Putting the Movement Back Into Civil Rights Teaching

Mission of Organization

"Putting the Movement Back into Civil Rights Teaching is a teaching resource book that emphasizes the power of people through a diversity of stories, perspectives, essays, photographs, graphics, interviews, and interactive and interdisciplinary lessons."

Curriculum Description

Putting the Movement Back into Civil Rights Teaching provides a multitude of resources to help educators teach difficult and complex issues around civil rights, critique the traditional narrative, and frame the Civil Rights movement so that students feel empowered to explore well-informed opinions. The curriculum’s topics include desegregation, voting rights, Black Power, labor, land, economics, international connections, student engagement and contemporary connections.

Curriculum Materials Reviewed
  • Student Engagement and Contemporary Connections
  • Black Power
Source of Funding
  • Teaching for Change
  • Zinn Education Project
Learning Resources
  • Readings
  • Teaching Reflections
  • Teaching Activities
Target Population/Grade Levels
Cost Per Classroom
Printing recommended handouts; potentially the cost of the book, Putting the Movement Back into Civil Rights Teaching
Training
N/A
Domain Presence
Critical Consciousness

Presence Evaluation: Full Presence

Evaluation Notes: The curriculum challenges students to think critically about the civil rights movement and consider ways they can make a difference in their own community. 

Social Action

Presence Evaluation: Some Presence

Evaluation Notes: The curriculum includes a focus on action but primarily explores ways in which others took action during the Civil Rights Movement.

Reciprocal Community Relationship

Presence Evaluation: Full Presence

Evaluation Notes: These lessons focus on how the students can positively impact their community. 

Systems Wide Approach

Presence Evaluation: Minimal Presence

Evaluation Notes: The curriculum minimally discusses how the school will teach social justice at the classroom level and administrative level.

Explicit Teaching of Social Justice Principles

Presence Evaluation: Full Presence

Evaluation Notes: Many lessons feature direct social justice teaching. Students are supported with key terms and phrases and real-life examples.

Self-Reflection

Presence Evaluation: Not Present

Evaluation Notes: No lessons reviewed address the topics of self-love and self-knowledge.

Evidence Based

Presence Evaluation: Not Present

Evaluation Notes: To date, there has been no empirical study of this curriculum to evaluate its effectiveness.

Inclusion and Equity

Presence Evaluation: Full Presence

Evaluation Notes: There is an emphasis on inclusion and equity by examining how acts of racism, classism, homophobia, and sexism affect an individual’s experiences.

High Expectations

Presence Evaluation: N/A

Evaluation Notes: We are unable to evaluate this domain since it is best measured through teacher observation.

Social Identities

Presence Evaluation: Full Presence

Evaluation Notes: The lessons reviewed explore the ways people have been marginalized due to their social identities.