I create high-quality, ready-to-use digital educational materials for teachers who want to save hours of time and effort. I've been fortunate enough to teach social studies for the last 19 years at a large, diverse public high school, and I love using that experience to help as many teachers and students as I can.
I create high-quality, ready-to-use digital educational materials for teachers who want to save hours of time and effort. I've been fortunate enough to teach social studies for the last 19 years at a large, diverse public high school, and I love using that experience to help as many teachers and students as I can.
This Civil Rights Lesson Plan for US History students cover 5 major 1960s US Supreme Court decisions that expanded the rights of people accused of crimes, including Gideon v. Wainwright, Miranda v. Arizona, and Mapp v. Ohio. It is an often overlooked yet extremely important part of civil rights history, and this lesson is an ideal addition to any unit on the Civil Rights era.
This lesson is intended to be extremely content-rich and ready-to-use for any teacher regardless of their prior experience with the content. This is typically done during a 45-to-50min class period, though it can easily be lengthened or shortened for time purposes, as all files are fully editable.
Lesson Contains (in a downloadable .zip file):
Daily Slides PowerPoint Presentation: Visually engaging slides for easy content delivery.
Student Guided Notes (MS Word): Fill-in-the-blank style notes for active student participation.
Teacher Guided Notes (MS Word): Fully completed answer key for easy reference.
Multiple-Choice Quiz (Student Version) (MS Word): Six-question quiz for assessment, pre-test, exit slip, or review.
Multiple-Choice Quiz (Teacher Version) (MS Word): Includes all correct answers for quick grading.
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Topics Covered:
Role of the Supreme Court during the Civil Rights era
Problems faced by the accused in the 1950s
Mapp v. Ohio (background, Court decision, 4th amendment protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, impact, establishment of exclusionary rule)
Gideon v. Wainwright (background, Court decision, 6th Amendment right to legal counsel, impact, establishment of public defenders)
Brady v. Maryland (background, exculpatory evidence, Court decision, impact)
Miranda v. Arizona (background, Court decision, 5th Amendment right to due process, impact, the Miranda warning)
Katz v. United States (background, Court decision, reasonable expectations of privacy, impact)
Combined impact of these Supreme Court decisions
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Slides/Pages: 25 total (21 slides, 4 pages)
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Why Teachers Love This Resource:
Extremely content-rich—provides all the details you need for an engaging class.
Perfect for any teacher, regardless of experience.
Substitute-friendly—comprehensive, no-prep materials included.
Excellent for virtual learning—fully compatible with digital platforms.
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51şÚÁĎ/Usage Statement:
This digital resource is my intellectual property, and all rights are reserved. Purchase of this product grants the buyer a single license for personal classroom use only. It may not be resold, distributed, or posted online in whole or in part without prior written permission.
This 15-day Civil Rights unit lesson plan for US History students covers groups, movements & events of the Civil Rights Era from the 1940s to the 1970s, with a specific focus on the following:
African Americans (Civil Rights and Black Power Movements)
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders | AAPI
Hispanic, Latino and Chicano
American Indians | Native Americans
Women’s Liberation (Feminism)
Gay Liberation | LGBTQ Activism
Persons Accused of Crimes (Key Supreme Court rulings)
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Days 1-13 consist of individual lessons, Day** 14** consists of a unit review, and Day 15 consists of a unit test, with all necessary materials included. Each daily lesson is thematic, and all content has been carefully structured. For the complete list of lessons and all topics/events covered in each, see the end of this description.
This unit bundle is the result of many months of careful work. It is intended to be complete, inclusive, and ready-to-use for any teacher regardless of their prior experience with the content. The unit is extremely content-rich and could easily be extended beyond 15 days if a teacher chooses to do so.
Bundle Contains (in downloadable .zip files):
Daily Lesson Files (to be used during Days 1-13):
Each daily lesson .zip file includes a PowerPoint presentation, student guided notes, and a multiple-choice quiz. Keys are included.
Each lesson is ready-to-use with no prep required. All answer keys are included.
Review & Test Files (to be used during Days 14-15):
Unit Study Guide and Scavenger Hunt Review Activity for interactive student engagement.
Unit Test with 20 multiple-choice questions, many of which include documents or visuals.
Full Unit Question Bank containing 47 multiple-choice questions (for test customization).
All answer keys are included for easy and efficient grading.
