Delivering Justice Script

Warm-Up: What is Justice? (10 minutes)

Teacher: "Good morning, everyone! Let's start our day with a quick reflection. Take a moment to think about the word 'justice.' What does it mean to you? What comes to mind when you hear that word? On your warm-up sheet, silently write down your initial thoughts."

Teacher: (After a few minutes) "Now, I'd like a few brave volunteers to share their thoughts with the class. There are no wrong answers here, just what justice means to you personally."

Listen to 2-3 student responses, affirming their contributions.

Introduction to "Delivering Justice" (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Thank you for sharing your thoughtful ideas. Today, we're going to dive into a powerful story titled 'Delivering Justice.' Looking at just the title, what do you think this text might be about? What kind of 'justice' do you imagine will be 'delivered'?"

Listen to student predictions.

Teacher: "You have some great ideas! This book will take us on a journey through a very important time in American history, the Civil Rights Movement. We'll learn about people who bravely fought for fairness and equality for everyone. As we read, we're going to pay close attention to the details the author gives us, look for clues about people's lives, and notice how the author organizes the information. This will help us truly understand how justice was sought and, eventually, delivered."

Reading "Delivering Justice" (30 minutes)

Teacher: "Alright, everyone, let's get our copies of 'Delivering Justice.' As we read, I want you to keep an eye out for interesting pictures, maps, timelines, and those bold words we call headings and subheadings. These are all text features that can help us understand the story better. We will either read this together as a class, or in pairs, so please pay attention to your instructions. I also want you to mark or make a note of any words you don't know, or that you think are important to understanding the text. I will be pausing at key moments to check for understanding and discuss initial reactions."

Facilitate reading of the text. Pause at strategic points to ask clarifying questions or discuss initial reactions. For example:

• Teacher: "What is happening on this page? What details does the picture add to our understanding?"
• Teacher: "The text just mentioned 'segregation.' What do you think that means? Has anyone heard that word before?"
• Teacher: "What emotion do you think the people in this part of the story might be feeling? Why?"

Vocabulary Exploration (15 minutes)

Teacher: "Great job with the reading, everyone. Now, let's turn our attention to some of those powerful words we encountered. I've highlighted eight words that are key to understanding this historical period: Boycott, Encouragement, Fulfill, Injustice, Mistreated, Protest, Qualified, and Registered."

"On your Vocabulary Worksheet, I want you to first try to define each word using context clues from the reading. Think about how the word was used in the sentence or paragraph. If you need to, you can use a dictionary to help you."

Give students time to work on the worksheet.

Teacher: "Okay, let's go over these words as a class. Who can share their definition and an example sentence for 'Boycott'? How about 'Injustice'?"

Discuss each vocabulary word, clarifying meanings and providing additional examples as needed. Encourage students to use the words in their own sentences.

Discussion and Comprehension (20 minutes)

Teacher: "Now that we've read the text and explored some important vocabulary, let's have a deeper discussion. We're going to use the details from the text, just like real historians and readers do! Please look at the Delivering Justice Slide Deck and our Discussion Prompts to help guide our conversation."

Teacher: (Referring to Slide 3: Who Made a Difference?)
"Who were some of the important individuals mentioned in 'Delivering Justice'? Can you tell me about them using details from the text? For example, what did we learn about Rosa Parks? Or Martin Luther King Jr.? What actions did they take to fight for justice? This text is almost like a mini-biography for some of these people, isn't it? What elements of a biography do you see?"

Allow students to share and prompt them to cite specific evidence from the text (RL.4.1, RI.4.1, RI.4.3, RL.4.5).

Teacher: (Referring to Slide 4: Key Moments & Their Impact)
"The text describes several important events. What were some of the major events that happened? Can someone explain the Montgomery Bus Boycott? What caused it, and what was its effect? How did the timeline in the text help us understand the order of these events?"

Guide students to identify cause and effect relationships and understand chronology (Text Structure).

Teacher: (Referring to Slide 5: Facing Challenges, Finding Solutions)
"The people in 'Delivering Justice' faced many challenges and injustices. What problems did they encounter? How did they work together to find solutions? What forms of protest did we learn about from the reading?"

Discuss problems and solutions, connecting back to the vocabulary and the overall theme of fighting for rights (Text Structure).

Cool-Down: Reflecting on Justice (10 minutes)

Teacher: "Excellent discussion, everyone. You did a fantastic job using text evidence and thinking deeply about this important topic. To wrap up our lesson today, please take out your Cool-Down Activity sheet.

"On this sheet, I want you to write down one key thing you learned today about justice or the Civil Rights Movement. It could be a new vocabulary word, an important event, or a person who inspired you. Think about what resonated with you the most."

Collect cool-down sheets as students finish.

Teacher: "Thank you all for your hard work and thoughtful participation today. Remember the lessons we learned about courage, perseverance, and the ongoing pursuit of justice. See you next time!"

