ISALC: ESL 411: College Prep. Reading/Writing
Diversity and Civil Rights in the U.S.

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Web-Based Assignments

 

  • Prejudice: Facing Facts - This assignment forces you to face facts about prejudice. Prejudice exists everywhere: in the U.S., in your country, and in each of us. Please complete this activity. We will discuss your written answers in class.

  • Background 1
    In order to better understand the novel you will be reading, To Kill A Mockingbird, and also the materials we will study later in the course, you need to have some basic knowledge about the topics listed below. You have two choices for research sources (or, of course, you may use both):
    • Encyclopedia (World Book or Britannica)
    • Internet (World Wide Web)

    Scan the information you find and TAKE NOTES so that you can explain who, what, when, where, why and how about your topic. Do NOT print out many pages from the Internet! You will be sharing this information orally in class. You will be responsible for "teaching" others about the topic(s) you research.

    Some of the topics are very broad. Focus on the information which is relevant to the content of our class. You are not expected to become experts on these topics!

    Limit your notetaking to a maximum of two pages (front and back) for each topic. I will check your notes in class and give you a grade on them.
    NOTE: Your teacher will show you how to make the print larger in Netscape so that you can more easily read from your computer screen as you are doing your research

    TOPICS:

    • The American Revolutionary War
    • Slavery
    • Civil War (focus on the slavery conflict and the results of the War)
    • Reconstruction (What was it? Did it result in permanent benefits for Blacks?)
    • Segregation (Jim Crow laws)
    • The Great Depression

    Websites for this assignment:

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  • Assignment 2- Background on Alex Haley

    Look at the "Biography" link above. Scroll down in that article until you see "Biographical Note/Information:" Read that section only. You might want to print out that part. You can highlight, copy and paste what you need into Word in order to save paper. Answer the following questions in your journals. Write the questions as well as the answers.

    • 1. Where was Haley born?
    • 2. Was Haley good in school? How do you know?
    • 3. What job did Haley have when he began in the military? Why did he have to do that job?
    • 4. Why was 1950 important for Haley? (two reasons).
    • 5. When did Haley retire from the service (military)? How old was he?
    • 6. What was Haley's "big break?"
    • 7. How did Haley find out that his ancestors had been captured from The Gambia?
    • 8. What happened when he visited The Gambia?
    • 9. Why do you think the mini-series, "Roots," produced by ABC TV, was considered a "great risk?"
    • 10. Why was Haley sued?
    • 11. Was Haley rich when he died? How do you know?

 

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  • Assignment 3

    • Life During the Depression (Treasure Hunt) - By completing this activity, you will learn the most important facts about life during the Great Depression. Because this is the setting for TKAM, this information will help you gain insight into the novel and to enjoy it more!

    • TKAM Student Survival Guide - Has a chapter by chapter list of vocabulary linked to definitions. Also allusions and idioms by chapter. This will really help you understand the novel. Your teacher may give you some specific assignments from this website. You are welcome to look at it chapter by chapter on your own time!

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  • Assignment 4 - To Kill A Mockingbird-Using Primary Sources to Compare the Novel with Historical Events

    Group 1- You will learn some of the similarities between the trial in TKAM and an actual trial which occurred in the 1930's, the Scottsboro Trials. You will also read some of the original testimony which was given in the Scottsboro Trials. You be the judge--were the witnesses lying or telling the truth?

    • Step 1: Follow this link. Read the information you find and scroll down until you find a chart. Read the chart. On a piece of notebook paper, write down the nine similarities between the trials in TKAM and the Scottsboro Trials.

      Step 2: Follow this link. Read the testimony by Victoria Price and Dr. Bridges (the main witnesses in the Scottsboro Trials). Summarize their testimony in 4-5 sentences. Is she believable? Why or why not? Support your answer.

      Step 3: Follow this link. Read the testimony of Ruby Bates. Summarize her testimony in 4-5 sentences. What do you know now about Victoria Price's testimony? Support your answer.

     

    Group 2 - You will find out how the author of TKAM, Harper Lee, had many childhood experiences which were similar to those of her narrator, Scout Finch. Then, you will read interviews with southern women who grew up in towns similar to Maycomb. These women talk about many of the issues discussed in TKAM.

    Step 1: Follow this link to find out similarities between Harper Lee's childhood and Scout's childhood. On a piece of notebook paper, write down five similarities.

    Step 2: Follow this link to read an interview of three southern white women who grew up in the deep South of the 1930s, the setting of TKAM.

