Coloring Our Schools Expedition: Developed at Brooklyn School for Collaborative Studies
Coloring our Schools: School Segregation and Integration
This 8th grade expedition at our Brooklyn School for Collaborative Studies explored school integration through three investigations: the history of legal segregation, a case study of the Little Rock Nine, and an in-depth look at school integration in New York City today. In studying the history of integration, students began with landmark legal cases, such as Plessy v. Ferguson, and studied the legal basis for school segregation, as well as research on the psychological effects of segregation. In the Little Rock Nine investigation, students watched segments of Eyes on the Prize, and read selections from Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Patillo Beals, focusing on how perspectives influenced choices during the integration of Central High School. In the NYC study, students examined data about NYC residents and schools to determine what integration means today in our city. Finally, students synthesized these experiences by writing op-ed pieces and presenting them at round tables to an audience of new teachers in training who are planning to work in New York City schools.
