Some topics can be difficult to discuss in the classroom. We have complied resources here to help educators address a wide change of social issues with their students, including lesson plans, informational sites, and articles.
Even though the majority of the population is anti-slavery and anti-discrimination, many of us have prejudices without realizing it. It is important for all students to learn about race because our country is one made up of diverse peoples.
With gender identity coming into a greater focus in the media nowadays, it is so important for students to learn about the concept in the classroom in order for them to be more accepting and understanding of the people and the ever-changing world around them.
Just because someone is part of a religious community in which a few extreme members have committed harmful acts doesn’t make all Muslims dangerous. In order for students to grow up and understand this concept, teachers should provide students with resources that encourage them to learn about Islam and accept Muslims.
Over the years, economic inequality, in particular, has become even more prominent as the rich have become richer and the poor have become poorer. It is important for students to be aware of this concept as they enter the real world and begin to face its challenges.
Teaching students about gender equality and its impacts at a young age will make all the difference in creating equal opportunities for everyone despite their gender.
In today’s world, students are so accustomed to having any information they need at their fingertips, they don’t realize that not all of this news is real. Teaching students about fake news and its repercussions is an important job and not one to be taken lightly.
Having empathy is an important trait for any person to possess because it helps us to understand one anothers’ experiences and communicate effectively with others. Teaching students about empathy will be extremely beneficial for them (and the rest of the world) in the long run.
Educating students about different types of disabilities, some of which their peers may have or will have in the future, is extremely beneficial not only to the individual student but also to those with disabilities.
Not all citizens utilize this right to vote at 18 or understand civic engagement. In order for this to change, students need to learn how their government works, the process of voting, and how they can become involved.
The more the public doesn’t understand diagnoses like Autism, ADHD, Asperger’s syndrome, and dyslexia, the worse things will get for those with these conditions. Teaching students about neurodiversity is the first of many steps to creating an inclusive community that is accepting of all, neurodivergent or neurotypical.
Police brutality, as unfortunate as it is, does occur in today’s society more often than it should and is frequently accompanied by racist stereotypes or plain racism. Learning about how to properly interact with police officers, the history of police violence and shootings, and how racism is commonly a factor in this brutality is important for any and all students.
September 9th, 2001, is a day that will forever stick in the minds of most Americans, but for most young people today 9/11 is no longer a current event but a historical one. How do we teach this event that has forever altered so many aspects of American life from our military conflicts to persistent Islamophobia to government surveillance? It is an important part of our history that allows us to understand how we got now and our present climate.