Distance Learning

Life at Lewis Mountain

Grade Level:
High School: Ninth Grade through Twelfth Grade
Subject:
Social Studies
State Standards:
Virginia Standards of Learning
VS.8, VS.11, USII.8, CE.7, CE.9, CE.10, VUS.3, VUS.7, VUS.8, VUS.9, VUS.16, VUS.17, WG.2, WG.14, GOVT.2, GOVT.11, GOVT.12, GOVT.14, English and Literacy

Explore how African Americans experienced Shenandoah National Park during segregation through this interactive program, "Life at Lewis Mountain: Shenandoah in the Jim Crow Era." Beginning with the social and political context of the era, this series of lessons takes students through the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and the struggle to make all of Shenandoah National Park welcome to all people.

Overview

This unit explores and discusses the complex story of the park's segregation and desegregation through a series of videos and activities. Students reflect on photographs from that time period and investigate the perspectives of those affected. Then they learn about various experiences of people that had to use the Green Book to travel. Once they have “traveled” to Shenandoah National Park, they gain perspective on what it was like to spend time at Lewis Mountain, the segregated campground, and why the difficulties were considered worth it for many.  Students explore a timeline of the Civil Rights Movement and how major events led to change over time before finishing their journey with a challenge of interpreting this complicated history for future generations.

The program is divided into five lessons:

  • Lesson 1 – Historical Perspectives
  • Lesson 2 – Using the Green Book to Travel
  • Lesson 3 – Segregation in Shenandoah National Park – Life at Lewis Mountain
  • Lesson 4 – A Timeline of the Civil Rights Movement
  • Lesson 5 – Telling the Story

Objectives

At the conclusion of these lessons, students will be able to:

  1. Present a journal with recorded insights, ideas, and revelations about the history of segregation in Virginia and Shenandoah National Park.

  2. Identify and describe various problems those facing segregation encountered in the United States.

  3. Explain the role of the Green Book in the Jim Crow Era.

  4. Compare and contrast various perspectives to reflect on experiences of people affected by segregation in Shenandoah National Park.

  5. Analyze and describe the long-term effects of major events within the Civil Rights Movement.

  6. Create an interpretive display to tell the history of segregation in Shenandoah National Park.

How to Participate

There are five parts, each containing a short movie, an interactive element, and suggested journaling or class discussion activities. Ideally, students would start at the beginning and work their way through the curriculum over the course of several class periods, or as the topic of each part becomes relevant to the teacher's syllabus.

There are many opportunities for teacher-led whole-class and student-led small group discussions, as well as assignments and projects. Additionally, teachers can pick and choose specific elements to supplement their current lesson plans.

Life at Lewis Mountain: Shenandoah in the Jim Crow Era

This program is formatted for a full screen. If you receive an error message choose "Full Screen Mode" to play the program.

This project was funded through fee revenue and donations to the Shenandoah National Park Trust.

Materials

Tags: civil rights segregation desegregation lewis mountain virginia history us history interactive curriculum

Last updated: September 19, 2024