This segment from American Experience: Simple Justice captures the legal issues and opening arguments in Brown v. Board of Education.
If you set out to do your own primary research with a tradition-bearer in your community, this guide will be very valuable. Get information about how to get the best results, along with an extensive list of possible questions for the person to be interviewed.
Born into slavery and never able to read or write, Sojourner Truth nonetheless was a tired and famous advocate for both abolition and women's voting rights.
Easy-to-read article explores every election, from George Washington to the present. Which political parties have come and gone? Who has been elected more times than anybody else?
The President of the United States has extraordinary power over the shaping of federal laws. He or she can veto any law passed by Congress.
The Supreme Court is the highest in the land. It has nine members and decides whether laws are unconstitutional. It handles appeals from federal courts or state supreme courts. Learn more about how it works and some famous Justices.
Learn some quick facts about each of the original thirteen English colonies.
Thurgood Marshall successfully convinced the Supreme Court to rule that segregation was illegal in Brown v. Board of education, then later served on the Court itself. Find out more about this famous lawyer.
This video from the Wide Angle film "Birth of a Surgeon" provides an overview of the issue of maternal mortality in Mozambique and an innovative program to try to tackle this problem. The program trains midwives and nurses to perform cesareans and other life-saving procedures during pregnancy and delivery. [2:16]
In this video segment from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, view the reactions of citizens from Lewiston, Maine as Somali immigrants settle in their community.
In 2005, FRONTLINE/World featured the PlayPump, a promising new technology that pumped fresh water when children played on a merry-go-round. The story appealed to the good intentions of politicians, celebrities, and funders, who gave support to installing thousands of these devices in Africa. In this video, reporter Amy Costello continues her investigation into what happened to those communities as the promise of the PlayPump fell short, villages were left with non-working PlayPumps for months, and the device's biggest American boosters began to back away from a technology they had once championed. [23:42]
Lesson 5 is about exploring the future and the possibilities it holds. Students listen to Sun Ra's "Space is the Place" and research recent Jupiter or Saturn-related discoveries from various sources. They then make a prediction about the future and describe a future they would like. The lesson concludes with a design challenge where students weave together their prediction with their desired future. Students are encouraged to share their ideas and discuss what inspires them to envision the future. An optional extension allows students to engage in discussion and publish/submit their predictions and futures on social media.
Estimated time required: 1-2 class periods.
Technology required for this lesson: Augmented Reality, Internet Connectivity, Laptop/Desktop, Smartphone, Tablet, Tablet or Smartphone.
Students explore the connection between spirituals and Afrofuturism through the themes found in the "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" and examine the flier for an event called "The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni." Students discuss the intersection of Afrofuturism and spirituals and the significance of the spiritual in Black literature and culture. Explore how new technology can impact an artist like Nikki Giovanni, or how she impacts it. The final discussion will focus on Black Love Day and the "I Will Protect Black People" contract, and how these topics contribute to a deeper understanding of Afrofuturism and Nikki Giovanni's work. Students will have 20+ minutes to give feedback on Kinfolk’s Nikki Giovanni project and/ or send love to her.
Estimated time required: 1-2 class periods.
Technology required for this lesson: Augmented Reality, Internet Connectivity, Laptop/Desktop, Smartphone, Tablet, Tablet or Smartphone.
People make the past come alive as students research and then share stories about famous Americans who promoted democratic ideals.
Students learn about the life and influences of Sun Ra through a series of clips, artifacts, and texts. They engage in a 4-minute video viewing and a 15-minute examination of artifacts, including books and music. After wrapping up the lesson, students will discuss their takeaways about Sun Ra and preview the next lesson, where they will learn about his cosmic sound and his connection to other artists.
Estimated time required: 1-2 class periods.
Technology required for this lesson: Augmented Reality, Internet Connectivity, Laptop/Desktop, Smartphone, Tablet, Tablet or Smartphone.
Listen as Jacqueline Novogratz discusses investing in sustainable small business solutions for the world's poor. The goal, says Novogratz, CEO of Acumen Fund, is to find a way to bring essential services to low income people not just today but in a way that's sustainable over time.
This article provides an overview of energy education curriculum materials available from the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project. Teachers may become a member, or use free online resources.
In this video adapted from Earth Island Institute, meet a high school student who educated her community about how a coal-burning power plant was contributing to asthma and other health problems there.
This video from Religion & Ethics Newsweekly features Timbuktu, one of the most remote and inaccessible places on the planet and a former thriving center of Islamic learning.
Learn about the safe haven that school provides for the children of Brazil's shantytowns. [2:59]