To have students identify the things that are important in their lives as a means of finding a “passion” or “passions” the class holds in common. Students will then identify causes that deal with an issue related to their shared passion. This will guide the teacher in selecting and promoting...
Depictions of hunger in excerpts from Jane Eyre and Oliver Twist provide concrete images of hunger as learners determine its causes and decide whether to support a change in U.S. public policy related to the issue.
Through discussion of the book The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss, we learn about tolerance and the value of diversity in community.
In this lesson, students define serial reciprocity as "paying it forward." They compare the concept of paying it forward (serial reciprocity) with the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. They brainstorm issues and campaigns they can address to make an impact that ripples forward as a result of...
Through a video and simulation activity, young people build an understanding of life as a refugee.
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Expanding on the lesson about critical conversations, participants explore ways to use their voices for good. The book Say Something by Peter Reynolds encourages readers to find their own way to express their voice - through speaking, poetry, song, and other ways.
The youth reflect on basic needs that may be difficult to meet when one doesn’t have a home. They take action by creating personal hygiene kits or asking a local nonprofit how they can help support their efforts to assist people who are homeless.
Through two readings, we learn about racist attitudes and practices in the transportation systems that were supported by Jim Crow laws in the 1940s South. When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, it was a final stand after years of injustice and continuous acts of protest. We learn how her...
Through folktales from around the world, learners explore humans' important role as caretakers of the Earth and the role of civil society in environmental stewardship.
Fables teach lessons or morals through animal actions. The exaggerated human-like characteristics of animals make the moral lesson appealing. The story of the "Lion and the Mouse" illustrates that a kind deed is never wasted.