What kinds of planning, organizing and communication are required to take action and bring about change?

Selma: The Bridge to the Ballot is a versatile film that can be used in a variety of courses to

spark conversations about civil rights, activism, the proper use of government power and

the role of the citizen.

Because we expect that teachers will use the film in many different ways—and will have different amounts of time to spend with it—we’ve made this guide as flexible as possible.

You can introduce the film to students using the synopsis; the lists of people, groups and

places in the film; or the timeline of events, all provided in Part One of this guide.

Feel uneasy about talking about racial issues? See the guidance we offer in Part Two.

Want to do an in-depth study of African-American voting rights, from Reconstruction

through the present? Don’t miss the readings in Part Three.

But if your time is short and you want to focus on the film itself, you’ll find some straightforward viewing questions in Part Four. You’ll also find a variety of strategies to foster critical viewing and help students analyze what it takes to make change happen.

Use any combination of these strategies to deepen student understanding of the events and

issues raised by the film. Consider breaking into “home” and “expert” groups using a jigsaw

approach to increase student engagement and develop appreciation of the complex nature

of the civil rights movement.

To help students connect their learning to current topics, use the materials in Part Five to

explore voting issues today, particularly in their own state.

We’ve been inspired by the students in this film, and we hope it inspires your students to

care about voting and to see a place for themselves in the voting rights picture. That’s why

we’ve included a culminating project called Do Something! We hope that, no matter how

little time you have, you’ll find a way to engage students with this civic action project.

Whether viewing the film with students or in a community setting, and regardless of which

materials in the guide you use, these are some key ideas you’ll want to consider and discuss.

Essential Questions

Begin by engaging students with these essential questions for discussion or thought:

• Does voting matter? Why were black citizens throughout the South ready to risk their

lives to secure their right to vote? Why do so few people today exercise that right?

• Can students make a difference? Why did students join the movement in Selma, and

why were adults so hesitant?

Explanation:

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