Teacher Note: Begin class by watching two film clips from the beginning of Episode 3, Obama: In Pursuit of A More Perfect Union about the accomplishments and challenges the Obama administration faced and the role of race in his presidency.

Watch Opening Clip, Part I: First Day (3:08)

01:00:24:23 - 01:03:32:18 

Watch Opening Clip, Part II: Race and the Presidency (3:26) 

01:06:05:10 - 01:09:31 

After watching both film clips, distribute Handout One: Film Transcripts. Have students read and underline sentences they believe suggest the opportunities and the challenges ahead for President Obama. 

Small Group Work

Teacher Note: Transition and organize the class into four small groups. Assign each group one quote. Have students share their points of view in relation to the quote. This offers an opportunity to warm up for the central activity of this lesson. 

Group One: Professor Henry Louis Gates: “No one thought we would live to see this day. But what did that day signify? That was the question. How much had America changed because it had finally gotten rid of this hereditary barrier to occupancy of the White House that is race?”

Group Two: Reverend Al Sharpton states in the film clip, “It was naive for us to think there wouldn’t be a backlash to the first Black president.” He states in a later interview segment, “Donald Trump caught into a backlash fervor of the fears, unfounded fears, of many people. And striking on simplistic things like they’re not one of us, we need to go back to old America, make America great again.”

What do you think gives rise to backlash?

Group Three: Organizer Loretta Augustine-Herron shared, “They didn’t care whether the American people suffered, they only cared with the perception of not working with this president. And it was all about race. You can dress it up, you can dress it down, but it was all about race.”

Why was the perception of not working with this president so critical for opponents of Obama? 

Group Four: Journalist David Maraniss claimed, “I don’t think you can ever separate politics from race when it comes to Barack Obama.”

Do you agree or disagree with this claim? Why?

The Challenge of Change Stations

Teacher Note: There are several variations for organizing the stations for this activity depending upon class size, in person or remote learning, and most importantly access to reliable Wi-Fi . Here are examples to adapt to your classroom setting and needs.

Step One: Select Model

Independent learning: Create online stations for each student to explore independently in class, at home, or both. All materials are available online and can be easily accessed with reliable internet. 

Class rotation: Organize class into small groups and assign one topic per group. The small groups rotate to computer stations that are set up with headsets for listening to film clips.

Jigsaw model: Adapt the stations as a jigsaw model. Organize students into small home groups and number off 1 – 7. Each group is responsible for gathering information, taking detailed notes on their assigned station, and preparing talking points to review within an assigned amount of time. Reorganize students into expert groups so they can share prepared talking points with their fellow “experts.” 

Step Two: Assign Concept Map 

Explain to students that as they move through the stations they will be creating a concept map on the Obama administration using the terms Legislation and Leadership as their guideposts. As students watch the film clips and review the transcripts they will document their ideas, thoughts, and questions and make connections along this journey. If students are new to concept mapping, here are two resources to explore: YouTube tutorial and visual examples. Remind students of a few best practices for creating concept maps:

Write ideas in text boxes and arrange them hierarchically on a page.

Link concepts with arrows to convey shared meaning and connections between concepts.

Label arrows with notes to remind you of the connections.

List each concept only once, but make multiple links between concepts.

Step Three: Complete Stations 

Teacher Note: The seven topics selected, each with a corresponding film clip from the documentary, offer small groups the opportunity to take a deep dive into a policy or prominent issue that surfaced during the Obama administration. The topic title frames the film segment and introduces a framework for students to create their concept map.

Topic One: Health Care
Watch Film Clip One: 01:24:29+09 - 01:28:55+08 (4:26)

Topic Two: Gun Violence 
Watch Film Clip Two: 02:06:42+09 - 02:09:40+15 (3:38)

Topic Three: Racial Profiling and Excessive Force
Watch Film Clip Three: 02:09:45+06 - 02:013:25+04 (4:20)

Topic Four: Backlash
Watch Film Clip Four
Part I: Birther Movement: 01:43:33:15 - 01:47:55+23 (4:22);
Part II: Succession (02:35:52+06 - 02:40:15 +08 (5.13 )

Topic Five: Shirley Sherrod 
Watch Film Clip Five 
Part I: 01:35:30+02 - 01:36:48+03 (1:18); 
Part II: 01:38:15+08 - 01:41:56+04 (3.17)

Topic Six: The Obama White House 
Watch Film Clip Six: 01:32:07:09 - 01:35:24:22 (3:17)

Topic Seven: My Brother’s Keeper
Watch Film Clip Seven: 02:15:07+23 - 02:18:33+ 05 (3.26)

Step Four: Complete Venn Diagram
Return to Handout: The More Perfect Union Venn

Reflecting on this lesson, add your ideas, thoughts, and analysis to the circles. 

Use these prompts to help spark your thinking:

You circle: What is your point of view of the Obama administration?

Obama circle: What did you learn about the challenges and accomplishments of the Obama administration?

America circle: What did you learn about the connections between Obama, his administration, and America?

Overlaps: Where do these ideas overlap?