Jackie Robinson, Civil Rights Leader?

1. Jackie Robinson, Civil Rights Leader? A lesson plan to accompany the Digital History Reader www.dhr.history.vt.edu Virginia Tech: School of Education Composed by Tommy George Karen McNamara Gina Rumbolo

2. Just Do It Activity (~5 min.) • Concept Attainment Model • Let’s define “Racism” as a class: • Please provide a list of examples, non-examples, essential characteristics, and non-essential characteristics. • Example: Black Codes in Virginia • Non-Example: full suffrage/equal citizenship • Essential Characteristic: negative feelings towards a group or minority • Non-essential Characteristic: limitations of civil liberties, “separate, but equal” – Plessy v Fergusson)

3. “Character Profiling” Activity (~15 min.) • Using the provided handout and attached information, students will be able to generate a brief paragraph describing the character of Jackie Robinson. • Goal: a first impression from the provided information • Result: completion of brief paragraph and general discussion to follow.

4. But first, who was Jackie Robinson? – a brief lecture of his life, accomplishments, etc. (~15 min.) • #42 on the Brooklyn Dodgers • Lifetime .311 batting average, Hall of Fame inductee, Rookie of the Year, MVP, stolen-base titles, etc. • Born in rural Georgia, moved out West to California with his mother and four siblings • 1st to letter in four sports at UCLA including football, basketball, baseball, and track

5. Besides Sports… • Drafted into the Army after Pearl Harbor • Becomes a second lieutenant • Court-martialed for not moving to the back of a bus • Charges were eventually dropped and he received an honorable discharge from service

6. Jackie’s Role in the Civil Rights Movement • "If they can fight and die on Okinawa, Guadalcanal (and) in the South Pacific, they can play ball in America." –Happy Chandler, commissioner of Major League Baseball and former Senator and Governor of Kentucky • “Accomplishment: Was the first African-American to play Major League Baseball (drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers)

7. “Here’s to you, Mr(s). Robinson” • As Sports Illustrated's Bill Nack wrote: "Robinson was the target of racial epithets and flying cleats, of hate letters and death threats, of pitchers throwing at his head and legs, and catchers spitting on his shoes." (espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016431.html)

8. WebQuest Activity (~30 min.) • Using the provided handout and instructions, students will independently or in small groups, research information from the online module to answer the attached questionnaire. • The website for this activity is: • http://www.dhr.history.vt.edu/us/mod08_robinson/index.html. • If time allows, please complete the self-assessment quiz after answering the questions.

9. Jackie Robinson Spectrum (~10 min.) • Students will be provided a series of statements pertaining to Jackie Robinson. • The students will personally rate/rank these statements based on their opinions and interpretations of the material. • Spectrum ranges from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree” • A general discussion will be held during the spectrum activity based on the results and differing perspectives of the students.

10. Closure: Personal Perspective Paper (remaining time/homework) • Goal: allow students to use their prior knowledge of the content to develop their own interpretation of the original guiding question of: • To what did degree did Jackie Robinson’s life influence the Civil Rights Movement? • Please read the instructions carefully on the attached handout. • Grammar, formatting, AND content will be assessed. This assignment should be AT LEAST one-page, typed, single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman Font.