Texas Freedom Colonies Project Atlas & Study
Archive. This digital mapping project documents historic Black settlements, called "freedom colonies," founded across Texas from 1866-1930.
Themes: African American
Read More
In Their Own Voice: Activists Tell the History of the Civil Rights Movement
Archive.
The Library of Congress has launched an online collection of oral history interviews with Civil Rights Movement veterans.
Time Periods: 19th Century, 20th Century
Themes: African American, Civil Rights Movements
Read More
The Triangle Factory Fire
Archive.
Extensive online collection of primary documents on the Triangle Factory Fire.
Time Periods: 20th Century, World War I: 1910 - 1919
Themes: Labor
Read More
Tè Tremblé: An Unnatural Disaster: A Trial Role Play Probes the Roots of Devastation in Haiti
Teaching Activity. By Adam Sanchez. Rethinking Schools.
A trial role play asks students to question the role played by the U.S. government and other international actors in the 2010 earthquake.
Time Periods: 21st Century, 2001 - Present
Themes: Imperialism, US Foreign Policy, World History/Global Studies
Read More
U.S. Mexico War: “We Take Nothing by Conquest, Thank God”
Teaching Activity. Lesson by Bill Bigelow and student reading by Howard Zinn. 21 pages. Rethinking Schools.
Interactive activity introduces students to the history and often untold story of the U.S.-Mexico War. Roles available in Spanish.
Time Periods: 19th Century, Early 19th Century: 1800 - 1849
Themes: Imperialism, Latinx, Slavery and Resistance, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Read More
Union Maids
Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow and Norm Diamond.
Activity for students to write from the point of view of one of the women featured in the film Union Maids.
Themes: Art & Music, Labor, Organizing, Social Class, Women's History
Read More
Unleashing Sorrow and Joy: Writing Poetry from History and Literature
Teaching Activity. By Linda Christensen. Rethinking Schools.
Teacher reflection on different ways to effectively incorporate poetry into history or literature classes.
Time Periods: 20th Century, All US History
Themes: Language Arts, Racism & Racial Identity, Women's History
Read More
Unsung Heroes: Encouraging Students to Appreciate Those Who Fought for Social Justice
Teaching Activity. Essay by Howard Zinn and lesson by Bill Bigelow. 17 pages. Rethinking Schools.
Students research and share stories about unsung heroes in U.S. history.
Time Periods: All US History
Themes: Civil Rights Movements, Organizing, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, Women's History
Read More
The Voice of Industry (1845-1848)
Archive.
A digitized collection of the Voice of Industry newspaper, published by young women in Lowell, Mass. from 1845-1848.
Time Periods: 19th Century, Early 19th Century: 1800 - 1849
Themes: Labor, Media, Women's History
Read More
A War to Free the Slaves?
Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow.
Students examine excerpts from Lincoln’s first inaugural address, the rarely mentioned original Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution that Lincoln promised to support, and the Emancipation Proclamation to explore some of the myths about the Civil War.
Time Periods: 19th Century, Civil War Era: 1850 - 1864
Themes: African American, Democracy & Citizenship, Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery and Resistance
Read More
Warriors Don’t Cry: Connecting History, Literature, and Our Lives
Teaching Activity. By Linda Christensen. Rethinking Schools.
Role play and writing activities for language arts and social studies on the Little Rock Nine, Brown v. Board, and schooling in general. Designed for use with the memoir Warriors Don’t Cry.
Time Periods: 20th Century, People’s Movement: 1961 - 1974
Themes: African American, Civil Rights Movements, Education, Language Arts, Racism & Racial Identity
Read More
‘We Had Set Ourselves Free’: Lessons on the Civil Rights Movement
Teaching Activity. By Doug Sherman. Rethinking Schools.
The author describes how he uses biographies and film to introduce students to the role of people involved in the Civil Rights Movement beyond the familiar heroes. He emphasizes the role and experiences of young people in the Movement.
Time Periods: 20th Century, Cold War: 1945 - 1960, People’s Movement: 1961 - 1974
Themes: African American, Civil Rights Movements, Organizing, Racism & Racial Identity
Read More
What Caused the Great Depression? The Widget Boom Game
Teaching Activity. By Adam Sanchez. Rethinking Schools.
A simulation helps students understand the causes of economic crises.
Time Periods: 20th Century, Prosperity, Depression, & World War II: 1920 - 1944
Themes: Economics, Labor, Social Class
Read More
What Rights Do We Have?
Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow and Norm Diamond.
This lesson teaches some of the nuts and bolts of labor unions and then moves beyond to ask students to consider what rights they have at work, and to recognize that “rights” depend in large part on what people have fought for and won.
Themes: Democracy & Citizenship, Labor, Laws & Citizen Rights, Organizing
Read More
What We Don’t Learn About the Black Panther Party — but Should
Teaching Activity. By Adam Sanchez and Jesse Hagopian. 33 pages. Rethinking Schools.
A mixer role play that introduces students to the pivotal and largely untold history of the Black Panthers.
Time Periods: 20th Century, People’s Movement: 1961 - 1974, Post-Civil Rights Era: 1975 - 2000
Themes: African American, Organizing, Racism & Racial Identity, Social Class, Women's History
Read More
‘What We Want, What We Believe’: Teaching with the Black Panthers’ Ten Point Program
Teaching Activity. By Wayne Au. 7 pages. Rethinking Schools.
How students can use the Black Panther Party's Ten Point Program to assess issues in their own communities and to develop Ten Point Programs of their own. Available in Spanish.
Time Periods: 20th Century, People’s Movement: 1961 - 1974
Themes: African American, Civil Rights Movements, Organizing, Racism & Racial Identity
Read More
What the Tour Guide Didn’t Tell Me: Tourism, Colonialism, and Resistance in Hawai’i
Teaching Activity. By Wayne Wah Kwai Au. 5 pages. Rethinking Schools.
Lesson on the history of Hawai'i and the impact of colonization and tourism.
Time Periods: 20th Century, Turn of the Century: 1900 - 1909
Themes: Asian American, Imperialism, Pacific Islander, Racism & Racial Identity, US Foreign Policy
Read More
When the Impossible Suddenly Became Possible: A Reconstruction Mixer
Teaching Activity. By Adam Sanchez and Nqobile Mthethwa. 25 pages.
A mixer role play that explores the connections between different social movements during Reconstruction.
Time Periods: 19th Century, Civil War Era: 1850 - 1864, Reconstruction Period: 1865 - 1876
Themes: African American, Reconstruction, Democracy & Citizenship, Laws & Citizen Rights, Organizing, Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery and Resistance
Read More
Where Are the Climate Change Superheroes? Systems Thinking and Climate Activism in the Children’s Eternal Rainforest
Teaching Activity. By Eric Fishman. Rethinking Schools.
An elementary school teacher developed the engaging Quetzal Conundrum game to help students understand the impact of climate change in Costa Rica.
Time Periods: 21st Century
Themes: Climate Justice, Environment, Food, World History/Global Studies
Read More
Who Fought To End Slavery? Meet the Abolitionists
Teaching Activity. By Adam Sanchez, Brady Bennon, Deb Delman, and Jessica Lovaas.
This mixer role play introduces students to the stories of famous and lesser-known abolitionists, through biography and investigation.
Time Periods: Early 19th Century: 1800 - 1849, Civil War Era: 1850 - 1864
Themes: African American, Organizing, Slavery and Resistance
Read More