Name: Megan Cavitt SPED 405 Carty Fall 2011

Content Area: History

Brown v. Board of Education Reading Activity

Class/Subject: Tenth-grade U.S. Government Student Objectives/Student Outcomes: - Students will develop inferences about the ways that Supreme Court cases can change everyday American practices and culture. - Students will utilize information from a provided text to examine Brown v. Board of Education. Content Standards: Social Studies: 14.F.4b Describe how United States political ideas, practices and technologies have extended rights for Americans in the 20th century (e.g., suffrage, civil rights, motor-voter registration). English: 1.C.4a Use questions and predictions to guide reading. Materials/Resources/Technology: - projector and screen - worksheets (see attached document) - group activity instructions and rubric Teachers Goals: - To develop students reading comprehension skills by modeling strategies. - To challenge students to think about the broader applications of Supreme Court cases. Time block schedule 80-minute class period Start of Class: The instructor will project the following question on the screen: Yesterday we talked about discrimination based on gender. What are teenagers most often discriminated based on? How should the government protect them? Students will copy the question into their notebooks and write a paragraph-long response, as they do every day. Introduction of Lesson: The instructor will pass out the End of Legal Segregation worksheet and project the text onto the screen at the front of the room. As this is going on, the teacher will ask for volunteers to answer the bellringer question, and the class will discuss their thoughts. The teacher will then explain that todays lesson is an example of the way the government has tried to protect against discrimination. Lesson Instruction: Differentiation/Universal Design/Accommodation Brainstorm_2011 Page 1 of 14

5 min

Name: Megan Cavitt SPED 405 Carty Fall 2011 15 min

Content Area: History

The instructor will lead the students through a DR-TA activity using the text. The teacher will read aloud, pausing at predetermined points to ask students to make inferences, predict what will happen next, or use context cues to determine the meaning of vocabulary words, which are bolded. (The questions I prepared before class have been added to the reading as footnotes.) Students will work silently and independently, using their understanding of the reading and their own critical thinking skills, to answer the questions on the back of the worksheet. The instructor will call attention to the front and ask students to volunteer answers to the first four worksheet questions. The teacher will announce that the next activity focuses on the way different groups of people reacted to Brown v. Board and whether or not their concerns were valid. The class will be divided into four groups; each group will be assigned a position to take and given a slip of paper (see attached) describing their position. Groups will work together to produce a brief written statement from the point of view of their assigned position that they can present to the class. At the end of the statement, each group will include a paragraph about how the eventual outcome of Brown v. Board changed (or didnt change) their assigned position. Each group will deliver their statement to the class. Students will be able to respectfully ask questions throughout. After the presentations, students will engage in a brief discussion about the different reactions to Brown v. Board at the time versus the consensus about Brown v. Board now. Assessments/Checks for Understanding: One check for understanding will come when students are providing answers to the worksheet. The first two questions are designed to measure reading comprehension, while the last three involve higher-order thinking. If students do not correctly answer the first two questions, the instructor can point to the sentence(s) in the text that provide the answers. The second check for understanding will come as students deliver their statements. After each statement, the teacher will pose questions such as, These civil rights leaders were afraid that desegregating schools by court order was too abrupt. Do you think they should have been afraid, or was their fear unnecessary? Students should be able to point to specific outcomes of Brown v. Board in their responses (Well, some people did get upset and try to hurt the black families who integrated schools. But the government was able to protect them with the National Guard.).

15 min

5 min

20 min

15 min

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Name: Megan Cavitt SPED 405 Carty Fall 2011 5 min

Content Area: History

Closure/Wrap-Up/Review: The instructor will ask for responses to the final question on the worksheet. The class will discuss the ways that Brown v. Board of Education affects their lives at school and beyond.

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Name: Megan Cavitt SPED 405 Carty Fall 2011

