Standards

1. Culture & Cultural Diversity
2. Power, Authority, and Governance

Results:

1. The students will identify the events of the Little Rock , Arkansas crisis of 1957-58.
2. The students will describe several causes of Little Rock .
3. The students will examine the situation in Little Rock from several different perspectives: those of the 9 black students, those of the white students, those of the white parents/community, and those of the Executive Branch.

Evaluation

            The students will write a two-page paper about the Little Rock situation from an assigned perspective. They will include a description of events, causes, and their “opinions” on the situation that coincide with their assigned point of view. After the students share their papers with their classmates the teacher will administer a quiz on the events and different perspectives.

Curriculum

            This lesson plan would fit into a sophomore U.S. history class or a senior government/civics class.

Instruction

1. The instructor will assign the students to read the chapter or section in their text book that covers Little Rock the day prior to the lesson plan.
2. Show a brief video or video clip on Little Rock at the beginning of class (15 minutes).
3. Hold a class discussion and talk about Little Rock and how the students would feel if it happened today. Touch on the view points of the black/white students, the parents, the President, etc. (25 minutes)
4. Divide the students into groups. Assign each group a point of view (black students, white students, white parents/community, president and his advisors, etc.) Hand each group a packet of information about their assigned point of view and an outline for their assigned paper. Instruct the students to read their respective packets for the next day.
5. Day 2. Divide the students into their groups and allow 30 minutes for discussion within the groups and the rest of class to start working on their papers.
6. Day 3. Have the students share what they wrote with the class.
7. Have each group hand in two questions for the quiz about their point of view.
8. Day 4. Administer the quiz you have compiled with each group’s questions and basic questions about the events themselves.

Discussion Questions

1. After hearing everyone’s different perspectives, how would you as a student feel if Little Rock happened today in your school? What action, if any, would you take? Who would you talk to about your feelings?
2. Do you think President Eisenhower’s actions were right or wrong? Why? Why do you think he made the decisions that he did? What influenced him?
3. Which group’s point of view would coincide with your own? Which group’s point of view is opposite of your own?
4. What are some current events that influence students, parents, the community, the nation, and the President today?