RFK - Grade 11 - Lesson 2: Champion of Social Justice
Grade 11 Unit on Social Justice
Lesson Plan 2
Title: Robert F. Kennedy - a Champion of Social Justice
Grade: 11
Time Requirement: 80 minutes
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Identify various groups of our nation facing social injustices.
- Describe the injustice(s) that each group faced.
- Describe the actions taken by Robert F. Kennedy to address these social justice issue(s).
- Produce a journal entry from the point of view of one group.
- Present journal entries to the class.
New York State Learning Standards
- Social Studies Standard 1: History of the United States and New York state KI 2, PI 3; KI 4, PI 2
- Social Studies Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship and Government KI 4, PI 5
- English Language Arts Standard 1: Information and Understanding Grade 11 Reading, PI 2, 5; Grade 11 Writing, PI 1, 2
- English Language Arts Standard 3: Critical Analysis and Evaluation Grade 11 Writing, PI 2; Grade 11 Listening, PI 1; Grade 11 Speaking, PI 1
- English Language Arts Standard 4: Social Interaction Grade 11 Reading, PI 1; Grade 11 Writing, PI 1; Grade 11 Speaking, PI 1
SOCIAL STUDIES CORE CURRICULUM
- Grade 11: United States History and Government
- Unit Seven: World in Uncertain Times: 1950 – present
- III. Decade of Change: 1960s (pp. 149-151)
- IV. The Limits of Power: Turmoil at Home and Abroad, 1965–1972 (pp. 151-152)
SKILLS
- Thinking skills - comparing and contrasting ideas; drawing inferences and making conclusions; evaluating
- Research and writing skills - getting information; organizing information; interpreting information; analyzing information; synthesizing information; supporting a position
- Interpersonal and group relation skills - recognizing that others may have a different point of view; participating in group planning and discussion; cooperating to accomplish goals; assuming responsibility for carrying out tasks
CONCEPTS
- Change
- Civic values
- Citizenship
- Diversity
- Human rights
- Justice
- Power
Technology Requirement
Laptops or computer lab (If this is not accessible, teachers should distribute a copy of the documents indicated for each group listed under the materials section of this lesson.)
Background
Numerous issues of social injustice touched the lives of many different groups, demographically, ethnically and economically. Robert F. Kennedy made it his personal mission to understand firsthand the problems facing any groups suffering from injustice. Through his investigations, he experienced what he considered completely unacceptable conditions that he sought to ameliorate through legislation and grassroots community efforts. This lesson examines his vision and actions for initiating change and improvements in the lives of people affected by social injustices.
Relevance to Current Issues
While certain advances were made as a result of Robert F. Kennedy's efforts, the groups Robert F. Kennedy visited continue to be victims of social injustice today. Some of the current issues include, but are not limited to, educational inequity, legal inequity, poverty, segregation, (economically driven) and discrimination/racial intolerance.
Student Activities
Anticipatory Set:
The teacher asks students to take about three minutes to write a response to the following questions:
- What are the characteristics of a champion?
- Who would you consider a champion?
- Why did you select this person?
Class Discussion:
After students complete these responses, the teacher should facilitate a class discussion, using these student responses, to derive a definition of a champion. The teacher concludes this activity by asking:
- Why are champions important? What are characteristics of a champion?
- How do they inspire hope?
- Do you feel you have any of the characteristics that the class identified as the characteristics of a champion of social justice?
- How might you help others to develop the qualities of a champion?
Activity 1 - Group Activity:
The teacher introduces the group activity and distributes materials as follows:
The teacher explains that the class will be divided into four groups. Each group will be assigned a different social group (migrant farm workers, American Indians, rural poor and urban poor) and will receive documents revealing the social injustices relating to that group and how Robert F. Kennedy addressed these injustices. (See "materials" for a selection of primary source documents. Teachers should use their discretion in selecting documents that are the appropriate length and level of difficulty for each of their students.)
The teacher indicates that each group will write one journal entry from the point of view of an individual from their assigned social group. The entries should include a description of the socio-economic conditions, the issues or social injustices that the group faced. The teacher emphasizes that their description should be written from the point of view of an individual from the assigned group (be descriptive, exhibit emotion), describe how the individual was personally affected by Robert F. Kennedy and how Robert F. Kennedy worked toward addressing the injustice(s) faced.
Each group of students should also receive a copy of the rubric (see Page 17) so they are aware of what criteria to include and how they will be graded.
The teacher informs the students that each member of the group shall be prepared to share a part of the journal entry.
Small group presentations to class - The teachers ask that each group shares its journal entry with the class. Groups will be evaluated based on the attached rubric (See student handout 1).
The teacher concludes this activity by facilitating a class discussion focusing on the following questions:
- What similarities and differences existed between the groups?
- What were some of the social injustices that each group faced?
- How were the groups affected by the injustices?
- What was Robert F. Kennedy's relationship with each group?
- How were they affected by Robert F. Kennedy?
- Do you think that each group considered Robert F. Kennedy a hero? Why or why not?
Culminating Activity
Students will choose an individual who they believe is an advocate of social justice and complete the activity below. Student creations should be a minimum of one typed page. Suggest using www.speaktruth.org as a resource.
