The Civil Rights Unit: School Board Meeting on Integration (Persuasive Presentation)

Alabama State Standards

The learning goals for this lesson meet the following 6th Grade U.S. History and 7th grade Civics standards in the Alabama Course of Study:

6th Grade U.S. History:

• Standard 13:  Describe the role of major civil rights leaders and significant events occurring during the modern Civil Rights Movement.
• Standard 14:  Identify cultural and economic changes throughout the United States from 1960 to present describing the impact of technological and social changes on the society of the United States from 1970 to the present.

7th Grade Civics:

• Standard 11:  Describe examples of conflict, cooperation, and interdependence of groups, societies, and nations, using past and current events, tracing the political and social impact of the modern Civil Rights Movement from 1954 to the present, including Alabama’s role.

National Standards for U.S. History

The following National History Standards for U.S History were addressed in this lesson:

Standards in Historical Thinking:

• Standard 3:  Analysis and Interpretation
• Standard 5:  Historical Issues-Analysis and Decision-Making

Era 9: The Postwar United States (1945-early 1970s)

• Standard 3: Domestic Policies after World War II
• Standard 4: The struggle for racial and gender equality and for the extension of civil liberties.

National Council for the Social Studies Standards

The learning goals for this unit correspond with the following NCSS Thematic Strands:

Strand II: Time, Continuity, and Change

• Through the study of the past and its legacy, learners examine the institutions, values, and beliefs of people in the past, acquire skills in historical inquiry and interpretation, and gain and understanding of how important historical events and developments have shaped the modern world.

Strand V: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions

• Institutions such as families, and civic, educational, governmental, and religious organizations exert great influence in daily life.  Organizations embody the core social values of the individuals and groups who comprise them.  It is important that students know how institutions are formed, maintained, and changed, and understand how they influence individuals, groups, and other institutions.

Strand VI: Power, Authority, and Governance

• Learners will develop and understanding of the principles, processes, structures, and institutions of government, and examine how power and authority are or have been obtained in various systems of government.  They will learn how people in democratic nations organize in groups and attempt to cooperate and resolve conflicts for purposes such as establishing order and security, and seeking social justice.  They will also learn about the systems of power, authority, and governance in countries that are not democratic, and compare and contrast these with democratic systems.  Learners can become more effective problem-solvers and decision-makers when they address the persistent issues and social problems encountered in political life.  Such persistent issues can be examined through the study of the dynamic relationships between individual rights and responsibilities, the needs of social groups, and concepts of a just society.

Strand X: Civic Ideals & Practices

• An understanding of civic ideals and practices is fundamental goal of education for citizenship in a democratic society.  Civic ideals and practices have developed over centuries, and are found in societies throughout the world.  Important documents that articulate civic ideals have served as milestones in the development of these ideals in different nations and worldwide.  Basic freedoms and rights, and the institutions and practices that support shared democratic principles, are foundations of a democratic republic.  In some instances, civic practices and their consequences are becoming more congruent with ideals, while in other cases, the gap is wide and calls for continued civic action by individuals and groups to sustain and improve the society.  Learning how to apply civic ideals to inform civic action is essential to participation in a democracy and support for the common good.