Freedom Fighters
Teacher’s Guide
Grade Level: 6–8
Curriculum Focus: World & U.S. History
Lesson Duration: Two class periods
Program Description
Mandela & Apartheid (24 min.)—Examines Nelson Mandela’s dream of ending apartheid in South
Africa, and traces his path from demonstrator to political prisoner to international statesman. Martin
Luther King Boulevard (24 min.)—Explores what movements to rename streets after the slain civil
rights leader—and the resistance sometimes faced—say about the state of U.S. race relations in the 21st
century.
Onscreen Questions
•
Why did violence erupt in South Africa during apartheid?
•
How did Nelson Mandela help bring an end to apartheid?
•
Why is it important to remember the accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr.?
•
Why would some people object to renaming streets in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.?
Lesson Plan
Student Objectives
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Demonstrate an understanding of the struggles of Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Read, analyze, and compare two speeches or writings from Mandela and King.
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Discuss the effect each man had on history.
Materials
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Freedom Fighters video and VCR, or DVD and DVD player
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Computer with Internet access
•
Resources about Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Freedom Fighters: Teacher’s Guide
2
Procedures
1. After watching the video, review important facts about Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther
King, Jr.: What injustice did each man fight? How did both men fight to overcome injustice in
their countries? What are significant events in both men’s lives? How do their actions continue
to inspire people today? To discuss this last question, ask students to explain and support the
following statements from the video:
•
“During his incarceration, [Mandela] had become an international symbol of
resistance to apartheid.”
•
“After his assassination in 1968, King became a powerful symbol in the struggle for
racial justice.”
2. Next, tell the class that both men spread their message through letters and speeches throughout
their lifetimes. For example, students are probably familiar with King’s “I Have a Dream”
speech, delivered at a march in Washington, D.C. in 1963. Explain that earlier that year, King
had been arrested after demonstrating in defiance of a court order. While in jail, he wrote
“Letter From a Birmingham Jail.” This letter was widely circulated and became an important
document in the civil rights movement.
3. Remind students that, like King, Mandela was also imprisoned for his beliefs – although his
imprisonment lasted more than two decades (1964-1990). Mandela was originally sentenced to
five years imprisonment, but while serving that sentence, he was also convicted of sabotage and
sentenced to life imprisonment. Mandela’s statements during the second trial, called the
Rivonia Trial, became famous in the fight against apartheid.
4. Tell students that they will be comparing one of Mandela’s important writings or speeches with
one of King’s. They may choose to compare King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” or “I Have a
Dream Speech” with Mandela’s “Statement from the Rivonia Trial,” or they may wish to
compare their acceptance speeches for the Nobel Peace Prize. Profiles for both men are also
included below if needed:
Nelson Mandela
•
Mandela: Statement from the Dock at the Rivonia Trial
http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/mandela/1960s/rivonia.html
•
Mandela Speaks (Selected Speeches, Statements and Writings)
http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/mandela/
•
Profile of Nelson Mandela
http://www.anc.org.za/people/mandela.html
•
The Time 100 (Most Important People of the Century): Nelson Mandela
http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/mandela.html
Martin Luther King, Jr.
•
The Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project: Frequently Requested Documents (Links
to “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” “I Have a Dream” Speech, and Others)
http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/popular_requests/
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
Freedom Fighters: Teacher’s Guide
•
Martin Luther King, Jr. Profile
http://search.eb.com/blackhistory/micro/321/84.html
•
The Time 100 (Most Important People of the Century): Martin Luther King
http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/king.html
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5. Once you and students have selected the two documents or speeches to compare, have students
read them on their own a few times, highlighting important passages and noting any questions.
If necessary, take some class time to answer students’ questions.
6. Ask students to write a brief summary of both documents, and then compare the two. How are
they alike? How are they different? For example: What is the purpose or “call to action” in each
document? What is each man’s vision for the future? How did each man discuss violence?
7. After students have written their comparisons, have a class discussion about the contributions
of these two leaders. Were these two men effective civil rights proponents? If so, what qualities
or actions made them effective? If not, why? How might history have been different if King had
not been assassinated? How might the course of events in South Africa have been different if
Mandela hadn’t been imprisoned?
