Curated OER
Defining Respect
Middle schoolers examine what respect is and isn't. In this character education lesson, students create a t-chart of what respect looks like and doesn't look like. The teacher adds the words bias, prejudice, stereotype and racism to...
Curated OER
Mr. Lincoln's Way
Students read the book, Mr. Lincoln's Way by Patricia Polacco, They discuss racism and discrimination. They draw a bird and write a paragraph discussing what makes their bird special and unique.
Curated OER
Bay Area: Race and Land
Students examine the role that racism played in the growth of the Bay Area. They discover how turn-of-the-century boosters promoted a vision of the Bay Area. They study the American Indian Movement's takeover of Alcatraz Island in 1969,...
Curated OER
Levittown, White Picket Paradise?
Pupils study the origins and happenings of Levittown, Pennsylvania. For this Pennsylvania history lesson plan, students use primary and secondary sources to research the beginnings of Levittown, PA. As a culminating activity, pupils...
Curated OER
Why Do We Suffer From The Rights Of Others?
Students examine how diversity within populations has caused problems. In groups, they develop their own definitions of racism and discrimination. They participate in role-plays in which they gather the appropriate techniques to deal...
Curated OER
Social Studies: The Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Students examine the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and his impact on racial equality. In addition to lectures and discussion, students also submit two written assignments exploring how struggle builds character and the sacrifices and...
Curated OER
Racism in Jazz
Young scholars listen to the Louis Armstrong song, "What Did I Do to Be So Black and Blue?" and consider it as a protest song. They write in their journals about Armstrong, his music, and civil rights.
Curated OER
Expressions of Anti-Racism through Painting: The Puerto Rican Community from West Side Story to Connecticut
Learners create a graffiti wall using their own name or personal symbol. They examine their own understanding of the film as a source of inspiration and listen to the music from the soundtrack as an effective motivation. They make...
Curated OER
"Bursting" Stereotypes
Students comprehend the meaning of the word steretype, work in groups to come up with stereotype statements, discuss whether the statements are fair, and write what they learned from the activity. Balloons are used as a conduit in this...
Curated OER
Questions of Courage
Examine discrimination. In this character education lesson plan, learners read two biographies, Vivien Naki and Hamilton Naki then analyze their personal discrimination experiences. They complete a Venn diagram to compare and...
Curated OER
Immigration Illumination Project Curriculum Materials
Gain an understanding of the complex topic of immigration with a collection of resources. Class members engage in a series of activities designed to give them insight into the factors that influence immigration policies and the effects...
National WWII Museum
Dr. Seuss and WWII
What famous children's author and illustrator created World War II political cartoons featuring such subjects as fascism, the war effort, discrimination, and the dangers of isolationism? The who in this story is Dr. Seuss, and what...
University of California
Principles vs. Practices
Have you ever wondered what your own World Order would look like? Scholars use primary and secondary documents as well as video clips to investigate and analyze the Cold War. Using the sources, the principles and practices of nations...
Free Library of Philadelphia
Resources for Ghost Boys
Jewell Parker Rhodes, the author of Ghost Boys, wanted to bring the historical legacy of Emmett Till and the current topic of racial prejudice into today's young readers' mindsets. Use a reading guide and set of discussion questions to...
Facing History and Ourselves
Us and Them: Confronting Labels and Lies
Stereotyping and discrimination based on religion catalyze many atrocities in the world. Explain the awful treatment of Jews and the lies Nazis spread by using an informative yet sensitive resource. Learners participate in a warm-up and...
Curated OER
Civil Rights Video Essay
Students research an event or a person from a decade in American history when the civil rights movement was an important focus. They create a multimedia project based on the research.
Curated OER
From The Great War To The Great Depression
Discover details about 1920's America. In this American history lesson, students read From the Great War to the Great Depression. Students then research famous Americans from the time period and present their findings to their classmates.
Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: “Making History” by Marilyn Nelson
What makes an event newsworthy, worth a reference in a news magazine or textbook? Who decides? These are questions Marilyn Nelson asks readers of her poem "Making History" to consider. To begin, class members list details they notice in...
Curated OER
"Jazz is About Freedom": Billie Holiday's Anti-lynching Song Strange Fruit
Working in small teams, learners analyze a variety of primary source materials related to lynching (news articles, letters written to or written by prominent Americans, pamphlets, broadsides, etc.) in order to assess the effectiveness of...
Facing History and Ourselves
Emmett Till: Choosing to Remember
Mamie Till, the mother of Emmett Till and civil rights activist, believed that her son's murder was the last straw before public outrage over racial injustice spilled over into the Civil Rights Movement of the 20th century. A history...
Curated OER
Migrants and Immigration Jigsaw
Learners examine facts and recognize that racism, prejudice and discrimination can result from ignorance. They brainstorm for common myths based on stereotyping. Students share their findings with their classmates.
Curated OER
Rights-Minded
Young scholars expand their knowledge and understanding about the civil rights movement by investigating the lives of some of the people who contributed to it.
Curated OER
Using High Stakes Testing to Make Students and Schools Accountable for Learning
Young scholars conduct an informal survey about their views on high stakes testing and use basic computation skills to evaluate results as a group. They participate in activities related to high stakes testing and "No Child Left Behind"...
Curated OER
One Person CAN Make a Difference
Students illustrate how the actions of one person can make a difference. They identify school and community issues to address and complete group projects and action plans for making changes in the school or community.