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World History

By Bpwilson2
Grade Level
9-12
private
LEARNING PLAN
Essential Question
  • How can we develop empathy and understanding about cultural differences?
Texts
Informational

Always Running

In this excerpt from his memoir, Rodriguez provides a stirring recollection from his adolescence: the first time he experienced racism as a result of being an immigrant in America. As he says, the experience "stays with [him] like a foul odor."
by
Luis J. Rodriguez
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
Topic
Class Immigration
Social Justice Domain
Identity Justice
July 2, 2014
Informational

‘Hope, Despair and Memory’

"Hope, Despair and Memory" is an address given by Elie Wiesel on December 11, 1986, the date Wiesel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Wiesel is an author and humanitarian and is known for writing about his experience as a survivor of the Holocaust.
by
Elie Wiesel
Grade Level
9-12
Subject
History
Topic
Religion
Social Justice Domain
Diversity Justice Action
July 5, 2014
Literature

Saffron Dreams

Although her husband died in the September 11 attack, Arissa is targeted for being Muslim. In this excerpt, she is held up by a group of men who berate her and threaten to kill her until they realize she is pregnant.
by
Shaila Abdullah
Grade Level
9-12
Subject
Civics
History
Geography
Topic
Religion
Social Justice Domain
Identity Justice
July 7, 2014
Informational

Race Riots

In this essay, the author gives a short history of race riots, showing how they were originally organized by whites in an effort to show dominance over African Americans, particularly in the South.
by
Learning for Justice Staff
Grade Level
9-12
Subject
Civics
History
Geography
Social Justice Domain
Justice
June 20, 2016
Informational

Blankets for the Dead

In 1830, the government began systematically removing all Native Americans from the Eastern United States. The removal of Cherokees from Georgia in 1838 has become known as the Trail of Tears. But there were, in fact, many such trails, as the Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Seminoles and other tribes were forced to abandon their homelands.
by
Learning for Justice Staff
Grade Level
9-12
Subject
Civics
History
Geography
Social Justice Domain
Identity Diversity Justice Action
August 22, 2016
Informational

Una Vida de Esperanza

In this interview, Luis Rodriguez describes how the systemic demoralization he faced in school and society at a young age drove him to join a street gang and how writing his book, Always Running, was an attempt to call his son and other young people in similar situations to change their lives.
by
Luis Rodriguez and Sara Bullard
Grade Level
9-12
Subject
Civics
Topic
Class Immigration Bullying & Bias
Social Justice Domain
Identity Diversity Justice Action
June 20, 2016
Informational

The Power of Language

In this essay, the author identifies vague terminology used by the United States government during World War II to describe their actions toward Japanese Americans and outlines terms that would more appropriately describe the government's actions.
by
Learning for Justice Staff
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
Subject
Civics
History
Social Justice Domain
Diversity Justice
April 28, 2016
Informational

Race Against Time

Dozens of racially motivated murders took place in the South during the 1950s and 1960s. Time is running out to solve these cold cases.
by
Shaila Dewan
Grade Level
9-12
Subject
Civics
History
Economics
Geography
Social Justice Domain
Justice Action
July 5, 2014
Informational

Insult or Honor?

Are American Indian names, mascots and logos insulting or honorable? Veronica Majerol outlines the debate, citing evidence from local high school students, the N.C.A.A, and a founder of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and the Media.
by
Veronica Majerol
Grade Level
9-12
Subject
Civics
History
Geography
Social Justice Domain
Diversity Justice Action
January 21, 2016
Informational

A Very Special Delivery

'Henry Brown left Richmond, Va. a slave and arrived in Philadelphia—in a freight box—a free man. Abolitionists who cheered Brown's 27-hour journey to freedom chose not to publicize it, fearing that others following in his path would be in danger.
by
Alison Leigh Cowan
Grade Level
9-12
Subject
History
Social Justice Domain
Justice
July 5, 2014
Informational

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.”
by
Learning for Justice Staff
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
Subject
Civics
History
Topic
Class
Social Justice Domain
Identity Diversity Justice Action
August 9, 2017
Informational

This Land is Ours

“The Ponca’s challenge of the U.S. government marked a turning point on the long path of Indian resistance. Increasingly, after Standing Bear v. Cook, the fight for Native rights would shift from the battlefields to the courtrooms of the growing nation.”
by
Learning for Justice Staff
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
Subject
History
Geography
Social Justice Domain
Identity Diversity Justice Action
August 9, 2017
Informational

Freedom's Main Line

One of the earliest assaults on segregated transit in the South occurred in Louisville, Ky., in 1870-71. There, the city’s black community organized a successful protest that relied on nonviolent direct action, a tactic that would give shape to the modern civil rights movement nearly a century later.
by
Maria Fleming
Grade Level
9-12
Subject
Civics
History
Topic
Class Rights & Activism
Social Justice Domain
Identity Diversity Justice Action
December 6, 2017
Multimedia

My Identity

After growing up in foster care, Ashley, a young Native-American Caucasian woman, converts to Islam in hopes of finding structure in a life where it never existed. However, with that decision comes the risk of losing one of the few biological connections she still has.
by
Yasmin Mistry
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
Subject
History
Topic
Religion
Social Justice Domain
Identity Diversity Justice Action
January 12, 2018
Literature

