Analyzing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a good way for students to understand the impact of the entire movement and the effects it had on the history that followed. In this activity, students will create a spider map that answers the 5 Ws: who, what, when, where, and why. Their answers should be researched, and the illustration they provide should help summarize the answer to each question.
Possible Questions
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Student Instructions
Create a 5W analysis of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: Who, What, When, Where, and Why.
Bring history to life by assigning students different roles—such as lawmakers, activists, or citizens—from the era of the Civil Rights Act. This helps students understand multiple perspectives and deepens their grasp of the law’s significance.
Pick or let students choose roles like President Lyndon B. Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr., a Southern senator, or a student protester. This personalizes the learning experience and encourages empathy for diverse viewpoints.
Share brief summaries or resources about each person or group’s beliefs and motivations. Students can use these insights to prepare their arguments and responses during the activity.
Set up a structured debate where students present their assigned character’s perspective on the Civil Rights Act. Encourage respectful discussion and direct students to use evidence from their research.
Lead students in a discussion or written reflection about what they learned, how the Civil Rights Act changed the U.S., and why understanding these perspectives matters today.
The 5Ws of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 refer to Who influenced its passage, What the Act accomplished, When it was enacted, Where it had the most impact, and Why it is historically significant. Analyzing these aspects helps students understand the law's importance and effects.
Students can analyze the Civil Rights Act by creating a spider map that answers Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Each section should include researched answers and visuals that summarize key facts, helping to deepen understanding of the Act's impact.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is significant because it outlawed segregation and discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, paving the way for greater equality and shaping future civil rights legislation in the United States.
A simple classroom activity is to have students create a 5W analysis of the Civil Rights Act. They answer the Who, What, When, Where, and Why questions and illustrate each one, making the lesson interactive and easy to follow.
Main influencers included civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., organizations such as the NAACP, and political figures including President Lyndon B. Johnson, all of whom played key roles in advocating for and passing the legislation.