PBS
African American History: Honored as Heroes
To gain an understanding of the treatment of African American soldiers during World War I, class members watch an excerpt from the History Detectives film, Our Colored Heroes, and then examine three recruitment posters from that...
Curated OER
Regulating Freedom of Speech
Young scholars examine the nature and limits of the Constitutional right to freedom of speech. They read and analyze the First Amendment, discuss various case studies, and research and record their own opinion on discussion questions.
Curated OER
Sixteenth Street: Civil Rights at the Crossroads
Middle schoolers study the Civil Rights movement constructing definitions of discrimination, prejudice and racism. They use varied media to study the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, write a newspaper and complete a mock...
Curated OER
Racism No Way
Learners explore different cultural influences and their contribution to Australian identities. They reflect on their own backgrounds and making links with their peers, reflect on our heritage. Students view My family- My Australia,...
Curated OER
The End of the Civil Rights Movement
Students examine the relationships between blacks and whites in their community. In this racial discrimination instructional activity, students make race relations observations within their community and then write letters that reveal...
Curated OER
A New Generation of Fighters
Students discuss the reasons why people are less likely to take a stand on issues today than they were in the past. In groups, they research the efforts of Kings, Parks and others to end discrimination and racism. They read excerpts of...
Curated OER
Muhammad Ali
Students analyze the lifetime accomplishments of Muhammad Ali in the area of sports and his role as a catalyst for social change.
Curated OER
A Case Study of Racial Prejudice and Discrimination
Students participate in a simulated form of discrimination as they divide into groups of blue-eyed and non-blue-eyed students. They reflect on their experiences during the role-play and compare their observations to the former system of...
Curated OER
Recognizing and Combating Segregation in U.S. Schools Today
High schoolers explore the prevalence of racism and statistical segregation in America's schools. They design a project to investigate how the racial makeup of their school compares to other schools. In addition, they evaluate their...
Curated OER
The Fight to End "Separate but Equal" in American Schools
Students study the court cases related to Brown v. Board of Education and the "separate but equal" standard established by Plessy v. Ferguson. They create an informational display that can be used to teach others the particulars of the...
Curated OER
Anti Racism Activity: The Sneetches
Students group together into fairness teams and reflect on how to be fair. In this fairness lesson plan, students read about The Sneetches and discuss how racism singles people out. Then they discuss their own experiences and group...
Curated OER
Opportunity and Discrimination, A Dream of Gold
Students focus on what it means to be a citizen of the United States and why the Chinese Exclusion Act is important when considering the concept of racism.
Curated OER
The Jim Crow Era
High schoolers examine how African-Americans were affected by the Great Depression. In this African-American history instructional activity, students conduct independent research on the social conditions of the time period using the...
Facing History and Ourselves
Public Art as a Form of Participation
David Binnington's mural commemorating the 1936 Battle of Cable Street is the focus of a lesson that looks at public art as a form of civic participation. After reading background material about the mural, individuals analyze a segment...
Just Health Action
Whose Backyard? Toxic Waste Management Meeting and Environmental Injustice
Toxic waste is a global problem. What to do with environmental hazards and where to put toxic waste is a global concern. To better understand current issues around toxic waste management and how current practices can lead to...
Teaching for Change
Stepping into Selma
The 1964 Selma to Montgomery, Alabama voting rights marches are the focus of a lesson designed to introduce learners to people who took part in the Civil Rights Movement. Class members set into the role of one of the participants,...
Teaching Tolerance
Racial Disparity in the Criminal Justice System
Explore the impact of the war on drugs in a thought-provoking lesson for high school academics. Young historians delve into the world of the criminal justice system and the racial disparity that occurs in the US. The resource provides...
Teaching Tolerance
Parallels Between Mass Incarceration and Jim Crow
Is history repeating itself? A riveting lesson examines the parallels between mass incarceration in the U.S. and the Jim Crow Laws of the past. Academics review Jim Crow Laws and compare them to mass incarcerations of African Americans....
C-SPAN
Last Days of Martin Luther King, Jr.
On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Four video clips reveal the events of that time, including the shift in the focus of the Civil Rights Movement, the aftermath of the assassination, and...
PBS
Who Are Latinos?
What does it mean to be Latino? With an eye-opening lesson plan, pupils discover what it means to be Latino in the United States. They participate in classroom discussions, use graphic organizers, and watch a short video to help...
Teaching Tolerance
Why Do We (Still) Celebrate Columbus Day?
What are we really celebrating on Columbus Day? The resource explores the narrative behind Columbus Day and ways for people to change the perception. Scholars also review vocabulary terms associated with the topic and how attitudes have...
Facing History and Ourselves
Blending In and Standing Out
An excerpt from Sarfraz Manzoor's memoir about how his experiences as a Pakistani growing up in England shaped the way he though about his identify provides a stimulus for a discussion of how experiences can shape our concept of identity...
Facing History and Ourselves
Defining Our Obligations to Others
Introduce young learners to the concept of a Universe of Obligation, a term coined by sociologist Helen Fein, with a activity that asks learners to consider the extent to which they feel a responsibility for others. Class members read...
Teaching for Change
Selma in Pictures: Socratic Seminar
Photographs from the freedom movement in Selma, Alabama serve as the basis of two Socratic Seminars. Class members prepare for the seminars by closely observing the images, form a hypothesis, and use evidence from photo to support a...