Every act of civil disobedience needs a fearless leader to take the first chance. Have your students learn about civil disobedience by researching the life and actions of one of these famous leaders. Though not the first in history, but widely regarded as the father of the modern concept of civil disobedience, Henry David Thoreau influenced others not only through his writings on nature but also in his essay on civil disobedience in which he advocated that individuals should not allow a government to think for them. Suggest other names such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, the Dalai Lama, Mohandas Gandhi, Dorothy Day or Caesar Chavez. Students can also find others who advocated civil disobedience. Have students write a biography of their subject's life, give context of his actions and assess why that person was so important to history. Allow students to present their findings to the rest of the class.
Students may witness unjust laws or regulations every day, but not feel compelled to do something about it. Have students imagine that they must engage in a campaign of civil disobedience over something in their immediate world. It can be a local law, a policy of a local business regarding students or a school regulation that they find unjust. Have students write a manifesto against the injustice, and keep a fictionalized journal from the perspective of someone standing up to it. Ask them to imagine what kinds of non-violent actions they would take, and how effective they turn out to be.
There are many pressing political issues, situations and wars that civil disobedience might help solve. Have each student in your class do a report on one of these situations. Students should think about what kinds of non-violent disobedience would be appropriate for their situation. Furthermore, they should consider whether civil disobedience would work in their particular instance, and why or why not. They might find that some governments or authorities would not respond to hunger strikes or sit-ins.
One important aspect of civil disobedience throughout history is the manifesto that makes the action public. Take key texts of civil disobedience and have students analyze it. Good examples are King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail" or his "I Have a Dream Speech" that he delivered in Washington, D.C. on August 29, 1963. Have students analyze the language and rhetorical techniques of King's writings to consider how they are different from everyday speech or writing. Students should also discuss whether these text would be effective today as a rallying cry.