How Our World Changed

1. Set Focus 
Pose this essential question: What makes a social movement successful?

2. Read and Discuss 
Have students read the article, marking key ideas and questions. 

• The author says that the current movement is “unlike any this country has seen since at least the 1960s.” How does the author support this claim? (He supports this claim with statistics about protest attendance and details about the immediate effects of the protests.)

• What explanation does the author offer for the increased support from white people? Which do you think is the biggest factor? Why? (The author points to the following factors: “years of pressure from Black Lives Matter activists,” a more racially diverse younger generation, the “horrific nature of Floyd’s death,” “frustration over the coronavirus pandemic,” and economic collapse. Evaluations of which of these is the biggest factor will vary.)
  

• The author says, “But a lot of the changes that the protests have brought about so far are cultural.” What does the author mean? And why does he start the sentence with “But”? (The author means that many of the changes have related to symbols with connections to America’s racist past rather than to changes in the law. The author starts the sentence with “But” to emphasize this contrast.)

3. Core Skill Practice
Assign, print, or project the activity In Their Words. Have students identify the speaker for each quotation from the article and paraphrase their words.

4. Writing Prompt
Which of the changes brought about so far by this social movement do you think is the most significant? Why? Explain in a brief essay.

5. Classroom Debate
Will this social movement end up being just a trend? Or do you see the seeds of something more longlasting and impactful?

6. Quiz & Skills
Assess comprehension with the quiz. Use Organizing Ideas to review outlining skills.