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TEACHER'S GUIDE: The Impact of Brown v. Board and the Resistance to Change

TEACHER'S GUIDE: The Impact of Brown v. Board and the Resistance to Change

This lesson focuses on two main ideas:

  • The significance of the Brown v. Board of Education (1954) decision
  • How individuals and groups responded to the decision in Brown

PROCEDURE

Introduction (20 minutes)

  1. To connect to prior learning, teachers may ask students to recall the meaning of Jim Crow and provide examples of how Jim Crow legislation impacted the lives of African Americans.
  2. Explain that students will be learning about the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which declared racial segregation in public schools to be unconstitutional, and how communities resisted that decision. Play the video clip.
  3. As a class, discuss the lesson’s essential questions and thinking questions. This could be done via a whole-group discussion or using a think-pair-share format.

Extension (30 - 120 minutes)

Complete the supplemental extension activities with students, as you see fit.

Summative Assessment (15 minutes)

Have students apply their newfound knowledge by using the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) framework to analyze the lesson and support their responses using evidence from the video and activity resources. 

 

  • Option 1: Make a claim about the ways individuals and groups resisted the Brown v. Board of Education decision. Support your claim with specific examples and explain how this evidence demonstrates the nature and impact of that resistance.

 

  • Option 2: Develop a claim explaining the significance of the Brown decision and how it served as a turning point in American society.

 

 

Summative CER Rubric

Use the provided rubric to evaluate students’ work.

 

No Response

Score Point 0

Not There Yet

Score Point 0.5

Beginning To

Score Point 0.75

Yes

Score Point 1.0

The claim is missing.The claim is incorrect or irrelevant.The claim partially takes a position on the topic or issue addressed within the prompt.The claim takes an appropriate position on the topic or issue addressed within the prompt.
There is no type of evidence in the response.The evidence is irrelevant or does not support the claim.The evidence partially supports the claim and demonstrates some understanding of the topic or text, using appropriate sources.The evidence supports the claim and demonstrates a strong understanding of the topic or text, using appropriate sources.
There is no use of words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and to clarify the relationship between the claim and evidence.Use of words, phrases, and clauses fails to show or explain any relationship between the claim and evidence.Scientific words, phrases, and clauses used lack cohesion but partially clarify the relationship between the claim and evidence.Appropriate scientific words, phrases, and clauses are used to create cohesion and to clarify the relationship between the claim and evidence.

Reflection (10 minutes)

Have students complete a reflection based on the following prompts:

  • How has the Brown decision shaped your educational experience?
  • Why is it important to learn about the Brown decision and the resistance it faced?

STANDARDS

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Reference

Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect

A film clip from Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect was used in this lesson. Continue to watch the full documentary to hear Thurgood Marshall tell his own story through a rare eight-hour oral history that serves as the documentary’s foundation.

 

Resources