In this activity, students will showcase the significance of several individuals during the Civil Rights Movement and their contributions. Students should consider asking "Why is this important?" to guide their research. Students will create a spider map detailing the significance of at least three figures of the Civil Rights Movement.
For each of the individuals the students choose, they should include the individual’s name in the title, a brief description of their impact on the Reconstruction Era and a visual representation of their legacy. While they're researching, they may want to create two lists labeled “Nice to Know” and “Need to Know” to help them sort through information.
For an alternative assignment or a more in depth look at different major figures, students can create biography posters! This activity encourages further research into a person's life and accomplishments, and can be helpful for understanding how they came to make the decisions that influenced history.
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Student Instructions
Choose three significant individuals from the Civil Rights Movement and create a spider map storyboard that details who they are and what they did.
Organize a classroom debate where students represent different Civil Rights leaders or perspectives. This active approach encourages critical thinking and helps students better understand the motivations and challenges these figures faced.
Divide students into small groups and assign each a specific leader or topic to research. Collaborative roles like researcher, recorder, and presenter help ensure everyone participates and learns from one another.
Encourage students to find and analyze primary sources like speeches, letters, or photographs. This builds critical analysis skills and connects students directly to historical voices.
Display student spider maps and posters around the classroom. Allow students to walk around and discuss each other's work, fostering peer learning and appreciation for diverse perspectives and research styles.
Spider maps and biography posters are engaging methods to help students research and present the significance of key Civil Rights Movement leaders. These activities encourage critical thinking and creativity while allowing students to organize information visually.
Encourage students to use two lists: one for essential information that explains each leader's impact (Need to Know), and another for interesting but less critical details (Nice to Know). This strategy helps focus research and supports deeper understanding.
A spider map activity asks students to choose key figures from the Civil Rights Movement and visually organize their contributions, significance, and legacy. It promotes analytical thinking and helps students connect main ideas with supporting details.
Notable figures include Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, John Lewis, Joseph Rainey, Bayard Rustin, Hosea Williams, Gloria Richardson, Roy Wilkens, and Dorothy Height.
Consider using biography posters, timeline projects, or role-play presentations to deepen students' understanding of Civil Rights leaders. These alternatives foster research skills, empathy, and historical analysis.