Subject(s): civics, history, social studies, current events

Based on the framework provided by Timothy Snyder in On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, Defending Democracy offers teachers a suite of 15 lessons to support students to be promoters and defenders of democracy and human rights.

Subject(s): current events, history, social studies

What rights do we have in the workplace? And why is it important for workers to know these rights? In Strike!: Workers’ Rights & the Matchwomen of London’s East End, students have the opportunity to learn about their rights as workers, as well as an historical struggle by workers in Victorian London. They will also learn about the importance of solidarity.

Subject(s): current events, teaching tools

Published in October 2023, this brief guide offers suggestions for navigating difficult conversations about Israel and Palestine.

Subject(s): civics, history, social studies

In Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité: Citizenship & Exclusion in Revolutionary France, students explore the plight of social groups whose rights were limited or denied. In the process, they will consider who has rights in their own communities, and whether exclusion continues.

Subject(s): history, media literacy, social studies

Uncovering Misinformation: Expression, Propaganda, and Human Rights is a set of four lessons that provides teachers with resources to educate students about freedom of expression as a basic human right, misinformation, the role of the media, and propaganda. The goal is to provide opportunities for students to learn about misinformation and to develop skills to critically analyze the media that they consume.

Subject(s): civics, current events

Human Rights Are for Everyone: A Guide to Teaching for Positive Change provides an opportunity for creating a vibrant and timely training program about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for youth and adults. It provide the tools for teaching an overview of human rights ideals and an in-depth look at the UDHR. Most importantly, this guide encourages critical thinking, collaboration, and activism.

Subject(s): current events

This lesson is designed to introduce students to international human rights standards and expose students to stories of real people who have had their rights violated and have defended their rights or the rights of others. The lesson's activities allow students to explore the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the framework it provides in the struggle for human rights around the world.

Subject(s): current events, media, teaching tools

Explore our resource pages for each individual article of the UDHR, including lessons and related news stories.

Subject(s): history, social studies

The Stages of Genocide Toolkit is designed to help teachers cover the topic of genocide in a meaningful and incisive way. Using the “Ten Stages of Genocide” framework, it provides an opportunity to explore multiple instances of mass atrocity. The Toolkit also highlights the connection between genocide and human rights.

Subject(s): history, media, social studies

This lesson provides an opportunity to analyze primary sources from the Black Panther Party, Chairman Fred Hampton, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s COINTELPRO operation (1956-1971), which sought to inhibit the effectiveness of Black liberation groups and other activist organizations. These activities provide students with historical context for Judas and the Black Messiah. The lesson also includes a discussion guide for the film.

Subject(s): current events, history, social studies

The process of rebuilding after widespread human rights abuses is often referred to as transitional justice. In the wake of the genocide, Rwandans embarked on their own transitional justice process. In this lesson, students will learn about the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and the ongoing process of transitional justice in the small African nation.

Subject(s): history, social studies

In this activity, students examine the petition, We Charge Genocide: The Historic Petition to the United Nations for Relief from a Crime of the United States Government Against the Negro People. Through a close reading of the petition and a class discussion, students will draw connections from the past to current headlines about racial violence and police brutality in the United States.

Subject(s): current events

Inspired by the podcast Ear Hustle, Inside/Outside/Other: Mass Incarceration in the United States asks students to examine how the dehumanization of incarcerated people, both inside and outside the four walls of prison, allows this system to keep growing.