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Social Justice Learning Module

Learning Module

Abstract

This learning module incorporates the use of media for gathering, creating, and sharing new learning. Students will engage in various technology-based and non technology-based activities to create an understanding of an individual's and a group's power to make change in the world. Through the use of digital media, students have the opportunity to gather information and create a multi media presentation that demonstrates their understanding of social justice and what it means to them.

Keywords

Social Justice, Social Studies, Civil Rights

Overview

This learning module incorporates the use of media for gathering, creating, and sharing new learning. Students will engage in various technology-based and non technology-based activities to create an understanding of an individual's and a group's power to make change in the world. Through the use of digital media, students have the opportunity to gather information and create a multi media presentation that demonstrates their understanding of social justice and what it means to them. 

As a fourth grade teacher, I have taught a social justice unit for the past 6 years. It has looked different each time, with more technology and student independence each time. To transform previous teaching for this learning module I adpated several activities to include the use and creation of digital media. While there are still lessons on the "teacher side" for each update, the work students are required to complete digitally can be done without the need to be in the classroom with the teacher.

The approach taken in this learning module relies heavily on the idea that knowledge can be demonstrated through the creation of an artifact rather than the completion of a test (Cope & Kalantzis, 2010). Students are able to draw from their own experiences, coupled with exposure to new concepts and ideas, to create knowledge. These media-based methods are employed around the topic of social justice. "Social justice education aims to promote knowledge of social inequities and resistance to oppression, contributing to the development of civic engagement (Kim et al, 2017, p. 113). There has been in increase in the implementation of learning units in schools that promote thought and action around social justice topics.

 

References:

Cope, B. & Kalantzis, M. (2010). The teacher as designer: Pedagogy in the new media age. E-Learning and Digital Media, 7(3).

Kim, G.S., Kahm, V. D., Tawa, J., & Suyemoto, K. L. (2017, Winter). Toward a ripple effect: Psychologists collaborate in social justice education at a high school. Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, 9(2).

Intended Learning Outcomes

Teacher Side

Duration: 5 45-minutes class periods (plus extra class periods for project creation and presentation)

 

Materials:

*journals for student reflections

 

Students will:

-understand the term of social justice.

-recognize examples of social injustice in literature.

-understand how people can work to make change when dealing with social injustice

-recognize bullying as a social injustice that affects students' lives today.

-draw conclusions and shape opinions about social justice and social injustice.

-make connections to issues in their own lives and identify a problem they want to work to change.

-create a multi media project that explains and discusses a social issue.

 

Target Learners: 4th graders who have had exposure to some study of important civil rights leaders and information.

 

Common Core State Standards:

Production and Distribution of Writing:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.5
With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.6
With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting.

 

Research to Build and Present Knowledge:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.7
Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.9.A
Apply grade 4 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text [e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions].").

 

Comprehension and Collaboration:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1.C
Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.2
Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

 

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.5
Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.

 

Student work will be assessed by the teacher and peers. Assessment will be based on completed responses to updates, completion of the PicCollage work with all required elements, and peer & teacher feedback on the project.

Student Side

After completing this learning module you will:

-understand the term of social justice.

-recognize examples of social injustice in literature.

-understand how people can work to make change when dealing with social injustice

-recognize bullying as a social injustice that affects students' lives today.

-draw conclusions and shape opinions about social justice and social injustice.

-make connections to issues in your own life and identify a problem you want to work to change.

-create a multi media project that explains and discusses a social issue.

What is Social Justice?

Teacher Side

Timeline: two 45-minute sessions

**Before beginning today's lesson, have students complete the survey.**

 

Teacher Directions:

1. Gather students and ask them to share their understanding of point of view/perspective.

2. Read aloud the book: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka. Ask students to share what this story has to do with point of view. How is this perspective different from the "original" story of the three little pigs?

3. Create a class T-chart with the columns labeled 'fair' and 'unfair'. Pose a situation for the class to consider, such as: Boys have more energy than girls so they should get more recess time. Ask students to jot their ideas of what is fair/unfair aboout that situation on sticky notes. They should then place their sticky notes on the appropriate side of the T-chart.

4. Discuss the ideas shared and get to the point that the boys and girls in the group may have very different opinions about whether or not this is fair. The point is that perspective plays a big part in deciding whether something is fair or unfair. Draw a connection to the read aloud story.

5. Share the following social justice definition: Social justice is a condition or environment where people in a society are treated fairly and have a feeling of equality. Tell students that they will be listening to some picture books that have strong issues of social justice. They will need to think about the definition of social justice and how it might relate to the stories they hear.

6. Divide students into groups so that each group listens to a different picture book.

 

 

Student Side

Social Justice is a condition or environment where people in a                                                  society are treated fairly and have a feeling of equality.

