LJHS students share knowledge of Civil Rights with Central third-graders

[March 01, 2018] 

LINCOLN

Tina Workman’s 8th grade Accelerated Language Arts class at Lincoln Junior High School presented and read a book they have written entitled Moving Towards Civil Rights: The heroes and their stories to third grade students in Donita Biggs and Ren Anweiler’s third grade classes at Central School on Wednesday, in honor of Black History Month.

This encyclopedia is a Civil Rights reference book of 20 known and not so known Civil Rights Leaders who fought for freedom and equality to make our world a better place. These 8th grade authors shared their books with third graders and presented to them two books for their classroom libraries. The book is geared toward 3rd grade level readers.

This reference book is the result of the 8th graders’ in-class study of The Little Rock Nine and the autobiographical story of one of those nine, Melba Pattillo. Following the study of the Little Rock Nine and the Civil Rights Movement, students researched 20 Civil Rights Leaders and each wrote a biography explaining the contributions and sacrifices these leaders made to the cause of equality and justice.

Sixty years after the fight for equality, many Civil Rights Leaders are still well remembered; however, others have received scant recognition. Thus, the uniqueness of this book is to recognize, not only those who we all know made a difference, but also those behind the scenes men and women who sacrificed, struggled, and may have even lost their lives working to ensure equality for all. This book is dedicated to those within its pages and all people who were determined to bring equal rights to their fellow man.

Eighth graders wrote the book for a specific audience: early to mid-elementary-aged students and had to evaluate style, format, and reading level necessary to reach their young readers.

The 8th grade authors of this reference book are excited to share their work, not only as a culminating activity in their study of The Little Rock Nine, but also as a way to promote liberty and justice for all, while also recognizing the struggles and sacrifices Black Americans have endured throughout history.

[Tina Workman]