black and white closeup photo of a Black individual with dreadlocks and a mask covering the lower half of their face, leaving their eyes visible to look at the camera

Exploring Black Lives Matter

Resource Type
Lesson
Grade Level:
9–12, 12+
Discipline:
Social Studies
Topic:
Black Americans, Civil Rights

Self-Paced Lesson

During this Exploring Black Lives Matter lesson, students will learn about the Black Lives Matter Movement and some of the individuals who were taken too soon by analyzing an image, reading a blog post, watching a video, and answering questions. Students will then pick an individual they learned about during the lesson, research the life and death of the individual, and share their learning with others through a project of their choice.


Standards

CA HSS 11.5.2

CA HSS 11.10


Lesson Resources

Lesson: Exploring Black Lives Matter PDF in fullPDF in Spanish

Student Response Sheet: Exploring Black Lives Matter Student Response Sheet (fillable PDF); Student Response Sheet (fillable PDF) in Spanish


Teaching Tips for Different Learning Environments

Whole Class In-Person Learning:

Activate - Activate students’ prior knowledge.

  • Ask the whole class to share what they know about the Black Lives Matter Movement.

Investigate - Have students analyze an image, read a blog post, watch a video, and conduct research.

  • Read the INTRODUCTION with the whole class and ask the students to look closely at the image. Then have the students share with the whole class what they see in the image by asking them the questions in PART 1.
  • Read PART 2 with the whole class and divide the students into groups or partners. Then ask the groups or partners to read the blog post and to answer the questions in PART 2. Have a whole class discussion about the students’ answers to the questions in PART 2.
  • Read PART 3 with the whole class. Then show the whole class the video and have the students write down the names of the individuals mentioned throughout the video.
  • Assign PARTS 4 - 5 for students to complete independently.

Create - Have students create a project of their choice.

  • Assign PARTS 6 - 7 for students to complete independently.

Demonstrate - Have students demonstrate their learning by sharing their work with others.

  • Ask students to share their projects during a classroom exhibition or gallery walk.

Whole Class Distance Learning:

  • Follow the Whole Class In-Person Learning instructions.
  • Instead of having a classroom exhibition or gallery walk, students can post their projects for others to view through Padlet or Flipgrid.

Associated Resources

Educational Programs at the Autry are sponsored by:

Dean and Laura Beresford · Molly and Neal Brockmeyer · Vince and Colleen Caballero · Capital Group · David F. Eisenberg · The Georgina-Fredrick Children's Foundation · Christy McAvoy · Marleen and Bruce Rognlien · Robert E. Ronus · Brenda and Gary Ruttenberg · The Steinmetz Foundation · Virginia F. Stevenson · Thelma Pearl Howard Foundation

Land Acknowledgment

The Autry Museum of the American West acknowledges the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples as the traditional land caretakers of Tovaangar (the Los Angeles basin and So. Channel Islands). We recognize that the Autry Museum and its campuses are located on the traditional lands of Gabrielino/Tongva peoples and we pay our respects to the Honuukvetam (Ancestors), ‘Ahiihirom (Elders) and ‘Eyoohiinkem (our relatives/relations) past, present and emerging.

The Autry Museum in Griffith Park

4700 Western Heritage Way

Los Angeles, CA 90027-1462
Located northeast of downtown, across from the Los Angeles Zoo.
Map and Directions

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