Curated OER
Where are the Famous Women in History?
Students investigate sexism in history by identifying important women from the U.S. In this women's equality lesson, students discuss why they remember more men in the history of the U.S. than women. Students compare women's...
Curated OER
Case Study: Manzanar
Eleventh graders investigate Japanese-American internment. In this World War II lesson, 11th graders conduct research from the Manzanar National Historic Sites and then write essays based on their findings.
Curated OER
No Choice!
Students explore the concept of democratic freedom. In this service learning lesson, students investigate the freedom the Pilgrims sought as they moved from England and write a journal from their point of view.
Curated OER
Effective Citizenship
Students explore effective citizenship. They describe the skills, attitudes, and actions of a good citizen. In groups, students brainstorm ideas for effective citizenship. Each group shares their ideas for what they consider to be a...
Curated OER
The Way You Dream: Gandhi and King's Visions of Nonviolence
Students read Gandhi and Dr. King's messages about nonviolence and discuss their visions about loving one's enemies. In this nonviolence lesson, students read Gandhi's "Ahimsa, or the Way of Nonviolence" and Dr. Martin Luther King's...
Curated OER
Analyzing Persuasion
A reading of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech launches a study of rhetorical devices such as hyperbole, allusion, metaphor, simile, personification, connotative language and parallel structure. Class members then...
Curated OER
Divided We Fall
Students investigate the consequences of eliminating one or more of the amendments to the Bill of Rights.
Curated OER
The Segregated Pencil Sharpeners
Students explore racism through pencil sharpeners. In this civil rights instructional activity, students utilize a pencil sharpener with one of two colored pencils and explain how some people were not allowed to use certain items...
Learning to Give
Asian Folktales
A great way to learn to understand people and their environment is to study their folktales. Stories from China, Vietnam, India, Iran, Persia, and Palestine offer an opportunity for readers to investigate the cultures of Asia. A list of...
Curated OER
Art: Mural Project
Learners create murals. In this visual arts lesson, students study the process of creating murals and then design civil rights murals or their own.
Curated OER
Social Studies: Segregation, Jim Crow Laws, Plessy vs. Ferguson
Students examine the concept of segregation. In this civil rights lesson, students discuss the separate but equal theory as well as the Plessy vs. Ferguson decision. Students also research women of the Civil Rights Movement and Jim Crow...
Aspen Institute
The Voice That Challenged a Nation
Included here are step-by-step instructions for conducting a close reading of The Voice That Challenged a Nation by Russell Freedman. After an individual and class reading, class members read carefully through the text excerpt,...
Curated OER
Analyzing the economic, political, social, and cultural transformation of the United States since World War II
Eleventh graders examine political issues in the United States between 1936 and 2000. In this American history lesson, 11th graders study the economy, education, government, civil rights, and sports of this time period. Students compare...
Curated OER
Freedom's Children
Learners role play a story from from Freedom's Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories. In this segregation activity, young scholars work in a literary circle to create a role play to present to the class. Each...
Curated OER
Discrimination in the Workplace
Students discuss the instances of discrimination against Arabs since September 11. Using the Civil Rights Act text, they discover how the United States addresses instances of discrimination in the workplace. They complete a worksheet...
Curated OER
How far have we come in the "Freedom Struggle"?
Eleventh graders assess an appreciation for the sacrifices made to achieve fundamental rights in our society. They analyze how far we've come to explore what more needs to be done in the "Freedom Struggle." Each student completes a...
Curated OER
African American Poetry
Students write their own dream poems in the style of African American dream poetry. In this African American poetry lesson plan, students discuss the dreams of African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement and read...
Curated OER
Search Warranted?
Young readers work on evaluating claims in a piece of informational text with the article "In New York, It's Open Bag or Find Exits" from the New York Times. They analyze current search procedures implemented to fight terrorism...
Curated OER
Promote Nonviolence
Take a look at the topic of violence as seen in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Discuss together the values that Atticus holds and brainstorm ways to combat violence in a similar manner to what he portrays in the novel. Get your...
Curated OER
Lesson: Looking Closer: The Artwork of Martha Rosler
Have a class discussion to better understand the art of Martha Rosler. Young art critics consider Martha's art as it is used to express issues of political unrest and social awareness. They look at each of the five images and use the...
ESL Holiday Lessons
Kwanzaa
Teach English language learners about the week-long holiday of Kwanzaa that is celebrated around the world during December. It includes holiday-themed reading comprehension passages, phrase matching, fill-in-the-blanks, and journaling...
Curated OER
An "Unconstitutional" Act? The Suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus
Students explore the implications of habeas corpus. In this Civil War lesson, students analyze the writ of habeas corpus by Lincoln during the war. Students examine primary sources from Lincoln and Chief Justice Taney. Students design...
Curated OER
Firestorms: The Bombing of Civilians in World War II
Students examine the implication of civilian targets in war. In this World War II instructional activity, students investigate the history of bombing practices in war. Students zero in on World War II bombing practices as they discuss...
Curated OER
Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X: A Common Solution?: Lesson Plan
Students explore the ideological and political development of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X through primary source documents. They identify the various personal, social, and political factors that influenced Martin Luther King,...