Resource Library
Find compelling classroom resources, learn new teaching methods, meet standards, and make a difference in the lives of your students.
We are grateful to The Hammer Family Foundation for supporting the development of our on-demand learning and teaching resources.
Introducing Our US History Curriculum Collection
Draw from this flexible curriculum collection as you plan any middle or high school US history course. Featuring units, C3-style inquiries, and case studies, the collection will help you explore themes of democracy and freedom with your students throughout the year.
Flower or Weed?
To develop schema for the poem "Identity," students reflect on the pros and cons of being a flower or a weed.
“Identity” by Julio Noboa Polanco
In this poem, Julio Noboa Polanco chooses to reject conformity and instead embrace and celebrate individuality.
What Do I Value?
Students use this worksheet to help them identify and explore their own values—the things that matter most to them.
Why Do People Need to Belong? Quotations
This handout contains cards that teachers can print and distribute to students for a "Mix and Mingle" activity about membership.
Why Do People Need to Belong?
This informational text about belonging explores why humans seek belonging and the positive and negative aspects of forming social groups.
“Rehearsal for the New World” with Introduction by Ada Limón
In this podcast episode of “The Slowdown,” poet Ada Limón reflects on belonging and reads a poem by Hazem Fahmy.
“Rehearsal for the New World” Transcript
Students use this handout to read, analyze, and discuss the poem “Rehearsal for the New World”.
Jonathan Lykes Performs "Perception"
Facing History student Jonathan Lykes presented his poem "Perception" at a Facing History benefit dinner. The poem, which won a regional poetry contest, is about how prejudice influences our decisions about helping others.
"How to Bloom in Dark Places” by Warsan Shire
Poet Warsan Shire tells the story of a young Somali-born refugee in this poem from the film Brave Girl Rising.
We Wear The Mask
In this poem, Paul Laurence Dunbar reflects on the experience of African Americans in post-Civil War America and the universal human behavior of hiding an aspect of ourselves.
Using Identity Charts to Teach Mockingbird
A middle school teacher guides students in a group discussion around the question “What is identity?” as a pre-reading activity in a To Kill a Mockingbird unit.