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Topics Covered By Lesson Include:
Civil Rights - African Americans - Early Black Activism (1940s-1957)
Problems faced by Blacks in the Jim Crow South, social activism, NAACP, direct action by Blacks, Black activists in the 1940s, victims/impacts of 1950s racial violence (ex: Emmett Till), Montgomery Bus Boycott, Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., SCLC
Civil Rights - African Americans - Desegregating Public Schools (1954-1963)
Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education, Thurgood Marshall, Southern Manifesto, the Little Rock Nine, New Orleans School Crisis, Ruby Bridges, the Ole Miss Riots, James Meredith, “The Stand in the Schoolhouse Door”, JFK speech on Civil Rights
Civil Rights – African Americans - Becoming a Nationwide Movement (1958-1964)
Direct action, Greensboro Four, sit-in movement, student movement, Diane Nash, John Lewis, SNCC, the Freedom Rides, the Birmingham Campaign, Bull Connor, MLK’s Letter from Birmingham Jail, the Children’s Crusade, March on Washington, “I Have a Dream”, Civil Rights Act of 1964
Civil Rights – African Americans - Fighting for Voting Rights (1961-1965)
Disenfranchisement of Blacks, “Dixiecrats”, poll taxes, literacy tests, Bob Moses, Fannie Lou Hamer, Mississippi Freedom Vote, 24th Amendment, Mississippi Freedom Summer, Amelia Boynton, the Selma marches, “Bloody Sunday”, Voting Rights Act of 1965
Civil Rights – African Americans - Fighting for Economic Opportunity (1963-1968)
Economic problems faced by Blacks, March on Washington, “War on Poverty”, Chicago Freedom Movement, Kerner Commission, Poor People’s Campaign, Memphis Sanitation Strike, MLK assassination, Civil Rights Act of 1968, Poor People’s March on Washington
Civil Rights – African Americans - The Black Power Movement (1960s-1970s)
Black frustrations with slow progress, rise of more radical approaches, Black Nationalism, Nation of Islam, Malcolm X, the Black Power Movement, 1968 Olympics Black Power Salute, Black Panther Party, overall impacts of Black Power
Civil Rights – Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) movements (1960s-1970s)
Understanding terminology, AAPI history in 1800s-early 1900s, increased AAPI activism in 1960s-1970s, Japanese American activism, Chinese American activism, Filipino American activism, Native Hawaiian activism, significance of AAPI movements
Civil Rights – Hispanic, Latino and Chicano movements (1960s-1970s)
Understanding terminology, pre-1960s activism, increased activism in Civil Rights era, farm worker movement, Chicano activism, stateside Puerto Rican activism, Cuban American activism, impacts of Hispanic, Latino & Chicano activism
Civil Rights – American Indian / Native American movements (1960s-1970s)
Understanding terminology, problems faced prior to 1940s, Termination Era, early Native American activism, increased activism in Civil Rights era, Fish Wars, Red Power Movement, American Indian Movement, impacts of Native American activism
Civil Rights – Women’s Liberation (Feminist) movement in the 1960s
Challenges faced by women in the 1950s, Betty Friedan, rise of women’s liberation movement, understanding terminology, NOW), protesting employment discrimination, fighting for reproductive rights (Griswold v. Connecticut), radicalization in late 1960s
Civil Rights – Women’s Liberation (Feminist) movement in the 1970s
Gloria Steinem, Billie Jean King, increased political participation, Shirley Chisholm, educational & economic opportunities (Title IX), reproductive rights (Roe v. Wade & Dobbs v. Jackson), Equal Rights Amendment, impacts of women’s liberation in the 1970s
Civil Rights – Gay Liberation and LGBTQ activism (1960s-1970s)
Understanding terminology, Lavender Scare, LGBTQ activism in early-mid 1960s (sip-in movement), Stonewall Riots, increased LGBTQ activism (Gay Liberation, Pride), political progress (Harvey Milk), setbacks for LGBTQ rights in 1970s, continued struggle & 21st century progress
Civil Rights – Rights of the Accused – Key Supreme Court Decisions (1960s)
Role of Supreme Court in civil rights, Mapp v. Ohio (exclusionary rule), Gideon v. Wainwright (establishment of public defenders),* Brady v. Maryland* (exculpatory evidence), Miranda v. Arizona (the Miranda warning), Katz v. United States (reasonable expectations of privacy) combined impact of these decisions
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Slides/Pages: 575 total (481 slides, 94 pages)
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Why Teachers Love This Resource:
Huge savings — by purchasing this unit bundle, you save 50% compared to buying each individual component.
Comprehensive, No-Prep Unit—everything you need in terms of content for an entire unit of instruction.
Ready-to-use materials—perfect for any teacher, experienced or new.
Great for substitutes—all the materials are pre-formatted with answer keys provided.
Ideal for virtual classrooms—easily adaptable for online teaching platforms.
