Mini-Unit One: Introduction to the 1950s Samford Middle School Lesson Objective:

Ms. McCollum 6th grade History

Given the opportunity to visit the Civil Rights Institute and historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, the 6th grade History students will be able challenged to recall, identify, and recognize the various facts presented to them about the history of baseball in Birmingham as well as the Civil Rights Movement from the field trip experience in order to later participate in a comprehensive oral discussion that will serve as an assessment. Pre-instructional Activities:

Teachers will present a hook for the entire unit of Journey Through the 1950s. Students will receive a general overview of the 1950s, including major events, people, and changes. This overview will be given both orally and through an introductory video. Teachers will then explain the upcoming field trip to both the Rickwood Field and the Civil Rights Institute. They will also receive specialized instructions from each of their core team teachers as to what will be expected of them during the field trip. History students will not be expected to fill out any worksheets, etc. but will be required to participate in intense observation in preparation for a joint class discussion and potential oral examination.
Instructional Procedures/Strategies: Group Formation: On the initial day of introduction, the students will all be together in a joint meeting in order to get some preliminary information about the 1950s which will consequently enrich their field trip experience. Once on the field trip, all observation and note taking will be independently performed. Problem Analysis: What do we know? - Students will be aware of a general history of the 1950s

-They will be taking a field trip to Rickwood Field and the Civil Rights Institute. - They will be expected to make keen observations and employ some sort of note taking device so as to have information on hand for later discussion.
What do we need to find out? - Students will need to glean information from the various exhibits specifically about the 1950s era in Birmingham, Al How do baseball and the Civil Rights movement play into the big picture of the 1950s?

What do you think is happening here? - Students are gaining a new knowledge and understanding about specific elements of history regarding the 1950s in Birmingham, AL and having to utilize the resources provided to make them well informed for higher discussion.

How shall you conduct your inquiry? In order to become this way, students will pay

close attention to information presented by tour guides, exhibits, and any other visuals/audio presented through the educational venues.

Problem Solving:

On the first day, all students will be together for the hook, introduction, and overview of the field trip with specific assignments for each class. For History, they will fill watch the general video being shown to the whole group, an overview of the 1950s and will be receiving broad information about this period of history that will prepare their minds for more specific learning on the field trip. On the second day, students will attend the field trip to Rickwood Field and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and History students will be asked to observe the exhibits and take notes (if needed) to later prepare themselves for class discussion on day three. On the third day, the History students will debrief about the field trip, participate in discussion about what they learned, or ideas they were introduced to and partake in an oral examination over basic information that should have been acquired through the field trip and discussion.

Problem Reporting/ Closure: Time spent in class discussing their experience, what they

learned, giving more general information about the era and making connections between what they saw and how it played into the larger view of America in the 1950s, will bring closure to the assignment.

Assessment: Behavior will be assessed during the field trip (attention, being respectful, staying

with the group, etc.) An oral assessment will also be given on the third and final day of the mini-unit that will require students to engage in analysis as well as displaying a comprehension of the knowledge acquired through the field trip and the class discussion both on the first and last days of the mini-unit.
Interdisciplinary Emphasis: During the field trip, students will also be seeing the historical

context, events, and places of the 1950s discussed in their math, music, and history classes.
Bibliography: Resources for student use: N/A Resources for teacher use: History textbook, Teachers Edition.