Activities: Social Studies & History

Activities - Social Study and History Extension    "Justice for my People: The Dr. Hector P. Garcia Story"

Social Studies / Social Study and History Extension Activities

1. Assign students to prepare a report about a civil rights leader, either from the United States or internationally. Instruct students to determine whether his/her physical and social environment molds that leader. Students can design project boards, PowerPoint presentations, etc. as well as traditional written reports. This would also be another good project for making mobiles to display categories of leaders.
2. Have students define the terms "majority" and "minority" as used in the United States today. Do these have the same meanings as they did 10, 50, 100 years ago? Have students identify a minority or ethnic group whose status has changed over the years. What factors have affected this change?
3. Have students prepare a series of maps outlining the changing border between Texas and Mexico. Identify the social and political factors that caused these changes and be prepared to discuss them.
4. Have students construct a survey on awareness of civil rights leaders. (Click here for a sample survey.) Have the students be sure to test their surveys on each other before using them in public.
   
   Encourage students to work in easy-to-use multiples of five when conducting survey; ten or twenty participants is ideal. Have students conduct their survey (give them no more than one week), then chart their findings and present information to the class.
5. How does a stereotype come into existence? For example, explore the stereotypical Mexican in relationship to the early environment in South Texas…. explore cultural attitudes and adaptations (i.e. the siesta) and why they exist. Have students research their family history by exploring their ethnic roots. What stereotypes are still associated with them? Why? Have students design their family tree and look at the characteristics associated with stereotypes.
6. Design a map or 3D model of important places and locations of the 1960's civil rights movements. This may be open-ended or have a certain number or choices. Instruct students to be prepared to defend their choices.
7. For another activity about three important Texans during this time period, go to www.kedt.org. Go to the NTTI site, click on secondary lesson plans, then go to "Triumphs, Trials and Tribulations: Texans 3."