Discussion
Have students watch clips that relate to your own curriculum from Eyes on the Prize. Discuss the clips and importance of these events. Next show images of Dennis Adams’ Tributaries. What do students think of the placement of his images? Discuss the symbolic significance of the images hanging above the water fountains. Why do you think that Adams chose to take stills from the film? What do they think about the placement of this work in a school? What is the significance of the work today? Do students think that Adams was merely trying to invoke history and create a persistent reminder, or also say something about society today?
Application
In this lesson students create an awareness of a significant event and/or people in Civil Rights history, as they work in teams to design temporary installations in the school. Have students think, like Dennis Adams, about ways in which the architecture of the school could be used to make people more aware of this recent historic period. They can create displays, or installations that provoke awareness and thought in their school building.