This is a five day lesson plan which is applicable for groups or teams. It can also be done as an individual activity.

basic schedule

Days 1 and 2 - examination of the website

Day 3 - preparation of a position concerning the resistance at Christiana

Day 4 - oral presentations of the student's positions

Day 5 - class review and individual evaluation of the activity

An excellent preparatory activity can be achieved by having the students examine the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's. An excellent website which the students can use as a resource is found at www.cr.nps.gov/nr (click "travel" on the toolbar at the top of the homepage)

As an introduction to the lesson, have the students write a 500 to 1000 word position paper on the "Nature of Resistance". It has proven to be a successful way for students to explore the concepts of violent vs. non-violent resistance.

Students have been able to browse the Christiana website in one day, but offering two days (time permitting) has proven to be more successful. A networked computer lab situation is an excellent environment in which to do this portion of the activity, but success can be achieved in any environment that allows the students to have access to a computer.

If students have worked as teams this day could be spent in formation of their collective position to be presented to the class. If the students have worked individually, this day could be used for either position formation, or this day could be spent presenting their positions to the class. Position statements lasting 5 to 10 minutes seem to work well.

Due to the smaller number of group presentations (approximately 8 to 10 as opposed to 25 to 30 individual presentations) only one day is required to present group presentations while 2 days are required for individual presentations.

This position presentation can be directed in any avenue which the teacher may choose. Some topics which have begun successful discussions have been;

Christiana violence - justified or not?

The nature of resistance - Gandhi and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. vs. William Parker

A general class discussion of what has been learned from the previous four days is a worthwhile activity. In order to evaluate the material presented, a follow-up 500 to 1000 word essay on what has been learned has proven effective.

Effective evaluation of the technology aspects of the activity can be achieved in either written or oral form by using the questions associated with the "Culture and History as Electronic Text: A Lexicon of Critical Questions" by Randy Bass. It can be located at http://www.georgetown.edu/bassr/511/lexicon.html.