Warm-Up: What is Justice?

Instructions: Take a few minutes to think about the word "justice." What does it mean to you? Write down your thoughts and feelings about justice in the space below.

Share: Be ready to share your ideas with a partner or the class.

Delivering Justice

The Fight for Equal Rights

Have you ever felt that something wasn't fair? Imagine a time when laws treated people differently just because of the color of their skin. In the mid-20th century, African Americans in the United States faced widespread injustice. They were mistreated in many ways, including being denied the right to vote, having separate and unequal schools, and being forced to sit in segregated areas on public transportation and in restaurants.

Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott

One evening in December 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, a brave woman named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. This simple act of defiance sparked a major protest. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a young minister, helped organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

(Image: A black-and-white photo of Rosa Parks, looking determined, with a caption: "Rosa Parks, whose courageous act sparked a movement.")

For 381 days, African Americans in Montgomery refused to ride the city buses. They walked, carpooled, and found other ways to get around. It was a difficult time, but their determination was strong. The boycott was a powerful example of people working together to challenge an unfair law. Their encouragement for one another helped them continue the struggle.

(Map: A simple map of Montgomery, Alabama, showing key locations like the bus routes and the court house, with a caption: "Montgomery, Alabama: The city where the bus boycott began.")

A Leader Emerges: Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. became a prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement. He believed in nonviolent protest and encouraged people to stand up for their rights peacefully. His powerful speeches inspired many, and he worked tirelessly to fulfill the dream of equality for all Americans.

**(Timeline: A vertical timeline with these key dates and events:)

• 1954: Supreme Court rules segregation in schools is unconstitutional (Brown v. Board of Education).
• 1955: Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat; Montgomery Bus Boycott begins.
• 1956: Supreme Court rules bus segregation unconstitutional; Montgomery Bus Boycott ends.
• 1963: March on Washington; Martin Luther King Jr. delivers "I Have a Dream" speech.
• 1964: Civil Rights Act is passed, outlawing discrimination.
• 1965: Voting Rights Act is passed, protecting the right to vote.

Marching for the Right to Vote

Even after laws changed, many African Americans still found it difficult to vote. They were often told they weren't qualified or faced unfair tests. In 1965, civil rights activists organized marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, to protest these voting barriers. These marches brought national attention to the injustice and helped push for new laws to protect voting rights.

Many brave people worked to get African Americans registered to vote. These efforts were crucial in ensuring that all citizens could participate in their government. The cause of the unfair voting laws had the effect of many people being unable to make their voices heard. The problem of discriminatory voting practices was ultimately addressed by new legislation, which was a significant solution.

The Civil Rights Movement was a long and challenging struggle, but through the courage and persistence of countless individuals, significant progress was made in delivering justice and securing equal rights for all Americans.

Delivering Justice: Vocabulary Worksheet

Instructions: For each vocabulary word, first try to define it using clues from the reading passage "Delivering Justice." Then, write a sentence using the word in your own words. If you need help, you can use a dictionary.

1. Boycott

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2. Encouragement

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3. Fulfill

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4. Injustice

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5. Mistreated

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6. Protest

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7. Qualified

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8. Registered

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Delivering Justice: Discussion Prompts

Instructions: Use these prompts to guide our class discussion about "Delivering Justice." Remember to use details from the text to support your answers!

Focusing on Individuals and Biographies (RL.4.1, RL.4.5, RI.4.1, RI.4.3)

1. Who were some of the most important individuals we met in "Delivering Justice"? What specific details from the text tell us about their lives and actions?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. The text tells us about people like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. What elements characteristic of a biography can you find in the descriptions of these individuals? (Think about their actions, challenges, and impact).
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Can you identify an explicit detail from the text that shows us why Rosa Parks or Martin Luther King Jr. were important to the Civil Rights Movement?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Exploring Events and Text Structure (RL.4.1, RI.4.1, RI.4.3)

4. What were the major events described in "Delivering Justice"? Use details from the text to recount what happened during the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. The text describes events that happened in a certain order. How does the timeline help us understand the chronology or sequence of these events? Give an example of two events and their order.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Can you identify a cause and its effect from the reading? For example, what caused the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and what was the effect of it?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Understanding Problems and Solutions

7. What problems or injustices did African Americans face during the time period discussed in the text? What explicit details in the text support your answer?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. How did individuals and groups work to find solutions to these problems? What forms of protest did they use, and how effective were they?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. How did the passage describe the problem of unfair voting laws and the solution that came about to address it? Think about the Selma marches.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Cool-Down: Reflecting on Justice

Instructions: What is one key thing you learned today about justice or the Civil Rights Movement from our lesson on "Delivering Justice"? It could be a new vocabulary word, an important event, a person who inspired you, or a new understanding.