Social Studies Lesson

1. Topic: Civil Rights Movement, Grade 2

2. Essential Question: Why is it important to recognize important civil rights leaders of
the past?
3. Standards:
6.1.4.D.16: Describe how stereotyping and prejudice can lead to conflict, using
examples from the past and present.
4. A. Learning Objectives and B. Assessments:
A. Objectives
B. Assessments
Learner will be able to understand how
stereotyping and prejudice can lead to
conflict.

Assess student level of understanding

during group discussion following the
read aloud.

5.

Collect Three Actions for Including

Others activity
Materials:
The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss
White Board
Stickers
Lined paper
6. Prior Knowledge: Students understand that at one time in the United States, people
were treated differently based on the color of their skin. Students are familiar with civil
rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. and some of his accomplishments.
7. Lesson Beginning: The teacher will read The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss to introduce the
Civil Rights Unit in Social Studies, specifically the themes prejudice and bias. After the
story has been read and briefly discussed, the teacher will facilitate an activity that will
simulate how it is to be treated unfairly.

8. Instructional Plan:

o The teacher will read The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss to introduce the themes:
prejudice and bias. A discussion of the story will take place at the end of the
read-aloud, and the teacher will note student reactions and responses to the
text. Students will then participate in the Sticker Activity. The students will
generate a list of privileges that could be awarded in school, i.e. free drawing,
reading, or playing a game. The teacher will divide the class in half at random,
and provide one half of the class each with a sticker. The group with the
sticker will be granted the privileges on the class list. The other half of the
students will have to sit on the carpet, while the group with the stickers
engages in the privileges. After about ten minutes, a discussion of the activity
will take place. Once the students have discussed their feelings and reactions
to the activity, the class will then participate in a closing activity that will ask
them to come up with three actions they could take to make others always feel
like they belong. The students will conduct the reflective activity in small
groups.
o Questions: How do the Sneetches differ from each other? If you were without
a sticker, how did you feel toward those who had one? What feelings did you
have during the class activity? What did you learn from the activity? What are
three actions you can take to help others always feel like they belong?
o Classroom Management: The Star Reinforcement System. The teacher will
award a class star if the students are all on task and productive. However, if
the students are off task the teacher will receive a star. The class cannot earn
another star until they have earned the star back from the teacher.
9. Closure: The lesson will conclude with a class discussion of the group activity.
Students will share their three actions they created with their group members to the class.