Impact on Student Learning

Lindsey Stobaugh
University of Mississippi
EDCI 419
Dr. Ellen Foster
 Contextual Information
1. Knowledge of characteristics of students
Use the spaces provided below to address indicated characteristics of your students.
Age-Range, Gender, Total number of students
o The students in Ms. Lindseys tenth grade US History classes range from fifteen
to eighteen years old. There are twenty-nine total students in her third period US
history class, consisting of 14 girls, and 15 boys. There are sixteen total students
in her fifth period class, consisting of eight girls and eight boys.
Achievement Levels (Remedial, Average, Advanced/ Accelerated, or specify range in
percentiles or grade-equivalent)
o The achievement levels of Ms. Lindseys third and fifth period U.S. History
classes range from advanced to remedial. The students are very academically
diverse and their grades range from As to Fs. On any given test or quiz, the
grades will range from 100% to below 60%, with a good amount of students in
between. Although these are regular U.S. History classes, a few of the students
take Advanced Placement courses in other content areas. There are a few students
with reading disabilities in these classes, and a few students have ADHD and
qualify for extra time on assessments.
Socio-Economic Description
o The median household income for Oxford is $34,523 and the poverty cutoff for
the city is $31,525, so there are many students who attend Oxford schools who
may be close or below the poverty line. The population of students at Oxford
High School eligible for free lunch is 34%, and 4.2% of students are eligible for
reduced lunch. However, the majority of students are ineligible for free and
reduced lunch, topping out at 59.7%. This is evident in the students within Ms.
Lindseys third and fifth period US History classes
Typical Demeanor of Students
o The students in Ms. Lindseys third period class vary in their interest in the
material. There are a few students who are engaged in lectures, who pay attention,
and who ask questions, however the majority just take their notes and sit there
waiting until the class to be over. Most of the students do not disrupt class,
however if you do not keep them in check, some will begin talking amongst
themselves and cause disruption.
o The students in Ms. Lindseys fifth period are typically interested and engaged in
the class. When she is teaching, students will often ask questions pertaining to the
topic, indicating they are listening to the lecture. There are rarely any moments
when Ms. Lindsey has to get on to the students for being off task or talking
amongst themselves. When they have work to be completed individually, they
come in and start on it immediately, and quietly work on it for the duration of the
class period.
Typical Interest and Involvement of Students
o Students at Oxford High School are extremely involved with extracurricular
activities. The school offers a large range of options including athletics like
football, track, and tennis; academic electives such as band, theatre, and speech
 and debate; and student organizations like African American History Club, Model
UN, and Food Club.
o The majority of students in Ms. Lindsey's third and fifth period U.S. History
classes participate in the various extracurricular activities offered at the school
including band, theater, swim team, ultimate frisbee, ROTC, Football, Basketball,
Volleyball, Beta Club, and various athletics and academic clubs as well. Many of
them are also involved in organizations outside of school such as church groups,
and one student is on a dance team in the Oxford area.
2. Knowledge of students varied approaches to learning (Include information from
learning styles inventory)
Out of the sixteen students in Ms. Lindsey's fifth period U.S. History class, eight believe
they are kinesthetic learners and eight believe they are more visual learners. Many of
these students like to work alone because they like to complete work at their own pace
and in their own way, however some also like to work in pairs if they know the person
they are working with.
3. Knowledge of students skills and prior learning
These students have had previous social studies courses in Mississippi history, world
geography, and world history during their high school careers. In this class specifically,
they have looked at America during the colonial period, the Civil War, the Industrial
Revolution, the Progressive Era, and are currently learning about American Imperialism.
4. Knowledge of community and school district (Include a description of the community
and school district)
Oxford High School is located in Oxford, Mississippi, which is a city in Lafayette County
and is located in Northern Mississippi. The community of Oxford is home to 14,575
residents and consists of a diverse population. Out of that number, 49.28% of those
people are female and 50.72% are male. The majority of the population is Caucasian,
toping at 70.5%, while African Americans are second at 24.1%. Hispanics are in third
with 2.3%, followed by Asians at 2.2%, and American Indian, Pacific Islander, and others
at 0.1%.
Oxford High School places in the top 30% of Mississippi High Schools and has a
graduation rate of 85%. There are 537 students that attend Oxford High School, and the
majority of them are Caucasian at 54.2%. This is reflective of Mississippi as a whole, as
the average percentage of Caucasians is 45.4%. African Americans are the next most
populous demographic group at 37.3% of the High School's population. This is followed
by Hispanics at 3.9%, and Asians at 3.6%.
The gender distribution at Oxford High School is even at 50% male and 50% female.
Oxford High School has placed on the Washington Post's list of America's most
challenging High Schools numerous times in the past few years. This list looks at schools
that influence average students to take courses that teach college level content during
their high school careers. This is an achievement only 9% of about 22,000 public schools
nationwide have been able to accomplish.
http://hottytoddy.com/2014/05/27/75650/
http://public-schools.startclass.com/l/51142/Oxford-High-School
http://oxfordms.com/economic-development/county-info/demographics/
 Introduction
This unit will encompass the details surrounding the decade of the 1960s, and will go into
specifics about the presidencies of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. We will look
closely at their different foreign and domestic policies, and compare how these policies affected
the country. This information will connect directly to the previous units, which covered the
causes of the Cold War and the characteristics of the American society in the 1950s. During those
units, the students learned about the main conflicts between the United States and the Soviet
Union, and why we became at odds with one another after the end of World War II. This was
necessary background knowledge because in this unit, the students will look in detail at how and
why the Cold War began to heat up during the 1960s, and at the impact the war had on the
society of the United States. In addition to studying the international issues of the 1960s, we will
also look at the African American Civil Rights movement. We will study the impacts of the Cold
War on the Civil Right Movement, and vice versa. We will look in depth at the different tactics
of protest used by African Americans, which will become important in the future when we
discuss the different minority movements, such as the Latino, Native American, Women, and
Gay rights movements and how they were inspired by the tactics used by the African American
movement. We will make those connections in class, as well as the similarity between breaks
within the movements between moderate and more radical members.

