We've compiled the following lesson plans, teaching ideas, discussion guides and online resources to help teachers address the crucial issues of racial equity and social justice in the classroom. See the materials below, organized by grade level.
Multiple grade levels
- AFT: Lessons for Restoring Hope & Dignity
- AFT Share my Lesson: Teaching about Race & Racism
- Anti-Defamation League: How to Discuss Current Events with Children
- Black Lives Matter at School
- Colorin Colorado: Talking about Racism & Violence
- Mayo Clinic: Helping Children Cope with Tragedy
- National Civil Rights Museum: Creating Change through Action
Grades K-5
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Learning for Justice: How Do We Create Equity?
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Exploring Identity through Diversity
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"Activism," from the National Museum of American American History & Culture
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American Academy of Pediatrics: Talking about Tragedies & News Events
Grades 6-8
- Video series: What is Systemic Racism?
- AFT- Share My Lesson: The Murder of George Floyd and Protests Across the U.S.
- Social Justice Poems for Kids
- Don’t Say Nothing - Discussing Race with Students
- Social Justice Issues Collection from the AFT
- After Charlottesville - How Symbols of the Past Affects the Present
- Resources from the National Council of Teachers of English
Grades 9-12
- Resources for Teaching about Race & Racism, New York Times Learning Network
- Talking About Race for educators from the National Museum of African-American History & Culture
- Facing History's Reflecting on George Floyd's Death and Police Violence
- The Color Line: the Origins of Racism in the United States
(Register for a free account to access lessons) - Plotting Inequalities, Building Resistance: Students Use Math to Reflect on Social Inequality
(Register for a free account to access lessons) - Facing Ferguson: a Media Study
- "I Can't Breathe" - Lesson from the NY Times Learning Network