Echoes & Reflections
GRADE LEVEL: Middle School, High School
COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening This unit provides students with an opportunity to learn about the types of rescue that occurred in Nazi-occupied Europe and to consider the moral and ethical choices that non-Jews made in order to help Jews survive. The unit also outlines the obstacles and dangers that hidden children faced during the Holocaust. Throughout the unit, students have…
124 Results
Civics Lesson
GRADE LEVEL: High School What is ‘Fake News’ and How Can We Identify it on Social Media?
What is Our Role and Responsibility to Identify and Stop the Spread of Fake News?
The term “fake news” refers to misinformation that presents false, inaccurate, or intentionally misleading information in news stories, current events and other issues. Many of these stories are spread through online sites and social media platforms that…
GRADE LEVEL: Elementary School, Middle School
COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, Language Does Entertainment Represent Our Increasingly Diverse Society?
In September 2019, Kodi Lee won America's Got Talent, which was a groundbreaking and emotional victory. Lee is a person who is Asian-American, blind and has autism. While he is one example of on-screen diversity, there is still more work to be done to ensure that the stories told reflect all people…
Echoes & Reflections: Teaching the HolocaustIn this unit, students learn about the ghettos established throughout Nazi Europe and understand that the ghettos were one phase in the continuum of Nazi racial policies that sought to solve the so-called “Jewish problem.” Students investigate the conditions in ghettos and how those conditions severely limited Jewish life and led to immense suffering. Using primary source material, students discover that despite severe overcrowding,…
Teach students about the conditions in the detention facilities and reflect on the impact this has on migrants and those seeking asylum.
GRADE LEVEL: High School
COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening, Language On June 28, 1969, the Stonewall uprising took place. It began in the early morning at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City. As was typical during that time period, police officers entered the bar and arrested employees for selling alcohol without a liquor license, roughed up customers, cleared the bar and arrested customers for not wearing at least three articles of …
Teach students about the role algorithms play in our everyday lives and explore how algorithmic bias functions in society.
GRADE LEVEL: High School
COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening The post-millennial generation, or “Gen Z,” is the most racially diverse generation in U.S. history. According to a Pew Research analysis of Census data, this generation, born between 1997 and 2012, is the most racially and ethnically diverse generation, with 48% identifying as people of color. In early 2019, The New York Times did a call-out asking Gen Zers to respond to the question, …
Teach students about Black Lives Matter and the activists involved.
Teach students about the migrant caravan and understand what political asylum is, reflecting on the people’s stories and situations.
GRADE LEVEL: High School
COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, Language The Most Important Ballot Initiatives of 2018
Voting rights were on the ballot in the 2018 midterm elections, with several states enacting ballot initiatives/measures to expand voting rights. These initiatives include rules about redistricting, same-day voter registration, automatic voter registration and restoring the voting rights of people convicted of felonies. …
GRADE LEVEL: High School
COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening Reports Show an Alarming Rise of Antisemitism in Europe
Several reports over the past few years have pointed to an increase in antisemitism in Europe, both in terms of hate incidents and anti-Jewish attitudes. Human Rights First (based in the U.S.), the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) (based in Vienna) and ADL all report higher levels of antisemitism compared to previous years;…
GRADE LEVEL: Middle School, High School
COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, Language In early September 2018, it was announced that Colin Kaepernick, former N.F.L. quarterback with the San Francisco 49ers, would be prominently featured as part of Nike’s 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign. The campaign’s slogan “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything” is featured in the ad. Kaepernick…
Teach students about the gender allowance gap and have them express their knowledge and thoughts about it through a persuasive letter.
Teach students about what is happening with family separations and detentions at the border and have them reflect on quotes about the current situation.
Teach students about the history of U.S. expansion and Indian policy and present the voices and perspectives of Native Americans on the Lewis and Clark expedition.
GRADE LEVEL: High School
COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Speaking and Listening, Language How Often Do You See or Experience Bias?
It seems like we are seeing more and more news and social media stories about people experiencing bias as they go about their daily lives—riding the subway, shopping in a store, dining in a restaurant and hanging out with friends. Indeed, the surge of such stories makes it seem like racism, sexism and other forms of bias and discrimination are becoming…
Teach students about the U.S. Census in order to understand and reflect upon the controversy over the citizenship question and to express their own point of view on the topic by writing a persuasive letter.
Teach students about the plight of the Rohingya people and explore what can be done about the current situation.
Teach students what ableism is and the many ways it manifests and explore ways they can act as allies and take actions to confront and challenge ableism.