Lesson plan: Today's young leaders

February 16, 2001
Web posted at: 5:29 PM EST (2229 GMT)

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Objectives

Students will be able to:

• Explain teen involvement in integrating society.
• Determine programs for teens in different organizations.

Standards

National Council for the Social Studies
II. Time, continuity and change

High school students should engage in more sophisticated analysis and reconstruction of the past, examining its relationship to the present and extrapolating into the future. They integrate individual stories about people, events and situations to form a more holistic conception in which continuity and change are linked in time and across cultures.

Materials

CNNfyi.com article, "Voices of change"
Internet access

Suggested time

One class period

Procedures

1. Have students read the CNNfyi.com article "Voices of change" and ask the following:

• Who is Tashiya Umoja? How long has she been preparing to become a leader of the New Afrikan Scouts? How do you think her age affects the impact she has upon others? Why does Tashiya believe that African-Americans have become apathetic in their struggle for equal rights? What does Tashiya believe are some solutions to get teens involved?
• What are some examples of ways in which young people have been involved in integration? Early leaders recognized that the principal problem facing African-Americans was lack of access. What are some examples given in the article in which African-Americans were denied equal access? How do you think this affected their lives emotionally and financially?
• Who is Mtayari Kalimara? What are some examples of problems he cites that face the African-American community today? Who is Amina Wingate? What, in her opinion, are the two largest issues facing the African-American community?

2. Have students determine the year in which their school district was integrated. Students can research historical events that occurred in that same year and create collages.

Assessment

Direct students to select one of the following organizations and determine the programs and education they offer for involvement of teens: the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the American Civil Liberties Union. Have students share their findings with the class. Discuss the similarities and differences in opportunities made available for young people by these organizations and the organizations discussed in the article.

Accommodation

Visual/spatial: Students can create a timeline of events in which teens played an important part in integrating society.

Challenge

Students can create guidelines for an organization for teens to promote equality today. Students should include a mission statement and a list for methods of reaching their goals.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
American Civil Liberties Union

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