Rights and Protests
                                                                 By:  Brian Taylor

Project at a Glance :

This project is for an 11th grade world history unit on Civil Rights cases studies (U.S. and South Africa). Students are expected to compare and contrast the different causes and effects of the different movements.
       
Driving Question:

Were protests or legislation more effective in creating “progress” and  change during the different Civil Rights movements?           

Standards:

• This is a “prescribed” topic for the I.B. 20th Century World History course; they practice primary source document analysis to complete various tasks on a “Paper 1” exam (compare and contrast, evaluate value and limitations of sources, etc.).

Team / Culture Building:

• Hopes, Fears, and Norms​​

• Values Cards
• Creative DNA ​

• Challenging the “Truth”

Entry Event:

• Use contemporary existence of protests to pique interest EX:  Black Lives Matter, Gun Control, PRIDE month, protests over Roe v. Wade, etc.

Stakeholders:

• For this historic question, stakeholders are perhaps not as typical. As the topic deals with Civil Rights (both in the U.S. and South Africa) technically everyone in America is affected by the impact of the movement. More locally,  suggest modern Civil Rights organizations  (ACLU, LAUP, etc.), students interested in “protest movements” or their “rights,” members of the “community.”
• Stakeholder map
• Interviews

Empathy Building:

• To build empathy, students will learn through the unit personal stories and the history of injustice and mistreatment, then attempt to apply that learning to contemporary society on existing social issues. 
• Empathy Map​​

• Story Share and Capture
• Chalk Talk

Inquiry / Need to Knows:

• Students will have assigned readings and classroom instruction on the two Civil Rights Movements, so will have the background information they need to make informed judgements and assess the evidence to make a determination regarding the DQ.
• Introduce the Need to Know and  l use Artifact Analysis protocols.
• Use the Jigsaw strategy to read and present different documents, as well as Friend or Foe when discussing key figures in the movement like President Johnson (and South African leaders).

Incubation:

• Students will write (or draw) as many ideas down as they can individually, then with a partner or small group, then share together as a class. Followed by the What Would  __________ Do? to solve the problem.
• Next, students will use the Idea Quota to generate many ideas quickly!​​

• After ideas are generated, students will Saturate and Group the results which leads to great conversations.
• Followed by the Rip, Slap and Pass protocol. ​

Checking in:

• Use formative assessments daily.
• Keep an “attendance and on-task” spreadsheet for each class, including  simple notes of daily participation. . 
• When students or groups share their initial favorite idea to “solve” or answer the DQ, use the I like, I wish, What if? protocol to encourage them to listen to each other and add something additional.
  
• SCAMPER protocol also encourages creative thinking.

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Solution Building:

• Divide the class into groups - one group does the Saturate and Group, while the other use the Affinity Mapping strategy.  Both groups share and comment on their findings during a Gallery Walk.
• Use Dot Voting to narrow down ideas.
•  Followed by the Charrette protocol, because historically that was used during various Civil Rights movements.

Critique and Revision: 

• Each small group will  make an Elevator Pitch of their final solution, for one more opportunity to get feedback.
• Use Seeking Skeptics as having a “devil’s advocate” is a great idea.
• Students will have built in opportunities to get feedback on their ideas from the teacher, fellow classmates, and dedicated time for reflection.​

Authentic Audience:

• Invite a panel of experts, with representatives of local Civil Rights organizations, community leaders, and educators.

Final Presentation:

• Students will craft unique, creative – presentations to share with the t audience.
  
• Students will exercise voice and choice,  not only in crafting their solutions, but in presenting. They may chose what format and delivery method they wish – no standard presentation or powerpoint is required. They can perform a skit, record a movie, or be as creative as they are capable.

Click here for teacher's full plan.

​Reflection and Feedback:

• Use a paper feedback form, and perhaps an online option as well.
• Implement PBL rubrics for assessment.
• After the presentations and Q&A the authentic audience will give feedback to students (specific, but kind); to culminate the project. Likely the next day, each student will complete a final evaluation/reflection form on themselves, their group members, and me as the instructor.​

Click here for the teacher's Journey through PBL on Padlet . . .

Meet the Educator:
Brian Taylor is a 20 year veteran social studies teacher who still likes to try new 
things.  He has taught an assortment of history and government classes at the secondary level, he currently teaches Government, AP Government, and IB World HIstory. 

     "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."
             ~ by:  William Butler Yeats