Lessons
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These robust, ready-to-use classroom lessons offer breadth and depth, spanning essential social justice topics and reinforcing critical social emotional learning skills.

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“[Learning for Justice] provides me with the means to promote social justice, challenge bias, and engage students in discussions about diversity that would perhaps not happen otherwise.”

Grade Level
Social Justice Domain
Subject
Topic

138 Lessons

What’s So Bad About “That’s So Gay”?

Almost every teacher has heard students use the expression, “that’s so gay” as a way of putting down or insulting someone (or to describe something). These lessons will help students examine how inappropriate language can hurt, and will help them think of ways to end this kind of name-calling.
Grade Level
Subject
Reading & Language Arts
Social Studies
SEL
ELL / ESL
Social Justice Domain
February 27, 2010

Maya Angelou

This lesson focuses on questions of identity as students read and analyze Angelou’s inspirational poem “Still I Rise” and apply its message to their own lives. Students learn how Maya Angelou overcame hardship and discrimination to find her own voice and to influence others to believe in themselves and use their voices for positive change.
Grade Level
Subject
Reading & Language Arts
Social Studies
Social Justice Domain
May 3, 2012

The Truth About Voting

In this lesson, students will learn some common myths about voting today, think through who these myths might benefit, learn why these myths are incorrect and consider how people might ensure every eligible citizen has a chance to vote. In an extension activity, students learn how to register to vote.
Grade Level
Subject
Social Studies
Civics
History
Social Justice Domain
October 8, 2020

Defusing School Violence

This lesson explores the complexities of a situation in which immigrant students attend a school that is plagued with racially motivated violence. Working in small groups and as a class, students will discuss possible solutions and outcomes and apply their problem-solving skills to issues affecting their own school and community.
Grade Level
Subject
Reading & Language Arts
Social Studies
SEL
ELL / ESL
Social Justice Domain
April 1, 2010

Exploring Young Immigrant Stories

This lesson helps students appreciate diversity among their peers and the diversity of immigrants all over the world. Through hands-on exercises, students will discover similarities and differences they share with other children.
Grade Level
3-5
Topic
Subject
Reading & Language Arts
Social Studies
Geography
ELL / ESL
Social Justice Domain
September 12, 2016

Labor Matters

Draw on your students' prior knowledge to help them understand the importance of the labor movement.
Grade Level
Topic
Subject
Reading & Language Arts
Social Studies
History
Economics
Social Justice Domain
July 6, 2009

Letters to the Editor

Students identify parts of arguments – using the ARE framework – by reading and evaluating letters to the editor. They identify weaknesses and strengths of letters, suggesting improvements to arguments used within the letters.
Grade Level
Social Justice Domain
December 4, 2009

Beauty is Skin Deep

During this lesson, students will reflect on the ways they have experienced or participated in bias based on physical size and appearance—and will discuss how society’s expectations about body image and appearance affect people. Students build on their media literacy skills as they examine media images for messages that consciously and unconsciously affect attitudes and behaviors toward others. Finally, the class will explore ways to get beyond appearance as a dominant force in their social lives.Note: This lesson has been adapted with permission from the original created by GLSEN for its program, No Name-Calling Week.
Grade Level
Subject
Reading & Language Arts
Social Studies
SEL
Science & Health
Social Justice Domain
July 6, 2009
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