Interview/Dialogue
Pretend that you have an opportunity to have dinner with your chosen advocate of social justice. Write a dialogue (questions that you would ask, and responses). In your dialogue, the responses should be based on information you have gathered from at least two reliable resources. Be sure to discuss the social issues and any policies addressing the treatment of that issue, their reason(s) for interest in the issue, their vision and the actions of the advocate. Briefly compare your advocate's actions with those of Robert F. Kennedy.
Extension Activities
Nomination for National Award
Each student should pretend that he or she has the opportunity to nominate his or her chosen advocate for the award "RFK Social Justice Advocate of the Year." The student's job is to write an essay that endorses a candidate for this prestigious award. Make sure that you include the issue(s) and group for which they advocate, what they hope to accomplish and their actions and methods for addressing the issue(s). The essay should also describe how their work reflects Robert F. Kennedy's legacy. Suggest using www.speaktruth.org as a resource.
Additional Resources
Oral Presentation Rubric: Journal Entry Presentation
DOWNLOAD: Worksheet 2: Oral Presentation Rubric: Journal Entry Presentation (PDF)
Teacher Name: ________________________________________
Student Name: ________________________________________
| CATEGORY |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| Content | Shows a full understanding of the topic. | Shows a good understanding of the topic. | Shows a good understanding of parts of the topic. | Does not seem to understand the topic very well. |
| Collaboration with Peers | Almost always listens to, shares with and supports the efforts of others in the group. Tries to keep people working well together. | Usually listens to, shares with and supports the efforts of others in the group. Does not cause “waves” in the group. | Often listens to, shares with and supports the efforts of others in the group, but sometimes is not a good team member. | Rarely listens to, shares with and supports the efforts of others in the group. Often is not a good team member. |
| Posture and Eye Contact | Stands up straight, looks relaxed and confident. Establishes eye contact with everyone in the room during the presentation. | Stands up straight and establishes eye contact with everyone in the room during the presentation. | Sometimes stands up straight and establishes eye contact. | Slouches and/or does not look at people during the presentation. |
| Speaks Clearly | Speaks clearly and distinctly all (100-95%) of the time, and mispronounces no words. | Speaks clearly and distinctly all (100-95%) of the time, but mispronounces one word. | Speaks clearly and distinctly most (94-85%) of the time. Mispronounces no more than one word. | Often mumbles or cannot be understood OR mispronounces more than one word. |
| Volume | Volume is loud enough to be heard by all audience members throughout the presentation. | Volume is loud enough to be heard by all audience members at least 90% of the time. | Volume is loud enough to be heard by all audience members at least 80% of the time. | Volume often too soft to be heard by all audience members. |
| Meets Requirements | The entry fully presents a description of the socio-economic conditions, the issues or social injustices that the group faced, maintains the point of view of an individual from assigned group (is descriptive, exhibits emotion), describes how the individual was personally affected by RFK and how RFK worked toward addressing the injustice(s) faced. | The entry somewhat presents a description of the socio-economic conditions, the issues or social injustices that the group faced, maintains the point of view of an individual from assigned group (is descriptive, exhibits emotion), describes how the individual was personally affected by RFK and how RFK worked toward addressing the injustice(s) faced. | The entry marginally presents a description of the socio-economic conditions, the issues or social injustices that the group faced, maintains the point of view of an individual from assigned group (is descriptive, exhibits emotion), describes how the individual was personally affected by RFK and how RFK worked toward addressing the injustice(s) faced. | The entry rarely presents a description of the socio-economic conditions, the issues or social injustices that the group faced, maintains the point of view of an individual from assigned group (is descriptive, exhibits emotion), describes how the individual was personally affected by RFK and how RFK worked toward addressing the injustice(s) faced. |
Vocabulary
- social justice
- champion
- migrant
- demographic
- rural
- urban
Materials
The following Web sites include primary source documents to investigate the social injustices of groups influenced by the actions of Robert F. Kennedy.
GROUP 1 Resources – Migrant Farm Workers
- Cesar Chavez - wayne.edu
- News Article, "From the RFK Memorial Poverty Tour: Fields Ripe with Injustice" Posted May 6, 2006
- PBS reading, "People & Events: Cesar Chavez"
- Reading, Pgs. 790 – 792, Schlesinger, Arthur M., Jr. Robert Kennedy and His Times. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2002.
GROUP 2 Resources – American Indians
- Reading, Page 793, Schlesinger, Arthur M., Jr. Robert Kennedy and His Times. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2002.
- Excerpt from Journal of American Indian Education, January 1972
- Reading, Pgs. 154 – 161, Clarke, Thurston. The Last Campaign. New York: Henry Holt & Co., 2008.
GROUP 3 Resources – Rural Poor
- Reading, Pgs. 794 – 795, Schlesinger, Arthur M., Jr. Robert Kennedy and His Times. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2002.
- RFK's trip through eastern Kentucky - www.rfkineky.org/
- Excerpt from "Bobby: My Moral Beacon," written by Gordon Brown - www.newstatesman.com
GROUP 4 Resources – Urban Poor
- Reading, Pgs. 782 – 785, Schlesinger, Arthur M., Jr. Robert Kennedy and His Times. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2002.
- Excerpt from "Bobby: My Moral Beacon," written by Gordon Brown - www.newstatesman.com
- Excerpt titled "The Bedford-Stuyvesant Experiment", Kennedy, Robert F. To Seek a Newer World. Garden City: Doubleday, 1967.