Indianapolis, Indiana — The Potential™a family of free, award-winning social studies course packs packed with digital storytelling lessons offers a wealth of engaging content about the Civil Rights Movement to teach during African Family History Month. Click to tweet.
Celebrated in the United States since 1976, Black History Month is celebrated annually in February to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans in U.S. history and society. The American History Volume II Curriculum, The Ringers, and digital multimedia clips show the achievements of African American leaders and civil rights activists in the struggle for racial equality.
Chapter 6 Poptential: The Fracturing of America includes content and multimedia to help teachers lead discussions about the civil rights movement, including:
● Defining Moments in the Civil Rights Movement: Several key moments in the Civil Rights Movement are brought to life through video, including Dave Chappelle discusses the Emmett Till murderreflection Rosa Parks’ nonviolent refusal to give up her seat on the bus and subsequent arrest, as well as the famous civil rights sit-in to protest segregation in the Greensboro, NC Woolworth lunch counter.
● Civil Rights Legislation: The Civil Rights Act of 1964, one of the landmark civil rights laws enacted to end segregation, is debated in a stirring video of Lyndon Johnson’s speech announcing the Act.
● Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Nonviolent Approach: Video of the Martin Luther King Jr. march in Selma, Alabama March 7, 1965 highlights the fearlessness of the marchers and their sacrifices, which directly led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Additional coverage of all three marches from Selma to Montgomery is covered in March 7 Bell ringer (free registration required).
● Taking another path: The radical side of the Civil Rights Movement is discussed in the Bell of February 21, which includes a video about the assassination of malcolm xwho was shot dead by three members of the Nation of Islam.
Poptential uses a variety of pop culture media to illustrate concepts, including sitcoms, movies, animation, cartoons, late-night shows, news programs, and other sources.
Potential course packages are standards-based and teacher-designed. They include everything teachers need to teach the subject, including lessons, e-books, ringers, quizzes and tests. All content is available through a digital platform that allows students to access lessons even in low-bandwidth environments.
Potential Course Packages in American History, World History, US Government/Civil Law, and Economics are available for free at www.potential.org.
About Certell, Inc.
Certell is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to nurture a generation of independent thinkers. More than 30,000 teachers across the United States have signed up to use Certell’s Poptential™ family of free social studies courses, and thousands more students are covered in Certell’s college-level law and economics courses, as well as SensibleSchool™ instruction for homeschoolers, staff and inmates. Certell’s course packages have won a number of awards, including EdTech Digest Awards for Curriculum and Instruction, Tech&Learning – Best Back-to-School Tool, Tech Edvocate Awards, National Association of Economics Educators Bronze Award, and Civvys Awards. More information is available at certell.org or on Twitter @CertellOrg.
The eSchool Media staff covers education technology in all its aspects, from legislation and litigation to best practices, lessons learned and new products. First published in March 1998 as a monthly print and digital newspaper, eSchool Media provides the news and information needed to help K-20 leaders successfully use technology and innovation to transform schools and colleges and achieve their educational goals.
 "The bills exclude most students with waivers from graduation credits")
