Frame a Special Item
Students identify an object that holds special meaning and learn about each other by sharing the stories of these special items.
Envisioning Our Classroom Space
Students analyze a poem in order to determine the qualities of a classroom community where members are seen, valued, and heard.
The Power of Representation: Patsy Takemoto Mink, Shirley Chisholm, and Kamala Harris
Use this mini-lesson to help students learn about the groundbreaking careers of Patsy Takemoto Mink and Shirley Chisholm and to consider the significance of Vice President Kamala Harris’s election.
Create a Toolbox for Care
This mini-lesson invites students to think about the “tools” they have access to during the coronavirus pandemic that can help them take care of themselves, others, and their wider community.
What Is Our Obligation To Asylum Seekers?
Help students understand how the United States’ complex asylum process works. Invite them to consider the question, who has an obligation to asylum seekers?
Haitian Migrants at the US–Mexico Border
This mini-lesson uses images and firsthand accounts of Haitian migrants to humanize the events happening at the US–Mexico border and give shape and nuance to the news.
Civic Self-Portrait
Students reflect on the meaning of civic participation and create a self-portrait that helps them visualize the elements of being a civic agent.
Pronouncing Names
Students examine the importance of pronouncing names correctly through this class activity.
Contracting for Back to School
Develop a classroom contract to create a brave and reflective community of mutual respect and inclusion.
Building Connections with Concentric Circles
Students build connections with their peers by sharing small details about themselves in paired discussion.
Create a Goal and Discover Your “Why”
This student goal-setting activity helps students set SMART personal goals for the school year and discover their source of motivation.