Summary
We will begin this unit by talking about President John F. Kennedy and his involvement
in the Cold War, and look in detail at the multiple crises he had to endure, such as the Bay of Pigs
Invasion, Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Berlin Crisis. We will also cover Kennedys domestic
policies included in his New Frontier program and look at their significance on American society
and abroad, and at why they were created in the first place. We will then discuss briefly the
assassination of John F. Kennedy and how it showed the smooth transition of power in a
democratic society to that of Lyndon B. Johnson. We will look in detail at President Johnsons
Great Society programs and at the impact they had on the American people. We will also discuss
how the wave of liberalism throughout the nation under Johnson found its way into the Supreme
Court, and at the different landmark cases under the Warren Court. This will then lead directly
into the African American Civil Rights movement of the 1960s with the Brown v. Board of
Education decision that opened up more education opportunities for African Americans. In this
section, the students will look at the contradiction of the United States fighting abroad for the
protection of human rights against tyranny and communism, while disregarding the rights of an
entire group of their own citizens based on the color of their skin. We will look at the origins of
the modern civil rights movement and the role World War II played in propelling the movement.
We will discuss the pivotal events of the movement, including but not limited to, the
Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Birmingham Campaign, the Freedom Riders, Freedom Summer,
the Selma March, Ole Miss integration, etc. We will look in depth at the successes and failures of
those events, such as the boycott leading to desegregated busses in AL, the Birmingham
Campaign leading to President Kenneys proposal of a Civil Rights Bill, and the Selma March
and the passage of the Voting Rights Act. And we will also look at the different figures and
organizations involved in the movement, such as Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X,
Stokely Carmichael, John Lewis, and the SCLC, SNCC, CORE, NAACP and analyze their
different beliefs and tactics used in fighting for their rights.
 Overall Goals
Domestic affairs
1. Understand the evolution of the American political system, its ideals, and institutions post-
reconstruction.
1. Analyze and evaluate the impact of presidential policies and congressional actions on
domestic reform. (DOK 3)
2. Understand major social problems and domestic policy issues in post- reconstruction
American society.
2. Compare and contrast various social policies such as welfare reform and public health
insurance and explain how such social policies are influenced by the persistence of
poverty. (DOK 2)