(A)wake

In this poem, the speaker traces the senseless killings taking place abroad and at home, with a particular focus on the African-American community. The speaker also calls communities to action to "grow our hope and heal our hearts" in order to live together in peace.
by
Jessica Kobe
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
Subject
Civics
History
Geography
Topic
Religion Class Immigration Gender & Sexual Identity Rights & Activism
Social Justice Domain
Diversity Justice Action
September 26, 2016
Informational

1960: Sitting Down to Take a Stand

In this article, Suzanne Bilyeu details how the sit-in by the "Greensboro Four" at Woolworth's store in North Carolina created a domino effect which led to sit-ins across the country and galvinized support for the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
by
Suzanne Bilyeu
Grade Level
9-12
Subject
Civics
History
Economics
Geography
Topic
Rights & Activism
Social Justice Domain
Justice Action
July 5, 2014
Informational

A Rumbling in the Mines

This chapter details the Chinese involvement in building the transcontinental railroad and the friction it caused between them and white workers, whom Chinese workers displaced from their jobs due to their willingness to work for less and not join labor unions.
by
Learning for Justice Staff
Grade Level
9-12
Subject
History
Economics
Geography
Topic
Immigration Rights & Activism
Social Justice Domain
Identity Diversity Justice Action
August 22, 2016
Informational

Executive Order 10730

In early September 1957, nine African-American students faced a violent mob when they attempted to enter the newly desegregated Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Ark.. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed this executive order on September 23, 1957 to enforce an orderly desegregation.
by
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Grade Level
9-12
Subject
Civics
History
Geography
Topic
Civil Rights Movement Rights & Activism
Social Justice Domain
Justice Action
July 4, 2014
Literature

An Angry Black Woman on the Subject of the Angry White Man

Jordan's poem takes on an sarcastic tone as she describes the duties, punishments, emotions and false promises endured by African Americans since slavery in response to Bill Clinton's description of affirmative action as "a psychologically difficult time for the so-called angry White man."
by
June Jordan
Grade Level
9-12
Subject
History
Economics
Topic
Class Rights & Activism
Social Justice Domain
Justice Action
July 7, 2014
Informational

Testimony Before the Credentials Committee, Democratic National Convention

In this transcript, Fanny Lou Hamer describes the way in which she was forced to leave the plantation where she worked as as sharecropper for 18 years, was arrested and was beaten--all on account of trying to register to vote.
by
Fannie Lou Hamer
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
Subject
Civics
History
Economics
Topic
Civil Rights Movement Class Rights & Activism
Social Justice Domain
Justice Action
July 3, 2014
Informational

The Child's Defender

In this interview, Marian Wright Edelman expresses the importance of each American sending children “signals of fairness and tolerance” and helping to give them “a life that transcends boundaries of race, class, gender and other differences.”
by
Marian Wright Edelman and Sara Bullard
Grade Level
9-12
Subject
Civics
Economics
Topic
Civil Rights Movement Class Rights & Activism
Social Justice Domain
Identity Diversity Justice Action
June 20, 2016
Informational

Home Was a Horse Stall

On December 7, 1941 Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and prompted the United States to enter World War II. While many Americans were concerned about the war abroad, they were also paranoid about the “threat” of Japanese Americans at home. As a result, many Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps on American soil.
by
Learning for Justice Staff
Grade Level
9-12
Subject
Civics
History
Geography
Topic
Immigration Rights & Activism
Social Justice Domain
Identity Diversity Justice Action
August 22, 2016
Teaching Strategies
Word Work

Meaning-Making Paragraphs

Students learn the meaning of vocabulary words by writing the word in multiple ways. Students write guided paragraphs about words from the central text then share their writing with peers.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
L.6-12.5, L.6-12.6
July 19, 2014
Word Work

Traits Matrix

In this semantic feature analysis strategy, students use a grid to show how vocabulary words relate to one another and to conceptual frameworks (e.g., masculine versus feminine).
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
L.6-12.4, L.6-12.5, L.6-12.6
July 19, 2014
Word Work

Vocabulary Frames

Students use this tool to identify a word’s meaning, its parts and its opposite. After organizing the information on an illustrated flashcard, students practice using the word in a sentence.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
L.6-12.4, L.6-12.6
July 19, 2014
Word Work

Vocabulary Prediction Chart

Students predict the meanings of vocabulary words before reading and confirm the accuracy of their predictions during and after reading. Students identify context clues from the text and revise their definitions accordingly.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
L.6-12.4, L.6-12.6
July 19, 2014
Word Work

Vocabulary Rounds

This contextual redefinition strategy encourages students to use the structure and context of words to predict their meanings. Students arrive at the definition through exposure to increasingly rich clues.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
L.6-12.4, L.6-12.6
July 19, 2014
Word Work

Vocabulary Tableaux

A tableau is a representation of a scene or picture by people posing silently without moving. In a vocabulary tableau, a group of students use their bodies to create a frozen picture of a vocabulary word.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
L.6-12.4, L.6-12.6
July 19, 2014
Word Work