Assessment
Use the following three-point rubric to evaluate students' work during this lesson.
•
3 points: Students were active in class discussions; demonstrated a strong understanding of
both Mandela’s and King’s writings; wrote a thorough, engaging comparison of the two
documents or speeches.
•
2 points: Students participated in class discussions; demonstrated a satisfactory understanding
of both Mandela’s and King’s writings; wrote a clear comparison of the two documents or
speeches.
•
1 point: Students did not participate in class discussions; demonstrated a weak understanding
of Mandela’s and King’s writings; wrote a vague or inaccurate comparison of the two
documents or speeches.
Vocabulary
apartheid
Definition: A policy of segregation and political and economic discrimination against nonEuropean groups in the Republic of South Africa from 1948 to 1990.
Context: Nelson Mandela was the leading figure of South Africa’s struggle to end apartheid.
civil rights
Definition: The nonpolitical rights of a citizen, especially the rights of personal liberty
guaranteed to U.S. citizens by the Constitution.
Context: Martin Luther King, Jr. helped convince many white Americans to support the cause of
black civil rights in the United States.
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
Freedom Fighters: Teacher’s Guide
4
legacy
Definition: Something handed down from the past
Context: Today, many people are committed to finding ways to honor King’s legacy.
segregation
Definition: The separation or isolation of a race, class, or ethnic group
Context: Martin Luther King Jr. challenged segregation and racial discrimination in the 1950s
and 1960s.
Academic Standards
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL)
McREL's Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K–12 Education
addresses 14 content areas. To view the standards and benchmarks, visit
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/browse.asp.
This lesson plan addresses the following national standards:
•
World History: Era 9—Understands how post-World War II reconstruction occurred, new
international power relations took shape, and colonial empires broke up.
•
U.S. History: Era 9—Understands the struggle for racial and gender equality and for the
extension of civil liberties.
The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)
The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) has developed national standards to provide
guidelines for teaching social studies. To view the standards online, go to
http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands/.
This lesson plan addresses the following thematic standards:
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Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
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Power, Authority, and Governance
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Global Connections
Support Materials
Develop custom worksheets, educational puzzles, online quizzes, and more with the free teaching tools
offered on the Discoveryschool.com Web site. Create and print support materials, or save them to a
Custom Classroom account for future use. To learn more, visit
•
http://school.discovery.com/teachingtools/teachingtools.html
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
Freedom Fighters: Teacher’s Guide
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DVD Content
This program is available in an interactive DVD format. The following information and activities are
specific to the DVD version.
How To Use the DVD
The DVD starting screen has the following options:
Play Video—This plays the video from start to finish. There are no programmed stops, except by
using a remote control. With a computer, depending on the particular software player, a pause
button is included with the other video controls.
Video Index—Here the video is divided into four parts (see below), indicated by video thumbnail
icons. Watching all parts in sequence is similar to watching the video from start to finish. Brief
descriptions and total running times are noted for each part. To play a particular segment, press
Enter on the remote for TV playback; on a computer, click once to highlight a thumbnail and read
the accompanying text description and click again to start the video.
Curriculum Units—These are specially edited video segments pulled from different sections of the
video (see below). These nonlinear segments align with key ideas in the unit of instruction. They
include onscreen pre- and post-viewing questions, reproduced below in this Teacher’s Guide. Total
running times for these segments are noted. To play a particular segment, press Enter on the TV
remote or click once on the Curriculum Unit title on a computer.
Standards Link—Selecting this option displays a single screen that lists the national academic
standards the video addresses.
Teacher Resources—This screen gives the technical support number and Web site address.
Video Index
I. Violence in South Africa (Mandela and Apartheid Part 1) (15 min.)
Although apartheid officially ended in 1990, South Africa would not have a nonracial, democratic
government until 1993. Take a close look at the struggle to end apartheid in that country.
II. The End of Apartheid (Mandela and Apartheid Part 2) (9 min.)
After much violence and protest, apartheid in South Africa finally came to an end. Explore the
crucial roles Nelson Mandela and F.W. De Klerk played in that struggle.
III. Remembering a Dream (King & Civil Rights Part 1) (14 min.)
Does a street name truly honor a leader? Discover why some cities have named streets after Martin
Luther King, Jr., and why others have not.
