America's Civil Rights Movement: The Later Years

America’s Civil Rights Movement: The Later Years is a course of study into the history of the African American civil rights movement in the United States from 1965 to 1985. The course is based on the award-winning documentary series Eyes on the Prize produced by the Public Broadcasting Service. This course is a complement to the course “America’s Civil Rights Movement: The Early Years” from the Spring Term. A review of the previous course will take place on the first day of class for students wishing to join in the Summer Term to catch up on the history and events covered in “The Early Years”. Students enrolled in the course will be engaged in a wide range of activities covering the four language skill areas – – listening, reading, speaking, and writing. Specific activities will include documentary film viewing and analysis, extensive reading, group discussions, expository writing, and presentations. Through the class website, students will be involved in documentary episode viewing and background reading with discussion questions to increase their knowledge and confidence about the topics and to provide a solid basis for class work. The website will also be used for students’ comments and opinions about the topic and to provide a means of ongoing communication between the students and the teacher.

1. Development of Critical Thinking Skills and Strategies

2. Development of Higher Level Discussion Skills

3. Increased Proficiency in Expository Writing and Presentation Skills

This course would appeal to students interested in American history, particularly that of the mid-20th Century, as well as students wishing to develop their writing, discussion, and presentation skills.