State-Sanctioned Racism in the U.S.: From Birmingham to the Capitol Insurrection

Essential Question

How does the inaction of the government in the U.S on the issue of racism and discrimination (local, state, and national) reinforce the racism inherent in the country?

Texts

Literature

Foul Line—1987

In this poem, a black woman carefully analyzes her interaction with a white waitress, whose actions, although civil, are smoldering with superiority.

Colleen McElroy

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

Topic

Gender & Sexual Identity

July 5, 2014

Informational

Rebel Yells

Like many schools being called on to reconsider their mascot, the University of Mississippi convenes a student-run committee to find a replacement for theirs—a Confederate soldier.

Robbie Brown

Grade Level

9-12

Subject

Civics

History

Geography

July 5, 2014

Multimedia

Knock Knock

Until Daniel Beaty was 3 years old, his father would "knock knock" on his door every morning. This performance explores the shaping of personal identity in an incarcerated parent's absence.

Daniel Beaty

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

Topic

Class Gender & Sexual Identity

October 30, 2014

Informational

Race Riots

In this essay, the author gives a short history of race riots, showing how they were originally organized by whites in an effort to show dominance over African Americans, particularly in the South.

Learning for Justice Staff

Grade Level

9-12

Subject

Civics

History

Geography

June 20, 2016

Teaching Strategies

Close and Critical Reading

Challenge the Text

Challenge the Text helps students ask and answer their own text-dependent questions by taking multiple perspectives and uncovering assumptions and biases within the text.

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

CCSS

RL.6-12.1, RL.6-12.2, RL.6-12.3, RL.6-12.6, RI.6-12.1, RI.6-12.2, RI.6-12.3, RI.6-12.6

July 19, 2014

Close and Critical Reading

In reading against the grain students analyze the dominant reading of a text and engage in alternative or "resistant" readings. Resistant readings scrutinize the beliefs and attitudes that typically go unexamined in a text, drawing attention to the gaps, silences and contradictions.

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

CCSS

RL.6-12.1, RL.6-12.2, RL.6-12.6, RI.6-12.1, RI.6-12.2, RI.6-12.6

July 19, 2014

Close and Critical Reading

Text-Dependent Questions

Readers must refer back to the central text to answer text-dependent questions and provide evidence from the reading to support their answers. Students provide accurate, relevant and complete evidence. To do this well, students will often need to re-read the text several times. This approach privileges the text over prior knowledge, personal experience and pre-reading activities.

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

CCSS

RL.6-12.1, RL.6-12.2, RL.6-12.4, RL.6-12.5, RL.6-12.6, RI.6-12.1, RI.6-12.2, RI.6-12.3, RI.6-12.4, RI.6-12.6

July 19, 2014

Student Tasks

Do Something

Act Up! Drama for Justice

Students write and perform a skit or monologue that brings awareness to a specific issue addressed in the text.

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

July 13, 2014

Do Something

Community Arts Showcase

Students produce original art that conveys an anti-bias or social justice message then work with school staff to plan a public showcase of their work.

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

July 13, 2014

Do Something

Consuming and Creating Political Art

Students examine the history of political art. They then create their own murals, political cartoons or posters, demonstrating an understanding of social justice issues.

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

July 13, 2014

Do Something

Film Festival

Students review films related to a theme in the central text, then plan, prepare for and host a community film festival.

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

July 13, 2014

Plan Built By

davidkrzisnik

State-Sanctioned Racism in the U.S.: From Birmingham to the Capitol Insurrection

Foul Line—1987

Rebel Yells

Knock Knock

Race Riots

Challenge the Text

Reading Against the Grain

Text-Dependent Questions

Act Up! Drama for Justice

Community Arts Showcase

Consuming and Creating Political Art

Film Festival

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State-Sanctioned Racism in the U.S.: From Birmingham to the Capitol Insurrection

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