Lesson Overview

Grade: 6-8
Duration: 90 minutes
Class Size: 14 students
Unit: Voices of Justice: African American History (Lesson 7 of 10)
Lesson Title: Community Engagement Project Planning
Subject: Social Studies

---

Common Core State Standards Alignment

Reading Informational Text

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6-8.2: Determine the central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through details.

Writing

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6-8.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas clearly.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6-8.7: Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources.

Speaking & Listening

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6-8.1: Engage effectively in collaborative discussions.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6-8.4: Present claims and findings clearly.

Social Studies - Inquiry & Analysis (Aligned with CCSS-based literacy skills)

• Use multiple sources and perspectives to explore current social justice issues.
• Develop action plans that involve community engagement and activism.

---

Lesson Objectives ("I Can" Statements)

• I can use what I have learned about African American history and social justice to identify current social justice issues in my community.
• I can collaborate with classmates to plan a community engagement project that addresses a social justice issue.
• I can organize a clear plan detailing goals, steps, roles, and resources for a project.
• I can communicate my ideas clearly through discussion and writing.

---

Success Criteria

• Identify and explain a current social justice issue linked to African American history or experiences.
• Create a collaborative project plan with defined goals, roles, and timelines.
• Use evidence and ideas from previous lessons to support the project plan.
• Actively participate in group discussions and contribute ideas respectfully.
• Write a clear and organized project proposal summary.

---

Materials Needed

• Whiteboard and markers
• Project Planning Templates (printed)
• Chart paper and markers
• Sticky notes
• Laptops/tablets (optional, for digital research or collaborative documents)
• Copies of notes/summaries from previous lessons
• Timer or clock

---

Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-Up & Review (10 minutes)

• Activity: Quick discussion — “What are some social justice issues we have learned about in this unit?”
• Purpose: Activate prior knowledge from earlier lessons and focus students on linking history to current issues.
• Teacher Tip: Use a think-pair-share format to ensure every student contributes.

---

2. Introduction – Community Engagement Projects (10 minutes)

• Explain what a community engagement project is, with brief examples relevant to students’ age and communities.
• Highlight ways African American leaders and organizations have engaged communities historically and currently.

---

3. Brainstorming Social Justice Issues (15 minutes)

• Divide students into 3 small groups (4-5 students each).
• Each group brainstorms social justice issues that concern them today (e.g., racial equality, voting rights, education equity, police reform, housing).
• Groups record ideas on chart paper or digitally.
• Teacher circulates, scaffolding ideas and encouraging connections to African American history.

---

4. Project Planning Introduction & Group Work (30 minutes)

• Distribute Project Planning Templates including sections for:
  • Issue Identification
  • Project Goal(s)
  • Community Impact
  • Required Resources
  • Team Roles
  • Steps & Timeline
• Groups select one issue to address and begin filling out the planning template collaboratively.
• Teacher checks in with groups mid-way; encourages citing evidence from previous lessons where possible.
• Optional: Laptops/tablets can be used for quick research or drafting.

---

5. Group Presentations (15 minutes)

• Each group shares their project plan briefly (3-5 minutes).
• Peers ask clarifying questions or give constructive feedback.
• Emphasize respectful listening and collaboration.

---

6. Reflection and Wrap-Up (10 minutes)

• Individually, students write a short paragraph answering:
  “What social justice issue am I passionate about and why? How can I contribute to change?”
• Teacher collects these to gauge individual understanding and interests.
• Remind students that this is a planning stage; actual projects will be developed in next lessons.

---

Differentiation Strategies

• For Diverse Learners:

  • Provide sentence starters and graphic organizers for writing tasks.
  • Use visuals and real-world examples to explain concepts.
  • Allow students to use oral presentation instead of written paragraphs as needed.
  • Pair students strategically to support those who need additional help with peer mentoring.

• For English Language Learners (ELLs):

  • Pre-teach key vocabulary (e.g., social justice, community engagement, equity).
  • Use bilingual resources if appropriate.
  • Provide extra time for discussions and writing.

• For Students with IEPs:

  • Break tasks into smaller steps with check-ins.
  • Provide alternative methods to present ideas (audio, visuals).

---

Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

• Research local community organizations focused on social justice and prepare a short report on how students might collaborate.
• Develop a detailed budget and fundraising plan for their proposed community project.
• Design a digital presentation or multimedia campaign to support their project idea.
• Study a historical African American leader’s community activism in more depth and present connections to their project.

---

Assessment

• Informal assessment through observation of group collaboration and contributions in discussions.
• Review of completed project planning templates for clarity and alignment with learned social justice concepts.
• Evaluation of individual reflection paragraphs to measure personal engagement and comprehension.
• Use a rubric focused on understanding of social justice issues, teamwork, and communication skills (rubric can be shared with students for transparency).

---

Teacher Reflection Suggestions

• Were all students actively engaged in brainstorming and project planning?
• Did students make clear connections between historical content and current social justice issues?
• How effective was the differentiation in meeting diverse learning needs?
• What changes might improve project follow-through in subsequent lessons?

---

By connecting historical knowledge with real-world action, this lesson empowers students to become young leaders informed by the voices of justice in African American history.