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Amplify Constitution Day, Amplify Student Voice

Article

by: Libby Otto By mid-September, you’re busy with school, work and fall activities. Constitution Day, on September 17, may slip past you without a thought. So why should this year be any different? Constitution Day is the anniversary of the day that the Founding Fathers signed the United States Constitution. As you reflect this year on how the current political climate and public policies impact millions of people, continue asking yourself: are you making a positive change to…

August 16, 2019

Jewish American Heritage Month: Exploring Jewish Identity

Tools and Strategies

Jewish grandfather holding child and point to the sky

Use this collection of resources for educators and families to help teach about and celebrate Jewish American heritage in schools, communities and at home.

April 30, 2019

Calendar of Observances

Tools and Strategies

Increase your awareness of religious obligations and ethnic and cultural festivities that may affect students, colleagues and neighbors in your community.

January 01, 2020

Pyramid of Hate

Tools and Strategies

The Pyramid of Hate illustrates the prevalence of bias, hate and oppression in our society. It is organized in escalating levels of attitudes and behavior that grow in complexity from bottom to top. Like a pyramid, the upper levels are supported by the lower levels; unlike a pyramid, the levels are not built consecutively or to demonstrate a ranking of each level. Bias at each level reflects a system of oppression that negatively impacts individuals, institutions and society…

October 29, 2018

Native American Heritage Month

Tools and Strategies

November is Native American Heritage Month, which was first declared by President George H.W. Bush in 1990. The month provides an opportunity to commemorate the rich and diverse cultures, traditions and histories and acknowledge the important contributions of Native American/Indigenous people. It is also an important time to educate the general public, as well as young people in schools, about the bias, discrimination and unique challenges faced by Native American/Indigenous people…

October 12, 2018

Diverse Books Matter

Lesson Plan

Teach students about the importance of diverse literature and engage them in a study on the diversity of books in their classroom or school library.

November 03, 2017

5 Things to Know about the Jewish High Holidays

Tools and Strategies

For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the High Holidays, are celebrated by Jewish people all over the world. The High Holidays fall on different days each year. For the specific dates each year, check our Calendar of Observances. These and other Jewish holidays fall on different days in our calendar because they follow the Jewish calendar, which has a different number of days than our calendar. The Jewish calendar is a Soli-lunar calendar.&nbsp…

June 06, 2017

What Bullying Is and Is Not (In English and en Español)

Tools and Strategies

Table Talk: Family Conversations About Current EventsBullying is a phrase we hear regularly and often: in the media, on TV shows and movies, in schools and in conversations among both adults and children. Parents, students and schools are rightfully worried about bullying. It is a problem and cause for concern but may not be as widespread as many think because the term “bullying” is often used as an umbrella to describe all kinds of mean behavior—from a rude comment to a…

May 09, 2017

Swastikas and Other Hate Symbols

Lesson Plan

GRADE LEVEL: High School COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Writing, Language We see symbols every day in all aspects of our lives. Symbols are used to convey ideas, qualities, emotions, material objects/products, opinions and beliefs. Unfortunately, symbols are also used to convey hate and bias. Lately, we have seen a lot of hate symbol graffiti in public spaces and specifically the swastika, which in most circumstances is understood as an expression of antisemitism. There has reportedly…

March 09, 2017

Antisemitic Incidents: Being an Ally, Advocate and Activist

Lesson Plan

GRADE LEVEL: Middle School, High School COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Speaking and Listening, Language The surge of antisemitic incidents in the United States is alarming to many. Several reported incidents include graffiti using swastikas, bomb threats, vandalism and shootings, bomb threats targeting Jewish Community Centers (JCC) and Jewish institutions across the country. Over the past 10 years, ADL has recorded a record number of antisemitic incidents across the U.S. Since 2015,…

February 27, 2017

7 Ideas for Teaching Women's History Month

Lesson Plan

GRADE LEVEL: Elementary School, Middle School, High School COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Writing, Language, Speaking and Listening In commemoration of Women’s History Month, this resource helps educators engage students in thinking broadly and critically about the experience of women and gender in all of its complexity. In highlighting the significant events as well as people that have made a substantial contribution to women’s experience, instruction should…

