Lesson 2: Taking a Stand with Rosa Parks
Grade Level: 5–6
Lesson Introduction
This unique activity introduces Rosa Parks and provides an opportunity
for students to respond to her experience in writing. As students
learn about “the Mother of the Modern-Day Civil Rights
Movement,” they see how individuals have shaped American
history.
Build Background
- Ask students to share what they know about black history
in America.
- Have students work in small teams to review the interactive
timeline on black history and write out answers
to the following questions or topics. Remind students to
use the additional “Web Link” extensions to gather
information.
- When did Africans first come to this continent? Explain why
they came and what happened once they arrived.
- Describe three events between 1775 and 1865 that supported
an end to slavery in America.
- What early 20th century figure from another part of the world
influenced later leaders of the civil rights movement such
as Martin Luther King, Jr.? Describe his philosophy.
- What are some of the restrictions put on African Americans
during the first part of the 20th century?
- Name three black figures who blazed new trails during the
20th century. What historic actions did they take? What obstacles
did they face to gain their achievement?
Teach with the Activities
Consider What it Means to Break the Law:
- Before you introduce students to Rosa Parks, have them consider
the following question:
Are people ever justified in breaking the law? Explain.
- Have students consider circumstances where they think it might
be alright to break the law.
Meet Rosa Parks:
- Take students to the profile on and have them read the articles:
Sitting Down, Arrested, Boycott, King’s Speech, Boycott
Works, Nonviolence, and Court Ruling.
- Working in their groups, have students discuss why Rosa Parks
was justified in breaking the law. They should write a brief
paragraph explaining their reasons.
- Next, have students consider what Rosa Parks could have done
instead of breaking the law. Would these actions have resulted
in the same outcome?
- Ask students to think about what they would have done if
they were Rosa Parks. Explain that each student will be writing
an imagined account of the afternoon on that Montgomery bus
as well as the events that followed. They should write their
essay from the perspective of Rosa Park, the bus driver, or
another passenger (black or white) who was on the bus that
day.
- Using this worksheet for drafting
an outline, have students create an outline for their
essay.
- Provide time for students to shape their outline into a first-person
essay. Their account should include what they (the persons
whose personas they are adopting) felt as these historic events
unfolded. Students should write a first draft and a revised
draft.
Explore the Civil Rights Movement:
- Hand out the Cause & Effect
reproducible.
- In the box on the right, have students write in “Civil
Rights Movement.” Ask students to define the civil rights
movement based on the following criteria:
- Was it violent or nonviolent?
- Was it lead by rich, powerful people or simple, everyday
people?
- Was it successful or unsuccessful?
- What have been the repercussions of the civil rights movement?
- Then, using the notes they gathered during the timeline activity
and the information they learned in the profile of Rosa Parks,
have students enter at least six causes that led up to the
civil rights movement.
- Have students imagine what could have happened if…
- Rosa Parks had given up her seat.
- The Supreme Court hadn’t ruled that segregation laws
were unconstitutional.
- Civil rights leaders had launched a violent protest.
Wrap Up:
- Have the class again consider the question you posed at the
beginning of the lesson:
Are people ever justified in breaking the law? Explain.
- Ask students to discuss the ways Rosa Parks and other participants
in the civil rights movement broke the law. Were these people
justified? Why or why not? Have students use examples from
the cause/effect worksheet to support their arguments.
- Drawing on the essays they wrote, have students consider
how people on both sides of the movement felt about the civil
rights leaders breaking the law.
Extend Learning
Additional Activities
- Have students write a newspaper article (imagining it is
1955) covering the events of Rosa Parks’ arrest and the
bus boycott.
- Reviewing their notes from the timeline activity, students
should choose an African American who overcame difficult situations
to make progress. Have student write a paragraph about this
person and submit it online at Nominate
a Trailblazer.
- Read about the history
of jazz. Have students consider these questions:
- How might the popularity of black music and musicians affected
the civil rights movement?
- What barriers or prejudices do you think jazz musicians faced?
Discussion Questions
- Rosa Parks risked her life for an idea — the right
to equal access to public transportation. Would you be willing
to take a similar risk for something that you believed in?
If so, explain.
- What would you have been most worried about on the first
day of the bus boycott?
- What do you think of using nonviolence to solve civil rights
issues? Use specific examples of nonviolence and reasons for
your responses.
Benchmarks
4th Edition Standards & Benchmarks
United States History
- Understands the development of the civil rights movement
