Modern Justice Movements

Unit: Voices of Justice: African American History

Lesson 9 of 10

Duration: 90 minutes

Grade: 6-8

Class size: 14 students

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Learning Objectives (Aligned with Common Core State Standards)

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• I can analyze modern social justice movements and explain how they connect to historical African American struggles for equality.
• I can cite textual and multimedia evidence to support my analysis of social justice issues. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.1)
• I can engage in collaborative discussions by sharing ideas and responding to others with respect. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1)
• I can write a clear paragraph expressing my viewpoint on a modern social justice movement, using evidence from class materials. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1)

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Success Criteria

• I accurately describe the goals and challenges of a current social justice movement.
• I make connections between historical African American struggles and today’s movements.
• I participate actively and respectfully in group conversations.
• I write a complete paragraph with an introduction, evidence, and conclusion about a social justice topic discussed in class.

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Materials Needed

• Short video clips on modern movements (e.g., Black Lives Matter, Voting Rights Campaigns, Environmental Justice)
• Printed brief articles (one per student) about different movements
• Graphic organizer worksheets
• Chart paper/whiteboard and markers
• Laptops or tablets (optional, if available for research)
• Writing notebooks

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Lesson Outline

1. Introduction & Objective Setting (10 minutes)

• Review the lesson’s I can statements and success criteria aloud with students.
• Briefly connect lesson 9 to the overall unit: “Today, we’ll discover how African American history influences today’s fights for justice.”
• Activate prior knowledge: Ask, “What are some social justice issues you know about today?” (Accept all answers, write some on the board.)

2. Interactive Mini-Lecture: Historical Roots & Modern Connections (15 minutes)

• Teacher presents a concise overview (5-7 minutes) highlighting:
  • African American struggles during the Civil Rights Movement (1950s-60s)
  • How these struggles laid the groundwork for today’s movements like Black Lives Matter and voting rights efforts.
• Use images and succinct bullet points on slides or chart paper.
• Pause to ask guided questions: “How do you think activists back then and now are similar or different?”

3. Jigsaw Activity: Movement Exploration (30 minutes)

• Divide students into small groups of 3-4. Assign each group a different modern social justice movement (examples: Black Lives Matter, Environmental Justice, Voting Rights Advocacy, LGBTQ+ Rights).
• Distribute a short article and video clip link or summary about their movement.
• Provide a graphic organizer with these prompts:
  • What is the movement about?
  • What are the main goals?
  • How does this movement relate to past African American struggles?
• Each group reads, watches, and discusses their assigned movement together and completes the organizer.
• Rotate groups to share key points with the whole class for 2 minutes each, encouraging note-taking.

4. Collaborative Discussion & Critical Thinking (15 minutes)

• Whole-class discussion guided by these questions:
  • How do these movements continue the work of historical African American activists?
  • What challenges do modern movements face that might be different or similar?
  • How can young people contribute to social justice today?
• Emphasize respectful listening and diverse perspectives (link to SL.6.1).

5. Writing Activity: Personal Reflection Paragraph (15 minutes)

• Students write a paragraph responding to the prompt:
  • “Choose one modern social justice movement we studied. Explain how it connects to history and why it is important today.”
• Remind students to use evidence from articles, videos, and discussions.
• Provide a paragraph template if needed (topic sentence, evidence, explanation, closing).

6. Sharing & Closure (5 minutes)

• Invite several volunteers to read their paragraphs aloud.
• Summarize the lesson’s importance and preview the final lesson: Reflecting on voices of justice in our community today.
• Reinforce I can statements and success criteria.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For diverse learners:
  • Provide printed materials at varying reading levels.
  • Use visuals and video aids to support comprehension.
  • Allow verbal responses or use graphic organizers for writing support.
  • Pair struggling readers with strong peers during jigsaw.
• For English Language Learners (ELLs):
  • Pre-teach key vocabulary (e.g., justice, equality, movement).
  • Provide sentence starters for the writing task.
• For students with IEP/504 plans:
  • Allow extra time for reading and writing.
  • Provide copies of presentation notes.

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Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

• Research a local social justice organization or event and prepare a short report or presentation connecting it to African American history.
• Write a persuasive essay advocating for a social justice issue of their choice, incorporating historical and modern perspectives.
• Lead a student-led classroom debate on strategies for social change (nonviolent protest vs. other methods).
• Create a multimedia project (video, podcast) interviewing family/community members about their views on social justice today.

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Assessment

• Evaluate graphic organizers for understanding of movement connections.
• Assess participation during discussions using a rubric focused on evidence use and respectful communication.
• Review written paragraphs for clarity, organization, and use of evidence.

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This lesson encourages critical engagement with history’s continuum into today’s social justice efforts, sharpens analytical and communication skills, and respects varied student learning needs while promoting civic awareness.