Sample Lesson Plan SOCI 411
Movement-Institution Interactions
OVERVIEW FOR FEBUARY 18, 2015
Structure of the Class Period:
• Song: Union Maid "I’m Stickin' to the Union" - Old Crow Medicine Show
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAzhz29eVec)
o I begin most days, especially those that begin a new activity or topic, with a song.
Social movements often use songs, chants, and cultural elements to accomplish
goals such as changing the understandings of issues, gaining attention, and
building collective identity. Sometimes I use movement-produced songs or protest
songs, but other times I try to bring in something topical, recognizable, or even
funny. Today’s song is a mix of both elements. It is a class song sung by a
popular and widely known group.
o Questions to ask students: Have you heard this song before? What about the
artist? Many folks have heard this song because of its incorporation into
mainstream music by the group rather than as a result of the salience of the
content. [This song discusses the interaction between works and institutions such
as unions, the police, and the state. FYI- Woodie Guthrie wrote this song in
response to a request to write songs about unions from a female perspective. It
was written about the role of women in a particular era, and has since been
adapted by some singers to represent the changing viewpoint on the role of
women (e.g., "A woman’s struggle is hard, even with a union card".]
• Drawing connections—guiding questions to be shaped by course discussion: Begin
with connections to the previous class period to help create continuity in the course and
review the reading. What concepts from the reading stood out to you? What was that
author arguing about the interaction between social movements and institutions? Does
that apply to the movement you are studying for your course assignment? What
movements might it apply/not apply to? Let’s think back to last class period when we had
a guest speaker who discussed cause lawyering. How can we apply [insert what they
brought up] to understand the role of lawyers in social movements? When might lawyers
be called in and by what sorts of movements? Who might choose not to use legal tactics?
[If anything form past courses comes up, ask about ways the elements are connected].
Tell them they will have a chance to think more about those sorts of connections in
today’s class activity.
• Activity Part 1: This activity involves first splitting the class into groups of 8, with
groups of 6 where necessary. Then I will randomly assign roles to everyone as either a
movement or an institution. You will sit 4 on each side of a table in their groups, such
that a movement and institution are seated across from each other. The small sheet of
paper with the name of your movement or institution has objectives to accomplish. In the
style of speed dating, movements will be given 4 minutes to negotiate with the first
institution before a bell is rung to switch positions and negotiate with the next institution.
You will not know which movement or institution a person represents before they sit
across from you, so you’ll have to think on your feet. Catalogue your interactions by
keeping notes on challenges, accomplishments, and any lessons you learned.
Sample Lesson Plan •
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Review of the Activity Part 1: How did that go? What challenges did you face? What
successes did you achieve? How did you interact with the different movements and
institutions? Were you able to reach any resolutions? What strategies and tactics did you
employ? Were some institutions easier to negotiate with? What factors made them that
way?
Activity Part 2: Choose a movement/institution to go on a second date with or interact
with a second time. In this case, movements are given more specific goals to bargain with
the institution about in an attempt to achieve a movement outcome, while institutions
have their own objectives. You must prepare a statement along with the institution on any
advantages you gained, if you gained any.
Review of the Activity Part 2: Have students share their statements and ask questions
directly responding to their exchanges. What were some of the major advantages
movements achieved? What were challenges to achieving advantages? How do the
challenges and advantages differ by institutions? What do scholars say about the
challenges and successes of movement-institution interactions and how do those apply to
your experience?
Learning Objectives:
• The goal of this activity is to have students apply theoretical ideas about the way
movements challenge, utilize, and engage with institutions like the media, the state, and
corporations.
• A second goal is to expose students to different viewpoints and give them the opportunity
to experience fully a role and view other than their own.
Student Preparation
• Students read five excerpted articles in the Goodwin and Jasper reader (see below) over
two days to understand the multiple institutions that movements interact with as well as
the theoretical and practical importance of those interactions.
• Students listened to and interacted with a guest speaker from a local cause lawyering firm
who discussed in detail interactions between movement members, organizations like the
Southern Coalition for Social Justice, and local government.
Future Implications:
• Set up many of the key elements that will be used in the Civil Rights role-play.
• Aid students in becoming comfortable with role-play by using topical and low pressure
settings.
• Help students apply theory to movements as a framework for how they might do so in
their own cases for the course paper.
Sample Lesson Plan Materials for Teacher:
Directions to be posted on the overhead, first only to reveal part 1, and then to reveal both parts
at the appropriate time:
Part 1: Each of you will be randomly assigned to be either an institution or a social movement.
Similar to the format of speed dating, each institution will sit in a row and be approached by each
movement when the bell rings. The movement and institution pair will have to figure out how
they interact, what impact they have on each other (e.g., who benefits or is challenged by the
interactions and how?), and how the interactions shape strategies and tactics on both sides.
Part 2: Choose a date. Form and movement and institution pair, and the movement will bargain
with the institution for the gain you’d like your movement to achieve. Prepare a statement on
whether you were able to achieve any change or gain from the institution you chose.
Sample Lesson Plan Materials for Students – Make sure to copy and cut these apart so each person only receives
their own role.
Soci 411
Movement-Institution Interactions
The Movements:
Occupy Wall Street
• What you want from the Media: Coverage of movement activities that focuses on actual
movement participants.
• Demands of the Federal Government: You want the Federal Government to create
policies that result in the redistribution of wealth.
• Demands of the State Government: You want states to generate more and better jobs.
• Demand on the Corporation Citi Bank: You want banks to forgive student loans.
Civil Rights Movement
• What you want from the Media: Coverage of movement activities that promotes racial
equality and the movement.
• Demands of the Federal Government: You want the Federal Government to pass the
Voting Rights Act to prohibit discrimination in voting.
• Demands of the Local/State Government: You want your local government to
desegregate the school system.
• Demand on Woolworth: You want Woolworth to desegregate lunch counters.
Marriage Equality
• What you want from the Media: Positive coverage of movement activities and viewpoint.
• Demands of the Federal Government: National policy change that extends marriage
rights to same sex couples.
• Demands of the State Government: To pass state legislation allowing legal rights to be
extended to same sex couples.
• Demand on Chick-fil-a: To stop funding organizations that your movement views as hate
groups.
Environmental Movement • What you want from the Media: Positive coverage of movement activities and viewpoint.
• Demands of the Federal Government: Pass regulations preventing corporations from
being able to unsustainable use non-renewable resources.
• Demands of the State Government: Enforce local zoning rules that would limit the ability
of businesses to pollute local rivers.
• Demands of Apple: Stop using toxic chemicals in their products.
The Institutions:
The Media (e.g., CNN, the New York Times)
Sample Lesson Plan •
Your goal is to keep these social movements from dictating what you report on, and to
cover their movements or not on your own terms, not theirs.
The Federal Government
• Your goal is to continue operating as you see fit, without having to consider the desires of
social movements. You’re the federal government and you run the country.
State or Local Government
• Your goal is to avoid giving in to the pressure of social movements, especially if it means
increasing expenditures or making unpopular decisions.
A Major Corporation
• Your goal is to maximize profit, minimize bad publicity, and avoid social movement
pressure.
o For this exercise, you will be four different corporations based on which
movement you are meeting with (Citi Bank (Occupy), Walgreens (Civil Rights),
Apple (Environmental), Chick-fil-a (Marriage Equality)).