Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Understanding the Past: Changing the Future

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

Grade: 5th grade, general ed and Integrated Team Teaching
Topics: Racism, Discrimination, Civil Rights
Social Justice Skills: Letter Writing, Peer Education, Critical Thinking

Created by Emily Munzer, Daniel Hildreth and Neil Rathan, 5th grade teachers, Lower East Side, NYC

An in-depth unit on the American Civil Rights movement that spans from the 1940′s to the 1960′s. Students used historical fiction, non fiction resources, and documentary films to develop an understanding of the racial divide in the United States during this time period, identifying the differences between Individual vs. Institutional Racism, learning about key catalysts and leaders of the movement, and creating a content-specific glossary of related terms. The 5th grade ultimately wrote, directed, and acted in a “Living Museum” performance to showcase their understandings.

Find out more: http://noracisminthisclassroom.wordpress.com


2nd Graders Go Fair Trade

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Grade: 2nd Grade: American Sign Language ClassDSCN0224
Topics: Fair Trade, Slave and Child Labor
Social Justice Skills: Letter Writing, Peer Education, Critical Thinking

Created by Mike Nappi

This unit was created to make students think critically about their world. Students learned about the use of slave and child labor in the chocolate industry and the benefits of the Fair Trade system. Students took their knowledge and educated their families and peers about the subject, wrote letters to chocolate company CEOs and took personal steps towards making more just decisions when purchasing chocolate.

Find out more: http://2ndgradersgofairtrade.wordpress.com/