Content Area: History

Brown v. Board of Education (1954) The End of Legal Segregation1

The Brown Decision
In the 1950s, the Supreme Court agreed to hear cases that presented the same issue: Was it legal to mandate separation of the races in public schools? Two of the cases came from South Carolina and Virginia. Parents had sued to get their children into white schools. In both cases, federal courts had upheld segregation. In a similar case, Delawares Supreme Court had ordered a district to admit black students to white schools until adequate classrooms could be provided for blacks. The final case was from Topeka, Kansas. The Topeka schools for blacks and whites were equally good, but Oliver Brown wanted his 8-yearold daughter, Linda, to attend a school close to home. State law prevented the white school from accepting Linda because she was black, and the appeals court upheld the law. All the cases had been appealed to the Supreme Court. The court agreed to consider the four cases together.2 In 1952, Thurgood Marshall presented the legal argument to the court. In chambers, the justices were divided. Several justices were concerned about the probable reaction of violence and civil disorder among white Southerners if the court ruled school segregation unconstitutional.3 Chief Justice Fred Vinson, who had written earlier opinions striking down segregation in universities, appeared reluctant to extend those opinions to the public schools.4 Vinson died in the summer of 1953 before a final decision in the case. President Dwight Eisenhower appointed Earl Warren as his replacement. The court heard a second round of oral arguments on the case. Chief Justice Warren was determined to overturn the separate but equal doctrine and equally determined to orchestrate a unanimous decision in a case of such political magnitude. With the assistance of Justice Felix Frankfurter, the new chief justice used his considerable political skills to accomplish this goal. On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court announced its dramatic unanimous decision in the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education. Segregation of children in Americas public schools, when authorized or required by state law, violated the U.S. Constitution, specifically the 14th Amendments guarantee of equal protection of the law. Chief Justice Warrens opinion relied on scientific evidence in concluding that segregated schools promoted feelings of

Based only on the title, what will we learn about from this reading? Why would the court hear all four cases together? 3 Do you think this was likely? 4 Why would desegregation of universities be less controversial?
1 2

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Name: Megan Cavitt SPED 405 Carty Fall 2011

Content Area: History

inferiority in black children.5 Because this reduced their motivation to learn, Warren and his fellow justices determined that segregated educational facilities were inherently unequal.

Aftermath
The Brown decision was one of the most important in the 20th century. More than any other case, it expanded the legal rights of African Americans. For the first time, many blacks saw that the American justice system might actually help them achieve full justice and equality.6 Robert Williams, a Marine Corps veteran and a civil rights leader, spoke for many: On this momentous night of May 17, 1954, I felt that at last the government was willing to assert itself on behalf of first-class citizenship, even for Negroes. I experienced a sense of loyalty that I had never felt before.

Questions
Use the text of this excerpt to answer the questions below. 1. What was the Supreme Courts decision in Brown v. Board of Education? Underline the sentence(s) that you used to answer this question.

2. What is some of the evidence the justices heard to help them make their decision? Underline the sentence(s) that you used to answer this question.

3. How can separate educational facilities that are supposed to be equal be inherently unequal as the Court stated?

4. Why do you think it was important to Chief Justice Warren to get a unanimous decision in this case?

5 6

Why do you think they felt inferior? Why is this significant? Why didnt African-Americans feel that way before?

Differentiation/Universal Design/Accommodation Brainstorm_2011 Page 5 of 14

Name: Megan Cavitt SPED 405 Carty Fall 2011

Content Area: History

5. How does this decision still have an effect on your life today?

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Name: Megan Cavitt SPED 405 Carty Fall 2011

Content Area: History

Points of View: Different Reactions to Brown v. Board

When he heard about the Brown decision, Robert Williams believed that at last the government was willing to asset itself on behalf of first-class citizenship. However, not all groups of people saw the verdict in the same positive light. Pretend that you are a member of the group listed on your slip. Read the brief background information and work with your group to prepare a persuasive statement (1-2 paragraphs) explaining your groups thoughts about the Brown decision. Next, read the Outcome section and use your own critical thinking skills to write a paragraph about whether or not your groups fears, hopes, and/or concerns actually came to pass. For example, if your group is afraid that people would get hurt, ask yourself if people did get hurt and if they did, was desegregating schools still worth it? Your group is moderate African-American civil rights leaders. Background: You are in favor of desegregating schools, but you think it should be done state by state. You are afraid that a federal court order is too much, too soon. You are concerned that African-Americans will be hurt or threatened by angry whites. Outcome: Very little violence actually occurred. Some segregationists did harass African-Americans who attempted to desegregate schools. The federal government sent the National Guard to several public schools and universities to protect the first groups of African-American students who attended the schools. Your group is white segregationists. Background: You are absolutely furious about the Brown decision. You are convinced that African-Americans are not smart enough to attend school with your children. You are sure that society will go downhill, and you are willing to resort to harassment to protect your current lifestyle. Outcome: Segregation had a lot of support in the South and in smaller school districts. Some local governments shut down schools rather than let them be desegregated. The federal government sent the National Guard to several public schools and universities to protect the first groups of African-American students
Differentiation/Universal Design/Accommodation Brainstorm_2011 Page 7 of 14

Name: Megan Cavitt SPED 405 Carty Fall 2011

Content Area: History

who attended the schools. Full desegregation took more than a decade to implement.

