8th Grade Civil Rights Unit Guide

Rationale
The spark for this unit came from our realization of the importance for all students to
connect and engage with their community. Therefore, this ten-day eighth grade civil
rights unit is designed around this idea. During the unit – which integrates social studies
and English/language arts, with optional connections to math and science – students
will explore various aspects of the civil rights movement, both locally in Milwaukee and
on a national and even global level. Students’ questions will guide discussion and
exploration in this inquiry-based unit.

In social studies, students will begin by completing a WebQuest designed specifically

for this unit. On subsequent days, they will act out scenes from a play called March on
Milwaukee, written by Margaret Rozga, the widow of famous Milwaukee civil rights
activist James E. Groppi. Then, they have the opportunity to engage with Mrs. Rozga in
a live guest speaker presentation. If this opportunity is not accessible to you in your own
classroom, you may choose to take your students on a relevant field trip instead.
Students will engage in meaningful classroom discussions about these experiences, as
well as investigating civil rights geography and connecting with local and national
current events involving civil rights.

In English/language arts, students will choose from four texts about the civil rights
movement to read both in and out of class, recording memorable moments, asking
questions, and making connections during opportunities for reading reflection.
Furthermore, students will discuss the books they are reading with one another, so
everyone can get a feel for the main ideas in each text. Students will also engage in
writing experiences including writing letters of appreciation to the guest speaker (or
individuals associated with the field trip) and composing a civil rights editorial that
connects all of their newfound knowledge about civil rights in the past and present.

The unit with culminate with the students preparing and presenting their final civil rights
projects. In these projects, students will express – both visually and in writing – what
civil rights means to them. Students will also self-assess their knowledge of civil rights
at the beginning and end of the unit. The content and objectives of the unit connect with
numerous social studies and English/language arts standards that students should be
achieving by the end of eighth grade.

The remainder of this document presents the unit goals and objectives, as well as a
brief unit layout and optional math and science ideas to accompany the unit. All
supplemental materials for the unit – lesson plans, worksheets, reading reflections, and
other materials – are included in this packet. It is our hope that you and your students
enjoy exploring this civil rights unit as much as we did creating it.

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 8th Grade Civil Rights Unit Guide

Unit Goals

Social Studies

Target Standards
B.8.1 Interpret the past using a variety of sources, such as biographies, diaries,
journals, artifacts, eyewitness interviews, and other primary source materials, and
evaluate the credibility of sources used

B.8.10 Analyze examples of conflict, cooperation, and interdependence among groups,

societies, or nations

C.8.1 Identify and explain democracy's basic principles, including individual rights,
responsibility for the common good, equal opportunity, equal protection of the laws,
freedom of speech, justice, and majority rule with protection for minority rights

E.8.4 Describe and explain the means by which individuals, groups, and institutions
may contribute to social continuity and change within a community

E.8.7 Identify and explain examples of bias, prejudice, and stereotyping, and how they
contribute to conflict in a society

Related Standards
C.8.1 Identify and explain democracy's basic principles, including individual rights,
responsibility for the common good, equal opportunity, equal protection of the laws,
freedom of speech, justice, and majority rule with protection for minority rights

E.8.3 Describe the ways in which local, regional, and ethnic cultures may influence the
everyday lives of people

E.8.6 Describe and explain the influence of status, ethnic origin, race, gender, and age
on the interactions of individuals

E.8.9 Give examples of the cultural contributions of racial and ethnic groups in
Wisconsin, the United States, and the world

E.8.12 Describe conflict resolution and peer mediation strategies used in resolving
differences and disputes

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English/Language Arts

Target Standards
A.8.3 Read and discuss literary and nonliterary texts in order to understand human
experience

RI.8.2. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course
of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary
of the text.

Related Standards
RI.8.1. Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RI.8.3. Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between
individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).

L.8.4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or

phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of
strategies.

RI.8.6. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the
author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.

