From Then to Now: How African American Literature Shaped Civil Rights

Megan Woazeah, Language Arts, Francis Bradley Middle School

Final Unit (PDF)

Implementing Common Core Standards (PDF)

200 Word Synopsis

This unit is designed for use in a middle school class room, preferably an eighth grade class. This unit is well-suited for a four week study during February in observance for Black History Month. The unit is comprised of a novel base, with supplementary texts. The four weeks are divided into four conceptual studies: Week OneIntroduction to the Civil Rights Movement; Week Two- Biographies and Autobiographies; Week Three-Reaching Back—Genealogies and A Civil Rights Family Tree; and Week Four- Hope for the Future. The idea is to teach students the historical considerations of the Civil Rights Movement, then look in depth at individuals that were essential to the movement. The unit wraps up with students researching their roots and applying concepts from Civil Rights era literature to the idea of “hope for the future”.