 

1. Within your assigned groups, watch the video of one of the following read alouds together. Feel free to follow along with the copy of the text you have.

 

Freedom on the Menu by Carol Boston Weatherford

Media embedded November 18, 2019
Media embedded November 19, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECLs7qzkhf0&feature=emb_logo

 

Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles

Media embedded November 18, 2019
Media embedded November 19, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWjrSYCSfLU&feature=emb_logo

 

Teammates by Peter Glenbock

Media embedded November 18, 2019
Media embedded November 19, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=ALwbzrmABFM&feature=emb_logo

 

The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson

Media embedded November 18, 2019
Media embedded November 19, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx0L8QHOEo8&feature=emb_logo

 

Smoky Night by Eve Bunting

Media embedded November 18, 2019
Media embedded November 19, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD0RF7GYbw8&feature=emb_logo

 

2. Discuss your connections, understandings, and realizations that the text sparked. Be sure to note what your group feels is fair and unfiar in the story.

3. Work in pairs within your group to create a PicCollage to show the social justice issues within the story you heard. Use text, images, and stickers to create a visual representation of the story and how it relates to social justice.

 

UPDATE:

4. Save the PicCollage to your camera roll and post it in a community update. Please include the title of the book you read and the author's name.

 

 

Bullying: Instances from the Past

Teacher Side

Post the following quote:

“Each time a person stands up for an idea, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, she or he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.”  - Robert F. Kennedy

Read the quote aloud and have students turn and share their thoughts:

-What does it mean?

-What is a "ripple of hope"?

Remind students of the social justice definition from the first session and discuss whether or not we exerience social justice in our lives; in school, etc.

-How are we treated fairly?

-Or unfairly?

-Are all people treated the same? What about in the past?

 

AFTER THE PHOTO ACTIVITY:

Discuss the photos and watch the video about the Little Rock Nine. Turn the conversation to address bullying, especially bullying in school.

Use the following questions to guide the discussion:

-What is bullying?

-How are people bullied? What are the different forms of bullying? (teasing, hitting, rumors, cyber, name calling, ignoring/excluding, etc.)

-What does bullying sound like? What words are used to describe a bully?

-What does a bully look like? Who is a bully? Could it be anyone?

-Why do people bully?

-How does it feel to be bullied? How does it feel to witness bullying?

-What could we do to stop bullying? What choices do you have? What actions could you take?

Have students jot their thoughts about today's learning in their journal.

 

 

Student Side

In a small group (3-4), look at the following photos and describe what you think is happening, what the feelings of the people are.

https://d1311w59cs7lwz.cloudfront.net/image/244484/

 

UPDATE:

Post an update to share what your group thought was happening in the photos and why that might be happening.

Media embedded November 20, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oodolEmUg2g

 

CREATE:

After viewing the video about the Little Rock Nine, use the following link to learn more about this topic. After reading the information or listening to it (using the play button at the bottom of the information) choose a related topic from the lists at the bottom of the page. Investigate that topic by clicking on the link.

Ducksters

 

Use the Popplet app to create an idea web about the topic you investigated. Post your web to the community and comment on at least three classmates' work.

Making Change

Teacher Side

Ask two students to participate in a contest. Each student will hold ten large, heavy books for as long as they can. Start helping one of the students by asking other students to hold some of the books. If the student without help complains, the teacher does not provide assistance. End the contest after observing student reactions and conversation.

Conduct a whole class discussion emphasizing fair/unfair.

-How did they feel about the leader who could have given the student help but didn't?

-Did they want to help their struggling classmate?

 

 

Student Side

Watch the following video about the Freedom Riders.

Media embedded November 19, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zBY6gkpbTg

 

Work in partnerships to create a list of ways the Freedom Riders could have reacted when they were faced with unacceptable treatment before their rides, during their rides, and after their rides. After making the list, place a checkmark by the ways the Freedom Riders would have reacted because they are nonviolent.

 

Consider this quote:

"Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen."

     - Michael Jordan

 

UPDATE:

Post an update in which you reflect on the Michael Jordan quote and its connection to the Freedom Riders.

 

Speaking Up

Teacher Side

Post the quote:

"It's always the right time to do the right thing."

          - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Students should jot in their journal what the quote means to them.

 

Introduce the idea that during the 1960s people started speaking up more and more about the poor treatment of groups of people. Songs became an outlet for expressing opinions about the topic; songwriters tried to use their music to inspire change in the world.

Play the song If You Miss Me at the Back of the Bus 

Media embedded November 19, 2019
Media embedded November 19, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXTUf7pS-jU

 

Provide the lyrics for stduents to view as they listen.

-Discuss how this song represented the times in which it was written and what it was calling people to do or think.