RI.8.7. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g.,
print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.

RI.8.8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing
whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize
when irrelevant evidence is introduced.

RI.8.9. Analyze how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape their
presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or advancing
different interpretations of facts.

W.8.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas,

concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant
content.

W.8.1. Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

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W.8.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and
style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W.8.5. With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen
writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach,
focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.

W.8.7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated

question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused
questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.

W.8.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection,
and research.

L.8.3. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading,
or listening.

SL.8.4. Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent
manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use
appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

SL.8.5. Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information,
strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.

Unit Objectives

 Students will analyze information from various sources in order to investigate the
Civil Rights Movement nationally and locally.
 Students will compare and make connections between civil rights historically and
currently.
 Students will utilize their understandings of civil rights in multiple content areas.
 Students will critically read texts on civil rights and reflect on these readings.
 Students create written compositions that demonstrate and apply their
knowledge about civil rights.
 Students will creatively communicate their overall understandings of civil rights
by designing a final project to share with their peers.

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 8th Grade Civil Rights Unit Guide
Unit Layout
Social Studies
Day 1 Civil Rights WebQuest
 Introduce final project
 Students participate in Civil
Rights WebQuest
Homework: None
Day 2 Civil Rights Introduction
 Introduce the civil rights
movement based on
students discoveries during
the WebQuest
 Encourage students to be
on the lookout for current
events related to civil rights
Homework: Be on the lookout for
current events
Day 3 Civil Rights in Milwaukee
 Students act out selected
scenes from March On
Milwaukee by Margaret
Rozga
Homework: Bring questions for
the guest speaker; continue
looking for current events
Day 4 Guest Speaker (or Field Trip)
 Guest speaker presents (or
field trip alternative)
Homework: Complete Speaker
Reflection (or Field Trip
Reflection); continue looking for
current events
Day 5 Guest Speaker (or Field Trip)
English/Language Arts
Civil Rights Book Talk
 Students place themselves on civil
rights knowledge continuum
 Introduce four civil rights books
through book talk
 Discuss reading schedules
 Have students rank texts
Homework: None
Independent Reading and Reflection
 Provide each student with a copy
of the civil rights text that they will
be reading
 Students begin reading
independently and reflecting in
class
Homework: Continue reading and
complete Reading Reflection 1
Independent Reading & Reflection
 Students continue reading
independently and reflecting in
class
Homework: Continue reading and
complete Reading Reflection 2
Civil Rights Vocabulary
 Students define and share
unfamiliar civil rights terms that
have arisen through reading
 Students complete a civil rights
crossword puzzle
Homework: Complete crossword puzzle
if necessary; continue reading and
complete Reading Reflection 3
Composing Letters of Appreciation
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Reflection
 Classroom discussion and
reflection on guest speaker
(or field trip) and play
Homework: Continue looking for
current events
Day 6 Civil Rights Marches
 Student groups examine
and compare American
civil rights marches
Homework: Bring in current
events tomorrow
Day 7 Civil Rights in Current Events
 Students share news
stories related to civil rights
 Discuss current events and
relate them to students’
learnings about the civil
rights movement locally
and globally
Homework: Bring materials for
civil rights project if necessary
Day 8 Civil Rights Final Project
Review & Workday
 Review project instructions
and criteria
 Students work on civil
rights projects
Homework: Continue to work on
civil rights project
Day 9 Civil Rights Final Project
Workday
 Mini-lesson on how to compose a
formal letter
 Students compose thank you
letters for the guest speaker (or
individuals involved with field trip)
Homework: Finish letter if necessary;
continue reading and complete Reading
Reflection 4
Text Discussions
 Students discuss the text they are
reading with a student who is
reading the same book and with
students who are reading other
books
 Whole group discussion of texts
Homework: Finish reading if necessary
Composing Editorials on Civil Rights
 Mini-lesson how to write an
editorial
 Students compose newspaper
editorials on civil rights (making
connections to the book they are
reading and current events)
Homework: Work on editorial
Composing Editorials on Civil Rights
 Students complete their editorials
if necessary
 Students type the rough draft of
their their editorials in the
computer lab
Homework: Revise editorial
Composing Editorials on Civil Rights
 Students exchange editorials with
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 Students work on civil a partner and conduct a peer