Global Affairs
3. Understand how the global position of the United States has evolved as a result of
imperialism, economics, technological changes, and involvement in international wars and
conflicts.
3. Explain and analyze Americas role in international organizations, humanitarian relief,
and post-war reconstruction efforts throughout the 20th century. (DOK 3)

Civil Rights/Human Rights

4. Understand how the Civil Rights Movement achieved social and political change in the United
States and the impact of the Civil Rights struggle of African Americans on other groups
(including but not limited to feminists, Native Americans, Hispanics, immigrant groups, and
individuals with disabilities).
A. Analyze the issues that gave rise to the Civil Rights Movement from post-reconstruction to the
modern movement. (DOK 3)
B. Trace the major events of the modern movement and compare and contrast the strategies and
tactics for social change used by leading individuals/groups. (DOK 2)
C. Analyze the response of federal and state governments to the goals (including but not limited to
ending de jure and de facto segregation and economic inequality) of the Civil Rights Movement.
(DOK 3)
D. Evaluate the impact of the Civil Rights Movement in expanding democracy in the United States.
(DOK 3)

Culture
7. Understand cultural trends, religious ideologies, and artistic expressions that contributed to the
historical development of the United States.
B. Analyze and evaluate the impact of religion on various social movements, domestic/foreign
policies, and political debates. (DOK 3)
C. Evaluate the role mass media has played in shaping perceptions toward certain policies, social
groups, other nations, and political ideas. (DOK 3)
D. Cite and explain evidence of the diversity of the United States. (DOK2)
Reading in History/Social Studies
CCSS.ELALITERACY.RH.910.2
Determinethecentralideasorinformationofaprimaryorsecondarysource;provideanaccurate
summaryofhowkeyeventsorideasdevelopoverthecourseofthetext.

CCSS.ELALITERACY.RH.910.6
Comparethepointofviewoftwoormoreauthorsforhowtheytreatthesameorsimilartopics,
includingwhichdetailstheyincludeandemphasizeintheirrespectiveaccounts.

CCSS.ELALITERACY.RH.910.9
Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.

National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)

Standard 1.1. Culture and Cultural Diversity.
Standard 1.2. Time, Continuity, and Change
Standard 1.5. Individuals, Groups and Institutions
Standard 1.9. Global Connections
Standard 1.10. Civic Ideals and Practices
 Critical Thinking

