Lesson Plan 1

Title: What is Social Justice? What is Social Injustice?

Grade: 4

Time Requirement: 160 minutes

Objectives

Students will be able to:

• Understand the term of social justice that will be the foundation for lessons 2-5.
• Recognize an example of social injustice within a piece of literature.
• Identify Robert F. Kennedy as a man who fought against social injustice.

New York State Learning Standards

• Social Studies Standard 1: History of the United States and New York state KI 1, PI 3; KI 2, PI 1; KI 3, PI 1; KI 4, PI 1
• Social Studies Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship and Government KI 1, PI 1; KI 2, PI 2; KI 3, PI 4; KI 4, PI 1-6
• English Language Arts Standard 1 Grade 4 - information and understanding: Reading PI 2, 4, 7, 10, 12; Writing PI 2-6, 8; Listening PI 4-5; Speaking PI 2, 6-7
• English Language Arts Standard 2 Grade 4 - literary expression: Reading PI 4-5, 7, 9, 15, 17; Writing PI 3, 9, 11; Listening PI 1-4; Speaking PI 2-3
• English Language Arts Standard 3 Grade 4 - critical analysis and evaluation: Reading PI 2, 4,7-8, 10,12; Writing PI 2-7, 9; Listening PI 2; Speaking PI 3-4
• English Language Arts Standard 4 Grade 4 - social interaction: Reading PI 3; Writing PI 1; Listening PI 1; Speaking PI 3

SOCIAL STUDIES CORE CURRICULUM

• Grade 4 Local History and Local Government
• Government - The fundamental values of American democracy

SKILLS

• Thinking Skills - comparing and contrasting ideas
• Research and Writing Skills - getting information, organizing information, synthesizing information
• Interpersonal and Group Relation Skills - defining terms, recognizing that others may have another point of view, cooperating to accomplish goals

CONCEPTS

• Choice
• Civic Values
• Empathy
• Interdependence
• Power

Student Activities

Anticipatory Set

The teacher asks class, "What is point of view/perspective?" The teacher uses student responses to define the term on newsprint or blackboard. To support a discussion of perspective, read aloud The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka. Other suggested readings include, but are not limited to: The Two Bad Ants or The Sweetest Fig by Chris Van Allsburg, Zoom by Istvan Banyai and The Pain and the Great One by Judy Blume.

Prepare a class T chart (double entry) that has FAIR and UNFAIR posted for all students to see. Provide this issue: "Boys have more energy than girls, so they will get 30 minutes more recess at the end of the day." Each student, on a Post-it note, should decide how they feel about the issue and write why, with details to support their perspective. Students will independently place their Post-it note on the large class chart. (See illustration on page 10.)

The teacher facilitates a whole class discussion of the results. Guide the discussion to the conclusion that point of view and perspective play a major role in the debate between fair and unfair.

Compare to the read-aloud story - the three pigs certainly would not share the same perspective as the wolf.

They would feel terribly hurt if people believed that the wolf didn't do anything wrong. Relate feelings of being treated fairly to the feelings of being respected as an individual.

Present the definition of social justice. First, define the words "social" and "justice." Share this full definition:

• Social justice is a condition where people in a society are being treated fairly, have a feeling of equality.

Present the opposite definition to define social injustice.

• Social injustice is the opposite of social justice. Social injustice is a condition of not being treated fairly, having a feeling of inequality.

Return to the T chart and have students identify what is just/unjust. See illustration of T charts below.

Activity 1

Share a read aloud or hold literature circles with each group reading a different story. Choose from this list or any piece of literature that presents a story within the setting and context of social injustice during the 1960s.

• Freedom on the Menu by Carol Boston Weatherford
• Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles
• Teammates by Peter Glenbock
• I Have a Dream: The Story of Martin Luther King by Margaret Davidson
• Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport
• The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson
• Smoky Night by Eve Bunting
• If A Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks by Faith Ringgold
• Rosa by Nikki Giovanni
• The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles

Have students actively listen and practice note-taking strategies. Listen for what they consider evidence of fair/unfair, just/unjust, or a situation that represents social justice/social injustice.

Listen for character actions and change. Listen for the resolution/outcome of the story.

In teams of two to four, have students share their notes and create an illustration/poster that presents the social injustice within the story and how the fictional characters and real people worked to solve the problem. The illustration should represent the major literary elements of character, setting, conflict, plot/rising and falling actions, resolution, theme, etc. Students may include words and thoughts on their posters as well. Share posters. Discuss.

The teacher displays the poster "Speak Up - Speak Out" and asks the class, "When do you think people stand up and speak out on issues?"

• (Document 1a "Speak Up - Speak Out")

Culminating Activity

Introduce Robert F. Kennedy as a man who worked in a similar way to the characters and people in history presented in the suggested literature. He was a U.S. senator from New York during the time period/setting of the stories. Robert F. Kennedy was a champion/leader in the fight against social injustice.

Using the poster, the teacher states that "Robert F. Kennedy is a person who spoke out against unfairness." The teacher provides each student with a copy of his biography to read independently and asks students to identify three issues Robert F. Kennedy thought were unfair and stood up to.

• (Image 1b Robert F. Kennedy)

Extension

Writing/Journal: Describe a person in your life or a character from a book/novel that you've read or a movie you have seen that was involved in fighting against social injustice or standing up for social justice. Be sure to include: information about the character, his/her character traits, actions and emotions, and a description of the social injustice with supporting evidence.

What are the social issues of today? Possible list:

• Poverty
• Lack of interest in voting
• War in Iraq
• Racial diversity
• Immigration/Illegal immigrants
• Global warming
• Pressure of tests
• Cost of gas
• Obesity
• Cruelty to animals
• Bullying
• Recycling
• Public safety
• School safety

Vocabulary Development: Connect the meaning of fair/unfair to just/unjust. Have students independently journal or work in teams to create a T chart of what is fair/just and unfair/unjust in their own lives. Share.