Word Wall

A word wall is an organized display of vocabulary words drawn from the texts students are reading.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
L.6-12.4, L.6-12.5, L.6-12.6
July 19, 2014
Word Work

Word Wheel

Students use a concept map to organize their vocabulary learning. This tool requires students to define words, find examples, draw on prior knowledge and connect related concepts.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
L.6-12.4, L.6-12.5, L.6-12.6
July 19, 2014
Close and Critical Reading

Challenge the Text

Challenge the Text helps students ask and answer their own text-dependent questions by taking multiple perspectives and uncovering assumptions and biases within the text.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
RL.6-12.1, RL.6-12.2, RL.6-12.3, RL.6-12.6, RI.6-12.1, RI.6-12.2, RI.6-12.3, RI.6-12.6
July 19, 2014
Close and Critical Reading

Reading Against the Grain

In reading against the grain students analyze the dominant reading of a text and engage in alternative or "resistant" readings. Resistant readings scrutinize the beliefs and attitudes that typically go unexamined in a text, drawing attention to the gaps, silences and contradictions.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
RL.6-12.1, RL.6-12.2, RL.6-12.6, RI.6-12.1, RI.6-12.2, RI.6-12.6
July 19, 2014
Close and Critical Reading

Shared Reading

Shared reading combines aspects of guided reading and read-aloud strategies. During shared reading, a teacher or proficient student reads the text aloud, pausing at pre-selected moments to discuss content and analyze the text. This strategy facilitates close reading of a complex text in small or whole group settings.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
RL.6-12.1, RI.6-12.1
July 19, 2014
Close and Critical Reading

Text Graffiti

This strategy exposes students to multiple short pieces of a text before they read it in its entirety. Students read selected quotes out of context and comment on both the selection and the comments of other students. The activity ends with students reflecting on their reactions to and predictions about the text.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
RL.6-12.1, RI.6-12.1
July 19, 2014
Close and Critical Reading

Text-Dependent Questions

Readers must refer back to the central text to answer text-dependent questions and provide evidence from the reading to support their answers. Students provide accurate, relevant and complete evidence. To do this well, students will often need to re-read the text several times. This approach privileges the text over prior knowledge, personal experience and pre-reading activities.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
RL.6-12.1, RL.6-12.2, RL.6-12.4, RL.6-12.5, RL.6-12.6, RI.6-12.1, RI.6-12.2, RI.6-12.3, RI.6-12.4, RI.6-12.6
July 19, 2014
Close and Critical Reading

Thinking Notes

Thinking notes are text annotations (highlights, underlines or symbols made on the text or in the margins) that document student thinking during reading. Depending on how you structure the task, these notes can indicate agreement, objection, confusion or other relevant reactions to the text.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
July 19, 2014
Close and Critical Reading

Window or Mirror?

This task helps students consider if the text is a window or a mirror through practicing literacy skills and using technology.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
RL.6-12.1, RL.6-12.2, RL.6-12.3, RL.6-12.7, RI.6-12.1, RI.6-12.2, RI.6-12.3, RI.6-12.7
April 18, 2016
Student Tasks
Write to the Source

Break It Down

Break it Down asks students to demonstrate their explanatory and descriptive writing skills.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
W.6-12.2, W.6-12.4, W.6-12.9
July 19, 2014
Write to the Source

Problem Solver

Problem Solver asks students to demonstrate their argumentative skills when identifying problems and solutions in writing.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
W.6-12.1, W.6-12.4, W.6-12.9
July 19, 2014
Write to the Source

So What?

So What? asks students to demonstrate their explanatory and informative skills when writing to gain the understanding of others.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
W.6-12.2, W.6-12.4, W.6-12.9
July 19, 2014
Write to the Source

Where I Stand

Where I Stand asks students to demonstrate their argumentative and analytical writing skills.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
CCSS
W.6-12.1, W.6-12.4, W.6-12.9
July 19, 2014
Do Something

Be the Change...

Students identify and investigate a community problem and propose a solution. They then plan and implement action directed at solving the problem.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
July 13, 2014
Do Something

My Voice, My Voter’s Guide

Estimated time Two to three weeks Why? One of the ways young students become invested in the democratic process is by become empowered advocates for civic participation in their local communities. When younger students
Grade Level
3-5 6-8 9-12
Subject
Civics
August 30, 2018
Do Something

Spotlight on Change Agents

Students investigate, interview and profile a person working for equity and social change. The person can work on the local, national or international level, with an organization or as an individual. The compiled profiles will form a resource for other students in the future.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
July 13, 2014
Do Something

Tweeting for Change

Students organize and facilitate a live Twitter chat to raise awareness of an anti-bias theme or social justice issue and to encourage change related to this issue.
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
February 25, 2016
Do Something

Voting in Your Town

Students use online resources to analyze current voter registration and turnout rates in their state and local community. They also explore potential roadblocks to the voting process (e.g., felon disenfranchisement and voter fraud).
Grade Level
6-8 9-12
October 3, 2016
Plan Built By
Bpwilson2

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