Curated OER
Be a Responsible Citizen: Vote!
Students explore American citizens' rights and responsibilities through group research on the Internet and develop a presentation for the class.
Curated OER
The Tank Man
Learners explore the events surrounding the confrontation at Tiananmen Square between Chinese forces and "The Tank Man." They discover how censorship affects what the media reports and what the public learns. Students research China's...
Curated OER
Religious Influence On US History
Eleventh graders explore the influence of religion on U.S. History. Using an internet database website, they research the religious affiliation of governors, Presidents and Vice-Presidents. Students write a paragraph explaining how...
Curated OER
Paradigm Shift: Gandhian Nonviolence and the Concept of Power
Young scholars interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this social justice lesson, students examine sources regarding the teachings of Mohandas Gandhi pertaining to nonviolent...
Curated OER
Martin Luther King, Jr. vs. Malcolm X
Eleventh graders compare and contrast the visions of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. In this African-American history lesson, 11th graders read speeches by each of the men and summarize the arguments made by each of them about...
Curated OER
Social Life in the 1950's and Domestic Politics and Policy
Eleventh graders examine the cultural mood and politics of the 1950's in the United States. They read a section of their text and take notes, view a clip of the movie "Pleasantville" and discuss societal roles in the 1950's, and listen...
Curated OER
Is Racism Dead?
Students investigate events surrounding the integration of Little Rock (Arkansas) Central High School and explore racial harmony in their own school. Included: A survey to determine whether racism is dead at your school.
Curated OER
Philosophical Conflict and the Founding of New Societies: Gandhi and Nehru in India, and Jefferson and Hamilton in the United States
Students explore the foundations of "new societies" such as those created by figures like Jefferson & Ghandi, The evaluate the differences between what was intended and the actual reality of these societies including where the...
Curated OER
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
Learners use events of the time to illustrate the significance of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery Voting Rights March.
Curated OER
Same Sex Marriage Legislation
Pupils explore the Vermont legislation that allowed for same sex marriages. The implications for civil rights are investigated to encourage students to state opinions.
Curated OER
A Different Drummer
Eighth graders investigate philosophy and meditation techniques by discussing Emerson and Thoreau. In this philosophical traditions lesson, 8th graders identify the men Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, their work, and...
Curated OER
Which Freedom?
Fourth graders choose on the freedoms in the Bill of Rights and research it on the internet. They answer specific questions using their research and produce a written document using a computer.
Curated OER
The Battleground: Separate and Unequal Education
Young scholars examine the purpose and goals of education in African American society. They analyze photos, answer discussion questions, and participate in a class discussion.
Curated OER
Substitution in the Civil War
Students investigate primary sources to determine why soldiers might have wanted substitutes, and what the role of the substitute was.
Curated OER
What was life like for the Civil War Soldier?
Students view various primary sources and complete a worksheet about the sources. They choose at least three sources: a print, a letter and a newspaper article and record relevant information. They write a journal response about life as...
Cheryl L. Mason and William G. Thomas
Southern Patriotism
Patriotism in the South and notions of patriotic sentiments are examined through primary document analysis. Learners read articles and letters written in the pre-war South to determine the role patriotism played in spurring on the war....
Curated OER
Separate is Not Equal: Brown v. Board of Education
Students analyze photographs that feature segregation. In this human rights lesson, students examine photographs of a segregated movie theater, a Ku Klux Klan gathering, a segregated business sign, and an illustration from "Harper's...
Curated OER
The Civil Rights Movement in Kentucky
Eleventh graders examine how current race relations in their town compare to those of the 1960's.
Curated OER
Drawing the Line at Freedom?
Students explore civil liberties as they relate to the events of September 11, 2001 and the months that followed, and discuss how these circumstances may or may not have altered the rights of American citizens and foreigners visiting the...
Curated OER
Issues in Public Education During the Kentucky Civil Rights Era
Students conduct oral history interviews and research historical and contemporary media articles about multiculturalism and diversity.
Curated OER
Nativist and Racist Movements in the U.S. and their Aftermath
Students examine the nativist and racist movements in the history of the United States. In groups, they analyze the reactions of religious and ethnic groups to these movements and create a chart to compare the goals of each group. To...
Curated OER
"Exploring U.S. Motives Behind WWII Imprisonment and Deportation of German, Japanese, and Italian Latin Americans"
Students research and examine the secret Special War Problems Division program in Latin America and discuss the impact of the program on civil and human rights. They assess the motives for the program and explore various quotes from that...
Albert Shanker Institute
Dream Under Development
As part of their study of the 1963 March on Washington, class members do a side-by-side comparison of the original text of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream Speech" with a transcript of the speech he delivered. The take away from the...
Anti-Defamation League
Harriet Tubman on the $20 Bill: The Power of Symbols
How important are symbols and symbolic gestures in society? Middle schoolers have an opportunity to analyze the importance of symbols on American currency with a lesson that investigates the controversies surrounding redesigning the $5,...