Lesson honoring the life of Rosa Parks (MYP)

1. WHO WAS
ROSA
PARKS?
L.O. I will engage with
a non-fiction text and
practice my reading
comprehension skills
by responding to a set
of questions

2. STARTER

3. Starter: What do you know about Rosa
Parks ?
Look at this quote by Rosa
Parks. Do you agree with
her? Explain.
L.O. I will engage with a non-fiction text and practice my reading comprehension skills by responding to
a set of questions

4. COLLABORATION

5. Early Life:
Rosa Parks was an African American
woman who was born in 1913 in
Alabama, USA. In the Southern states
of America where Rosa lived, there
were laws at the time which made
the lives of African American people
very difficult. Rosa Parks knew that
these laws were unfair and when she
grew up, she helped to change some
of them.

6. Segregation
At this time, there were laws designed
to keep black and white people
separate. Keeping people of different
races apart is called segregation.
Segregation meant that in many public
places such as schools, shops, churches,
toilets and drinking fountains people of
different colours could not mix. Signs
reminded people that they must remain
separate. Would you expect to see a sign like this today?
Explain.

7. Discrimination
Segregation laws meant that black people
were not treated equally. For instance, on
buses black people had to sit towards the
back and white people sat towards the
front. If the bus was full and there were no
seats, then a white person was able to ask
a black person for their seat.This is an
example of racial discrimination. Racial
discrimination is when people are not
treated well because of the colour of their
skin.
Look at where the passengers on this bus are
sitting. Do you think this photo was taken
recently or a long time ago? How can you tell?

8. Fighting Discrimination
On the 1st December 1955, Rosa Parks
was travelling home from work.The bus
was full. A white man boarded the bus
and the driver told Rosa she needed to
give up her seat to let the man sit down.
Rosa refused.
“Why don’t you just stand up?” asked the
driver.
Rosa replied, “I don’t think I should have
to stand up.”
The driver called the police and she was
arrested. She was fined $10 for breaking
the law. Rosa insisted that the law was
wrong.
These photos show Rosa Parks being arrested.
Later, when she was asked why she didn’t give up
her seat she said it was because ‘she was tired of
giving in’.What do you think she meant?

9. Civil Rights
At this time, many people were
protesting about segregation and
discrimination and demanding equal
rights for people of different races.
Equal rights for all is also referred to as
having civil rights. A famous civil rights
leader called Martin Luther King heard
about what Rosa had done. Other civil
rights leaders also heard about her
brave actions.They decided to support
Rosa and fight against racial
discrimination.They came up with a
plan that would get everyone’s
attention. This picture shows Rosa and Martin Luther
King.What do you think they might have said
to each other when they met?

10. The Montgomery Bus Boycott
Civil rights leaders called for black people
to boycott the Montgomery Buses.They
knew this would upset the bus company
because they would lose a lot of their
passengers and a lot of money. It was hard
for people to stop taking the bus because it
meant that many people often had to walk
a long way. It was tough, but many people
did boycott the buses and their strength
and determination led to an important
change in the law. It took a whole year of
boycotting the buses, but on the 20th
December 1956 segregation laws were
ruled to be against the constitution.
Why do you think so many people decided to
take part in the Montgomery Bus Protest?

11. MAIN
ACTIVITY
1

12. Discuss what is happening in each
of these pictures.
Use the pictures to help you write
the story of the Montgomery Bus
Boycott.
The words in the box below might
help you.
In 1955, Alabama, black, white,
refused, next, after that, when,
following that, finally, civil
rights leaders, racist, unfair,
discrimination, law, equal, tired
segregation, arrested, protest,
civil rights, boycott, determined
Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott

13. MAIN
ACTIVITY
2

14. Read the comprehension passage
and respond to the following
questions:
Rosa Parks: My Story

15. Plenary:The Legacy of
Rosa Parks
Why do you think Rosa Parks is viewed as an
important historical figure? How is she celebrated
and remembered now?

16. JIGSAW
READING

17. Working in a group, chooseTWO of the following questions to
answer and present:

18. WRITING
TASK

19. Working Individually, write 250 words on the following topic:

20. Plenary:
Discuss with a partner the
following quotes by Rosa Parks