rights projects review
Homework: Civil rights project due  Students make revisions and
tomorrow submit the final copy of their
editorial
 Students may work on civil rights
project if editorial is finished
Homework: Civil rights project due
tomorrow
Days Civil Rights Presentations Civil Rights Unit Self-Assessment
10-?  Students present civil  Students place themselves on civil
rights projects rights knowledge continuum again
Homework: Civil rights  Classroom discussion/self-
presentation self-assessment assessment of what students
checklist learned throughout the unit
Homework: Relax!

Optional Math and Science Supplemental Ideas

Math
In math, students can investigate functions and patterns of association in bivariate data.
According to the Common Core Standards, by grade eight, students should be able to
define, compare, and evaluate functions and use functions to model relationships
between two quantities. This means that they should be able to compare the properties
of two functions each represented in a different way – such as algebraically, graphically,
numerically in tables, or by verbal descriptions. They should also be able to construct a
function to model a linear relationship between two quantities and determine rates of
change. Furthermore, students should be working towards using the equation of a linear
model to solve problems in the context of bivariate measurement data, interpreting the
slope and intercept.

For this unit, provide students with statistical data concerning the civil rights movement
(either locally or nationally) or have students complete their own research. Use this data
in order to explore the various mathematical topics discussed above. Investigating
functions and patterns using data related to what students are learning in social studies
and English/language arts will help to make these mathematical concepts more
meaningful and practical for students, in addition to helping them make cross-curricular
connections throughout various subjects.
Science

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In order to make connections to this unit in science, students could explore plants and
how the deprivation of specific nutrients affects their growth. Essentially, this integration
is to demonstrate to students that plants still may grow if they don’t have enough light or
water, but they will flourish when their conditions are right. Through discussion, students
should connect this concept to their understandings about conditions for certain groups
during the civil rights movement. For example, although people were surviving during
slavery, they certainly were not flourishing. Encourage students to think of other ways to
connect these ideas to scientific concepts. Making these connections to other topics
may help students to better grasp the enduring understandings of this civil rights unit.

Quotes
The following quotes are provided for your use throughout the unit. We suggest posting
one quote in your classroom each day throughout the unit to help to stimulate students’
thinking and promote meaningful classroom discussion.

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically …
intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be
until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the
silence over that by the good people.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into field.”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“Life’s most urgent question is: What are you doing for others?”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“That old law about ‘an eye for an eye’ leaves everybody blind. The time is always right
to do the right thing.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“If a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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“It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from
lynching me, and I think that’s pretty important.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“Means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek.”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering with our capacity to ensure suffering.
Do to us what you will and we shall continue to love you.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“That’s what he was saying, the civil rights movement – judge me for my character, not
how black my skin is, not how yellow my skin is, how short I am, how tall or fat or thin;
it’s by my character.”
Pam Grier

“Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up.”

Rev. Jesse Jackson

“Leadership has a harder job to do than just choose sides. It must bring sides together.”
Rev. Jesse Jackson

“The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path
we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.”
John F. Kennedy

“Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human
mind is our fundamental resource.”
John F. Kennedy

“We should not let our fears hold us back from pursuing our hopes.”
John F. Kennedy

“It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped.
Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes
out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.”
Robert F. Kennedy

"Ultimately, America's answer to the intolerant man is diversity, the very diversity which
our heritage of religious freedom has inspired."

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Robert F. Kennedy

"The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line."
W.E.B. DuBois

"Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just
God, can not long retain it."
Abraham Lincoln

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