 

 

Student Side

Get together with your small group and listen to your assigned song.

 

We Shall Not Be Moved by Mavis Staples

Media embedded November 19, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf0vf6eV6JE

 

I'm Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table by The Freedom Singers

Media embedded November 19, 2019
Media embedded November 19, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4EeE6ccU40

 

Here's to the State of Mississippi by Phil Ochs

Media embedded November 19, 2019
Media embedded November 19, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7fgB0m_y2I

 

UPDATE:

Post an update that includes the following:

-What is the message the songwriter is trying to get across?

-What does the song tell you about the time in which it was written?

-How does this song relate to the quotes we have been discussing in class?

 

CREATE:

With a partner of your choosing, create an iMovie. Imagine that you have been asked to make an iMovie that explains social justice to kindergarteners. Using what you have learned so far in this unit of study (including quotations, examples in literature, songs from the civil rights era, etc.) to help younger students understand what we have been learning about.

 

Your iMovie could be:

-an interview

-a skit

-a re-enactment of an historical event

-a performance of you and classmates singing a song about social justice

-another idea!

 

Post your iMovie to the community. Comment on the movies of at least three other groups.

Traits of a Leader

Teacher Side

Ask students to watch the video about the life of Martin Luther King, Jr.

In groups, students should compile a list of character traits for Martin Luther King, Jr.

Think of other brave leaders they have learned about and they have read about or learned about in the past (Freedom Riders, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, etc.) and add on to the list of character traits.

Students will choose a person or group to write about and create an acrostic poem using character trait words.

 

 

Student Side

Watch this video about the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Media embedded November 19, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyurjhRNOmw

 

In your small group, brainstorm character traits that describe Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights leaders we have studied or who you have read about/learned about in the past.

 

UPDATE:

Choose a civil rights leader and create an acrostic poem about them, using character trait words.

Some possible subjects for your poem:

-Harriet Tubman

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

-Rosa Parks

-Freedom Riders

-suggest a subject!

 

COMMENT: 

Comment on at least three classmates' poems. 

Project Expectations & Rubric

Teacher Side

To demonstrate their learning, students will create a multi media project that includes the following:

  • An explanation of your topic (what is the social justice issue? who does it affect? what has it looked like throguhout history? what have people done to change injustice?)


• Examples from two to three mentor texts read (include titles, a summary, and how they relate to the social issue)


• Your group’s opinion of your topic including reasons/evidence (how do you feel about this issue? do you have experience with it that you feel comfortable sharing? do you think change has been made in this area - good or bad?)

*A concluding statement which gives advice about how to deal with this social issue (what would you recommend people do when confronted with this social injustice? can new rules or laws be passed to help? how do you think things could change for the better?)


• A song or video clip related to your social issue

 

*Any other digital or written components that are important to your topic

 

 

Student Side

Your challenge is to create an informative presentation on a social issue. Your presentation will center around ACCEPTING OTHERS (racial/cultural discrimination, bullying).

The presentation must include:

• An explanation of your topic (what is the social justice issue? who does it affect? what has it looked like throguhout history? what have people done to change injustice?)


• Examples from two to three mentor texts read (include titles, a summary, and how they relate to the social issue)


• Your group’s opinion of your topic including reasons/evidence (how do you feel about this issue? do you have experience with it that you feel comfortable sharing? do you think change has been made in this area - good or bad?)

*A concluding statement which gives advice about how to deal with this social issue (what would you recommend people do when confronted with this social injustice? can new rules or laws be passed to help? how do you think things could change for the better?)


• A song or video clip related to your social issue

*Any other digital or written components that are important to your topic

You will be asked to provide feedback on another groups' presentation. Use the attached rubric to rate the work of your classmates. Feedback will also be provided to you by classmates and your teacher.

Peer Feedback Form

 

References

Cope, B. & Kalantzis, M. (2010). The teacher as designer: Pedagogy in the new media age. E-Learning and Digital Media, 7(3).

Kim, G.S., Kahm, V. D., Tawa, J., & Suyemoto, K. L. (2017, Winter). Toward a ripple effect: Psychologists collaborate in social justice education at a high school. Journal for Social Action in Counseling and Psychology, 9(2).

Robert F. Kennedy Memorial. (2008). Speak Up Speak Out. New York: Rockefeller Foundation.

 

Media:

Freedom on the Menu (source); Freedom Summer (source); Teammates (source); The Other Side (source); Smoky Night (source); Little Rock Nine (source); Freedom Riders History (source); If You Miss Me at the Back of the Bus (source); We Shall Not Be Moved (source); I'm Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table (source); Here's to the State of Mississippi (source); The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (source); Photo 1 (source); Photo 2 (source)