Take a bus ride through...
The Civil Rights Movement
A WebQuest for Grades 3 -5
Designed by Bob Abbey
Introduction
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What would you do if you couldn’t go to a particular school, sit wherever you wanted in a restaurant or movie theater, or had to drink out of a special drinking fountain just because of your skin color?
Would you scream and yell? Would you try to fight someone or get revenge somehow?
Students today are told "don't use violence!" You're told to use Lifeskills like patience, flexibility or problem solving when you're being picked on or treated unfairly.
But can this really work?
Come along on the bus for a freedom ride through the Civil Rights Movement. See for yourself what ordinary people did to change the laws so everyone is treated equally!
Task
Working with a partner, you will take a bus ride through the history of the Civil Rights Movement and make stops at different important events. At each stop you will become a different character in history. You will learn about the event and determine Lifeskills you, as the character, used to help guarantee freedom and equality for all Americans.
At the end of your freedom ride you will reflect on what you learned and create a final project to present to the class. This final project can be written and colored by hand or you may create a slideshow using software like Kid Pix Studio, HyperStudio or Powerpoint.
Step 1. You will get on the bus and travel back in time to the year 1940. You will get off the bus at Bus Stop #1.
Step 2. At Bus Stop #1, read carefully. You will be told which character in history you are. Read about your life and what it is like to live in the South during segregation. (when white and black people were separated and treated differently).
Step 3. After reading about yourself, you can choose where you go next to explore more about your life:
Picture button - To view pictures of segregated life.
Interview button - To read interviews with people who experienced segregation.
Question button - To read answers to questions about segregation.
(Note: You should visit all three buttons to collect all possible research information.)
Step 4. Click on the
Writing Notebook
to print out a
writing template - Part 1. (Your teacher may have a copy already printed for
you). This will help you organize your research and thoughts about living
in the segregated South before the Civil Rights Movement. Hint: Click on
the Lifeskills button for a list of the Lifeskills and their
meanings. Fill out Part 1 of
this writing frame for your final project.
These Help Buttons are on bottom of every Bus Stop.
| Timeline |
 Map |
Word Terms |
Lifeskills |
Writing Notebook |
Lifeskills Hints |
| Timeline of Civil Rights Events | Map of Southern States | Meaning of Civil Rights words | List of the Lifeskills and their meanings | Shows how to organize your final project | Hints to help you write |
Click to get on the bus
now (or continue reading)
Step 5. When you're ready, get back on the bus. Your teacher will tell you what your next bus stop is. You will probably split up the trip with your classmates. Get off at your next bus stop, either #2,3,4,5,6,7,8,or 9.
Step 6. Get off the bus at your next assigned bus stop. Read who you are at this stop. You will be someone who was part of the Civil Rights Movement. Read about your life. Then look at the pictures, read the interviews, and question/answers. Use the help buttons if you need them.
Step 7. After reading all about yourself and the famous civil rights event you helped with, click on the writing notebook. Scroll to Part 2. (Or get a copy from your teacher). Fill in this writing frame to use for your final project.
Click to get on the bus
now (or continue reading)
Step 8. Get back on the bus for your final stop - Bus Stop #10. Get off at Bus Stop #10. Now you are back to the year 2003-04. You are yourself again. Read and reflect about what it is like to live after the Civil Rights Movement. Think about how your life would be different if the Civil Rights Movement never happened. Read the quotes, look at the pictures.
Step 9. Click on the writing notebook. Scroll to Part 3. (Or ask your teacher for Part 3 of the writing frame.) Fill out this writing frame for your final project.
Step 10. Now you are ready to design and create your final project. Your final project can be either written and drawn by hand or you can create a slideshow presentation using Kid Pix Studio, HyperStudio or Powerpoint. Use the writing notebook frames (Parts 1, 2 and 3) as a guide to create your final project. This project will be presented to the class. If your teacher divides the bus stops among your classmates, your presentation will be linked together with your classmates.
Click to get on the bus
now (or continue reading)
Evaluation
The objectives or goals of your project are to do the following:
Show what you've learned about life for African-Americans living in the South before the Civil Rights Movement.
Show what you learned about one of the famous civil rights events that became part of The Civil Rights Movement.
Show what you've learned about the people who fought for their civil rights and about the Lifeskills they used to succeed in reversing the unfair treatment of blacks.
Show your ideas about the roll you can play in helping to treat all people as equals.
Work effectively with partner to tackle all aspects of the task: research, organization, and presentation of information.
You will graded using the following rubric:
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Conclusion: Through this Webquest students will hopefully see that it is their responsibility to carry on the objectives of the Civil Rights Movement using their lifeskills.
Return to start (Process)