February 22, 2017

Interview with Rosalind Wiseman, Bullying Prevention Specialist

Podcast

For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers Rosalind Wiseman talks about raising teenagers in a complex world, the role of social media and gaming, what teachers can do to engage students and how her own parenting informs her work. Rosalind Wiseman is a teacher, thought leader, author and media spokesperson on bullying prevention, ethical leadership, the use of social media and media literacy. She is the author of several books including Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter…

February 01, 2017

10 Ways Youth Can Engage in Activism

Tools and Strategies

For Educators Our country has a long history of youth-led movements that brought about significant social change. Young people have advocated for child labor laws, voting rights, civil rights, school desegregation, immigration reform and LGBTQ+ rights. Through their actions, the world has changed. Because young people often have the desire, energy and idealism to do something about the injustice they see in the world, they are powerful agents for change. Our work in education helps…

January 17, 2017

Can We Talk? Tips for Respectful Conversations in Schools, Workplaces and Communities

Tools and Strategies

Being able to have respectful and constructive conversations is the bedrock of any relationship—whether those connections take place at home, school, work or in communities. However, when controversy or conflict arises, the discussions can quickly become polarized, heated and personal, making it very difficult to have a conversation where different points of view are aired and discussed. These conversations can be about something controversial like politics, current events, moral…

January 01, 2017

Let's Talk Politics: Bias, Dialogue and Critical Thinking

Tools and Strategies

Teachers may want to engage young people in conversations about presidential and other elections and provide opportunities for students to learn more, ask questions and understand what they see and hear. Below are tips and strategies for engaging in these potentially contentious conversations in the classroom and doing so with a critical thinking and anti-bias lens. These strategies can also be used with other controversial issues that arise in your classroom. It is critical that students…

September 09, 2016

8 Ideas for Teaching National Hispanic Heritage Month

Lesson Plan

GRADE LEVEL: Elementary School, Middle School, High School COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Writing, Language, Speaking and Listening Commemorating National Hispanic Heritage Month In commemoration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we present this resource to help teachers engage students in thinking broadly and critically about the Hispanic American experience in all of its complexity. In highlighting the significant events as well as people that have made a substantial contribution…

August 19, 2016

6 Ways to Be an Ally (In English and en Español)

Tools and Strategies

Female and Male Students Holding Cellphones Debating

For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers | For Students Here are some simple things you can do to be an ally to targets of name-calling and bullying. And remember—always think about your safety first when deciding the best way to respond. 1. Support targets, whether you know them or not.Show compassion and encouragement to those who are the targets of bullying behavior by asking if they’re okay, going with them to get help and letting them know you are there for them…

April 22, 2016

Finding the Balance: Countering Extremism and Combating Stereotypes

Tools and Strategies

Young people are exposed to discussions of extremism every day through social media, news and overheard conversations between adults. As an educators, the topic can be challenging to teach because the situation is always changing and evolving and worse--classroom conversations can themselves lead to stereotyping, bias and bigotry when discussing perpetrators, targets and victims. The following resources will help you teach about extremism while ensuring that the…

April 18, 2016

Recursos educativos en español

Tools and Strategies

Para fomentar escuelas y aulas respetuosas, inclusivas y equitativas, es importante reconocer la lengua que hablan los alumnos y sus familias. Esas lenguas reflejan y afirman su origen étnico, su cultura y su herencia. Según datos recientes del Censo, 63,7 millones de personas (o el 19,1% del total de la población) que viven en Estados Unidos se identifican como hispanos/latinoamericanos. Además, la mayoría de los hispanos (75%) afirman ser capaces de…

September 09, 2015

Voting Rights Then and Now

Lesson Plan

GRADE LEVEL: High School COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening Racial Discrimination and Safeguarding the Right to Vote In August 2015, we commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act which was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965. The Voting Rights Act is landmark federal legislation that was enacted during the Civil Rights Movement and was intended to prevent racial discrimination in voting. Prior to that, even though Black…

July 22, 2015