7th Grade Criminal Justice & Law Independent Work Packet

Engage your students in having them draw important connections between the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s and contemporary grassroots movements taking place in the United States. This lesson will prompt students to analyze short documentary video clips that focus on six different contemporary grassroots movements:

1) Women’s March

2) Immigration

3) Standing Rock

4) Black Lives Matter

5) Climate Change

6) Teacher Strikes

With the corresponding video clips, students will fill out a provided T-chart that will identify the following aspects of each movement:

1) Desired Outcome/Changes

2) Group(s) involved

3) Strategies

4) Obstacle/Challenges

5) Questions

Hands-on activities: Two relevant, critical thinking activities follow that involve having students take their prior knowledge of the Civil Rights era (1950/60’s) and;

1. Using a Venn diagram, students will compare this time period with current day grassroots movements.

2. Each group will then discuss what issues are relevant and meaningful for them. Students will choose an issue that they wish to see change, and then as a group, will create a poster that promotes their cause.

Time frame for lesson:

• 3-4 class periods (60 min) *If time is an issue; the teacher can choose from the six contemporary movements that he/she would like for their students to focus on.

Materials:

• One 21 Slide Presentation
• Detailed lesson plan
• Digital Student Handouts:

1. HANDOUT #1- PowerPoint T-Chart
2. HANDOUT#2- Venn Diagram
3. HANDOUT#3- Grading Rubrics
4. HANDOUT #4- Rethinking schools blog: Making People’s History in Arizona: Educator’s Rise Up

*Note:

Students will have already learned about the Civil Rights era. This lesson serves as a critical thinking extension activity that encourages students to draw connections to contemporary grass roots movements & the Civil Rights movement.

Civil Rights Movement, current events, grassroots, racism, controversy, poster, Trump

This lesson will have students critically explore a contentious current event issue involving the cases of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. The lesson will invite students to examine the context and controversy that surrounds the two cases, although emphasis will be placed on the Eric Garner case. A thought-provoking Slide Presentation & accompanying handouts will prompt students to analyze a variety of news resources; all of which frame the issue in a particular way, and offer different explanations as to the underlying causal factors in Garner’s death.

**New Google App format available now***

This lesson includes:

• One 18 Slide Presentation
• Detailed Lesson Plan
• Handouts:

1. Handout #1- Guided Notes
2. Handout #2- Current Events: America’s Criminal Justice System

Race, Criminal justice system, controversy, racism, Black Lives Matter, Colin Kaepernick

If you liked this lesson see other related 'Government' lessons here:

• Analyzing 'The Bill of Rights' (click here to open in new tab)
• Mock Trial: Truman and the Atomic Bomb (click here to open in new tab)
• Mock Trial: Class Preparation (click here to open in new tab)
• Analyzing The Declaration of Independence & the U.S. Constitution (click here to open in new tab)
• Our Constitutional Amendments: Analyzing Supreme Court Decisions (click here to open in new tab)
• Causes and Effect: Protest Movements of the 1960's
• The Affirmative Action Debate: Exploring Two Sides of the Issue

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