Background Reading. By Ray Raphael. 7 pages.
Based on his book Founding Myths, Raphael critiques the textbook portrayal of the American Revolution. The textbooks say that "a few special people forged American freedom" which "misrepresents, and even contradicts, the spirit of the American Revolution."
Continue reading
Website. By Debbie Reese.
Critical perspectives of Indigenous peoples in children's books, the school curriculum, popular culture, and society-at-large.
Continue reading
Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow. Rethinking Schools. 13 pages.
A role play on the origins of the modern high school allows students to question aspects of schooling they often take for granted, such as tracking (“ability grouping”) and standardized testing — and to reflect on the racial biases of these so-called reforms.
Continue reading
Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow. 7 pages.
Students read a poignant excerpt from Agnes Smedley's novel, Daughter of Earth, and use it to think and write about how schooling—their own included—teaches lessons about social class.
Continue reading
Teaching Activity. By Gilda L. Ochoa. Rethinking Schools. 5 pages.
Reflections on teaching students about the 1968 walkouts by Chicano students in California.
Continue reading
Article. By Bill Bigelow. Rethinking Schools.
Critique of the popular "Oregon Trail" computer game.
Continue reading
Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow. Rethinking Schools. 3 pages.
Discussion questions and teaching ideas for examining the history of the Pledge of Allegiance and the political milieu in which it was written.
Continue reading
Article. By Bob Peterson.
A critique of social studies textbooks and the rationale for a campaign to rethink them.
Continue reading
Teaching Activity. By Linda Christensen. Rethinking Schools. 21 pages.
Role play and writing activities for language arts and social studies on Brown v. Board and the Little Rock Nine. Designed for use with the memoir Warriors Don’t Cry.
Continue reading
Reading for Teachers. By Bill Bigelow. 7 pages.
Author describes how students applied strategies from the Lawrence strike to their own present day activism.
Continue reading
Book — Non-fiction. By Vincent Harding. 2010 (2nd edition). 240 pages.
A call to educators, clergy, and community activists to remember and keep alive the story of the Black-led freedom movement.
Continue reading
Teaching Guide. Edited by Kathy Emery, Linda Reid Gold and Sylvia Braselmann. Foreword by Howard Zinn. 2008. 456 pages.
Readings and lessons on the 1964 Mississippi Summer Project.
Continue reading
Book — Fiction. By Robert Sharenow. 2009. 320 pages.
Louise's mother spends her mornings at the local elementary school with a group of women known as the Cheerleaders, who harass the school's first Black student, six-year-old Ruby Bridges.
Continue reading
Book — Non-fiction. By Robert P. Moses and Charles E. Cobb Jr. 2001. 256 pages.
Algebra Project founder on math literacy and civil rights.
Continue reading
Book — Non-fiction. By Melba Pattillo Beals. 2007. 336 pages.
Story of a teenage girl chosen to integrate Little Rock High School.
Continue reading
Book — Non-fiction. By Ruby Bridges. 1999. 64 pages.
Biography of Ruby Bridges for middle school.
Continue reading
Teaching Guide. By Wayne Au, Bill Bigelow and Stan Karp. Rethinking Schools. 2007. 240 pages.
Shows how teachers can promote the values of community, justice, and equality while building academic skills. Published by Rethinking Schools.
Continue reading
Book — Non-fiction. By Kyle Ward. 2010. 368 pages.
A critique of the representation of history in textbooks.
Continue reading
Book — Non-fiction. Edited by Leigh Dingerson, Barbara Miner, Bob Peterson, and Stephanie Walters. Rethinking Schools. 2008. 240 pages.
Essays examines the charter school movement's founding visions, on-the-ground realities, and untapped potential.
Continue reading
Teaching Guide. Edited by Eric Gutstein and Bob Peterson. Rethinking Schools. 2013 (2nd edition). 300 pages.
Lessons and articles on social justice math education for elementary and secondary school classrooms.
Continue reading
Teaching Guide. Edited by Rethinking Schools. Rethinking Schools. 2004. 240 pages.
Show how teachers can promote the values of community, justice, and equality while building academic skills.
Continue reading
Book — Fiction. By Toni Morrison. 2004. 80 pages.
Fictional story and real photographs tell the story of desegregation, for upper elementary and above.
Continue reading
Book — Non-fiction. By Richard Kluger. 2004. 880 pages.
One of the first texts, now a classic, on Brown v. Board of Education.
Teaching Activity by Richard Kluger
Continue reading
Picture book. By Amy Littlesugar. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. 2001. 40 pages.
Historical fiction about the 1964 Freedom Schools for upper elementary.
Continue reading
Book — Non-fiction. By Katherine Mellen Charron. 2009. 480 pages.
Biography of Septima Clark who played a major role in the Civil Rights Movement through education.
Continue reading
