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Lynne Stover JMU Center for Economic Education stoverlf@jmu.edu 1 Provided By:

Lynne Stover JMU Center for Economic Education stoverlf@jmu.edu 2 Rosa Makes a Choice featuring Rosa By Nikki Giovanni Story Synopsis: The story of Rosa Parks making the choice to say "no" on a Montgomery, Alabama bus on December 1, 1955. (In making this decision she changed the history of our nation.) On this day Rosa, a well-respected seamstress, left work early. As always, she paid her bus fare in the front of the bus, got off, and re- entered from the rear. The back section was reserved for blacks and it was full. However, the “neutral” section for both whites and blacks had some empty seats and the tired Mrs. Parks sat in one. The bus was getting full and the driver demanded she give up this seat. She did not move and was arrested. Members of the Women's Political Council came to her support. They prayed and worked hard creating posters that encouraged blacks to Rosa by walking instead of taking the bus. Martin Luther King, Jr. made a speech in her favor and Montgomery Bus Boycott began. Almost a year after Rosa’s arrest the Supreme Court ruled segregation on the buses was illegal. Economic Concepts • Scarcity – the condition of limited resources. Because resources are limited, people must make choices. • Opportunity cost – that which is given up when a choice is made. When deciding how to spend a resource it is one’s second best alternative; the alternative given up. • Choice - takes place whenever someone makes a personal decision to use limited resources. Virginia Standards of Learning – History & Social Sciences 1.1h The student will demonstrate skills for historical thinking, geographical analysis, economic decision making, and responsible citizenship by h) using a decision-making model to make informed decisions; 3.10 The student will identify examples of making an economic choice and will explain the idea of opportunity cost (what is given up when making a choice). 3.11b The student will explain the importance of the basic principles that form the foundation of a republican form of government by b) identifying the contributions of George Washington; Thomas Jefferson; Abraham Lincoln; Rosa Parks; Thurgood Marshall; Martin Luther King, Jr.; and Cesar Chavez; Materials: • Copy of book, Rosa by Nikki Giovanni, Illustrated by Bryan Collier • Visual – Rosa Makes a Choice • Projection device (document camera) Procedure: 1. Introduce the lesson by explaining that people make choices all the time. When a decision is made people choose the alternative that seems to be in their best interest because it involves the least cost and the greatest benefit.

Lynne Stover JMU Center for Economic Education stoverlf@jmu.edu 3 2. Read Rosa by Nikki Giovanni to the class. A YouTube reading can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2dYS8aLNNA 3. Explain to the students that Rosa Parks made a choice that changed history. Ask them what this choice was. (She chose not to give up her seat on the bus.) Ask the students why Mrs. Parks was asked to give up her seat. (The bus was crowded and seats were scarce. In the past white people had more rights than black people.) Ask the students what Rosa gave up when she refused to give up her seat. (Rosa was arrested and gave up her freedom.) What was Rosa’s opportunity cost for the choice she made? (Rosa gave up a nice dinner with her husband when she chose to remain in her seat.) 4. Display the visual and review the components of the grid with the students. Fill in the grid using suggestions from the students. Encourage discussion there can be different interpretations as to if an action is negative or positive. 5. Possible solution of Visual: . . . Easy Safe Fun Legal Total Stay in the Seat and be calm and polite - - 0 + 2 – 1 + Stay in the Seat and yell at the bus driver demanding her rights - - + - 3 - Get up from the seat and get off the bus + + - + 1 – 3 + Get up from the seat but stay on the bus - + - + 2 – 2 +

Lynne Stover JMU Center for Economic Education stoverlf@jmu.edu 4 Visual- Rosa Makes a Choice Stay in the Bus Seat or Move? Steps in Making a Decision 1. What is the PROBLEM? 2. What ALTERNATIVE actions can be taken to solve the problem? 3. What are the IMPORTANT things to consider in making this decision? 4. EVALUATE what is important. 5. Make a DECISION. Decision-Making Grid In the top row are the important things Rosa had to consider when the bus driver demanded she give up her seat on the crowded bus. In the column are the possible actions Rosa can take. Directions: Fill in each square with a Plus (+), Minus (-), or Zero (0). For example, if you think it would be easy for Rosa to stay in her seat and be calm and polite, put a plus sigh in the first . . . Easy Safe Fun Legal Total Stay in the bus seat and be calm and polite Stay in the Seat and yell at the bus driver demanding her rights Get up from the seat and get off the bus Get up from the seat but stay on the bus

Lynne Stover JMU Center for Economic Education stoverlf@jmu.edu 5 space on the grid. If you think it would be difficult put a minus sign and if it does not matter one way or another, put in a zero. Rosa by Nikki Giovanni Discussion Questions: 1. Work is any activity we do for which someone will pay us. What sort of work did Rosa Parks and her husband do to earn money? [Rosa was a seamstress, and Raymond was a barber.] 2. When Rosa was working and earning an income, what was she? [Rosa was a producer; she was a human resource.] 3. As a seamstress Rosa used special tools to make and mend clothing. These are called capital resources. What are some of the capital resources Rosa used? [Examples include: a sewing machine, needles, and a tape measure.] 4. How much did Rosa pay for her bus fare? [She paid one dime or ten cents.] 5. Was the bus driver providing a good or a service to his passengers? [He was providing a service, driving a bus is an action.] 6. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused the order from the bus driver to move to the back of the bus so a white passenger could have her seat. How many years ago did this event happen? [If answered in 2021: 66 years ago. Adjust accordingly.] 7. There was a scarcity of seats in the front of the bus; the section designated for white passengers. What does scarcity mean? [Scarcity is the condition of not being able to have all the goods and services you want.]

Lynne Stover JMU Center for Economic Education stoverlf@jmu.edu 6 8. Rosa’s act of defiance was the beginning of the Montgomery bus boycott. A boycott is when people refuse to buy, use, or go to items or events in order to make a protest or bring about change. How would the black citizens walking to work instead to taking to bus effect the Montgomery bus companies? [The bus companies lost lots of money.] 9. Every choice involves an opportunity cost—the thing we give up to get the thing we want more. What was Rosa’s opportunity cost for refusing to give up her sear? [Rosa’s opportunity cost was not being able to go home to her family. She may have felt that standing up for her civil rights was more important than her freedom.] 10. All choices have costs (negatives) and benefits (positives). What were some Rosa’s costs for refusing to give up her seat on the bus? [Her costs included time spent in jail and the time spent away from her family.] What were her benefits? [Her actions called attention to the unfairness of people being treated unequally.] Extension Question The United States continues to struggle with civil and human rights. What are some examples of civil rights injustices in recent news? Can you think of any examples of people, like Rosa Parks, who are working to correct these injustices?