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The following are lesson plans relating Brown to contemporary issues in education.
NOTE: In order to access and print the Downloaded Lesson Plans
and Student Activity Sheets for each lesson, you will need Adobe
Acrobat. If you do not already have this tool, you may download
Adobe Acrobat free of charge at the Adobe Web site.
Background: As school districts throughout the U.S. struggle
with funding issues, more and more people with the financial means
to send their children to private schools are choosing this option,
particularly in major urban school districts where the property
tax base does not offer sufficient revenue to fund the needs of
the district adequately. This is causing many schools to become
segregated based on their financial status. When looking at what
urban neighborhoods who have a low socio-economic status can offer
students and comparing it to what suburban school districts have
in terms of resources, it is evident that the educational opportunities
provided by the schools are not equal. The Campaign for Fiscal Equity
is a group of concerned citizens who have organized, filed lawsuits,
and worked to equalize the educational opportunities provided to
students in New York City and across the state. Changes in the way
schools are funded have resulted in the argument that all students
should be provided a "sound basic education". While many districts
across the country have similar problems, by calling attention to
the New York City public schools and what people have done to make
changes in the way education is funded, students can see the cost
of public schools, understand the struggles schools face to provide
"sound basic education", and gain understanding and appreciation
for what the educational system in the U.S. is responsible for providing
to students.
Subject Areas: Math, Social Studies, Civics, Language Arts
View the Lesson Plan online here
Download the full Lesson Plan here (PDF)
Background: Statistically speaking, American schools have
not provided equal educational opportunities to all students. In
many schools nationwide, disproportionate numbers of minority students
attend schools with inadequate funding, facilities, and materials.
In addition, the high school dropout rate for minorities is significantly
higher than it is for white students. Consequently, fewer minority
students attend college and achieve have the education necessary
to achieve a higher standard of living. The gap in funding between
high and low poverty schools is increasing, despite some reforms
in the way school funding dollars are allocated. Wealthy school
districts continue to provide superior facilities, programs, and
technology, while impoverished schools continue to struggle to provide
the most basic materials and instruction. Statistics show that while
this gap continues to expand, most Americans are in favor of providing
equal funding for schools, even if this means that wealthier school
districts distribute some of their funds to poor school districts.
It seems that overall, Americans believe the equal educational opportunities
are important for all students, not just those fortunate enough
to live in school districts that can afford to provide students
with a quality educational experience.
Subject Areas: Social Studies, Current Events, Civics, Language Arts, Debate, and Journalism
View the Lesson Plan online here
Download the full Lesson Plan here (PDF)
For additional lesson plans, see
Lesson Plans for Upper Level Students
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