Walt Whitman’s featured letter on the conditions at a Union army camp when he went in search of his wounded brother can serve as an engaging launch point for a classroom lesson on the Battle of Fredericksburg and the Civil War.
The half-century anniversary of the Loving Supreme Court case offers a valuable opportunity for students to examine this key decision in furthering marriage equality.
The featured naturalization petition belonging to Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s daughter, who lost her U.S. citizenship when she married an Englishman, can spark an interesting lesson on citizenship rights, women’s suffrage, and the Fourteenth Amendment.
This year’s Carter G. Woodson winners include books about a Chinese American trail chef who helped bring attention to national parks; Rep. John Lewis’s civil rights activism; and a look at American immigration history.
When students are put in charge of examining a political or social-issue movie and preparing a class presentation, they become more critical consumers of film.
While Hollywood has finally caught up with the times in regards to portraying the histories of LGBTQ individuals, the social studies curriculum is still lagging.
By understanding how cinematic devices are used to direct audience’s emotions and interpretations, students can develop a critical eye for film and a richer construction of meaning.
Making documentaries about human rights engages students in the full Inquiry Arc of the C3 Framework, culminating in taking informed action through film production.
Analyzing historical movies and TV dramas for content, structure, and themes can help students advance their media literacy and historical literacy skills.