PLESSY VS. FERGUSON
SASS — Social Studies Lesson Plan
Unit:
Text(s): Plessy vs. Ferguson: A summary
Supreme Court Decision Excerpts
Standards
SASS Connection(s)
Common Core State Standards/Maryland State Curriculum
Middle School:
W.1, W.2, W.4, W.7, W.8, W.9
R.1, R.2, R.4, R.8
□ SASS 1 □ SASS 2 □ SASS 3
□ SASS 4 □ SASS 5
SASS Vocabulary
High School:
W.1W.2, W.4, W.7, W.9
R.1, R.2, R.3, R.4, R.6,
claim, warrant, text supported warrant
Objectives
Students will be able to:
• Identify key events leading up to, during and immediately after the Supreme Court ruling on Plessy Vs. Ferguson
• Analyze the supporting and dissenting opinions on the case
• Evaluate the American social and political environment concerning racial equality in the late 1890s
• Create fact based, text supported arguments
Agenda
Timing Notes
This lesson is designed to be taught in two, 90 minute
periods. Please adjust the timing according to your
individual class length.
Additionally, the reflection can also be used as a
homework assignment to maximize in class time.
• What do you Think?
• Building Background Knowledge: The Rise of Jim Crow
• Plessy vs. Ferguson Evidence Scavenger Hunt
• Supreme Court Decision Breaking Down the Text
• Plessy vs. Ferguson Story board
• Gallery Walk
• Reflection question
• 3-2-1 Exit Ticket
Materials
Assessment
Process Sheets:
• What Do You Think?
• Evidence Scavenger Hunt
• Breaking Down the Text
• Plessy Vs. Ferguson Story Board
Completion of Lesson activities
Teacher receipt of:
• Drawing Conclusions
• Evidence Scavenger Hunt
• Claim and 3 Warrants
• Warrant Build Out activity
• Exit Ticket
Note: These activities should be evaluated according to
your own grading policies and procedures.
IT’S DEBATABLE!
•
PLESSY VS. FERGUSON
© Baltimore Urban Debate League 2013 FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY
1
Do Now
Modification & Differentiation
What Do You Think?
Imagine you get to school tomorrow, only to be greeted by a sign that
says “Only students with green or blue eyes will now be allowed in the
school building, all other students must report to the tents outside”
When you and your friends get to the large tent behind the school, you
realize it has no heat or Air Conditioning and the only desks are made of
folding chairs and old, broken tables. The teachers explain that the state
has decided that separating the brown eyed students is the best way to
improve student achievement and its ok because the tent and school
building are equal learning environments. Is this fair? Why or why not?
Modification & Differentiation
Motivation
1. Once the students have finished constructing their arguments, they will
be paired with/find a partner and develop their answers with a partner
using the What Do You Think? Activity.
2. Student partners will participate in a Turn and Talk where they will:
• Discuss why you think this rule is either fair or unfair.
• Come up with a list of how you plan to either gather support for this
rule or how you plan to protest this rule.
3. Students will record their answers on their Process sheet.
4. After student pairs have completed their Turn and Talk, lead the class
in a share out of their ideas.
5. Students will then refer back to their process sheet to complete a brief
reading, The Rise of Jim Crow.
6. Once the students have completed the reading they will define the
vocabulary and answer the process questions.
Vocabulary:
• Reconstruction: a period in U.S. history during and after the
American Civil War in which attempts were made to solve
the political, social, and economic problems arising from the
readmission to the Union of the 11 Confederate states that had
seceded at or before the outbreak of war.
• Thirteenth Amendment: Passed in 1865, made the bondage and
enslavement of a person illegal in the United States of America
• Fourteenth Amendment: Passed in 1868, extended equal
protection under the law to newly freed African Americans
• Fifteenth Amendment: Passed in 1870, extended the right to vote
to African American males
• Jim Crow Laws: Laws passed primarily in the South after
reconstruction which restricted the social, political and personal
freedoms of African Americans
• Constitutional: Of or relating to the constitution
Drawing Conclusions Questions:
• Identify some ways the government used to protect the rights and
freedoms of newly freed African Americans?
