“Why are people marching?” Given today’s level of activism, this is a plausible question many students may have. Although only some students voice the questions, it is very likely that many more have pondered why people are protesting after seeing reports of events such as the Women’s March (equality for women), March for Our Lives (about gun control), Black Lives Matter (for racial justice), Janitors March (for fair pay), and Keep Families Together (demanding the Trump administration reunite immigrant families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border). As elementary teachers, our subsequent…

This set of books offers insight into Canadian aboriginal cultures and the contributions of these groups to the fabric of the nation.

Those who would ban or burn books recognize that the threat to their power comes when people learn to think for themselves.

Two noteworthy books can help young learners grapple with significant societal issues such as poverty and homelessness and can help teachers introduce students to the vocabulary of civic action.

Social studies teachers can gain valuable insight from Kathleen Wellman’s book about U.S. and world history textbooks created by conservative Christian publishing houses.

This ninth-grade inquiry invites students to analyze arguments about banning certain books while also asking them to consider what makes a book worth reading.  

Elementary teachers can help nurture the next generation of citizen-activists with two books that explore examples of young people engaging in civic action.

The Haitian Revolution was the largest and most successful slave revolt in the world. Why is it rarely discussed or taught in U.S. classrooms?   

Teaching about the civil rights movement in the elementary grades has, in many schools, focused exclusively on the lives of Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. Many students are well versed in the content of King’s “I Have A Dream” speech, and they know well that Rosa did not give up her seat on the bus. While these moments and heroes of the movement are essential in the study of this era in history, the study of more obscure and lesser known people and events is a great way to deepen our students’ understanding of the sacrifices that so many thousands of ordinary people made in the…

This article posits that children’s literature can present difficult knowledge about wars in a child-friendly way. The author shares transnational children’s literature and a sample lesson to teach about the Korean War in a more critical and complete manner than is usually provided to students