ELL / ESL

In 1989 a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck San Francisco. Sixty-three people died. This year, a 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti. A month after the disaster the Haitian government estimates that more than ...

This lesson asks students to think about what counts as history. It is divided into two parts. Part 1 gets students thinking about what’s included in the history they study, and what’s missing. Part 1 can ...

In these lessons, students will work toward understanding what it means to have a learning disability. The goal is make them aware of prejudice and discrimination aimed at those with learning disabilities. ...

In this lesson, students will learn about some of the 2008 government's report on hunger findings and identify ways to address the problem of hunger today. Framework ...

During my career unit with seventh-graders, I take the opportunity to look at gender stereotyping in the work force. After students have an opportunity to familiarize themselves with careers, I challenge their ...

On November 5, 1989, thousands of people gathered in Montgomery, Ala., to witness the dedication of the Civil Rights Memorial. It is a granite monument inscribed with the names of 40 martyrs who gave their ...

Students produce assertions on slips of paper and “stock” the classroom Assertion Jar. As a daily or occasional activity, students practice refutation skills by pulling an assertion from the jar and refuting ...

This lesson seeks to open students’ eyes to the variety of experiences that they and their classmates have at lunchtime. By thinking about diverse students’ needs and experiences, students who complete this ...

Recently, professional football players Brendon Ayanbadejo and Scott Fujita spoke out to support marriage equality. Their advocacy brings to the surface a discussion that has been going on for a long time ...

This lesson focuses on the issues of immigration during times of economic desperation.  It focuses specifically on the problems and difficulties faced by the immigrants as they wrestle with the dilemma ...

In Greensboro, North Carolina, on Nov. 3, 1979, in the absence of a dissuasive police presence, a caravan of white supremacists confronted demonstrators preparing for a “Death to the Klan” rally. The rally was ...

This lesson asks students to think about how school districts can address the needs of increasingly diverse populations. It takes as its starting point a debate in New York City’s public schools.  ...

Who Has Hair? explores one of the things mammals share in common: hair! Our hair may be different—Polar Bear's doesn't look exactly like Orangutan's or like yours— but we all have hair and ...

This lesson uses the strategies of “student questioning for purposeful learning” (SQPL) and jigsaw grouping to engage students in examining Constitutional issues related to school-based grooming policies. ...

In this jigsaw activity, students will review information from brochures/websites about local hair care providers, interview a local hair care provider, synthesize the material and teach it to others. Students ...

The purpose of this lesson is for students to grapple with three separate definitions: primitive , civilized ( civilization ), and technology .  Students examine or re-examine their own definitions ...

Students use the 2010 Census to explore family diversity and the different ways to define a family. They research about the experiences of Michael Oher, a professional football player for the Baltimore Ravens, ...

In this lesson, students will work in pairs and use expert reading strategies to analyze the Court’s ruling in Hernandez v. Texas . After participating in a carousel discussion, students will write a ...

Labor Day was created in 1882. Originally, it was intended to be a less controversial workers' day than May Day, with its Socialist origins. Today, however, much of this history is forgotten and Labor Day ...

“Taking a Closer Look at Religions Around the World” offers a starting point for exploring religions and faith traditions, creating an ongoing respectful dialogue about religious tolerance. By understanding ...

I am a Spanish Language teacher and I have students who are from Mexico, Guatemala, Argentina and many different Spanish-speaking countries. I find the diversity in the Spanish-speaking community to be truly ...

Termites, small and overlooked, can knock down forests and turn buildings to powder; intolerance operates in much the same way. It’s not uncommon to hear students — including ...

Core samples are fascinating columns of rock and mineral cut from deep below the earth's surface with a drill. They are marbled with shades of color. This activity helps students to identify their own ...

Whenever I feel that students are starting to pick on each other and get disrespectful, I use this activity to get them to think about their behavior. For this activity, you need a tube of toothpaste, a ...

On the first day of each school year, my students and I form a circle and I ask them these questions: Do we all have the same hair color? Do we all have the same eyes? ...

Students always have passionate opinions about controversial social topics. They also often become friends with others who reinforce their ideology. And students don’t often possess the skills to disagree ...

Students will develop a framework for speaking with kindness and respect toward each other. Framework For educators who hope to create a democratic classroom, one of the ...

Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor is the first Latina to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. This lesson helps students look at her confirmation process in historical perspective. ...

Little Rock isn't the only city or town with a civil rights history. The Civil Rights Movement and other struggles for justice have impacted every community in the United ...

Three new lesson plans for grades 9-12 offer educators fresh, engaging strategies to deepen students' understanding about race and racism throughout history and today. In March ...