Seventh graders use print and electronic resources to gather and analyze information on the political system in the United States. Using the Constitution, they identify and discuss instances of racism included in amendments and laws. ...

Students read articles relating to Jackie Robinson's breaking of the racial barrier in professional baseball. This leads to a deeper exploration of racism in the United States. They use a variety of worksheets imbedded in this plan to...

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, considered by many to be a seminal piece of American literature, contains many complex literary themes that carry through United States history. Use a series of discussion questions and classroom...

Uncovering the function and forms of ethnic jokes, this presentation with enlighten your students as it explores the concept of "insiders vs. outsiders" and various examples of ethnic stereotypes in literature and society. The...

Is everyone treated fairly in America? The culminating fifth activity from a series of five has pupils explore racial inequalities from the 1960s and decide whether or not society has changed over time. The activity comes with a speech...

Students examine racism, stereotypes, and biases in their personal lives and in the U.S. media. They discuss examples of racism, exploring the types of stereotypes and biases that still exist in our society. They access a multi-media...

Use this handy presentation to prepare your class before reading the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Segregation, the stock market, and the sociopolitical climate of the times is covered. This will really help build a...

Students participate in various activities that help them build esteem, and explore racism. For this multicultural lesson plan, Students increase their awareness of, and appreciation for, cultural differences and similarities. This...

Students investigate equality by reading a historical fiction book in class.  In this civil rights lesson plan, students read the story Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry with their classmates and define the Jim Crow Laws that kept blacks...

Students read and analyze the Tomas Rivera novel "...And the Earth Did Not Devour Him." In small groups they select three paragraphs from the text that are relevant to the issues of racism or white privelege, conduct Internet research,...

Pupils investigate the racism elements after the election of President Barack Obama. In this racism instructional activity, students read a recent article about 'post-racial' society. Pupils compile a list of achieving a post-racial...

The 41 slides in a professional development seminar model how to use close reading techniques to examine the many layers of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. In addition to passages from the novel, slides provide biographical...

Fourth graders investigate slavery by reading a book with their classmates. For this abolitionist movement lesson, 4th graders read the story The Patchwork Path, and discuss the creation of the Underground Railroad. Students create...

This overview of Theodore Taylor's The Cay is designed as an introduction for teachers who are considering using Theodore Taylor's novel for whole-class and/or book circle study. 

Learners explore slavery by reviewing the written laws intended to keep African Americans subservient. For this U.S. slavery lesson, students analyze a time-line of the history of African Americans. Learners discuss the patterns of the...

Theodore Taylor's The Cay provides the text for an assignment that asks each reader to craft a biopoem for one of the characters.

Jackie Robinson: A hero on and off the field. An eye-opening activity focuses on Jackie Robinson's social activism during and after the civil rights movement. Academics read a letter addressed to President Nixon, answer questions, and...

Students read letters written by Evans and Gunton regarding race relations. In this Progressive Movement lesson, students interpret the intentions and tone of the letters to understand contemporary racial beliefs. Students discuss the...

Students see how radio began the modern consumer society, shaped societal views on peoples and cultures and changed family home life forever. Radio shrank the world by bringing far-away places, events, and individuals into peoples living...

Young scholars share their views and opinions on the state of racism in America. Stimulate discussion by asking if there are specific groups who seem to be the target of racism more then others; also students consider what the true...

High schoolers examine jazz's roots and their hybridization in New Orleans in the early 20th century. They listen to ragtime and jazz recordings, then complete worksheets imbedded in this plan.

Invite your advanced ESL learners to explore the US national holiday Martin Luther King day. Play the attached mp3 which is a description of this important holiday and facilitate the phrase match and listening gap activities...

First graders analyze the role of the Jim Crow laws on race relations. As a class, they are segregated based on the color shirt they have or some other simple criteria and wear either a square or circle sticker representing the majority...

Many of your class members will have heard of Executive Order 9066 and the Japanese internment camps of World War II. Some may even recognize the terms “Issei” and “Nisei,” but few will have heard of Enemy Alien Hearing Boards, of the...