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Lesson Plan
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Facing History and Ourselves

Verifying Breaking News

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The attempts of journalists to verify the events surrounding the shooting of Michael Brown take center stage as individuals analyze three of the initial newspaper accounts of the story. The whole class discussion then focuses on the...
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Lesson Plan
1
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Dream of a Nation

Creating Awareness through Action Oriented Writing and Research

For Teachers 8th Standards
Middle schoolers aren't too young to feel strongly about politics, social issues, consumer rights, or environmental problems. Demonstrate the first steps toward social change with a project about action-oriented writing. Eighth graders...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: Looking Closer: The Artwork of Wangechi Mutu

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Social issues of gender and media stereotypes, begins with a multi-sensory experience. Learners view the painting Backlash Blues and make critical comments based on what they see. They then read the Langston Hughes poem and listen to the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Responding: "Guerrila" Art

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders are introduced to performance art as a way to respond to important current-day issues in society. Pupils create their very own original art work using photography and poetry. These three lessons do a nice job of, not only...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Miscast and Seldom Seen

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Consider how well high schoolers' favorite TV shows, movies and video games reflect the diversity of society. The lesson introduces your class to several media literacy concepts, such as how media conveys values and messages, as well as...
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Lesson Plan
Anti-Defamation League

Teens, Tech, Connect: How Technology Impacts Teenagers' Friendships

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
To understand their time spent online, class members chart their use of technology during early morning hours, during school, after school, in the evenings, and on weekends. They then read several reports about how social media...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

Persuasion Portfolios

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
After class members brainstorm a list of current social and political issues, groups each select a different topic from the list to research. Teams create a portfolio of at least 10 examples of stories about their issue, stories that...
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Lesson Plan
Texas Education Agency (TEA)

Working Cooperatively in a Social System

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Using an informative resource, scholars view a PowerPoint about working cooperatively in a social system. Pupils then use their newfound knowledge to create a flowchart defining the systems of an organization. 
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Lesson Plan
National Woman's History Museum

Fannie Lou Hamer and Social Activism

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Not all heroes wear capes. An impactful instructional activity focuses on the life and activism of Fannie Lou Hamer during the civil rights movement. Scholars read her speeches and other material, participate in group discussion, and...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Analyzing Jackie Robinson's White House Letter

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Jackie Robinson: A hero on and off the field. An eye-opening activity focuses on Jackie Robinson's social activism during and after the civil rights movement. Academics read a letter addressed to President Nixon, answer questions, and...
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Lesson Plan
Facing History and Ourselves

After Charlottesville: Contested History and the Fight against Bigotry

For Teachers 9th - 12th
History doesn't always reflect all sides. Academics discover how the remembered history of the Civil War differs for White and African Americans. The lesson explores how Civil War monuments and celebrations have racist connotations for...
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Lesson Plan
2
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Teaching Tolerance

In Our Own Words: A Story Book with a Purpose

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Academics turn into storytellers in an engaging activity on activism. The activity focuses on promoting social change in local communities with stories. Young historians plan a storybook to target a specific audience and social issue and...
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Lesson Plan
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Learning for Justice

Change Agents in Our Own Lives

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Everyone has the power to change their own lives. Young historians learn how they can become agents for change in their own lives and the community. The instructional activity focuses on positive role models and what motivates...
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Lesson Plan
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Teaching Tolerance

Modern-Day Heroes: People Who Are Making a Difference

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Not all superheroes wear capes. An engaging instructional activity delves into the world of modern-day heroes and activists for change. Academics learn there are many different ways to be a hero as well as explore what makes a person a...
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Lesson Plan
1
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Teaching Tolerance

The War on Drugs—Mechanisms and Effects

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The war on drugs doesn't have definite results. An interesting lesson examines the social, political, and economic effect of the war on drugs. Academics learn how the war on drugs has led to mass incarcerations and negatively affected...
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Lesson Plan
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Teaching Tolerance

Mass Incarceration as a Form of Racialized Social Control

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Mass incarceration: A result of a tough stance on crime or racial discrimination, you decide. Academics explore the history and reasons behind mass incarcerations in the United States and its impact on ethnic communities. The...
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Lesson Plan
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Encyclopedia Britannica

Election Topic Deep Dive

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Researchers go beyond the surface of an election issue to craft an objective report on the history of the issue, factors surrounding the issue, and factors in a candidate' biography that may influence a candidate's position on the issue....
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Lesson Plan
1
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Encyclopedia Britannica

Political Issue Timeline

For Teachers 9th - 12th
As part of a study of US Presidential elections, class members track the history of an issue in the 2020 campaign. They create a timeline to determine if there are any patterns, if ideas about the issue have evolved, or if in issue is no...
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Lesson Plan
1
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Encyclopedia Britannica

Candidate Position Research

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
As part of their study of the US Presidential election process, class members research a presidential candidate's position on a specific topic or topics. Formatting their research as a pro/con question ("Should the Death Penalty Be...
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Activity
Teaching Tolerance

Tweeting for Change

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Do some good with social media. Secondary scholars participate in a live Twitter chat focusing on social justice issues. The thought-provoking activity allows academics to set up a live chat, create responses, and express their personal...
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Activity
Teaching Tolerance

Spotlight on Change Agents

For Teachers 6th - 12th
A thought-provoking resource guides learners as they interview agents of social change and share their findings. Scholars select an individual, create questions, conduct the interview, and create a profile of the person they selected....
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Activity
US Department of Commerce

The Opportunity Atlas

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The American dream is to climb the social and economic ladder, but is it really possible? Using an online opportunity atlas, class members explore income and social mobility throughout the country. Discussion prompts allow learners to...
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Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Performance Task: Planning the Final Brochure

For Teachers 7th Standards
Partners use a Brochure Planning Guide to create brochures giving advice to consumers about products based on the research they finished about working conditions. After planning the brochure, they complete a sketch outline and then begin...
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Activity
Thoughtful Learning

Seeing Emotions in Body Language

For Students K - 5th
Scholars test their skills of reading body language with a collaborative learning experience that focuses on showing and identifying emotions. Pairs take turns acting out an emotion, one uses body language while the other guesses what...