Annually, all Rock Point School students participate in a Civil Rights Movement Unit in history class. We do this because we offer a Civil Rights Trip each year, and we believe that experiential learning works best when participants have a solid foundation of knowledge. Although only a portion of our students go on the trip, it’s worthwhile to make these learning experiences accessible to all.
Mark Spigos, our amazing History Teacher, modifies the content and theme of the unit each year to try to make it relevant to ongoing situations in our society. Given the polarization in our country amid a divisive election cycle, Mark framed this year's unit around the essential question, "Can different voices work toward common goals?" To address this question, classes explored the idea that Civil Rights Movement was not a singular entity. It was a coalition of different voices from various organizations and communities with different ideas of how to achieve racial justice (from working within systems of "Law & Order" to "Nonviolent Resistance" to "Black Power"). The project proposed by Mark asked the students to engage with historical examples of relationships between people with divergent ideas, coming together around a common cause (i.e., racial justice).
For the project, each student selected a civil rights activist to research. With their research, they created a poster and presentation about the activist. They learned not only biographical information about the activist but also delved into each person's philosophy and explored how their philosophy fit into the movement as a whole. Finally, each student presented their work to the school at an assembly called "Voices of the Movement."
The presentations were a moving testament to the work of the activists, and each student genuinely connected with their research subject. Mark summed up the experience, "I am incredibly proud of the work that the students put into making this community project meaningful. They led with curiosity, remained engaged throughout the research process, and ultimately created beautiful educational posters (which will decorate my classroom for a long time to come!). The students also did an amazing job stepping up and presenting their work at our community event, which allowed us all to learn in detail about a wide range of 'voices of the movement' that may not be centered in a traditional history curriculum."
We can all take inspiration from the past as we look toward the future.
Sample of student work by a Senior
