Using Primary Resources to Make Connections, Ask Questions, and Determine Importance:

   Desegregation of Schools in the United States

Paige Waggoner

Summer Fellowship 2009

 

 

Lesson 3: 1961 Chicago Schools Segregation Case (3-5 days)

 

Summary of case: Several African American parents believed Chicago Public Schools kept schools segregated by moving (“gerrymandering”) neighborhood lines and as a result their children received an inferior education.  Additionally, students were not allowed to transfer out of an inferior school.  See primary documents for further information.

 

Purpose:

           

1.      Teacher will use a projector or make individual copies of the primary documents and use the connections strategy over several days covering the information in these documents.  Please refer to link below for stages of strategy instruction with the following documents.  Use the following documents to teach strategy:  parentview1.JPG (inferior instruction examples), parentview2.JPG (lack of assemblies and inability to check out library books), parentview4.JPG (overcrowding examples), parentview5.JPG (fringe neighborhood schools not integrated), parentview6.JPG (lack of integration testimony), parentview7.JPG (example of not being able to transfer child), parentview8.JPG (example of not being able to transfer child), parentview9.JPG (vacant classrooms), parentview10.JPG (overcrowding of classrooms), parentview11.JPG (overcrowding of classroom and using other areas in school to conduct classes that aren’t classrooms), parentview12.JPG (overcrowding and use of stage for classroom), parentview13.JPG (neighborhood school policy defined), parentview14.JPG (lack of integrated school), schedule.JPG (school schedule presented in court case).

 

Connections Strategy Worksheet

Stages of Strategy Instruction

 

 2.  Photo Analysis Worksheet:  Students will observe the following 4 pictures students1.JPG, students2.JPG, students3.JPG, stlouisprotest.JPG in small groups and each group will complete the analysis worksheet from the following website; http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/photo_analysis_worksheet.pdf.  Students will then share their picture and their observation with the class.  Students will be given 3 sticky notes to come up with questions as each group is presenting.  These sticky notes will be collected and added to a questioning chart that may be referred to in the final project.