1. Power of the People An Empowering Course in American Social Movements By Sarah Cantor

2. Background....1 From the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s to the Anti-War Movements in the 1970s and today, social activism has played a major role in American History.

3. Background.... 2 8 th Grade Social Studies Classroom Approx. 20-30 students Students will have basic background knowledge of:  Civil Rights Movement  Anti-Vietnam War Movement  Suffragist Movement  Anti-Iraqi War Movement This unit will follow the Vietnam War Unit

4. STUDENTS WILL… Learn key facts about social movements (exe: Civil Rights movement, Suffragist movement) and anti-war movements (exe: Vietnam, Iraq) throughout our history Identify effectiveness of different kinds of activism:  Petition  Communication with Senate/Congress  Rally/March  Bills/Initiatives/Referendums Analyze different protests, form opinions about the value (or lack thereof) of protesting Recognize that their voices matter and that every individual can make a difference Objectives.... 1

5. Objectives.... 2 Synthesize the information they have gained by designing a protest that would hypothetically enact change in either their home or their school Form personal opinions and beliefs about social activism Recognize that their voices matter and that every individual can make a difference

6. Activities.... DAY 1 What do you remember about the Vietnam Protests? Establish the Who, Where, When, Why, How, Reactions Discussion

7. Quick Review What other social movements are there? Discussion How do people protest?  Petition  Communication with Senate/Congress  Rally/March  Bills/Initiatives/Referendums Assignment  Make a list of 5 things you see as unfair, including one at home and one at school Activities.... DAY 2

8. Activities.... DAY 3 Any new thoughts? Anything we haven’t talked about? Share injustices with class  Teacher will write what students came up with on the board, putting a tally next to repeated injustices, maybe a trend will appear Teacher lays out game plan

9. The Game Plan....1 Students will divide into 3 groups:  CONGRESS, and PRO and ANTI protestors Protest groups will utilize protest methods they have learned about to pass or block a hypothetical bill The groups will present petitions, letters, “phone calls,” a “march,” etc to the “Congress”

10. The Game Plan....2 Congress will pass or block the bill Congress will also talk in front of the class about what they saw as effective, what was less effective Activity will culminate in a final journal entry/in class essay

11. Activities.... DAY 3 After all is understood, teacher presents bill and divides students into their groups Last few minutes students can work within their groups and begin planning  Pro and Anti protestors begin thinking about who is going to do what, what their arguments will be  Congress begins to research topic in computer lab with TA, their job is to be informed

12. Activities.... DAY 4 Work Day Within groups students plan and prepare  Student protestors divide tasks and execute them so they will be ready to present all their arguments the next day  Student congress discusses pros and cons, gets educated, any special interests, any personal interests, etc

13. Activities.... DAY 5 PROTEST DAY Congress will be centrally located, protestors on each side will take turns going forward and presenting Congress should not be idle, they should be actively hearing or watching or reading presentations of protestors all day Protestors should not be idle, they should be presenting or preparing all day

14. Activities.... DAY 6 Final Day Congress Votes Then it’s finally Congress’s turn to present, sharing in an informal dialogue format what they saw as effective and ineffective Second half of class is writing time, where students write about what they have learned from the week

15. Evaluation Participation in class discussions Completion of list of injustices Participation in the final group project Written reflection on what they have learned from the activity