Students explore nonviolent protest. In this Civil Rights lesson, students read the essay "Nonviolence and Racial Justice." Students present the information they gleaned from the essay to their classmates in order to consider how...

Students study song-poems from 1865 to the present. They explore the works of Woody Guthrie and the Almanac Singers (including Pete Seeger).

Students complete a research project.  In this American History lesson plan, students work in groups to research reasons that people wanted to settle in America.  Students record the information, share what they found and write...

Students identify the significance of the author's experiences on his written work; describe the hardships faced by slaves and plantation owners once the caves were set free; explain the role of the Seceses and why they were a threat to...

Include moments of heroism in a social studies module that includes three units. Focusing on the murder of Emmett Till, the movement of nonviolent resistance, and segregating schools in Boston, the units explore key events of the...

At what point does data switch from being an outlier to part of the average? Scholars view conflicting news articles about protesters. They must decide which, if any, side is using the correct sample to draw their conclusions. It's a...

As part of a study of civil disobedience, class members read excerpts from the writings of activists who were willing to break the law to protest unjust laws.

Students examine the use of music as a medium for social protest. They watch the video, "VH1 Storytellers: Pearl Jam," describe the historical significance of words/phrases in three versions of one song, and answer discussion questions.

Students study the social class conflicts that existed during the Russian Revolution by reading the short stories of Anton Chekov and Leo Tolstoy. They analyze the stories to find criticisms of pre-Revolutionary Russia before designing...

Fifth graders explore the concept of Satyagraha. In this nonviolent resistance lesson, 5th graders listen to a lecture about Gandhi's teachings and determine how the soul force contributes to a sense of self empowerment.

Students examine the meaning and use of civil disobedience. They decide whether civil disobedience is a viable form of protest in contemporary times after studying the acts of Rosa Parks.

A 15-page packet includes detailed plans for three activities related to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. To gather background information, class members research topics and create a newspaper page reporting their findings. After finishing...

The Nashua River serves as the focal point of an investigation of the treatment of and care for natural resources. A reading of A River Rand Wild: An Environmental History by Lynne Cherry, launches the study and class members consider...

Can school children change the world? With a social or environmental issue in mind, 5th graders use what they know about advertising media to make t-shirts that have something to say. They research the issue they'd like to focus on,...

Native Americans lost so much—and gained so little in return. Scholars explore Native Americans' resistance to the United States government. The lesson uses primary sources to explore the different forms of protest and gives a voice to...

Celebration or protest song? The full text of Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" opens a study of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Louisiana Purchase, and Western Expansion from various perspectives. Middle schoolers examine...

Key in the struggle to gain the rights of democratic citizenship was the April 1963 arrest of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for civil disobedience. To deepen their knowledge and understanding of events during the civil rights movement,...

Students identify tea party protests other than the Boston Tea Party, state some possible reasons behind the tea protests, and explain the connection between the Boston Tea Party, other tea parties, and events that preceded and followed...

Students write a persuasive essay about the death penalty. Students respond to students at St. Ignatius Catholic High School in Cleveland protesting the death of Adremy Dennis. Students research both sides of the debate, before writing...

Students examine historic posters, jewelry, quilts and buttons that were created to protest or call attention to a political issue. After evaluating how these items were used to communicate a political message, students create an item...

Pupils brainstorm a list of items citizens can do to influence or change their government. In groups, they identify the reasons why it is important to vote and why they have a right to protest. They also write a letter to their...

Students examine the social change movements of the American 20th century. In this nonviolence activity, students research the work of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Caesar Chavez. Students compare and contrast the social...

Eighth graders explore the concept of Sarvodaya. In this nonviolent resistance lesson, 8th graders listen to a lecture about Gandhi's teachings and determine how poverty is a form of violence.

Students identify how Mohandas Gandhi developed a nonviolent crusade for justice. In this nonviolent protest instructional activity, students watch segments of a documentary about Gandhi's reaction to imperialism in India. Students write...