Students begin to explore African American history and the civil rights movement, serving as a launch for further discussions around discrimination, justice, and valuing individuals.
As part of the upgrade to Fishtank Plus, this unit was revised in January 2021. Some texts, materials, and questions may have changed as part of the revision. If you are looking for the 2019 version of this unit, visit our archives.
In this unit, students begin to explore African American history and the civil rights movement. Students will begin the unit by thinking about the ways in which people are similar and different, including skin color, and how those differences should not define who we are or how we are treated. In the second part of the unit, students will learn about the discrimination and injustices faced by African Americans leading up to and during the civil rights movement and why it was necessary to fight for change. They will learn about how communities came together to organize and stand up to injustice. Students will also explore how Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.’s influential leadership influenced and inspired others to fight for change. It is our hope that this unit will help instill the values of diversity, justice, and action, and that it will serve as a launch for further discussions around discrimination, justice, and valuing individuals.
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Book: All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold (Knopf Books for Young Readers; Illustrated edition, 2018) — AD370L
Book: Let’s Talk About Race by Julius Lester (HarperCollins; Illustrated edition, 2008)
Book: All the Colors of the Earth by Sheila Hamanaka (HarperCollins, 2020) — AD540L
Book: Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor (Philomel Books; Illustrated edition, 2019)
Book: This Is the Dream by Diane Z. Shore and Jessica Alexander (Amistad; 1 edition, 2009)
Book: The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2001) — AD490L
Book: Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles (Aladdin; Reprint edition, 2005) — AD600L
Book: Rosa by Nikki Giovanni (Square Fish; Reprint edition, 2007) — 800L
Book: Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport (Hyperion Book CH; Reprint edition, 2007) — 410L
Book: We March by Shane W. Evans (Square Fish; Reprint edition, 2016) — 290L
Book: A Sweet Smell of Roses by Angela Johnson (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition, 2007) — AD480L
Book: I Have a Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Kadir Nelson (Schwartz & Wade; Har/Com Re edition, 2012) — 1030L
Book: Be A King: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream and You by Carole Boston Weatherford (Bloomsbury USA Childrens; Illustrated edition, 2018) — 360L
See Text Selection Rationale
This assessment accompanies this unit and should be given on the suggested assessment day or after completing the unit.
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boycott brave courageous custom deny diversity dream enforce freedom hopeful inspire injustice justice neutral nonviolent racism race segregation similarity threaten unequal unique vicious
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This unit builds a deeper understanding of the following Social Justice Standards from Teaching Tolerance:
To prepare for this unit, we recommend reading the following resources.
All Are Welcome
RI.K.7
RI.K.8
SL.K.1
L.K.6
Identify reasons to support the author’s point that all are welcome.
Let’s Talk About Race
RI.K.7
RI.K.8
SL.K.1
L.K.6
Explain two reasons the author includes to support the idea that “Beneath the skin we all look alike. You and Me.”
All the Colors...
RI.K.7
RI.K.8
SL.K.1
L.K.6
Explain what the author means that children come in all colors of the earth.
Just Ask!
RI.K.7
RI.K.8
SL.K.1
L.K.6
Explain two reasons why the author says, “Each of us grows in our own way.”
Writing
W.K.2
W.K.5
W.K.8
L.K.1
L.K.2
Create an All About Me poster to highlight key aspects of identity.
The Other Side
RL.K.2
RL.K.3
SL.K.1
L.K.6
Retell what happened in The Other Side.
Freedom Summer
RL.K.2
RL.K.3
SL.K.1
L.K.6
Explain how segregation impacts Joe and John Henry’s friendship.
This Is...
RI.K.7
RI.K.8
SL.K.1
L.K.6
Explain how life changed for Black people in the South after the civil rights movement.
Rosa pp. 1 – 14
RI.K.3
RI.K.7
RI.K.8
SL.K.1
L.K.6
Explain why Rosa Parks does not get up with the policeman asked her to.
Rosa p. 15 — to end
RI.K.3
RI.K.7
RI.K.8
SL.K.1
L.K.6
Explain how the whole community made the Montgomery Bus Boycott a success.
Martin's...
RI.K.3
RI.K.7
RI.K.8
SL.K.1
L.K.6
Explain why Martin Luther King Jr. was important.
We March
RI.K.3
RI.K.7
RI.K.8
SL.K.1
Explain how people came together during the March for Freedom.
A Sweet...
RI.K.3
RI.K.7
RI.K.8
SL.K.1
Explain how Minnie and her sister showed courage.
I Have...
RI.K.3
RI.K.7
RI.K.8
SL.K.1
Describe the dreams that Martin Luther King Jr. had.
Be a King
RI.K.3
RI.K.7
RI.K.8
SL.K.1
Explain what it means to Be a King.
2 days
Writing
W.K.2
W.K.5
W.K.8
L.K.1
L.K.2
Write about what you can do to Be a King.
Assessment
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