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51şÚÁĎ/Usage Statement:
This digital resource is my intellectual property, and all rights are reserved. Purchase of this product grants the buyer a single license for personal classroom use only. It may not be resold, distributed, or posted online in whole or in part without prior written permission.
This Brown v. Board of Education Lesson Plan for US History students is a no-prep resource designed to help teach one of the most significant landmark Supreme Court cases in American history. This lesson explores the legal battle against segregation, the role of Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP, and the lasting impact of the Court’s decision on the Civil Rights Movement.
Ideal for grades 7-12, this engaging and content-rich lesson ensures that teachers can confidently present the material with no additional preparation required.
Lesson Plan Includes (in a downloadable .zip file):
PowerPoint Presentation – Visually engaging slides to support direct instruction (17 slides)
Student Guided Notes – Fill-in-the-blank format to reinforce key concepts (Word document)
Teacher’s Guide for Notes – Complete version with all answers provided (Word document)
Multiple-Choice Quiz – A quick 4-question assessment to check understanding (Word document)
Teacher’s Answer Key for Quiz – Fully completed answer guide (Word document)
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Topics Covered in This Lesson:
Plessy v. Ferguson and the “separate but equal” doctrine
Early NAACP legal efforts to challenge segregation
Background and key facts of Brown v. Board of Education
-The role of Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP in the case
Arguments presented and the significance of the “doll experiment”
The Supreme Court’s decision and reasoning in the case
Southern resistance to integration, including the Southern Manifesto
The long-term impact of Brown v. Board of Education on civil rights
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Slides/Pages: 21 total (17 slides, 4 pages)
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Why Teachers Love This Resource:
No Prep Required – Ready-to-use lesson for immediate implementation
Engaging & Content-Rich – Helps students grasp the significance of this landmark Supreme Court case
Perfect for Any Classroom – Ideal for history units, substitute plans, or distance learning
Flexible Lesson Structure – Designed for a 45-50 minute period but can be easily adjusted
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51şÚÁĎ & Usage Statement:
This digital resource is my intellectual property, and all rights are reserved. Purchase of this product grants the buyer a single license for personal classroom use only. It may not be resold, distributed, or posted online in whole or in part without prior written permission.
Engage your US History students with key Supreme Court decisions! This Landmark Supreme Court Cases Lesson Plan Bundle provides four ready-to-use lesson plans covering some of the most pivotal Supreme Court cases in U.S. history. These lessons offer engaging, content-rich materials to help students understand 8 landmark Supreme Court cases that shaped America’s civil rights history.
Each lesson is designed for 45-50 minute class periods but can be adjusted for time, making them perfect for any teacher, substitute, or virtual classroom.
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What’s Included in this Lesson Bundle:
Dred Scott v. Sandford (14 slides, 4 pages)
- The 1857 Supreme Court ruling that denied citizenship to African Americans, disallowed Congressional attempts to limit the spread of slavery, and escalated tensions leading to the Civil War.
Plessy v. Ferguson (18 slides, 4 pages)
- The infamous 1896 ruling that established the “separate but equal” doctrine and led to the rise of Jim Crow segregation.
Brown v. Board of Education (17 slides, 4 pages)
- The 1954 Supreme Court decision that overturned Plessy v. Ferguson and ended legal segregation in public schools, along with the crucial role and historic legal career of Thurgood Marshall.
The Supreme Court & the Rights of the Accused (21 slides, 4 pages)
- A look at five major landmark 1960s Supreme Court decisions that expanded civil liberties and defined due process rights for persons accused of crimes, including Mapp v. Ohio, Gideon v. Wainwright, Brady v. Maryland, Miranda v. Arizona, and Katz v. U.S.
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Slides/Pages: 86 total (70 slides, 16 pages)
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Each Lesson Plan Includes:
PowerPoint Presentation: Ready-to-use, visually engaging slides.
Guided Notes: Student-friendly fill-in-the-blank notes to accompany the lessons.
Multiple Choice Quizzes: Quick quizzes of 4-6 questions in length to assess understanding.
Teacher Answer Keys: Easy-to-reference answer keys for both guided notes and quizzes.
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Why You’ll Love This Lesson Plan Bundle:
Excellent Value - By purchasing this bundle, you save over 20% compared to buying each lesson individually.
Content-Rich & Engaging – Designed for deep historical understanding of eight landmark Supreme Court decisions.
Ready-to-Use – Ideal for classroom instruction, substitute plans, or virtual learning
Great for Black History Month – Covers many key topics in Civil Rights history
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51şÚÁĎ & Usage Statement:
This digital resource is my intellectual property, and all rights are reserved. Purchase of this product grants the buyer a single license for personal classroom use only. It may not be resold, distributed, or posted online in whole or in part without prior written permission.