A Closer Look at Brown vs. Board of Education  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aviva Dalin

Discovery High School

9th Grade Language Arts

asd232@nyu.edu

 

 

Introduction:

       This past week, you have been introduced to the history and events surrounding the May 17th, 1954 Supreme Court ruling of Brown vs. Board of Education. You have also been introduced to the story of Melba Patillo Beals, one of the nine students to integrate Central High School, an all white school in Little Rock, Arkansas.  As we read Melba’s story, Warriors Don’t Cry, we are beginning to understand what the Arkansas governor, Faubus, did to prevent the “Little Rock nine,” or any black students, from entering his states’ schools.

       Imagine that you traveled back in time to 1957, the year that Melba is enrolled in Central High School.  You have been asked to contribute a poetic piece to a special interest article in People magazine that portrays Melba’s struggles as one of the “Little Rock nine”

 


                                                                                                       

 

 

 

Task: 

1.      You will begin by using a process called PPA (public policy analyst) to complete three worksheets that will help you better understand Melba’s struggle.  The worksheets will help you identify the problem, gather evidence, and identify the causes of the segregation and racism that Melba is facing. 

 

Complete the following worksheets:

-Worksheet 1   Define the Problem   

  -Worksheet 2  Gather Evidence    

               -Worksheet 3  Identify Causes     

 

2.      Next, we will write poems in class in the following format just to get some ideas for the final product. 

 

 Brown vs. Board of Ed

Two adjectives or adverbs (two words only)

Three adjectives (three words only)

A phrase or sentence with exactly four words

Any one word

                       

First, let me read you a sample of how this format works. 

 

 

3.      Create a poem, in a format of your choice that reflects the facts and emotions portrayed in Melba’s memoir. 

 

4.      You will be sharing your poem with the class when we celebrate the anniversary of Brown versus Board of Education—May  17th. 

 

5.      After hearing all of the poems, you will write a two paragraph reaction to one of your classmates’ poems to which you had a strong reaction, sharing what you appreciated and connected to. 

 

 

Resources—links you can use to learn more

summary of Brown v. Board of Ed

http://www.brownmatters.org/.

http://www/abanet.org/publiced
http://www/maxwell.syr.edu/plegal
50th Anniversary
http://www.npr.org/news/specials/brown

 

Or find other websites by using search engines like www.yahoo.com

 

 

Evaluation:

       You will be graded on your class work, worksheets, practice poem, creativity, presentation, and reaction write-up.  This project will be graded out of 60 points.  (Use printout to grade yourself before turning in your work)

 

______      Class work:  How much effort was put forth in class?  Was the student focused, on task, and not distracting to others? [out of 10 pts.]

 

______      Completion of Worksheets: Are all three sheets complete with well thought out answers.  [out of 10 pts.]

 

______      Practice Poem: Are directions followed and is poem complete?  [out of 10 pts.]

 

______      Creativity:  Has student taken risks and put effort into making choices, rather than simply throwing words down on paper.  Is final poem a finished               piece?  [out of 10 pts.]

 

______      Sharing & listening  Is the poem shared with classmates in a clear voice and read at a good speed?  Is student respectful of other readers when they                 are sharing their poems.  [out of 10 pts.]

 

______       Reaction Write Up:  Does student select a poem(s) that he/she connected to and have they written an approximately two paragraph reaction as to                     why he/she believes they reacted strongly to that poem?  [out of 10 pts.]

 

 

 

 

Conclusion:   Upon completion of this project, you will have had the opportunity to celebrate the anniversary of a major historical event by both examining the problems related to segregation, and by exploring your own artistic/poetic reaction to it.  You will also have the opportunity to explore in what way your reaction is similar and different from that of your peers.

 

 

Standards:

 

ELA Standards 1-4:

Standard 1: Language for Information and Understanding

Standard 2: Language for Literary Response and Expression

Standard 3: Language for Critical Analysis
Standard 4: Evaluation Language for Social Interaction

 

Social Studies
Standard 1: History of the United States and New York