On day one of my ten day, I introduced the events behind the Cuban Missile Crisis to the
students and explained the details of the crisis. I then gave the students letters written between
John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev as the two leaders were trying to find a solution to the
crisis and I had the students investigate what the outcome was. The students analyzed the
primary documents, and answered questions like, What do you think Khrushchevs biggest
concern with the United States was? Do you think Kennedy or Khrushchev had the upper
hand? Why? and Do you think this agreement was fair? Explain why or why not. Through
this activity, students had to take each proposal by these leaders and think about and discover
what the solution was to the crisis on their own.
On the second day of my ten day, I had the students create a concept map of John F.
Kennedys New Frontier programs while I modeled creating the map on the white board. The
students then had to answer the question, Which New Frontier program or goal do you believe
had the most significant impact on society, and why? This question encouraged the students to
think about each program and assess the importance and significance of its impact on society.
On the third day of my ten day, we discussed the various Great Society programs that
Lyndon B. Johnson put into place during his presidency, such as the Medicare Act, the Civil
Rights and Voting Rights Acts, and the Economic Opportunity Act. We discussed the various
effects each act had on American society in the 1960s, as well as today. The students had to fill
out an exit ticket at the end of the class answering the question, Out of the programs we have
looked at today, which do you think the most important program of the Great Society was, and
why? This question encouraged the students to think critically about each program that we had
looked at, and to think about the lasting impact they had on our society.
On day four, the students had to fill out a three column chart using Johnsons Great
Society Programs. In the first column was the name of the program, in the second column they
wrote the definition of the program, and in the third column they wrote the programs
significance and the impact it had on society. Then, the students read a couple of passages in
their textbook that discussed the success and failures of the program, and were told to write at
least a five sentence paragraph answering the question, Do you think the Great Society was
more of a success, or more of a failure and explain why? To answer this question, the students
had to analyze the effects of the Great Society from multiple angels, and think critically about if
those effects were ultimately successful or not.
On day six we transitioned into the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. I used the first
half of class to explain to the students the origins of the movement and we discussed the Brown
v. Board of education decision. I then gave the students two excerpts, one from the Supreme
Court ruling issued by Chief Justice Earl Warren in the case of Brown v. Board, and the other
from the Southern Manifesto written by Southern congressmen in reaction to the decision. The
students read both of these excerpts and answered a series of analyzing questions. The last
question for the documents asked, Why do you think the authors of the Southern Manifesto
made it a point to mention that there had been friendship and understanding between the
races? This encouraged the students to think of the civil rights movement from both sidesthe
side of African Americans and of whites at the time.
On day seven we discussed the details behind the integration of James Meredith at Ole
Miss, and after this I had the students complete a digital gallery walk of telegrams sent to
Meredith and photographs taken during the riot. I had the students analyze the telegrams by
stating whether the author was an integrationist or anti-integrationist. They then looked at the
photographs and drew conclusions about what was happening, and how they think they would
feel if they witnessed those things happening. This activity encouraged the students to think
critically about individuals who were pro- and anti-integrationists and why that might be so. The
pictures also encouraged them to look at the situation through Merediths eyes, but as well as
through the eyes of the individuals attending the University at the time. These photographs
included images of individuals involved in the riot that took place, and of Meredith after he was
admitted, sitting alone in the back of a classroom during instruction.
On day nine the students completed an exit ticket where I gave them a quotation by
Fannie Lou Hammer and they had to analyze the meaning behind the quotation. The quote
provided was, With the people, for the people, by the people. I crack up when I hear it; I say,
with the handful, for the handful, by the handful, cause thats what really happens. I chose this
quote because we had been discussing the difficulties and barriers African Americans faced while
trying to register to vote.
The students also completed a historical monument project during my ten day in which
they had to visit two historical monuments in Oxford relating to African American history and
analyzing what they were meant to represent and why they were placed there. Through this, the
students had to answer questions such as, Why is it located there and why is this location
significant? Who established it, why, and why is it important? and What does this historical
site or marker symbolize? What type of feelings do you think it is meant to elicit? This
encouraged the students to think critically about each monument they visited, and for them to
discover the significance and meaning behind these monuments.
 Assessment Plan
Test/Quiz Item(s) and Other Traditional Assessments: List the names of each
test/quiz/homework/etc. here and attach a copy of each to your plan.
Ch. 20-21 JFK/LBJ/Civil Rights Pretest
Letters between Kennedy and Khrushchev/Guiding Questions
JFK/LBJ Kahoot quiz
JFK/LBJ Terms quiz
Brown v. Board of Education letters and guided questions
James Meredith Digital Gallery Walk Activity
Civil Rights Terms quiz
Ch. 20-21 JFK/LBJ/Civil Rights Test

I used these traditional assessments before, during, and after my unit to track student
progress. I had the students take the pretest before I gave them any instruction on the material to
assess what they already knew, and to discover the students weakest areas. Through this, I was
able to target the information I needed to focus on during my instruction. During my unit, I gave
multiple quizzes to keep up with how the students were understanding and grasping the material,
and to track if their scores improved, stayed the same, or went down throughout the unit. I was
able to see which students were struggling the most with the material, and was able to focus on
them and give them extra attention. It also provided some insight into how my instruction was
resonating with the students, and if I needed to change my instruction method based on how high
or low their scores were. I also provided the students with some assignments where they had to
read, analyze, and pull evidence from passages to assess their critical thinking and analytical
skills. I planned to build up these skills throughout the unit, so they would be prepared to use
them on their end of unit assessment. The primary source activities in this section, including the
Kennedy/Khrushchev letters, the Brown v. BOE letters, and the James Meredith activity,
correlate with the Reading in History/Social Studies standards from the Common Core English
Language Arts standards, as well as Standard 1.1. Culture and Cultural Diversity, Standard 1.9.
Global Connections, and Standard 1.10. Civic Ideals and Practices.