Your group is radical civil rights leaders (of any race). Background: You are excited about the Brown decision. Desegregation of schools is something you have been working towards for a long time. However, you are upset that the decision doesnt say anything about when or how schools should be desegregated. You want to see action right away! Outcome: In 1955, the Supreme Court issues another decision called Brown II, which calls for schools to desegregate with all deliberate speed. The federal government sends the National Guard to several public schools and universities to protect the first groups of African-American students who enter the schools. Still, some schools resist desegregation for more than a decade. Your group is apolitical white citizens. Background: You dont necessarily object to the desegregation of schools, but changes to traditions make you a little uncomfortable. You dont know very many African-Americans. You are concerned that people in your community will get upset and make school a hostile environment for your children. Outcome: Very little violence actually occurred. The federal government sent the National Guard to several public schools and universities to protect the first groups of African-American students who attended the schools. But for the most part, people were accepting of the courts decision.

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Name: Megan Cavitt SPED 405 Carty Fall 2011

Content Area: History

Points of View Rubric

Content of Outcomes Paragraph Students expand the Students take a clear information provided position on whether or by the teacher into a not the concerns of their persuasive statement assigned group were and supplement it warranted and provide with their own details from life today to background support their position. knowledge. Students expand the Students take a position information provided but do not provide by the teacher into a details from life today to persuasive statement support their position. but do not supplement it with their own background knowledge. Statement only Students do not take a restates the position. OR Statement information provided only restates the by the teacher. information provided by the teacher. Content of Statement Teamwork All team members divide the work equally, stay on task, and cooperate harmoniously.

3 points

2 points

Most team members work together, but one or two do little work. OR the group goes off task twice.

1 point

0 points

Assignment is not complete. OR the group copies the information provided by the teacher exactly.

Assignment is not complete. OR the group copies the information provided by the teacher exactly.

One or two team members work on the assignment, but most of the group does little work. OR the group goes off task several times. Assignment is not complete.

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Name: Megan Cavitt SPED 405 Carty Fall 2011

Content Area: History

Instructional Strategy and Accommodations Selection: Brainstorming for Differentiation/Universal Design/Accommodations Student for whom plan is being made: _____Diego __X__Jenna or _______ Curtis Brief Description of the lesson: Students write a brief journal entry in response to a question connecting the previous days lesson to todays lesson. The teacher projects the reading Brown v. Board of Education (1954): The End of Legal Segregation onto the screen and reads it aloud as students follow along, pausing to ask questions that challenge students to define vocabulary, predict what will come next, and make inferences. Students will use the information gathered from the reading to answer questions on a provided worksheet and then discuss the answers in class. Then the class will be divided into four teams, and each team will be assigned a group that has a unique point of view on the Brown decision. Students will use background information provided by the teacher and their own prior knowledge to create a short persuasive statement explaining their groups position. Then each team will produce a paragraph taking a position on whether or not their groups reactions were warranted by drawing connections to life today. or _____Marcus or

Directions: Complete the following four charts in preparation of your final Accommodations assignment. There may be some overlap between categories / charts. You may copy/paste and or indicate this by referencing the previous table (e.g. See table 1, row 3) Type directly in the chart. You may add or delete rows in the charts as needed by clicking on any cell in the chart in the row where you wish to add or delete rows and then going to Table in the top menu and then Insert or Delete.

Table One: Input Consider the following for what is being taught (What YOU are doing / presenting / facilitating)

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Name: Megan Cavitt SPED 405 Carty Fall 2011 Aspect of the lesson that may need to be differentiated or accommodated
Reading of the text aloud

Content Area: History Suggested Differentiation / Universal Design / Assistive Technology / Accommodation
Provide Jenna with a graphic organizer showing the flow of the events in the text the day before the lesson.

Student characteristic(s) which may necessitate changes to the input of the lesson:
Jenna has difficulty comprehending information that is presented to her orally.

Explanation of how the previous suggestion will benefit the chosen student

Reading of the text aloud

Because Jenna has difficulty comprehending information that is presented to her orally, she has a difficult time paying attention.

Teacher explanation of the directions for the group activity

Jenna has difficulty comprehending information that is presented to her orally.

Graphic organizers have been shown to help Jenna understand texts. If she has extra time to prepare for the lesson, she will be less likely to fall behind during class. Feeling prepared may keep her from getting frustrated. Provide Jenna with a If Jenna must copy of the questions the periodically record teacher will ask the class things, she will have and ask her to record the additional incentive to answers. concentrate on the OR lecture. However, Leave gaps in the Jenna is not being provided graphic graded on this activity, organizer (see above) and so she will not feel ask Jenna to fill them in pressured if she misses during the reading. an answer. Re-write the directions to Jenna understands break them into small better if the directions steps. Show examples of are broken into small work and pictures to chunks. Illustrating illustrate each step. each chunk with a picture gives her something to refer back to if she is confused by the oral directions.

