Through this lesson, students will explore how the definition of unalienable rights has changed over time. The example of the Emancipation Oak as a guiding force for their research across the internent.
The Changing Understanding of Unalienable Rights
The Changing Understanding of Unalienable Rights
Location
Hampton
, VA
Type of Landmark
Landscape
Topics
19th century
African American
Civil War
Learning Objectives
- Students will be able to explain how society’s understanding of unalienable rights has changed over time by completing a web-quest.
- Students will be able to defend their position by composing an argument for or against celebrating the Emancipation Oak as a national monument using web-quest research.
Materials
- Web-Quest Worksheet
- Pictures of the Emancipation Oak
- Internet Access
- Electronic Devices such as smartphones, iPads, or Computers
Suggested Instructional Procedures
- Explain objectives to students.
- Hook: Ask students to think of a place that is important to them, and why that place is important to them or their families. Then guide student discussion.
- Hand out Web-Quest Worksheet.
- Also hand out photos of the Emancipation Oak.
- Have students split into pairs to complete the Web-Quest assignment.
- Circulate around the room, and provide help to students as needed.
- When students have completed the web-quest, review responses in whole group discussion.
Vocabulary
Emancipation: The granting of equal social and political rights to a disenfranchised group.
Unalienable: Impossible to seperate or to take away.
Declaration: An explicit, formal announcement.
Archive: A collection of materials pertaining to a topic, or to a variety of topics.
End of Lesson Assessment
Accurate completion of web-quest and written opinion (#6). Rubric provided.
Subject
Civics
Standards/Eligible Content
Virginia SOLs: C.E. 1. The student will develop the social studies skills responsible citizenship requires, including the ability to a) examine and interpret primary and secondary source documents; c) analyze political cartoons, political advertisements
Common Core Standards
Reading: 1. Cite specific evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources. 7. Integrate visual information with other information in print and digital text.
Writing: 1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant evidence.
Funders/Sponsors
Cultures of Independence has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this website or during the institutes, do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Additional funding is being provided by Wells Fargo through HEAD for the Future, its partnership with HSP, and by Independence National Historical Park.
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