Informal Check(s): List ways you will check for understanding throughout your unit.
New Frontier concept map
Exit ticket, Out of the programs we have looked at today, which do you think the most
important program of the Great Society was, and why?
Exit ticket Do you think the Great Society was more of a success, or more of a failure
and explain why?
Three column chart
Exit ticket- analyze Fannie Lou Hamer quote, With the people, for the people, by the
people. I crack up when I hear; I say, with the handful, for the handful, by the handful,
cause thats what really happens.
 Compare and contrast state/federal action activity worksheet
Malcolm X and MLKJ compare/contrast worksheet
These informal checks allowed me to check each students understanding of the material
as we were working through the unit. I was able to discover what material was the most difficult
for the students to understand, take those concepts and material, and go back over them with the
students in a more detailed way. These informal checks included multiple exit tickets to assess if
the students grasped what we went over during class and to reinforce that information. In
addition to exit tickets, I had them complete a concept map that covered the programs of John F.
Kenneys New Frontier by placing them into categories and stating their significance and impact
on American society. This allowed me to know if the students were able to make connections
between these programs and the outcomes they had on society. For Lyndon B. Johnsons Great
Society Programs, I had them complete a three column chart to assess whether they were aware
of the significance of the programs or not. These activities correlated with the standards under
the Domestic Affairs heading which state, Analyze and evaluate the impact of presidential
policies and congressional actions on domestic reform. (DOK 3) and Compare and contrast
various social policies such as welfare reform and public health insurance and explain how such
social policies are influenced by the persistence of poverty. (DOK 2)
There are a couple of activities I had planned for the students to complete, but was not
able to due to limited timing. I had planned for the students to do a couple of compare and
contrast worksheets. On one worksheet, the students were to compare the actions taken by the
federal and state governments in reaction to civil rights protests. This activity is in correlation
with the standard under Civil Rights/Human Rights that states, Analyze the response of federal
and state governments to the goals of the Civil Rights Movement (DOC3). They were also
going to compare and contrast Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, and their tactics and ideals
used during the movement. Instead of doing this through a worksheet, I held a discussion with
the students to assess their knowledge of this concept. This allowed me to know which students
were able to see the splintering of organizations and ideologies within the civil rights movement.
This concept is in alignment with the standard under Civil Rights/Human Rights that states,
Trace the major events of the modern movement and compare and contrast the strategies and
tactics for social change used by leading individuals/groups. (DOK 2)

Academic Prompt(s): List higher level thinking questions used throughout the unit.
Which New Frontier program or goal do you believe had the most significant impact on
society, and why?
Out of the programs we have looked at today, which do you think the most important
program of the Great Society was, and why?
Do you think the Great Society was more of a success, or more of a failure and explain
why?
Why do you think the authors of the Southern Manifesto made it a point to mention that
there had been friendship and understanding between the races?

Through these academic prompts I was able to assess each students critical thinking skills by
having them analyze passages, reflect on material, and draw conclusions about the significance
of different programs and events, and their impacts on American society. I was able to see which
students were strong in this area, and which students needed more instruction on how to think
critically about historical events. I found that many students did not know how to discover the
significance and impacts of government programs, so I took this data and began to model how to
discover these concepts to the students. After I modeled what they should be looking for, they
got much better at discovering the historical significances behind these concepts. This was also a
way for the students to practice this type of thinking before they took their end of the unit test,
where there were multiple questions the students needed this skill to answer. Correlating
standards from NCSS include Standard 1.6. Power, Authority, and Governance. Standards from
the Mississippi Framework include Analyze and evaluate the impact of presidential policies and
congressional actions on domestic reform. (DOK 3) and Compare and contrast various social
policies such as welfare reform and public health insurance and explain how such social policies
are influenced by the persistence of poverty. (DOK 2)