Outline for the BLM Week of Action in a High School ELA Class

Olivia Dougherty and Beth Barkley, teachers at Cardozo Education Campus (DCPS), collaborated on the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action by combining all their classes each day. They planned together and co-facilitated. Dougherty teaches 9th and 10th grade English in the International Academy for newly arrived immigrant students. Barkley also teaches English in the International Academy and a Human Rights and Social Action elective that is open to all students.

Here is their description of the activities during the week:

Monday

We kicked off the week with a KWL (Know, Want to Know, What I Learned) Chart about the Black Lives Matter movement. Students shared images that they think represent the movement. We also introduced the 13 Guiding Principles.

Tuesday

In breakout rooms, students learned about leaders from the Civil Rights Movement and Black Lives Matter Movement.

Our library/media specialist, in collaboration with the PEN/Faulkner Foundation, also invited students to an author visit with Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam to discuss their new book, Punching the Air.

Wednesday

(Asynchronous Learning)

Thursday

Students presented their leaders to the class. Then we did a writing assignment, where students could either reflect on one of the 13 Guiding Principles and select a song that they think embodies that principle, or students could write a letter to one of the Civil Rights/Black Lives Matter leaders. (They wrote the letters in present tense, although in some cases the leaders, such as John Lewis, are deceased.)

Friday

Students shared their writing with the class and we played a Kahoot with questions about the leaders. Finally, we discussed the Week of Action National Demands and how we can organize and take action to demand justice for Black and Brown students and families in our community throughout our year of purpose.

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