Grades:
9
10
11
12
Learners explore character traits and life lessons through folktales from various American cultures. The stories illustrate the impact of "paying a debt forward" rather than "paying it back."
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Unit: Generosity of Spirit Folktales
Grades:
9
10
11
12
Sometimes you have to give up what you truly love to get what you really want. That can be a hard lesson when you have almost nothing. This lesson looks at who has the responsibility to be generous and what changes can come about because of one’s generosity.
Grades:
9
10
11
12
These Australian folktales compare selfish and unselfish behaviors and tell the origin story of our permanent responsibility as caretaker of the land.
Unit: Kwanzaa: Unity Within Community
Grades:
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Learners develop an understanding of the seven principles of Kwanzaa through artistic applications. They are challenged to apply the principles to their everyday lives in a way that enhances the communities to which they belong.
Grades:
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
This lesson introduces the origin and purpose of Kwanzaa. Young people make a kinara, or candle holder, to use for the rest of the unit as they learn about the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
Unit: Art for the Common Good—Junkanoo!
Grades:
6
7
8
Junkanoo is a Bahamian Festival that takes place in December. The festival was started by slaves who were restoring some of their native customs that they left behind in Africa. Junkanoo is a nice example of artistic expression communicating aspects of a...
Unit: Bullying Prevention Plan
Unit:
Grades:
9
10
11
12
In this lesson, learners explore and address the following questions: Who are the minority voices of the past and how has the civil society sector stepped in to protect their rights? What actions were effective? What public policies are in place to protect them? Who are the bullied today and...
Unit: Cinderella Stories
Unit:
Grades:
K
1
2
Students read an African version of the Cinderella story so that they can compare versions and increase their sense of story.
Unit: Exploring the Timeline of US Philanthropy
Grades:
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
With similar motivations to present-day refugees, African Americans moved north in the mid-1800s to escape slavery and unsafe living conditions in the South. Detroit was an important location where Conductors on the Underground Railroad helped thousands to cross the Detroit River into Canada. In...
Unit: Challenging Social Boundaries
Grades:
9
10
11
12
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...