Facing History and Ourselves
Transcending Single Stories
The focus of the second lesson in the Standing Up for Democracy unit is on the power of assumptions based on a single experience or point of view. Class members begin by journaling about assumptions others make about their identity based...
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 lesson that teaches learners strategies to recognize and question their biases.
Curated OER
Test Yourself for Hidden Bias
Students examine their own hidden bias. For this diversity lesson, students link to an Internet website to test their own stereotypes and prejudices. Students discuss how bias is perpetuated in society and determine what they can to...
Curated OER
The Struggle Against Segregation
Students use vocabulary related to the history of segregation in the United States. They study about the history of segregation in America and recognize the challenges and prejudice that many African Americans faced in the 1950s....
Curated OER
A South African Storm
Students read a letter titled "A South African Storm" on her experiences of discrimination in the country. Individually or as a class, they answer questions about the author's purpose in writing the piece was and how she made herself...
Curated OER
Islam & Islamophobia
Students explore the concept of Islamophobia. In this Islam instructional activity, students watch an online video to understand religious dress, Muslim practices, and the discrimination facing American Muslims. Students...
Curated OER
Outside the In-Group
Students pretend they are the person who is kept out of a group. As a class, they examine the behaviors of each person in a group situation and discuss how the role-play made them feel. They examine situations in which they kept...
Curated OER
Timely Tolerance
Eighth graders work together to focus on an oppressed group of society. Using the information they gather, they create a museum exhibit to educate their community on the group. They present their PowerPoint presentation to the class to...
Curated OER
The Power of Words Anti-Semitism and Hate Speech
Learners investigate words associated with Anti-Semitism and hate. They view and discuss a video about teaching tolerance focusing on language usage.
Curated OER
Free Speech Comes At a Price
Students use communicative activity strategy, Go, Ask and Tell, or more traditional whole text comprehension activity to read, discuss and explore issues in article, Free Speech Comes at a Price, by Hugh Mackay.
Novelinks
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry: Concept/Vocab Analysis
Considering using Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry for book circles or whole-class study? First time teachers, and those who have used the text before, will find some interesting tidbits in this overview.
Curated OER
Mississippi Trial, 1955: Culminating Writing Project (Multi-Genre Final Portfolio)
Designed as the final project concluding a study of Mississippi Trial, 1955, readers select a character from Crowe's novel and craft a portfolio of six entries that reveal not only aspects of the character, but similarities between...
Museum of Tolerance
What Do I Know Already? What Can I Predict?
In preparation to a visit to the Museum of Tolerance, class members engage in a prediction activity by creating a folder to house materials they feel represent ideas, topics, or issues they may encounter during their visit.
Broadway GPS
Kinky Boots—The New Musical: Official Show Guide
Drag queens in thigh-high shiny red leather boots! Welcome to Kinky Boots, the Tony Award-winning musical about a young man trying to save his family-owned shoe-making business. With an engaging story line and songs by Cyndi Lauper, the...
Anti-Defamation League
The Hate U Give
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas became a quick hit in the young adult literature genre before its adaptation in the 2018 film of the same name. Use a thorough lesson, discussion guide, and series of activities to discuss the social...
Western Justice Center
Culture and Identity
To conclude a study of conflict resolution, class members watch and discuss a series of five videos that frame the conversation in terms of culture and identity, understanding bias, oppression, and interpersonal biases.
PBS
Ken Burns: Jackie Robinson - A Journey Back to Separate but Equal Conditions
Baseball great Jackie Robinson fought for social justice. His efforts to push for equal access are detailed in an episode from from the Ken Burns: The Jackie Robinson Collection. After viewing the clip, class members engage in a...
PBS
Ken Burns: Jackie Robinson Integration or Separation?
What happens when change you imagined, the change you were promised, is slow in coming or doesn't happen at all? What do you do with the frustration and disenchantment? Class members watch two clips from the Ken Burns: Jackie Robinson...
National Park Service
Teaching with Historic Places: Discover the Jackie Robinson Ballpark
Can sports and popular culture change public opinion? That's the essential question asked by a lesson plan that looks at the role Jackie Robinson's appearance at City Island Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Florida played in the desegregation...
Race Briges Studio
I am Indopino: Or, How to Answer the Question, "Who Are You?"
In our increasingly multi-ethnic society, many students find it difficult to identify themselves as belonging to any one ethnicity. Gene Tagaban, a Tlingit, Cherokee, Filipino offers his personal experiences with these questions in his...
Facing History and Ourselves
Why Little Things Are Big
Often our decisions are impacted by a fear of how others see us. That's the big idea in a two-day lesson that asks how false assumptions, how our fear of how others may see us, impact how we act. After watching a video about such a...
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...
Center for History Education
Blockbusting: Social and Economic Change through Real Estate
"Redlining," "Blockbusting," and "White Flight" may not be terms familiar to young historians. Here's a lesson that introduces middle schoolers to these terms and the actions associated with them. Class members examine a series of...