IT’S DEBATABLE!
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PLESSY VS. FERGUSON
© Baltimore Urban Debate League 2013 FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY
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• How do you think the Civil Rights Act of 1875’s guarantee of
“the full and equal enjoyment of any of the accommodations,
advantages, facilities, and privileges” would have changed the lives
of former slaves if it had not been repealed?
Mini-Lesson/Direct Instruction
Modification & Differentiation
1. Student pairs will work together, using the “Plessy vs. Ferguson: A
Summary” and/or any other documents to complete the four round
evidence scavenger hunt.
2. There are two rounds for each section of the reading. At the conclusion
of each round, l have 1 or 2 student groups share their arguments and
award points using the scoring table and considering the high quality
check list.
Suggested Claims:
Section One: Separate but Equal Sweeps the Nation
• Separate does not mean unequal
• The separation of Whites and Blacks is a bad economic choice
Section Two: The Court Case Begins
• Segregation does not violate the constitution
• It is not possible to both separate people and treat them equally
After the student pairs complete the four rounds of the Evidence
Scavenger Hunt, introduce the Supreme Court Decision Argument
Breakdown
Guided and Independent Practice
Modification & Differentiation
Decision Argument Breakdown:
1. Have student pairs work together to break down excerpts from the
majority and dissenting judicial opinions from the Plessy vs. Ferguson case.
2. Prior reading the opinions, review the “Vocabulary You Should Know” for
each opinion with the students. After taking any questions the students may
have about the vocabulary, introduce the Breaking Down the Text activity,
where student pairs will:
• Use the Breaking Down the text process sheet to deconstruct the
arguments of both the dissenting and supporting opinions
• Once the pairs have broken down the arguments they will construct
a text supported argument that summarizes both arguments and
uses quotes from each opinion as support.
• At the conclusion of the activity, the instructor will lead a four
corners share out, reviewing the key points of the arguments.
Suggested claims for four corners:
• Justice Henry Brown was right to say separate doesn’t mean that
one race is better than another
• If the rights of two racial groups are equal, then the groups are
IT’S DEBATABLE!
•
PLESSY VS. FERGUSON
© Baltimore Urban Debate League 2013 FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY
3
equal and it doesn’t matter whether they are separated
• Separating people limits their freedom
• It is both the state and national government’s responsibility to
enforce and protect the freedom of citizens
Storyboard:
3. Once the students complete the four corners share out, introduce the
Plessy vs. Ferguson Storyboard activity.
4. Go over the directions on the Plessy vs. Ferguson Storyboard process
sheet, highlighting the “Please do Not Forget To” section.
5. Once the students are clear on the directions and you have answered
all question, the students will begin the story board activity where they will
individually construct a storyboard that illustrates five important events that
led up to, took place during and after the Supreme Court ruling in Plessy
vs. Ferguson.
Events:
• Homer Plessy buying his train ticket
• Plessy attempting to sit in the first class car
• Plessy being arrested
• The Supreme Court ruling against him
• John Marshall Harlan’s dissenting argument
6. Once the students have finished their storyboards, lead the class in a
gallery walk where each student will vote for:
• Best Artist
• Most Accurate
• People’s Choice
• Most Creative
Note: it is at the teacher’s discretion to have students vote on awards
Reflection
Modification & Differentiation
Have students write a paragraph, using the claim warrant format to
answer the following question:
Imagine you are a Southern White Person or a Black Person (your
choice). In 5-8 sentences; tell me your reaction to the ruling on Plessy vs.
Ferguson. Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not? How is this going to
affect your life?
Closing
Modification & Differentiation
Have students complete a 3-2-1 Exit Ticket.
IT’S DEBATABLE!
•
PLESSY VS. FERGUSON
© Baltimore Urban Debate League 2013 FOR CLASSROOM USE ONLY
4