Brown
v. Board of Education (1954)
Separate but Equal?
Tanya Ghans
P.S. 125
INTRODUCTION
You are a black student that living in
If they do fight, do you think they will win?
To see a cartoon of the case, click on the address below.
https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/scales/brownvis.html
TASK
(2-3 days)
You and a group of students will role-play the introduction of the case. Then your class will break up into groups to debate either side of the case. One side will be for allowing you into the white school, and the other side will be against it (each side will use the handouts to get them prepared for the debate). In the end, you and your classmates will decide which side wins and why. Then you will find out how the case really ended to see if you are right.
PROCESS
Role Play
Ø Find a place in the classroom and imagine that it is your home.
Ø Then pretend to walk far away to the black school. When you get there, talk about the fact that your class has no teacher and that the books and the building are old.
Ø Then walk back towards your home. Stop at the pretend white school that is closer. Talk about how nice the school is and how many teachers they have.
Ø Then two more students will act as your parents and state that they feel you should have the right to go to a school that is closer and better.
Debate
You will stay as the black student in
HANDOUT #1
TEAM A (for you going to the white school)
Reasons
§ The black school is far away.
§ The black school is old.
§ The black school is missing teachers.
§ Different students should be able to work together.
§ A black student deserves a good education.
§ It is unfair that whites are treated better, blacks are people too.
§ If the black school was as good as the white school, there might be no reason for this fight.
§ How would they like it if their children had to go to a bad school that was far away?
§ If you don’t get a good education, how can you grow up to help the society?
FEEL FREE TO ADD MORE REASONS !!
HANDOUT # 2
TEAM B (against you going to the white school)
§ Blacks and whites have never gone to school together in the past, and they should not start now.
§ Black students are not equal to white students.
§ They should just try to fix up the black school.
§ The black family should move closer to the school.
§ If white students and black students come together they will fight.
FEEL FREE TO ADD MORE REASONS!!
DEBATING RULES
Ø Respect your classmates’ opinions
Ø Raise your hand when you want to be heard
Ø Only speak when called on
Ø Keep your comments short (1-2minutes)
Ø Stay on topic
Ø Do not interrupt your classmates
Ø No personal attacks
Ø Remember debating can be exciting, so have fun!
RESOURCES
https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/scales/brown.html
http://www.ed.gov/inits/commissionsboards/brownvboard50th/index.html
EVALUATION
4 Many relevant facts from the case are used
Proper debating rules are followed
Extension on ideas presented in the case
Well-prepared for debate (notes, charts, etc.)
3 Some relevant facts from the case were used
Proper debating rules usually followed
Some extension on ideas presented in the case
2 Few relevant facts from the case were used
Debating rules rarely followed
Little extension on ideas presented in the case
1 No facts from the case were used
Debating rules not followed
No extension on ideas presented in the case
STANDARDS
Social Studies
Standard 1 and 5
Ø Consider different interpretations of key events and issues in history
Ø Explore different experiences
Ø View historic events through the eyes of those who were there
Ø Basic civil values of the American Constitution
CONCLUSION
At the end of this activity, you should have a better understanding of what life was like in the 1950’s. You should also realize that people can look at the same situation, but see it very differently. Finally, you should hopefully understand how important history is in shaping the things that affect us today.
