Governor s Decision Room Handbook Teacher s Guide
overview Background: The Governor s Decision Room is the culmination of several years of research and observation about a new direction in history education. With the help and support of the Truman Presidential Library and Museum, David and Betty Morris Family, Jackson National Life and the Michigan History Foundation, the Archives of Michigan proudly presents the Governor s Decision Room Program. Methodology: HSCE s Formative assessments, created by teachers for teachers. This curriculum covers the following standards from the current Michigan High School Content Expectations in United States History and Geography Era 8- Post World War II United States 1945-1989 8.2.1 Demographic Changes 8.2.2 Policy Concerning Domestic Issues 8.2.3 Comparing Domestic Policies 8.3.5 Tensions and Reactions to Poverty and Civil Rights FOR TEACHERS: The teacher s guide is the same as the students guide in content and pagination. This guide however includes teacher s notes to guide the educator in the different modules. If the teacher has any questions on process please contact the program staff at the Michigan Historical Center. 3
Module 1 Introductory Statement for Module One: The 1960 s are defined by the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement and the assassinations of four major political leaders (within 5 years). This time period represents one of the nation s most complicated historical eras. Tremendous social, economic, and political change took place in a short period of time. The State of Michigan and the City of Detroit experienced these transformations as much or more than any other state in the union. Detroit at the time was the nation s fourth largest city, and it made Michigan a vital electoral chess piece as well as a major factor in the nation s industrial output with the Big Three General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler all having their headquarters in Detroit. Detroit s economic output drew hundreds of thousands of Americans to Michigan to work in the automobile industry. These heterogeneous groups competed for jobs and housing as Detroit s population exploded during the first half of the twentieth century. Detroit s position at the crossroads of social, political, and economic history provides unique examples and insights into the powerful forces that collided in America in the 1960s. In this curricular unit you will explore how dramatic events in Michigan from the 1960s represent changes occurring in the country at large and how these events permanently changed the course of Michigan s history. Vocabulary List: Segregation Imperialism Discrimination Civil Rights Black Power Police Brutality Free Space Riot Pan-Africanism Racism Nationalism Revolution Rebellion Exploitation Protest Colonialism Teacher s Note: Depending on the students you are teaching in terms of grade level and ability, there are certain terms your students should understand prior to advancing in this curricular module. If you feel your students are not familiar with the following list of terms, you should take time prior to starting the lesson to cover these definitions with students. 4
Introduction to Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs: Michigan in the 1960s, a contrast in prosperity and poverty. Self-Actualization Achieving individual potential Esteem Self-esteem and esteem from others Belonging Love, affections, being a part of groups Safety Shelter, removal from danger Physiological Health, food, sleep Teacher s Note: This curriculum includes the framework of Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs, borrowed from the psychological discipline. This framework is included to give students a conceptual sense of what motivates human behavior, and in the context of the 1960s, what would drive people to protest, riot, or rebel against their economic and social circumstances. It is important to stress to students that people typically progress up the hierarchy as they solidify each level of need. You can provide examples to students of individuals who achieved economic and family stability in their lives and found themselves at the level of self-actualization or self-esteem. During this part of the module teachers should question students about how they would behave if their safety and physiological needs were not met. You as the teacher need to convey that Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs can be used to explain a range of human behavior from different historical examples. This portion of the module has been included to ensure that students understand that riots, rebellions, and protests do not just randomly occur, but are a product of people s basic needs going unmet. Questions to go with Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs: Review the chart above, circle or mark those needs that you feel are of most importance in life and then answer the following short answer questions. 1. According to this illustration, what are the most basic needs of individuals? 2. Do you believe that each individual should meet these needs for him or her self? Do you believe this responsibility should ever be transferred away from the individual? For example, could a government ever assume responsibility for addressing these needs? 3. What do you believe happens when the basic needs of individuals are not met? In other words, what would you expect people to do if their access to food, water, and shelter were threatened? 4. If basic needs are not met for people, is the outcome always negative? Or can it be a positive outcome in certain situations? 5. What would you do if your basic needs were not being met and you felt that no one, or no institution was going to come to your assistance? The following question is optional if the teacher feels time exists for class discussion. 6. Can you think of current events or events from recent history that can be explained due to the fact that people s physiological or safety needs were not being met? 5
Module One (continued): Students, please define the following concepts in your own words. Feel free to use words, phrases, or examples to define each concept. Riot Rebellion Protest On November 17, 1961, more than 30,000 farmers participate in a rally in front of the seat of the Swiss government in Berne. The farmers are demonstrating to express their frustration and anger over falling prices for agricultural produce and the federal government's decision concerning the price for milk. Teacher s Note: Now that students understand Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs they need to be introduced to three more concepts that will help them organize their thinking about the urban unrest of the late 1960s. The concepts of Riot, Rebellion, and Protest have qualities that are similar but they also have properties that are different. The definitions and labels we place on different events communicate powerfully how people understand a certain historical event. In their own words, have students define their understanding of each word, Riot, Rebellion and Protest. After students have written down their own personal definitions, begin charting key words or phrases they used to define each concept on a Venn Diagram on the chalkboard, whiteboard, or overhead projector. Allow students to comment about whether the word/phrase should overlap between two or three concepts, or should it belong to only one concept. Venn Diagram: Now, following along with your teacher and keeping notes on the Venn diagram provided below, chart the characteristics of Riots, Rebellions, and Protests that overlap with each other and which ones do not overlap with the other concepts. Students, place the following historical events in the correct category on the Venn Diagram. Two of the events are riots, two are rebellions, and two are protests. A Venn diagram helps you compare things. In the outer circles, write things about them that are different. In the center circles, write things that are alike (between two things or all three, depending on how the circles overlap). Events: The Flint Sit Down Strike (1937) Kent State Shootings (1970) The Homestead Strike (1892) The Chicago Democratic Convention (1968) Selma to Montgomery, Alabama Marches (1965) Rodney King s Arrest (1991) 6
different same different different 2008 abcteach.com Teacher s Note: After completing the Venn diagram mapping of Riot, Rebellion, and Protest complete the following formative assessment to test students understanding of the three concepts. Depending on what the students have covered in recent social studies classes the teacher may need to provide some details concerning some of the events listed below. Teacher s Module Summary: At this point your students should understand the introductory concepts needed to move forward in this curricular unit. By now students should be familiar with Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs and the similarities and differences between Riots, Rebellions, and Protests. Students should also be able to apply real world examples from history and current events to each of these concepts prior to moving on to module two. Have students write a brief 3-4 sentence statement about...use robert s text 7