
Use specific vocabulary. Use vocabulary that is specific to the subject and task to clarify and share their thoughts.
Build onto a partner's ideas. Seek to genuinely understand what peers are saying and then build upon it.

Vocabulary

Literary terms, text-based vocabulary, idioms and word parts to be taught with the text

Text-based

alliesconfrontationdetermineddemonstrationdefieddiscriminationdismantlediscouragingexasperatedhumiliatinginundateordinanceresistancesegregationstaunchsymbolictauntedvacate

Root/Affix

dis-re-

To see all the vocabulary for Unit 4, view our 5th Grade Vocabulary Glossary.

Supporting All Students

In order to ensure that all students are able to access the texts and tasks in this unit, it is incredibly important to intellectually prepare to teach the unit prior to launching the unit. Use the intellectual preparation protocol and the Unit Launch to determine which support students will need. To learn more, visit the Supporting All Students Teacher Tool.

Notes to the Teacher

Notes to help teachers prepare for this specific unit

Teaching About the Civil Rights Movement

This unit centers on the young people without whom the Civil Rights Movement would arguably not have been successful. Teaching about this moment in history can be sensitive due to the racial tensions, violence, and inequitable treatment described in the texts. Throughout the unit, teachers should emphasize the resilience, determination, and positive, lasting impact of the amazing young people who participated in the Civil Rights Movement.

Reading Texts That Use Outdated and Inappropriate Language

Some of the texts in this unit include outdated terminology (ex. Negro, colored, blacks) and/or the N-word. When texts use outdated terminology, it is sufficient to name for students that these were appropriate terms for the time period but are now considered demeaning and inappropriate. In all of our Sample Responses and suggested questions, we've used the term "Black." In the few instances where the texts include the N-word, it underscores the urgency of the fight for Civil Rights. While individual instances have been named at the top of relevant lesson plans, and the word has generally been removed from any content read in the lesson, it is important to think carefully about how to address the N-word with students and to set expectations around the use of the N-word in written and oral language. Words have been used throughout all of American history to separate, dehumanize, and oppress, and the N-word is one of the most powerful of those words.

Teachers should specifically think about the implications of the N-word in their own classrooms. Many people have complicated feelings about or are made deeply uncomfortable by this word, no matter their racial background. For additional context on how the word is used today, read "Straight Talk about the N-Word" from Learning for Justice.

Lesson Map

Lesson

Summarize how and why Barbara Johns responded to the segregation in her community.

Young Heroes: Children of the Civil Rights Movement

Unit Summary

Texts and Materials

Core Materials

Supporting Materials

Assessment

Content Assessment

Cold Read Assessment

Fluency Assessment

Unit Prep

Intellectual Prep

Essential Questions

Reading Focus Areas

Writing Focus Areas

Poetry Writing

Informational Writing

Speaking and Listening Focus Areas

Vocabulary

Text-based

Root/Affix

Supporting All Students

Notes to the Teacher

Teaching About the Civil Rights Movement

Reading Texts That Use Outdated and Inappropriate Language

Lesson Map

Common Core Standards

Core Standards

Reading Standards for Informational Text

Reading Standards for Informational Text

Reading Standards for Informational Text

Reading Standards for Informational Text

Reading Standards for Informational Text

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Language Standards

Language Standards

Language Standards

Language Standards

Language Standards

Speaking and Listening Standards

Speaking and Listening Standards

Speaking and Listening Standards

Speaking and Listening Standards

Speaking and Listening Standards

Supporting Standards

Reading Standards for Informational Text

Reading Standards for Informational Text

Reading Standards for Informational Text

Reading Standards for Informational Text

Reading Standards: Foundational Skills

Reading Standards: Foundational Skills

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Language Standards

Language Standards

Language Standards

Language Standards

Language Standards

Language Standards

Language Standards

Language Standards

Language Standards

Speaking and Listening Standards

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