Bring powerful history and critical thinking to your Grade 5–6 classroom with this complete Civil Rights Movement unit—perfect for MLK Day, Black History Month, or any upper-elementary social studies block.
 
Designed for rigorous learning and easy teacher prep, this bundle goes far beyond basic biographical facts. Students will analyze strategies, evaluate sources, compare leaders, cite text evidence, and write arguments using four ready-to-use, high-engagement resources.
 
This unit was created to support ELA + Social Studies integration and aligns with key skills such as nonfiction comprehension, argument writing, primary source analysis, and compare/contrast structure.
 
 
What Students Will Learn
 
By the end of this unit, your students will be able to:
 
Identify the three branches of the Civil Rights Movement: Nonviolent Protest, Legal Challenges, and grassroots organizing
Explain the goals, methods, strengths, and limitations of each strategy
Analyze primary sources from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. using the Who, What, When, Why inquiry model
Compare the work of Dr. King, Rosa Parks, and César Chávez using structured organizers
Support historical claims with high-quality text evidence
Write clearly organized, argumentative and compare & contrast paragraphs
Connect MLK’s philosophy of nonviolence to modern community and school life
 
 
What’s Included: 4 Complete, Print-and-Go Lessons
 
1️⃣ Three Branches of the Civil Rights Movement
Nonfiction Passages + Analysis Matrix + Argument Writing
Passage A: Nonviolent Protest (SCLC, sit-ins, MLK)
Passage B: Legal Challenges (NAACP, Thurgood Marshall, Brown v. Board)
Passage C: Grassroots Organizing (SNCC, Freedom Riders, voter registration)
Evidence-Gathering Questions
Three-Branch Comparison Matrix
Extended Response: “Which branch was most effective?”
 
2️⃣ The Power of Nonviolence: MLK Case Study
Montgomery Bus Boycott + Conflict Response Venn Diagram
Close reading: The Strategy of Soul Force
Evidence-based comprehension questions
Violent vs. Nonviolent Action Venn Diagram
Reflective writing prompt connecting MLK’s philosophy to school issues
 
3️⃣ MLK Day Primary Source Analysis Pack
Excerpts from:
• Letter from Birmingham Jail
• I Have a Dream Speech
• Famous MLK quote
Source Analysis Worksheet (Who/What/When/Why)
Vocabulary support is built into each source
Creative “Modern Headline” activity
 
4️⃣ Comparing Civil Rights Leaders: King • Parks • Chávez
Biographical Summaries + Compare/Contrast Writing
3 Differentiated nonfiction biographies
Comparison Matrix (Cause, Method, Impact)
Scaffolded compare/contrast paragraph task
Transition word bank included
 
 
Why Teachers Love This Resource
Integrates Reading, Writing & Social Studies
Provides high-quality lessons without overwhelming students
Aligned to middle-grade literacy and historical thinking standards
Perfect for whole-group instruction, literacy centers, sub plans, or small-group work
Requires zero prep—just print and teach
Ideal for MLK Day, Black History Month, or a U.S. History unit
 
 
Perfect For
5th Grade Social Studies
6th Grade ELA/Social Studies Blocks
Upper Elementary Literacy Centers
Primary Source Analysis Lessons
Black History Month Projects
MLK Day Classroom Activities
Argument Writing + Nonfiction Reading Units
 
 
Bring powerful, meaningful history into your classroom— click “Add to Cart” and start teaching today!