    Step 3: On a piece of notebook paper, write 3 paragraphs explaining what you learned about the following:

    • a) how the three women defined a "good family" (so dear to Aunt Alexandra's heart and so baffling to Scout and Jem);

      b) how the interviewees feel about poor whites in Alabama and Florida (very much like the Cunninghams)

      c) the women's relationship with African-Americans, and the expectations and realities of those who would grow up to be proper ladies ("southern belles").

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  • Assignment 5 - Symbolism in To Kill A Mockingbird- Explore the link below. You will find essays written about the symbolism in TKAM. (Don't just read the summaries. Be sure and follow the links to the actual compositions). These essays were written by college students at a well-known U.S. university after studying TKAM.

    To Kill A Mockingbird Papers:
    http://www.123helpme.com/search.asp?text=mockingbird

    • Assignment:

      1) Find 3 examples of symbolism in TKAM which you had not thought of before. In your journals, summarize each of the examples your found. Do NOT copy from the university students' papers--just summarize.

      2) Tell whether you agree or disagree with the student writer's ideas. You may want to give examples from TKAM to support your answer.

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  • Assignment 6 - Background-American Civil Rights Movement and Contemporary Racial Issues

    In order to better understand the information presented on the Civil Rights Movement and contemporary racial issues, you should complete this assignment. You have two choices for research sources (or, of course, you may use both):

    • Encyclopedia (World Book or Britannica)
    • Internet (World Wide Web)

    Scan the information you find and TAKE NOTES so that you can explain who, what, when, where, why and how about your topic. Do NOT print out many pages from the Internet! You will be sharing this information orally in class. You will be responsible for "teaching" others about the topic(s) you research.

    Some of the topics are very broad. Focus on the information which is relevant to the content of our class. You are not expected to become experts on these topics!

    Limit your notetaking to a maximum of two pages (front and back) for each topic. I will check your notes in class and give you a grade on them.
    NOTE: Your teacher will show you how to make the print larger in Netscape so that you can more easily read from your computer screen as you are doing your research

    Topics:

    • 1. Emmet Till (Not in World Book)

      2. Mose Wright (Not in World Book)

      3. Rosa Parks

      4. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

      5. The Little Rock Nine (See Little Rock)

      6. Ku Klux Klan

      7. Civil Rights (include Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education, Voting Rights Act, Civil Rights Act of 1964)

      8. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

      9. Malcolm X

      10. Affirmative Action

    Websites for this assignment:

 

I hope you find this assignment interesting and useful (and maybe a *little bit* fun). The purpose is for you to learn something about many important events in Black History as your pratice your reading, writing, and discussion skills.

1. Answers to Questions 1-14. Please write the question and the answer. Also, you must write the name of the Web page in which you found the answer. (Each group will answer all the questions). You should divide up the questions among your group. You won't each have time to research all of the questions.

2. Summaries (200-250 words) of your assigned Web resource (be sure and write which Website you are summarizing). See assignments in the boxes below.

3. An additional 300 words answering the following question (write it on the same paper as your summary). What is the most interesting thing(s) your learned about Black history from your assigned Website? Why did it interest you?

NOTE: You can trade topics (Websites) with another student if you wish. Please leave me a note if you do that. Also Website #14 is not assigned. Someone may trade for that one.

Groups / Web Assignment: (The numbers correspond to the Web Page you must read and summarize). The first student listed for each group is the "Team Leader". S/he is responsible for making sure all work is completed according to the assignment. If any students in the group do not show up or do the work, the team leaders must leave me a note about that. Thanks Team Leaders!!

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4

Kei - 1

Mayu - 2

Taka - 3

Eri - 4

Dai - 5

Tomoko - 6

Mayumi - 7

Ryoko - 8

Khalad Al-K - 9

Fahad - 10

Susung - 11

Khalad O - 12

Xiofan - 13

Good Luck - Work together well!
  • Assignment 8 - Overview of Civil Rights from 1954-Present

You have studied many events leading up to and during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950's and 1960's. It's time to get an overview, look at events up to the current time, and to fill in gaps in your knowledge.

Interactive Civil Rights Timeline

1. Go to a computer and load the page: http://www.voicesofcivilrights.org/

2. Scroll down to the middle of the page and click the "Timeline" link.

3. Explore two tabs: 1954 -1968 and 1969 - Present

4. Assignment: In your journals, write 3-4 sentences about each event that you had not studied before. Label your journal entries with the year and the name of the event.

5. Assignment: Discuss with a partner the new events you learned about in your study of the timeline. In your journal, write a well-developed paragraph describing the most important event in the Civil Rights Movement from 1954-Present that you hadn't known about before today. Give reasons why you think it was important. Your paragraph should include a strong topic sentence and supporting details. This should help you to get a more complete picture of the Civil Rights Movement.

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Created by: krauss@lclark.edu
Updated: 2/21/06