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TEACHER'S GUIDE: Thurgood Marshall: Individuals as Tools of Change

TEACHER'S GUIDE: Thurgood Marshall: Individuals as Tools of Change

This lesson focuses on two main ideas:

 

  • Thurgood Marshall’s life and impact as a civil rights lawyer
  • Fairness and change, and how Marshall’s life helped change laws to make the United States a fairer place for all people.

 

PROCEDURE

Introduction (15 Minutes)

  1. Begin with a discussion using the following questions. Use a think-pair-share format for each question. Consider visually displaying student responses that are accurate in addressing each question.
    • What does it mean to be fair?
    • What does it mean to change?
  2. Introduce Thurgood Marshall and explain that he worked to make sure laws were fair for everyone. Play the video clip.
  3. As a class, discuss the lesson’s essential questions and thinking questions. This could be done via a think-pair-share or as a whole-group discussion.

 

Extension (30 - 120 minutes)

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

Summative Assessment (30 minutes)

Have students apply their newfound knowledge by creating a “Justice Hero” badge or poster celebrating Thurgood Marshall’s achievements in creating change and fairness in response to this prompt:

  • As you learn about Thurgood Marshall’s life, what actions did he take that might inspire or help you as a student and as a person?

 

 

Summative CER Rubric

Use the provided rubric to evaluate students’ work.

Needs Improvement

Score Points 0-2

Satisfactory

Score Points 3

Good

Score Points 4

Excellent

Score Points 5

Has major inaccuracies and is missing key facts about Thurgood Marshall.Covers basic facts but has some inaccuracies or missing details.Includes most important achievements with mostly accurate information.Clearly shows Thurgood Marshall's key achievements with accurate details and facts.
Design is messy or incomplete. Shows little effort or creativity.Design is basic and may be unclear. Shows limited creativity.Design is neat and clear. Shows effort but lacks some creativity or impact.Design is creative, neat, and eye-catching. Shows strong effort and originality.
The message is very clear, well-organized, and easy to understand.The message is mostly clear and organized, with some small areas for improvement.The message is somewhat clear but hard to follow in places.The message is unclear, disorganized, or confusing to the reader.
Shows excellent effort and strong engagement throughout the project.Shows good effort with thoughtful work.Shows some effort, but could be improved.Shows little effort or interest in completing the work.

 

Reflection (10 minutes)

Have students complete a reflection in response to the following questions: 

  • How do you think Thurgood Marshall helped change the world?
  • What changes can be made today to make sure everyone is treated fairly?

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.