Merrick Students Study Historical People Who Defended Justice

MERRICK, NY - In the Merrick School District, Lakeside Elementary School fifth-graders in Shari Dorfman and Ruth Rosenberg’s class studied historical individuals who defended justice in honor of civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Both classes began the lesson by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, discussing the meaning of “justice for all” and singing “What Can One Little Person Do?” by Sally Rogers.

Following the opening discussion, Dorfman and Rosenberg grouped their students into pairs where they identified individuals in history who stood for justice.

Students read picture book biographies of a historical individual such as Susan B. Anthony, Cesar Chavez, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Gordon Parks.

After reading their biographies, students completed a sheet that highlighted their defenders of justice, including the issue they faced, who helped them and who stood in the way.

Concluding the activity, students partnered with other pairs to create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting one other’s defender of justice.

Photo Captions:

1) Lakeside Elementary School fifth-graders Olivia Rinaldi (left) and Zachary Boas (right) studied historical individuals who defended justice.

2) In pairs, Lakeside Elementary School fifth-graders Sofia Tsahalis (left) and Jeremy Barkan (right) read a picture book biography about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and learned how she led the early women’s right movement.

3) Lakeside Elementary School fifth-graders Coby Loew (left), Cory Falk (center) and Jamie Bernstein (right) assembled their sheet with information about their defender of justice.

Photos courtesy of the Merrick School District