ArchivesInTheClassroomAndCommunity · Q2: How did the formation of STRESS impact race relations in the City of Detroit?

Q2: How did the formation of STRESS impact race relations in the City of Detroit?

Formative Performance Task:

Analyze primary sources using the National Archives worksheet from different citizens/community group perspectives on the operations of STRESS. (Worksheet)
Write an argument using Claim/Evidence/Reasoning format on whether STRESS helped or hurt race relations in 1970s Detroit.

Activities:

Recap with the students what they know about the creation of the STRESS unit and what was going on at that time in the City of Detroit.
Explain to students that they will analyze a variety of primary sources from citizens of Detroit as well as civic groups during this time frame. The purpose of this is to gain insight into how the community reacted to the STRESS unit.
Talk with students about how historians use Primary Sources and what type of primary sources they personally leave behind today. Introduce the document they will use to analyze primary sources. (Worksheet - National Archives)

Go over the sections of the document and show an example of how to fill out the document using a primary source. An interesting idea would be to bring something maybe from your own childhood or from the history of the teacher’s parent or grandparent.

Explain to students that they will be working in groups of up to 4 people. Each group will receive a clipboard and a worksheet for each primary source they are going to analyze. If you have the space, students will walk around the room to each primary source. There are 10 total. Use your discretion as to how many you want to lay out for them to analyze. If there is not enough space in your classroom, maybe move to a larger area such as the Media Center or Cafeteria if possible.
As a group, students must pick a recorder and a timekeeper. The recorder is responsible for making sure all information is written onto the document with the collaboration of their group members. The timekeeper is responsible for keeping the group on task and letting members know how much time they have as set by their teacher. (Alternate idea could be for the recorder to use a laptop to type out the worksheet if students have access to laptops. Worksheets can be shared digitally with all students in the group)
All of the primary sources will be numbered. Groups do not have to go to each one in order, they can jump from source to source as long as they hit them all. Students analyze each primary source and fill out the worksheet for each source.
After all the primary sources have been analyzed by each group they now must spend time discussing whether the STRESS unit helped or hurt the citizens of Detroit and whether their tactics did more overall harm than good.
After the discussion, each student will have to write an argument using the Claim/Evidence/Reasoning format on whether STRESS helped or hurt the citizens of 1970s Detroit. They will use this worksheet to develop their reasoning.

CER Worksheet. Remind students how to make a claim, cite evidence and develop reasoning. If students are unfamiliar with the use of CER, a demonstration will have to take place.

Remind students that they can also use the UofM website they used for Supporting Question 1 for information as well.