Protest in America

Next, they will explore civil rights protests. The journey begins with Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955, pauses to explore the 1963 March on Washington, where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous speech, and continues to Black Lives Matter protests. Kids will also have a chance to dive into the suffrage movement that culminated in the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing women the right to vote. No treatment of protest in America would be complete without exploring demonstrations against violence – whether anti-war or anti-gun violence in schools. Last but far from least are environmental protests, including a Swedish teenager addressing the United Nations about climate change and members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Kids interested in social history will want to examine images from the early civil rights movement. Or read Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. A voting machine that changed the ballot whether the voter was male or female will intrigue kids fascinated by unusual inventions. History buffs and future lawyers will want to pore over the words of the First and Thirteenth Amendments and the ideas they express. These are just some of the highlights in this captivating and important unit.