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Social Justice Faces: Take a Stand Against Hate!
Teacher Page

A WebQuest for 4th-6th Grades Social Studies
 
Created By: Becky Tengs
beckytengs@pacificu.edu

 
Introduction Learners Standards Process Resources
Evaluation Conclusion Credits Student Page  

 

Introduction

I was inspired to create this lesson after attending a conference on teaching for social justice & equity sponsored by Rethinking Schools.

If advocacy and community involvement are concepts introduced to students at a young age, then they could be inspired to create change within their own communities.

 

Learners

This lesson is intended to connect with 4th, 5th, or 6th grade students in a social studies unit. This lesson could be easily extended in an unit regarding multiculturalism, or a specific social justice issues for a specific group of individuals (i.e. Native Americans, African Americans, Black Women, Women, etc).

Prior to completing this lesson, students will need to have experience in website searches, rearch-based projects, word processing documents, and letter-writing skills. Although this lesson includes using Wordle, prior experience with this program is not necessary.

 

 

Standards
Civics & Government
SS.05.CG.04: Students will be able to identify the rights of U.S. citizens, especially regarding the right to protest and exhibit dissent.
SS.05.CG.05: Understand how citizens can learn about public issues
SS.05.CG.05.01 Identify and give examples of resources that provide information about public issues
SS.05.CG.06: Identify and give examples of how individuals can influence the actions of government
SS.05.CG.06.01: Identify and give examples of actions citizens can take to influence government policy and decision-making
History
SS.05.HS.03: Understand how history can be organized using themes, geography, or chronology
SS.05.HS.06: Understand how individual changed or signficantly influenced the course of Oregon state history
SS.05.HS.07: Understand how individuals changed or signficantly influenced the course of local history
Social Science Analysis
SS.05.SA.01: Examine an event, issue, or problem through inquiry and research
SS.05.SA.04: Identify characteristics of an event, issue,or problem, suggesting possible causes and results
SS.05.SA.05: Identify a response or solution and support why it makes sense, using support from research
Reading
EL.05.RE.17: Read textbooks, biographical sketches, letters, diaries, directions, procedures, magazines, news stories, and almanacs
EL.05.RE.19: Find information in specalized materials
EL.05.RE.20: Follow multiple-step directions
EL.05.RE.21: Recognize and/or summarize sequence of events and main ideas presented in informational texts, identifying evidence that supports those ideas
EL.05.RE.22: Identify key facts and infomration after reading several passages or articles on the same topic
Writing
EL.05.WR.10: Write for different purposes and to specific audience or person, adjusting tone and style as appropriate
EL.05.WR.14: Use a variety of descriptive words, demonstrating awareness of impact on audience
EL.05.WR.16: Demonstrate knowledge of spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and permanship across the subject areas
EL.05.WR.27: Write persuasive compositions

 

Process
1. Research Social Justice Organizations

Research a couple of social justice organizations in order to gain an understanding of what social justice activism involves.

Some suggested websites include:

The Free Child Project Social Justice Definitions
Children's Defense Fund Wikipedia: Social Justice
Community Alliance for Diversity What is Social Justice?
ACLU Oregon Students for Social Justice
Basic Rights Oregon Teaching Tolerance
   
2. Select & Research Influencial Advocate

Select an influencial advocate for social justice change. You may select someone you come across during the search above.

Or, select an individual from the list below:
Amartya Sen Ralph Nader Jesse Jackson
Noam Chomsky Ronald Takaki Harvey Milk
Audre Lorde Eleanor Roosevelt Frances Fox Piven
Howard Zinn John Muir Rachel Carson
Julia Butterfly Hill Wilma Mankiller Naomi Klein
Dennis Banks Cesar Chavez John Lewis
Rosa Parks Susan B. Anthony Mahatma Gandhi
Helen Keller Nelson Mandela Rigoberta Menchu Tum
Frederick Douglass Betty Friedan Marian Wright Edelman
     
 
These social justice figures can also be researched with Wikipedia, Bio, Heroes, Meet Amazing Americans, or a general Google search.
 

When completing your research, keep track of your sources in a word-processing document (i.e. which websites you use).

You should use at least (3) different websites.

 
3. Create a Wordle

Based on your research, create a wordle including at least 15 words about the influencial advocate for social justice change. Be sure to include the name of your selected person in your Wordle

How to create a Wordle

Go to http://www.wordle.net

Select "Create"

Insert at least 15 adjectives, verbs, sentences, quotes, and organizations to describe the individual you researched

Select "Randomize" to randomly change how your Wordle looks

Use the Edit, Language, Font, Layout, and Color menus to change the appearance of your Wordle.

Save to Gallery

Print

 
4. Print Wordle -- saving Wordle is challenging because it is often difficult to re-locate the Wordle after it has been saved to the gallery. I would encourage students to print a pdf. version and a hard copy version.

After creating and arranging your Wordle, print it.

 
5. Write Letter to Inspirational Figure

Write a letter to this individual describing how you could support their cause?

If you are not interested in supporting their cause, explain why not.

The letter should be about a hand written page.
 
6. Share
After everyone has completed this project, students will be asked to share the product with classmates.

 

Resources

Technology Resources:
Internet Access
be sure to check that your school district isn't blocking these links (see links listed under process)
Colored Printer
PDF Capabilities

Java Applets (Wordle)
computers need to be able to open this application, you can test this by opening Wordle to see if it loads.
Human Resources: one teacher is sufficient, although having other volunteers and/or teacher aids can help students if they are having technical issues.

 

Evaluation
 

Beginning

1

Developing

2

Accomplished

3

Exemplary

4

 Score
Organized Research Did not complete word processing document Completed word processing document, only included (1) resource Completed word processing document, only included (2) resources Completed word processing document, and included all (3) resources in an organized format  
Created Wordle Did not create Wordle Created Wordle, included <5 words, including name of individual Created Wordle, included <10 words, including name of individual Created Wordle, included <15 words, including name of individual  
Letter Did not write letter Wrote letter, but does not connect to social justice advocacy Wrote letter and connected it to social justice advocacy, but did not include how you can help Wrote letter and connected it to social justice advocacy, and included how you can help  
Conventions Many mispelled words, many incomplete sentances Many mispelled words, has complete sentances Some mispelled words, has complete sentances Words are spelled correctly, letter has complete sentances  

 

Conclusion

After completing this lesson, students should have an idea and appreciation for what is means to work for social justice and how important figures have changed their world. This lesson should inspire students to consider how they can improve their communities.

 

Credits

California University Fullerton, Social Justice Summit

Wordle's completed by Mrs. Becky Tengs