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Name: Megan Cavitt SPED 405 Carty Fall 2011

Content Area: History

Table Two: Output Consider the following for what the STUDENT is being asked to do during the lesson Aspect of the lesson that may need to be differentiated / accommodated or changed
Journal entry at the beginning of the class

Student characteristic(s) which may necessitate changes to the output of the lesson:
Jenna has difficulty expressing her ideas in writing because she has trouble focusing on and elaborating her topic.

Suggested Differentiation / Universal Design / Assistive Technology / Accommodation

Jenna may make a list OR draw a picture or a series of pictures to answer the question.

Explanation of how the previous suggestion will benefit the chosen student
The purpose of the journal entry is to draw out students critical thoughts on the topic, not to express their best writing. Jenna should express her ideas in a way that does not frustrate her. Jenna should be able to focus on the content of her response rather than the written expression. The questions only require brief answers, so Jenna may be able to answer them on her own. If Jenna chooses to answer a question, that indicates that she feels comfortable. If not, she should not be required to do something that makes her upset. Her answers on the worksheet will be sufficient. Graphic organizers have been shown in the past to help Jenna

Short responses to the questions on the worksheet

Jenna has difficulty expressing her ideas in writing because she has trouble focusing on and elaborating her topic.

Jenna may dictate her answers to the teacher or an aide.

Group discussion of the worksheet questions

Jenna does not like being called on in large classes where she does not have a good relationship with the teacher and the other students.

The teacher will not call on Jenna unless she volunteers to answer.

Groupwork to produce the persuasive statements

Jenna has difficulty expressing her ideas in writing because she has

The teacher can provide Jenna with the skeleton of a graphic organizer

Differentiation/Universal Design/Accommodation Brainstorm_2011 Page 12 of 14

Name: Megan Cavitt SPED 405 Carty Fall 2011

trouble focusing on and elaborating her topic.

Content Area: History

that she can fill out based on her own ideas and the ideas of her group. organize her thoughts.

Table Three: Behavioral Support Consider aspects of the lesson that may affect student behavior (grouping / scheduling / timing / expectations / materials, etc) Aspect of the lesson that may need to be differentiated / accommodated or changed
Individual work on the worksheet

Student characteristic(s) which may necessitate changes to the input of the lesson:
Jenna is sometimes intimidated by teachers, so she is afraid to ask questions when she does not understand something. Jenna has difficulty understanding social cues, which means at times the other students may think her behavior is strange or awkward.

Suggested Differentiation / Universal Design / Assistive Technology / Accommodation

When the teacher is circling the room during individual work time, the teacher will make a point to check up on Jenna and give her an opportunity to ask questions. If Jennas friend is also in the class, place her in the same group as Jenna.

Explanation of how the previous suggestion will benefit the chosen student
Jenna may respond better to direct, private attention because she does not have to take the initiative to ask for help. Jenna will have an ally in her group that she feels comfortable communicating with. If other students laugh at Jenna, the friends presence will be reassuring. Jenna may respond better to direct, private attention because she does not have to take the initiative to ask for help.

Groupwork to produce the persuasive statements

Groupwork to produce the persuasive statements

Jenna is sometimes intimidated by teachers, so she is afraid to ask questions when she does not understand something.

When the teacher is circling the room during groupwork time, the teacher will make a point to check up on Jenna and give her an opportunity to ask questions.

Table Four: Tests / Assessment / Evaluation Differentiation/Universal Design/Accommodation Brainstorm_2011 Page 13 of 14

Name: Megan Cavitt SPED 405 Carty Fall 2011

Content Area: History

Consider the following for the evaluation aspect(s) of the lesson Aspect of the lesson that may need to be differentiated / accommodated or changed
Short responses to the questions on the worksheet

Student characteristic(s) which may necessitate changes to the input of the lesson:
Jenna has difficulty expressing her ideas in writing because she has trouble focusing on and elaborating her topic.

Suggested Differentiation / Universal Design / Assistive Technology / Accommodation

Jenna may dictate her answers to the teacher or an aide.

Explanation of how the previous suggestion will benefit the chosen student
Jenna should be able to focus on the content of her response rather than the written expression. The questions only require brief answers, so Jenna may be able to answer them on her own. If Jenna knows that she can contribute in ways other than writing, she may be more involved in the assignment. Graphic organizers have been shown in the past to help Jenna organize her thoughts.

Groupwork to produce the persuasive statements

Jenna has difficulty expressing her ideas in writing because she has trouble focusing on and elaborating her topic. Jenna has difficulty expressing her ideas in writing because she has trouble focusing on and elaborating her topic.

Jenna will not be the member of the group who records the persuasive statements.

Groupwork to produce the persuasive statements

The teacher can provide Jenna with the skeleton of a graphic organizer that she can fill out based on her own ideas and the ideas of her group.

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