Center for Technology and Teacher Education

Conflict at Little Rock

Procedures:

Controversial issues arouse intense feelings in many people. It is vitally important that we maintain a respectful attitude towards others even if we disagree with their ideas. We must be able to criticize ideas without personally attacking the individuals who hold them.

Step 1 Introduce the content of the lesson to your students. This lesson uses questioning methods to explore the Little Rock integration crisis from the perspective of Central High School students. The lesson also explores the context for thinking about the crisis, Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board decision, and the 1957 crisis in Little Rock. If this is the first time your students have studied the Civil Rights movement, you may want more information than is below. Information on the Civil Rights movement can be found at numerous web sites including those listed within this lesson.

Content Introduction

"Little Rock Central High School was to begin the 1957 school year desegregated. On September 2, the night before the first day of school, Governor Faubus announced that he had ordered the Arkansas National Guard to monitor the school the next day. When a group of nine black students arrived at Central High on September 3, they were kept from entering by the National Guardsmen. On September 20, Judge Davies granted an injunction against Governor Faubus and three days later the group of nine students returned to Central High School. Although the students were not physically injured, a mob of 1,000 townspeople prevented them from remaining at school. Finally, President Eisenhower ordered 1,000 paratroopers and 10,000 National Guardsmen to Little Rock, and on September 25, Central High School was desegregated."

Western Michigan University Timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement

Step 2 Students can complete this lesson in a variety of ways. No matter which method you use, students will need interactive web worksheet. Depending on your class, choose the method which will work best:

Individual student focus (student centered): Have students complete an interactive web worksheet on the Crisis in Little Rock. This worksheet has four sections and should take students at least an hour to complete. It also can be completed alone or in a small (2-3) group.
Group focus (student centered): The interactive web worksheet can be completed in class or jigsaw groups. Assign students to group roles based on their preferred learning style. Both of these approaches require a minimum of four computers, or access to one computer at four different times.

Class groups - Create four or more groups. Assign each group one of the four sections of the assignment. Within each group students should have individual responsibilities - see below. After groups have answered the questions for their topics they should present their responses to the class.

Group Responsibilities:
Computer operator - control the mouse
Presenter - present responses to the class
Recorder - write the responses to the questions
Time/task manager - repeat directions and watch the clock to insure the group completes the task

Jigsaw groups - Use the same grouping technique, as above, but within each group students should complete all the questions for a concept. After answering the questions, the group should share their answers.

Class focus (teacher centered): Display the interactive web worksheet on a single screen. Answer the questions as a class. You may want to have one student navigate the computer so that you are free to move around the class. This method requires one computer and a display system.

Step 3 Whatever method you have chosen, reconvene the class for 5-10 minutes to review the major points and make sure the objectives were met.

Center for Technology and Teacher Education, University of Virginia, This module was created by John K. Lee University of Virginia