Students will investigate the essential question, “How did racial segregation and integration in sports reflect and challenge the social values of their time?” Through historical research, theatre analysis, and collaborative scene development, they will examine segregation and integration in high school, college, and professional sports using evidence and criteria. Students will communicate diverse perspectives with empathy, make shared creative decisions, and connect athletes’ experiences to questions of identity and belonging. The project culminates in an evidence-based theatrical performance and reflection that demonstrate historical understanding, critical thinking, and artistic interpretation.

Students will describe how racial segregation and integration shaped high school, college, and professional sports using accurate historical evidence. They will investigate the essential question, “How did racial segregation and integration in sports reflect and challenge the social values of their time?” Students will collaboratively create and perform a theatre work that communicates multiple historical perspectives with empathy and evidence. They will examine their own and peers’ theatre works using shared criteria that consider historical context, culture, artistic choices, and connections to social studies.

Students will create an evidence-based timeline tracing racial segregation and integration across high school, college, and professional sports. Collaborative teams will develop source dossiers and write short documentary-theatre scenes that portray multiple perspectives without inventing historical claims. Throughout rehearsals, students will use shared criteria to analyze scenes, offer empathetic feedback, and revise historical and artistic choices. The project will culminate in a live or recorded theatre showcase and individual reflection answering: How did racial segregation and integration in sports reflect and challenge the social values of their time?

Begin with a “living museum” of archival photographs and headlines showing segregation and integration in high school, college, and professional sports. In small groups, students select one source, identify evidence about the era’s social values, and create a frozen tableau that captures its central conflict or turning point. After each tableau, classmates interpret the artistic choices and support their observations with evidence from the source. Conclude by gathering initial responses to: “How did racial segregation and integration in sports reflect and challenge the social values of their time?”

Host a “Sports, Stage, and Social Change” showcase for families, classmates, coaches, and local community members. Student ensembles perform original documentary-theatre scenes about segregation and integration in high school, college, or professional sports, using cited historical evidence and multiple perspectives. After each performance, students explain their artistic choices and facilitate audience dialogue around the question, “How did racial segregation and integration in sports reflect and challenge the social values of their time?” Conclude with a gallery walk of scripts, source notes, and reflections, plus audience feedback based on historical accuracy, supporting evidence, collaboration, empathy, and theatrical effectiveness.