Teachers will find this resource a perfect fit for introducing the US civil rights movement in Year 10. It was created by PBS History Detectives. The documentary 'Woolworth Sign' by Tukufu Zuberi about desegregation sit-ins in North Carolina will spark student interest in the topic. You will be able to access the full episode here.
'Lunch Counter Closed', a teaching resource, complements the documentary. The key question posed is: "What strategies did the Civil Rights Movement employ in its efforts to end segregation? Were they effective? How so?"
Covering 2-3 lessons, students begin by watching the clip Desegregating the Lunch Counters (there will be some overlap with the documentary). With the aid of graphic organisers, students investigate primary sources with the aim of writing a newspaper article from a particular perspective. Students are provided with a 'Newspaper Article Planner' which provides them with direction and encourages critical thinking. Teachers are provided with excellent discussion questions to develop a deep understanding of the issues surrounding the sit-ins. Other resources included in this 'package' include:
- Integration Report. Full film of “Integration Report” on the Internet Archive
- The March in Washington. Twenty-minute documentary made in 1963 about the March on Washington on the Internet Archive
- Voices of Civil Rights. Online exhibit with images and descriptions from the Library of Congress
- Timeline: Civil Rights Era. Timeline, with links to further information, tracing achievements of the Civil Rights Movement from PBS