Name: Birmingham Chuch Bombing Webquest and Mural Class/Subject: 8th Grade History Date: April 18th, 2012

Student Objectives/Student Outcomes: 1. Students will research and interpret primary and secondary sources on a specific historical event and develop personal understanding through synthesis in the production of a final 2. Students will demonstrate their ability organize historical information in a coherent manner and to identify key events, elements and themes. 3. Students will relate ideas about and understanding of social justice, civil rights and historical relevance in an interdisciplinary fashion by expressing historical events, elements and themes through an application of these concepts to art and design. Content Standards: 1. 16.A.3b Make inferences about historical events and eras using historical maps and other historical sources. 2. 17.C.3c Analyze how human processes influence settlement patterns including migration and population growth. 3. 18.A.3 Explain how language, literature, the arts, architecture and traditions contribute to the development and transmission of culture. Materials/Resources/Technology: Access to computer lab Colored pencils Markers Crayons Pencils/pens Large sheets of parchment paper Webquest Research Organizer Teachers Goals: To teach students basic methods of historical research, interpretations and synthesis through empirical, hands-on activity that allows students to engage and express history in their own way. To facilitate personal understanding of large historical events through engagement with and synthesis specific elements and events of that era into a final creative project. To inspire interest in historical analysis and research through encouragement of pursuit of personal interests and creative capacities in order to promote history as living and relevant

Time 2-3 min

Start of Class: Open class by asking students where they think they would go if they had to do a research paper on a historical topic - Book or phone? Engage students in a short discussion about the value of traditional sources (books, encyclopedias, articles) and modern sources (Youtube videos, internet). Highlight the necessity of identifying credible sources when doing historical research
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Introduction to Lesson: Teacher will introduce the lesson as a lesson on employing the basic tenets of historical research, such as analysis of primary and secondary, in order to create a m unique and informed historical understanding of an event Give an quick overview of the history of the Birmingham Church Bombing i n - Possible preliminary questions could incude: ?: Does anyone know what state or area Birmingham is located? ?: Does anyone know what era the bombing occurred in? ?: Does anyone know who the bombers or the victims were? Teacher will explain the objectives of the Birmingham Church Bombing webquest and distribute the Webquest Research Organizer to students.
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Lesson Instruction: Take students to the computer lab to begin research Provide students with the URL to the webquest and read through the Introduction, Tasks and Processes with them. Teacher will make sure students are clear on the objectives and processes of the web quest m Have students choose their own group of 3-4 students or assign groups, i whichever the teacher prefers n Students will begin to research using the materials provided in the Resources tab in the web quest. Teacher will supervise and supplement student research, imploring them to ask questions when confused or curious while checking in to monitor progress. Inform students that they may use other sources or sites, but they must evaluate their credibility as well as have them approved by the teacher before including the information on their Webquest Research Organizer. Make sure students have at least four events/figures (ideally five) to include in their mural and ask students to discuss relative importance of their choice people and/or events.

20-25 min

Assessments/Checks for Understanding: Activity: Wall Mural Return to classroom and distribute drawing materials to student groups Re-enforce the purpose and procedure of the mural activity as addressed previously in the Procedure tab of the webquest. Highlight the importance of presenting images relative to their personal perception importance to civil rights movement as a whole while ensuring a focus on the church bombing itself. Make sure to emphasize the fact that artistic ability is not central, but rather the importance of ability to interpret, synthesize and present historical findings in an interesting and creative manner is the ultimate goal, since the product serves as an assessment of their understanding of the topic. group selected to work on a rationale for the design of the mural as other students help create the mural Teacher supervises and supplements student creations and students work to produce their personal understandings through their artistic renditions Have students wrap up their murals making sure they have include at least 3 of the events or figures identified on their Webquest Research Organizer.
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Closure/Wrap-Up/Review: Collect student projects, unless students want to go above and beyond take projects home to work on them. m Inform students they will be presenting their murals and explaining their i n rationale in future class periods Ask students how this project related to professional historical research - methods - synthesis Connect the topic back to the theme of Freedom as an ongoing struggle for African Americans - Even though blacks had the rights/freedom to establish their own community church in Birmingham, how does this act of violence limit that freedom? - If you were subject to violence in your own community, would you feel free or comfortable to express yourself in your community? - What do you think the people that planted the bomb wanted to say be committing this act of violence

Self-Assessment: Teachers will reflect by asking: How do we know that the students achieved our objectives for the lesson? How did we promote social justice and encourage social activism in this lesson? What conditions contributed to the success or failure of this lesson? What can be done in the future to account for diversity in the classroom as well as foster appreciation of diversity through content and activities?