Printer-friendly version
The Literature of Bullying
Lesson includes resources for tackling the bully problem.
Developing a Media Portfolio
Lesson helps students understand how media influence their decisions.
Community Through Photography
Reporting on their communities helps students recognize problems and find strategies for change.
Activism and Legislation
This activity asks students to read and compare the language of two oral histories, asking them to think about prejudice, stigma and fundamental rights and freedoms.
Cooperative Comics
Comic books are visual literature. This simple cooperative group activity allows students to identify confrontational issues within their own school and then imagine solutions.
Borders and Boundaries
Photocopy or create a large map of the school, including the school grounds and the cafeteria. Then have students identify places that cliques or self-segregating groups gather.
Journaling History: Sacagawea and York
As you read about Sacagawea and York, write a journal entry that imagines Sacagawea or York's first-person account.
The Numbers Behind Poverty
This activity, developed from materials found on Poverty USA, will help students gain added perspective on poverty when considering the mathematical realities of what it means to live in poverty.
The Business of Controversial Topics
Activity exchange for grades 9-12 to explore ways of discussing controversial topics.
Word Origins
I designed a game called Origins that exposes the history and prejudice of many words or expressions commonly used in the United States.
Coalescing Across the Globe
Activity exchange to explore global differences through pen pals.
Gender Stereotyping
As a school counselor on a K-8 campus, I prepare classroom guidance lessons for all students on topics of tolerance. At the beginning of a new school year, I like to introduce students to the adults on campus. I have created a lesson plan to go along with this that gets at stereotyping as well.
Making Cents of Privilege
I work with upper-middle-class students, and it is sometimes difficult for them to understand that not all children have access to the same opportunities they have regarding dining out, participating in extracurricular activities, vacations or receiving allowances. Consequently, I wanted to create a lesson on the value of money.
Classroom Community Building
Activities for all grades to build community in your class this year.
What Can We Learn from a Box of Crayons?
Central elementary, a school in transition with an increasingly diverse student body, decided to focus this school year on diversity.
Getting To Know Each Other (Lunch Day Mixer)
The game centers on a question: "Could you be friends with someone who. . . ?"
Playing the Bully Card
Teaching students how to stand up to bullying behavior, particularly when that means asking the teacher or another adult to intervene, can be a challenge.
The Philosopher's Stone
In my classroom, we engage in an activity that allows students to voice their ever-growing opinions about fairness and justice in a manner that not only promotes writing and oral skills but also fosters the ability to see other people's perspectives.
Papalotzin y las monarcas: Discussion Questions
Discussion questions for Papalotzin and the Monarchs / Papalotzin y las monarcas.
Music for Justice
This activity focuses on musical explorations building on justice and inclusion themes.
'Si Se Puede!'
In response to legislation that would have criminalized immigrants, thousands of high school students from across the country walked out of their classrooms and into history.
Latino Heritage: A Discussion Activity
Teaching Tolerance offers the following essays and activities to help students gain a deeper understanding of past and present struggles for Latino civil rights.
A Tale of Two Schools
In the early 1900s, Mexican Americans, or Chicanos, in California and the Southwest were excluded from "Whites Only" theaters, parks, swimming pools, restaurants, and even schools. Immigrants from Mexico waged many battles against such discriminatory treatment, often risking their jobs in fields and factories and enduring threats of deportation. In 1945, one couple in California won a significant victory in their struggle to secure the best education for thousands of Chicano children.
White Anti-Racist Biographies: Early Grades
For young white students, explorations of fair and unfair, just and unjust, can go a long way in advancing anti-racist white identity. Purposeful use of literature and basic study of white anti-racists are among the key ways educators can advance such aims.
Teaching Tolerance presents four short biographies for early grades classrooms, with activity ideas.
Stay in the Mix During National Poetry Month!
How to use the written word to highlight, and counteract, social boundaries.
Student Service Reflection: A Different Kind of Vacation
A student reflects on his travel to New Orleans, where he helped rebuild parts of the Ninth Ward.
Reflection: What’s Your FRAME?
This activity encourages students to reflect on their individual cultures and histories, their backgrounds, the things they grew up with (some that may have been in their control and others that they had no choice about), and their values. In the end, students will begin to enlarge their perspective and recognize diversity of belief and background.
Social Boundaries Activity: Map It Out
Teachers and students draw maps showing where they think social divisions exist at school, and compare views of the community as a whole.
The Alcatraz Proclamation: A Primary Document Activity
On November 20, 1969, Alcatraz island became the unlikely stage for a landmark event in the Native American rights movement.
Against the Current
As the nation observes Native American Heritage Month, Teaching Tolerance offers a wealth of activity ideas tied to Thanksgiving, Native mascots and indigenous people's proud heritage of resistance.
Native American activists use civil disobedience and consensus-building to resolve an old dispute over environmental resources.
This Land Is Ours
Native Americans resist the U.S. government's policy of forced removal in the 19th century.
Holiday Charity: A Math Activity About Poverty
The holiday season often marks the launch of toy and canned food drives in schools. Use this activity to deepen students understanding of those being served and the dynamics of poverty in the United States.
Celebrating Connections
This activity can help students understand the similarities and differences in various religious traditions.
Allies: A Discussion Activity
Educator and author Mara Sapon-Shevin offers strategies and ideas to help students become allies -- people who stand with or for others.
Bullying: Tips for Students
This checklist provides suggestions for what kids can do when bullying occurs – written for students being bullied, students who witness bullying and the bullies themselves.
'I Am Special'
I begin my lesson by telling students that we're going to have a guessing game with only two hints. They are to guess what subject we're going to be discussing by first listening to two stories. The subject we're going to discuss is "I am unique and special."
Anonymous Writing Partners
Anonymous journaling helps portray the reality of bullying
Defining Multicultural Terminology
As a veteran teacher of English, literature and history, I have employed many different lessons to encourage my students to seek understanding of other cultures.
Students Speak Out: A Discussion Activity
This collection of student essays showcase models of student interrogation of racial disparities and racism. Discussion questions for classroom exploration are included.
Dos and Don'ts of Teaching Black History
How do you ensure students get the most out of black history and Black History Month? Here are some suggestions.
That's Not Fair!
Students will experience the effects of unequal resources on student achievement, share their thoughts about educational disparities and take action to bring about change.
Girls Can Be Plumbers?
This activity helps early-grade students begin to think about gender roles, stereotypes and career choices.
Gender Shouldn't Limit You!
What are the political gender biases among young students? Would they elect a girl president?
