Inspired by MPB's Everlasting: Life and Legacy of Medgar Evers, this inquiry-based lesson helps second-grade students explore the importance of fairness, respect, and responsibility through the story of one of Mississippi's most influential civil rights leaders. Using documentary clips, classroom discussions, and hands-on activities, students will examine how Medgar Evers demonstrated these civic virtues and how they can practice them in their own schools and communities. The lesson also introduces students to documentaries as a way of learning about real people and historical events, encouraging thoughtful conversations about citizenship, kindness, and making a positive difference.

• Civic Virtues
• Critical Thinking
• Media Literacy
• Community Responsibility

• 2.CI.1.1 Identify civic virtues such as responsibility, fairness, and respect.

• 2.CI.1.2 Explain how civic virtues help create peaceful communities.

Carol Robinson

Week One 

Discovering Civic Virtues

Students are introduced to the civic virtues of fairness, respect, and responsibility through the life and legacy of Medgar Evers. Using selected documentary clips, class discussions, and interactive activities, they explore what it means to be a good citizen and identify ways these values help build peaceful communities. Students make connections between Medgar Evers' actions and the choices they make at home, at school, and in their neighborhoods.

Week Two

Putting Values into Action

Students deepen their understanding of civic virtues by applying what they have learned through collaborative activities, reflection, and creative projects. As they examine additional moments from Everlasting: Life and Legacy of Medgar Evers, they consider how acts of fairness, respect, and responsibility can inspire positive change. The unit concludes with a culminating project that encourages students to demonstrate how they can contribute to creating stronger, more caring communities.

Who Was Medgar Evers?

Students complete a “Who Was Medgar Evers?” organizer by drawing a picture and writing one sentence about something they learned from the documentary.

Featured Sources: 

1. Everlasting: Life and Legacy of Medgar Evers documentary clip 0:45–3:30 – Introduction to Medgar Evers and his early life.
2. Images and narration from the documentary showing Medgar Evers and his role in Mississippi.

How did Medgar Evers show fairness, responsibility, and respect?

Students sort examples from the documentary into a civic virtues chart labeled fairness, respect, and responsibility.

Featured Sources: 

1. Everlasting: Life and Legacy of Medgar Evers documentary clip 12:30–16:00 – Shows Evers working for fairness and equal rights.
2. Interview clips from historians and family members describing his efforts to help others.

How does the documentary help us understand his story?

Students complete the sentence: “I learned about Medgar Evers when I saw/heard ______ in the documentary.”

Featured Sources: 

1. Everlasting: Life and Legacy of Medgar Evers documentary clip 27:45–31:00 – Interviews explaining his courage and leadership.
2. Documentary narration and images showing how people remember his legacy.