Lesson 1.9

Objective

When you are denied your rights and your physical freedom, what do you have left but words? Written in the midst of a civil rights protest in Birmingham, Alabama, in the mid1950s, “Letter from Birmingham Jail” is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s eloquent argument for the end of racial segregation in the United States. King uses emotional, logical, and rhetorical appeal to craft a deeply moving and persuasive argument.

After reading the text, students will be able to identify and use primary and secondary sources, understand how to formulate arguments and claims and the importance of rhetoric

Instructional Video + Guided Notes

Go to StudySync and complete the assignment titled "Lesson 1. Instructional Video Rhetoric" and "Lesson 1.9 Instructional Video Primary and Secondary Sources" and "Lesson 1.9 Instructional Video Arguments and Claims." Make sure you write down all vocabulary terms, key ideas, and important facts relevant to the lesson in your English notebook. Submit a picture of your notes to Google Classroom when complete.


Reading the Text

Go to StudySync and complete the assignment titled "Lesson 1.9 A Letter From Birmingham Jail Reading Response."

All aspects of the assignment must be completed to receive credit.

Assignment

Activity: Unjust Laws

Martin Luther King, Jr. explains that citizens have a legal obligation to follow just laws but a moral obligation to fight unjust laws.

Students will select a law (past or present) that they feel is unjust and devise a way to contest the law.

Students should answer the following questions on a Google Doc:

  • How do you define an unjust law?

  • Which of our current laws do you believe is unjust?

  • Why do you believe this law is unjust?

  • How can you personally fight against an unjust law?

After students have had time to consider and discuss the questions above, they should then complete the following:

  • Choose an unjust law.

  • Decide the best way to stand up against the law.

  • Select a medium to share your message.

  • Complete your project.

To reflect, students should answer the following questions on the same Google doc that they answered the questions above and turn them into Google Classroom to the assignment titled "Lesson 1.9 Unjust Laws questions and reflection"

  • When is it justifiable to resist authority?

  • Who is responsible for standing up against injustice?

Lesson 1.9 Mastery Check

After completing the above tasks and assignments, ask Ms. Simpson for the lesson 1.9 mastery check (in-person or via email). Once you have successfully completed it and received the check mark, you may proceed to Lesson 1.9.1 YOU MUST SUCCESSFULLY PASS THE MASTERY CHECK IN ORDER TO MOVE ON TO LESSON 1.9.1

Finish Line

All done? Have you submitted all of your assignments? Did you get the okay from Ms. Simpson on your mastery check? Great! Congrats on finishing Lesson 1.9! CLICK HERE to jump to Lesson 1.9.1