IV. The Legacy of Martin Luther King (King & Civil Rights Part 2) (9 min.)
Examine the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., and how some U.S. cities have chosen to honor him.
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
Freedom Fighters: Teacher’s Guide
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Curriculum Units
1. After Mandela’s Release
Pre-viewing question:
Q: What do you know about Nelson Mandela and his role in the history of South Africa?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question:
Q: Is violence ever justified in a struggle for freedom and equality?
A: Answers will vary.
2. Tribal Conflict
Pre-viewing question:
Q: Do you believe that governments always try to do the best for their citizens?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question:
Q: Why didn’t the South African government stop the tribal violence?
A: Most of the violence came from supporters of the Inkatha Freedom Party. The police either did
nothing to stop them or helped them because violence prevented the African National Congress
(ANC) from getting organized. This gave the government an advantage as all parties headed
toward negotiations on the country’s future.
3. Inkatha, the Government, and the ANC
Pre-viewing question:
Q: What would you do if you learned your teachers wanted you to fail?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question:
Q: What did the judicial committee find out about the government-funded Inkatha training?
A: The South African Defense Force, a part of the South African government, used secret funds to
pay for the Inkatha training in 1996. The training consisted of VIP-protection training and offensive
and defensive training, and it included methods of violence, such as the use of firearms and
explosives unrelated VIP protection. The Inkatha members who received the secret training were
placed in the police force in the tribal state of KwaZulu.
4. Failed Government Talks
Pre-viewing question:
Q: Why do you think some black South Africans supported the white government?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question:
Q: Do you think Nelson Mandela was right to end talks with the government?
A: Answers will vary.
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Freedom Fighters: Teacher’s Guide
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5. Anti-Government Actions
Pre-viewing question:
Q: What methods of protest have been successful in bringing about social change?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question:
Q: Would you risk your life in a fight for your freedom?
A: Answers will vary.
6. Mandela Makes Demands
Pre-viewing question:
Q: What tough decisions have your school government or leaders had to make?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question:
Q: What three demands did the ANC make for the government?
A: Before he would allow a summit meeting between the ANC and the government, Mandela made
these demands: 1. The government must release all remaining ANC prisoners, including some
convicted of terrorist atrocities in the 1980s; 2. Inkatha Freedom Party members must be banned
from carrying their traditional weapons; 3. Razor-wire fencing must be built around the Inkatha
hostels.
7. Mandela and De Klerk
Pre-viewing question:
Q: What compromises have you had to make?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question:
Q: What would have happened if Mandela’s demands had not been met?
A: Answers will vary.
8. A Street Name in Oregon
Pre-viewing question:
Q: Have you ever lost a battle for something you believed in?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question:
Q: How would you have voted if you were a city council member in Eugene, Oregon?
A: Answers will vary.
9. A Controversial Street in Chicago
Pre-viewing question:
Q: What examples of racism have you seen?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question:
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Freedom Fighters: Teacher’s Guide
Q: Do you agree or disagree that the street in Chicago does not truly honor Dr. King? Why?
A: Answers will vary.
10. Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri
Pre-viewing question:
Q: Do you think streets named for Dr. King give more honor in black, white, or interracial
neighborhoods?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question:
Q: Do you think Martin Luther King Drive in St. Louis should be renamed?
A: Answers will vary.
11. Miami Works on a Boulevard
Pre-viewing question:
Q: What do you think revitalization or clean-up projects accomplish for a community?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question:
Q: Do you think the revitalization project in Miami is enough to honor King’s legacy?
A: Answers will vary.
12. Honoring Dr. King
Pre-viewing question:
Q: Of the memorials you might have visited, which had the biggest effect on you?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question:
Q: What do you think is the best way to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.?
A: Answers will vary.
13. Eugene Reverses its Vote
Pre-viewing question:
Q: How do you think Dr. King would feel about having streets named after him?
A: Answers will vary.
Post-viewing question:
Q: Do you think the renaming of Centennial Boulevard will affect race relations in Eugene?
A: Answers will vary.
Published by Discovery Education. © 2005. All rights reserved.
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