The New York Times
Making Do: Learning and Growing Through Adversity
What is it that makes people keep going when they face challenges in life? Ask your class to consider this question in relation to their own experiences and as they read material from The New York Times. Using personal experiences and...
Facing History and Ourselves
The Challenge of Confirmation Bias
Confirmation bias makes it difficult to overcome our preconceived notions of others. That's the big idea in a activity that teaches learners strategies to recognize and question their biases.
Curated OER
Oral History
Use oral history as a way to help learners develop communication skills. They interview a trusted adult about their life as a young person, challenges they overcame, and what they are proud of. Learners are then interviewed themselves in...
Facing History and Ourselves
Hardship and Hope: Teaching Amanda Gorman's "New Day's Lyric"
Class members come together to study Amanda Gorman's poem "New Day's Lyric." After a close reading of the poem, learners watch a video of Gorman reading her poem, and then craft additional lines for the poem where they offer suggestions...
Curated OER
Soil Runoff Challenge
Learners find ways to decrease soil runoff for an African Village as a part of a Peace Corps project. In this soil runoff lesson, students play a soil runoff challenge online. Learners complete online activities and view a slide show to...
Curated OER
Working to Overcome Stereotyping
Students design and conduct a survey to develop an understanding of the challenges inherent in changing attitudes and overcoming stereotypes about the Muslim religion and culture. They create multimedia presentations of the findings.
US Institute of Peace
Making a Difference: Becoming a Peacebuilder
Being an agent of change is no easy task! What are some of the common challenges that peacebuilders face every day? The 14th portion in a series of 15 explores the lives of peacebuilders. Grouped pupils discuss these challenges before...
Curated OER
Obstacles to Perseverance
What does it mean to persevere. Young historians review the definition of perseverance then brainstorm a list of obstacles colonists and revolutionaries had to overcome during the American Revolution. Using this list, they identify...
Curated OER
The Challenges Ahead
Students examine the physical obstacles that the Lewis and Clark expedition encountered on its journey. They report what challenges these physical obstacles might have posed. They review a modern-day map and explain if the obstacles...
Scholastic
Lesson 2: Values and Barriers
Scholars investigate and discuss the importance of values and how they can be used to break barriers. Small groups work collaboratively to examine the text and draw inferences to answer questions. A writing assignment challenges pupils...
Curated OER
Developing Self Awareness.Community, and Exploring Personal Qualities
Older individuals just overcoming homelessness or drug abuse issues, engage in a practical lesson to boost self-awareness. They work through two hours of activities intended to aid them in gaining a self perspective while increasing...
Curated OER
Willie and Friends: Overcomers in the Land Stories by Faith Ringgold
Students use puppets and plays to examine the role of African Americans throughout history. After being read a story by a puppet, they respond to each one in writing. Individually, they write a story about a place they have wanted to...
Carolina K-12
The Cold Within
“. . . one of the great challenges to humanity is acknowledging and overcoming a natural tendency to think less of and discriminate against people who are different from us . . .” Launch an examination of competition and cooperation, of...
Curated OER
The Study of the Spanish-Speaking People of Texas: Overcoming Adversity
Students examine the photographs of Russell Lee and identify the obstacles faced by Mexican-Americans in Texas during the early and mid-20th century. They discuss the ways they overcame these obstacles and relate it to obstacles in...
Curated OER
They Had a Dream Too
Students research the obstacles and daily challenges that a successful person had to overcome. They create a book or mobile based on the research.
Curated OER
Utah Pioneers
Fourth graders investigate the hardships faced by the Utah pioneers. In small groups they calculate a budget using a determined amount of money, select a challenge for the group, and discuss how their group overcomes the challenges...
Curated OER
Can Girls Be Plumbers?
Students discover stereotypes in modern society. In this gender role lesson, students create a display of "school workers" and identify jobs as either male or female. The students discuss their choices and overcome these stereotypes.
Curated OER
Entrepreneurs Should Keep Business Simple
Delve into the idea of small businesses and get reading to find out how they grow. THe class reads an article about Steve Gotty, a who made his small business grow and discuss the setbacks he faced. They also discuss ways for a company...
Curated OER
The Power of Empathy
Students investigate the emotion and social practice of empathy. They role play being in various situations in order to understand the feelings of others. Students pick an adult to interview who has overcome great difficulty.
Curated OER
Don't Just Stand By
Young scholars discuss what it means to be a bystander to bullying and why it is difficult to help and support friends who are being affected by bullying. They brainstorm ways to overcome these challenges and are provided with strategies...
Curated OER
Japanese Tsunami Worksheet
In this current events worksheet, students complete a graphic organizer about the 2011 Japanese tsunami. Students should add information about challenges and responses to challenges presented by the tsunami. Students also respond to 2...
Curated OER
Olympians Don't Quit
Students discuss challenges they have faced, They then discover life challenges faced by former Olympians who could have given up but chose to preservere and compete in the Olympic games.
National First Ladies' Library
Designing the Common School: The First Educational Reform
Middle schoolers perform preliminary research to explore education before public (common) education was in place. They design a public educational system of their own. Learners construct a report outlining challenges and solutions for...
Curated OER
Breaking the Unjust Law
Learners consider the concept of civil disobedience. In this lesson on changing unjust laws, students use primary sources to understand how Gandhi and King changed the law. Learners will then list laws that they feel are unjust and plan...