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

139 Lessons

Activism Online

This lesson introduces children to different ways young people have used the internet to work toward positive social change.
Grade Level
3-5
Subject
Digital Literacy
Reading & Language Arts
Social Studies
Social Justice Domain
September 25, 2017

Advertisements and You

This lesson starts by showing children some of the kinds of advertisements they might run into online and helping them analyze these ads with a critical eye.
Grade Level
K-2
Subject
Digital Literacy
Reading & Language Arts
Social Studies
Social Justice Domain
September 26, 2017

Advertising on the Internet

This lesson focuses on teaching students to understand the role of identity in the online marketplace and online advertising, and advertisers’ intent to manipulate consumers.
Grade Level
6-8
Subject
Digital Literacy
Reading & Language Arts
Social Studies
Arts
ELL / ESL
Social Justice Domain
September 27, 2017

Analyzing How Words Communicate Bias

This lesson, part of the Digital Literacy series, focuses on teaching students to identify how writers can reveal their biases through their word choice and tone. Students will identify “charged” words that communicate a point of view. Students will understand how writers communicate a point of view implicitly by writing their own charged news stories.
Grade Level
6-8
Subject
Digital Literacy
Reading & Language Arts
Social Studies
Social Justice Domain
September 12, 2017

Bayard Rustin: The Fight for Racial Justice and Gay Rights

This lesson centers on the invaluable work and activism of Bayard Rustin. Rustin was not only dedicated to orchestrating the civil rights movement; he was also one of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s closest advisors, and the organizer of the 1963 March on Washington.
Grade Level
Subject
Reading & Language Arts
Social Studies
History
Social Justice Domain
January 22, 2013

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

Before Rosa Parks: Frances Watkins Harper

The title “Before Rosa Parks” loosely links a number of lessons that discuss African-American women who were active in the fight for civil rights before the 1950s. This lesson highlights Frances Watkins Harper, who challenged power structures in the South by talking to free former slaves about voting, land ownership and education—and fought segregated public transportation.
Grade Level
Subject
Reading & Language Arts
Social Studies
History
Social Justice Domain
July 6, 2009