Real People Real History Teen Graphic Novel Book Study: March Book 1
Explore the early days of the Civil Rights Movement by watching first person accounts & reading "March", the autobiography of Congressman John Lewis. Provides support for learners with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and other learning disabilities.
Bridget Smith M.Ed.
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What's included
5 pre-recorded lessons
5 weeks
of teacher support1 year access
to the contentHomework
To prepare for most class sessions, students will only read "March" and do a short reflection. There are also videos to watch, websites to review, or questions tor reflect upon. For the last class session students are asked to reflect upon what they have learned in class, and create an artistic work inspired by the class. We will be studying the experiences of Ruby Bridges. Do to the flexible schedule nature of the class, we will be watching video interviews by Ruby, but if students want to learn more, I encourage you to purchase "This is Your Time" by Ruby Bridges as supplementary reading.Assessment
No formal assessment is offered. If students need proof of completion for homeschool credit they are welcome to compile a portfolio of their work and request a narrative evaluation from the instructor.Class Experience
US Grade 8 - 11
In this class students will learn about the US Civil Rights Movement by reading and discussing the graphic novel "March" by the late Congressman John Lewis and other first person accounts of the school desegregation efforts of six year old Ruby Bridges and her family. Students will be encouraged to think critically and respond to the reading through a number of instructional supports including graphic organizers, creative writing, drawing etc. The graphic novel nature of this book and the use of graphic organizers and multiple ways to respond to the text make this an excellent class for kids with ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, and other learning disabilities and differences to learn about history through reading a compelling text. This is a Flex version of this class so students will not join in live meetings. There will be ample opportunities for interaction through discussion questions posted in the chat, assigned Kahoot! quizzes, and collaborative graphic organizers that students will use to share their thoughts and ideas. Students will also be assigned videos to watch that contain first person accounts of the experiences of individuals who lived through this challenging time. Week 1: Introducing Congressman John Lewis and Ruby Bridges Opening question in the online classroom: Share a memory from when you were younger The teacher will share pages 1-35 by video with the class to introduce the book First Person Account: Kids in Birmingham 1963: Sample Voices Students share about a childhood reflection that they read on the Kids in Birmingham site in the online classroom. They can share a short video reflection, a slide presentation, or just comment in the classroom. Discussion in Classroom: Why does the Congressman tell the story of the chickens? How do you think it might foreshadow the work that he will dedicate his life to? Venn Diagram: Compare your life to John Lewis’ life as a child. Read 35-62 and share: What was interesting? What was frustrating? What did you learn about history? Thoughts or questions Week 2: Life as an African American teen in the South Opening question in the online classroom: Share about a road trip or vacation that you have taken. Kahoot! Review Video First Person Account: Ruby Bridges' school experiences, excerpt from "This is Your Time" Artwork Video Review: "The Problem We all Live With" by Norman Rockwell Discussion: What was it like to travel through the south for John and his Uncle? How did they need to prepare? Why? Open Mind Diagram: What did John think about during his teenage years? Read p. 63-95 and share: What was interesting? What was frustrating? What did you learn about history? Thoughts or questions Week 3: Embracing social activism and working toward desegregation Opening Question in the online classroom: What is something that you think is unfair or that you would like to change about the world? Reflection Sheet Share Kahoot! Review Video First Person Accounts: Ruby Bridges goes to school outside perspectives: Barbara Henry Video Student Reading: John Steinbeck "Travels with Charlie" Watch "The Civil Rights Movement: A Cultural Revolution Discussion in the online classroom: What were the potential consequences for John and his family if he went forward with trying to get into a segregated university? Do you think that John’s family made the right decision? Why or why not? What were the potential consequences for Ruby and her family of sending her to an all white school. Do you think her family made the right decision? Why or why not? Would you have made the same decision? Do you think it was easier or more effective to send a child to desegregate an educational institution? Shared KWL: Civil Rights Movement Read 96- 121 and share: What was interesting? What was frustrating? What did you learn about history? Thoughts or questions Week 4: Victory through nonviolence Opening: Describe a time when you needed to be brave. Kahoot! Review Artwork discussion: Photos of the Civil Rights Movement Watch Amanda Gorman read her inauguration poem. "The Hill We Climb" Watch Amanda Gorman TED-Ed Video: Using Your Voice is a Political Choice Discussion: What are some strategies that Lewis and his fellow students used to secure a change in their community? What sacrifices did they make in order to achieve their goals? Create a piece of artwork or your own graphic novel page inspired by March. For your graphic novel page you can recreate a scene from the book or create a graphic novel page about an injustice that you see in today’s society. You are welcome to write a poem, draw a picture, write a song, or make a video about your feelings regarding this book or injustices that you see in today's society. Share your art creation with the class. *Note that this class provides four weeks of unique content, but I keep the classroom open an additional week for learners to get caught up and share any work that they would like to finish up.
Learning Goals
Students will learn about the civil rights movement and efforts to establish a less segregated society by studying the first person experiences of John Lewis and Ruby Bridges as well as the perspectives of other artists, writers, and participants in that moment of history.
They will use graphic organizers to think and respond critically to the materials we are studying. Wherever possible, the teacher will provide support to make the course accessible for dysgraphic and dyslexic learners.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
We will be reading books and viewing works of art that describe the events surround the desegregation of the American south and the non violent activism that made that possible. Students may encounter slurs or prejudicial language when reading first person narratives and historical documents. Ruby Bridges, who we are studying, lost an adult son to gun violence and mentions it in her book. John Lewis was confronted with violent retaliation as he protested and advocated for the desegregation of his community. These experiences may come up in our class discussions.
Supply List
Please purchase "March: Book 1" the required text. You can participate with a paper, e-book version or audiobook. "March: Book 1" by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin is the required text for this class and can be purchased here: https://tinyurl.com/twepxyar "This is Your Time" by Ruby Bridges is an optional text that we will also be discussing in class. I recommend that you have a copy for your child, but it is not required. https://tinyurl.com/r45td57u Graphic organizers and other learning supports may be posted in the Outschool classroom before each class session. It is also good to have paper, pen or pencil, and something to draw with available for every class.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined June, 2020
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894reviews
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Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Teaching Certificates
California Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts
California Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
Master's Degree in Education from University of California, Santa Cruz
Bridget Smith is a teacher with ADHD who specializes in supporting neurodiverse learners including students with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and dysgraphia on the Outschool learning platform. To date she has taught over 4,000 neurodiverse learners! Bridget holds a BA in World Literature and Cultural Studies. She is a credentialed teacher with a Master's Degree in Education. She is credentialed in the State of California to teach multiple subjects for elementary Schoolers and middle Schoolers as well as English Language Arts to middle school and high schoolers. Bridget holds a B-CLAD credential which gives her additional credentials and experience supporting diverse learners. She is a former dual emersion bilingual teacher and high school ESL teacher. She is passionate about history, and is looking forward to offering a series of Real People, Real History book studies on Outschool.Reviews
Self-Paced Class
$9
weekly or $45 for all content5 pre-recorded lessons
5 weeks of teacher support
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1 year of access to the content
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Ages: 13-17
