Lesson Plan - Uniting for Black Lives

Download Teaching Strategies

Before teaching this article, download and review our Strategies for Teaching About Racism. It includes suggestions for discussing the article and links to additional resources.

Engage and Connect

Ask students to respond to this prompt: Do you see yourself as someone who stands up for what you believe? What can prevent people from doing that? Tell a story about a time when you stood up for something, struggled to do it, or ended up wishing you had acted differently. You might have students write responses or record them using a video platform like Flipgrid.

Preview Vocabulary

Use the Skill Builder Words to Know to preteach the terms white supremacy, racism, criminal justice system, humanity, First Amendment, political science, human rights, 13th Amendment, racist, economic, lynch, civil rights, segregation, and middle-class.

Read the Article

Preread the article to get comfortable and familiar with the topics, which can be challenging. Then read the article aloud or have students read it independently. Ask them to underline or highlight details that help answer the “As You Read, Think About” question.

Answer Close-Reading Questions

Have students write their responses, or use the questions to guide a discussion.

• What caused millions of people to join recent protests? (Cause and Effect)
  In May, George Floyd, a Black man, was killed in Minneapolis by a white police officer who knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes. A video of his death spurred millions of people around the world to protest, demanding an end to police violence and other injustices toward Black Americans. Up to 26 million people have participated in the U.S.
• What does Kennedy Green mean when she says “I don’t want to see kids after us have to protest”? (Understanding Perspectives)
  She means that she hopes that her generation can end systemic racism and make the world better for people of all races and backgrounds. Kennedy doesn’t want the next generation to have to continue the same fight against racism.
• Summarize the section “A Long Struggle for Justice.” (Summarizing)
  Racism has plagued America since it was used to justify slavery hundreds of years ago. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery in 1865, but racism and discrimination continued. Racist laws kept Black Americans from voting and limited the jobs they could have. Black people were also forced to use separate and inferior schools, hospitals, and other facilities. Racist white people often used violence to enforce these racist policies. In the 1950s and ’60s, civil rights protests helped lead to the passage of laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968.
• How does the sidebar “Understanding Systemic Racism” support the article? Explain in your own words what systemic racism is. (Domain-Specific Vocabulary)
  The sidebar explains that racism isn’t just individual acts of hatred based on someone’s race. It is also present in our nation’s laws, businesses, and schools. Systemic racism is a system of power that gives advantages to white people at the expense of people of other races and backgrounds. For example, in the criminal justice system, Black people are more likely than white people to be arrested, found guilty, and given longer prison sentences for similar offensives.
• What policy changes have happened in the past few months? What other changes do activists want to see? (Key Details)
  Some cities like Los Angeles have reduced and redirected funding for police departments. The Minneapolis city council is working to create a new system for public safety. Some school districts, like those in Minneapolis and Seattle, are removing police officers from schools. Many activists are calling for more accountability for police officers who act violently. Protesters also want to end systemic racism and white supremacy. They are demanding more changes in areas like education, housing, and health care.
• Choose a photo in the article to analyze. How does it support the article? What do you notice about it? What do you wonder? (Media Literacy)
  Responses will vary.

Watch a Video

After you’ve previewed the video “Systemic Racism Explained" (below), have students watch it. Then ask them to rewatch it and think about how policies like those that affect where they live and go to school have impacted their lives. Discuss these questions: What policies have affected your life? What do you think is the best way you can help end systemic racism?

Develop Speaking and Listening Skills

Use the Skill Builder What Do You Think? to help students prepare for a discussion by coming up with three comments and three questions. Make sure to go over norms for respectful conversation and choose a discussion method that suits your class, such as a Socratic seminar, a fishbowl, or philosophical chairs.

Assess Comprehension

Assign the 10-question Know the News quiz, available in PDF and interactive forms. You can also use Quiz Wizard to assess comprehension of this article and three others from the issue.