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Trailblazers of Change

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Lesson Plan

Trailblazers of Change

Students will identify and describe the contributions of at least two influential Black historical figures, fostering an appreciation for diversity and justice.

Understanding these figures helps students appreciate the diverse tapestry of American history and recognize the power of perseverance and courage, showing them how individuals can make a positive impact.

Audience

3rd Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Story-based introduction and interactive discussion.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Markers or pens, Trailblazers of Change Slide Deck, Rosa Parks: A Story of Courage, Martin Luther King Jr.: A Dream for All, Who's Your Hero? Worksheet, and Black History Heroes Cool Down

Prep

Gather Materials & Review Content

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: What's a Hero?

5 minutes

  • Begin by asking students: "What does it mean to be a hero?" Allow a few students to share their ideas.
    - Explain that today, we will learn about some real-life heroes from history.

Step 2

Introduce Trailblazers

10 minutes

Step 3

Discussion & Reflection

8 minutes

  • Facilitate a class discussion using questions such as:
    - "What challenges did these trailblazers face?"
    - "How did their actions make a difference?"
    - "What qualities did they show that we can admire?"
    - Encourage students to share their thoughts and make connections to their own lives.

Step 4

Activity: Who's Your Hero?

5 minutes

  • Distribute the Who's Your Hero? Worksheet.
    - Have students choose one trailblazer they learned about and draw a picture of them, writing one sentence about why they are a hero.
    - Collect worksheets for a quick assessment of understanding.

Step 5

Cool Down: Share One Word

2 minutes

  • Distribute the Black History Heroes Cool Down to each student.
    - Ask students to write one word that describes what they learned or felt during the lesson.
    - Collect as an exit ticket.
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Slide Deck

What Makes a Hero?

Today, we're going to talk about people who changed the world!

Welcome students and introduce the concept of heroes. Ask them to think about what makes someone a hero.

Rosa Parks: A Seat for Justice

  • She was a brave woman.
  • She stood up (or sat down!) for what was right.
  • Her actions helped start a big change.

Introduce Rosa Parks. Explain her brave act and its significance in simple terms.

Martin Luther King Jr.: The Dream

  • He dreamed of a world where everyone was treated fairly.
  • He gave many powerful speeches.
  • He taught us about peace and kindness.

Introduce Martin Luther King Jr. Explain his role in the Civil Rights Movement and his dream for equality.

Their Impact

  • Rosa Parks showed us the power of saying 'no' to unfair rules.
  • Martin Luther King Jr. showed us the power of peaceful protest and dreaming big.
  • Both helped make the world a more fair place for everyone.

Briefly recap the contributions of both figures.

Who's Your Hero?

Think about the trailblazers we learned about today. Which one inspires you the most and why?

Let's discuss and then you'll get to draw your hero!

Transition to the discussion and worksheet activity. Encourage students to think about who their hero is.

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Reading

Rosa Parks: A Story of Courage

Imagine a bus where some seats are only for certain people, and other seats are for other people. Many years ago, in a place called Montgomery, Alabama, that's how it was. Black people had to sit at the back of the bus and give up their seats if a white person wanted one. This was not fair.

One day, a brave woman named Rosa Parks was riding the bus home after a long day at work. She was sitting in a seat in the middle of the bus. When the bus driver told her to give up her seat to a white passenger, Rosa Parks said, "No." She was tired of the unfair rules.

Because of her brave act, many people decided to stop riding the buses in Montgomery. They walked to work, to school, and to the store instead. This was called the Montgomery Bus Boycott. It lasted for over a year! Eventually, the unfair bus laws were changed, all because Rosa Parks was brave enough to sit still and stand up for what was right.

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Reading

Martin Luther King Jr.: A Dream for All

Martin Luther King Jr. was another incredible hero who dreamed of a better world. He lived in a time when many Black people were not treated fairly. He saw that people were judged by the color of their skin instead of the content of their character.

Martin Luther King Jr. believed in peaceful protest. He learned from great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi that you could make big changes without using violence. He traveled all over the country, giving powerful speeches and organizing marches to ask for equal rights for everyone.

His most famous speech was called "I Have a Dream." In this speech, he talked about his dream that one day, children of all colors would hold hands and play together as friends. He dreamed that people would be judged by who they are inside, not by what they look like on the outside.

Because of Martin Luther King Jr."s leadership, courage, and dedication, important laws were changed in America. These new laws helped to make sure that all people, no matter their skin color, had the same rights and opportunities. He showed the world the power of dreaming big and working together for justice and equality.

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Worksheet

Who's Your Hero? Worksheet

Directions: Think about the amazing trailblazers we learned about today: Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.

  1. Draw a picture of one of the trailblazers you learned about today in the box below.












  2. Write one sentence about why this person is a hero.



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Cool Down

Black History Heroes: Cool Down

Directions: In one word, describe something you learned or how you felt about today's lesson on Black History heroes.

My word is:


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Trailblazers of Change • Lenny Learning