In-Class Activity and Workshop: Non-Violent Theory and the Birmingham March

Directions

Review

In class today, we will continue to compose paragraphs for our third essay. We will carry our discussion from Monday's class forward by reviewing through student blogs what we learned about the main elements of non-violent theory. All students will re-read their blogs to refresh themselves. We will then turn two or three of these blogs to begin expanding our individual definitions of Dr. King's non-violent theory. We will create a short list of these elements.

Non-Violent Practice: Dr. King in Birmingham

We will then turn to some visual historical evidence of the 1963 Birmingham de-segregation march from the PBS documentary Citizen King. While we view a segment of the film on the march, we will pause to take notes and describe what we see and how it connects back to our definitions of non-violent theory, and possibly other course themes. 

Organizing Thoughts: Tweeting Connections

After the film segment, student will to spend a few moments organizing their notes, and looking for at least one connection between the film’s footage of non-violence in action and elements of non-violent theory. Students will then “Tweet” this connection to the class. 

Discussion and Ideas for Drafting

 

We will use the class Twitter feed to establish the connections the class has made, and use those connections as a springboard for discussion. Afterward, students will turn to their blogs or to Microsoft Word in order to continue composing their notes and discussion into a paragraph for their essay.