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Below are some of my curriculum maps, lessons, units and materials. Please feel free to use them however you'd like, but please also leave comments, notes, and/or other resources. You can add your own related materials by using the "Add File" button.
First Migrations & Migration Today
Humans have been moving around since the beginning of history, thousands of years before borders existed. These lessons (2-3 days) have students trace human migration patterns out of Africa throughout the rest of the world and respond to trends in migration and immigration today. In each case, students will consider: Why do people move? Their homework assignment includes an analysis of the Warsan Shire poem "Home"
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Zip file includes two lesson plans and PowerPoints, outline maps, migration information cards, formatted poem and response
please leave comments below if you use this lesson about how it went and/or upload your own lessons or materials that hit on similar themes or content.
Patriarchy & the Neolithic Revolution
The start of civilization dramatically changes humankind in many ways, including the ways that power was divided between men and women. This lesson looks at how the Neolithic Revolution helped lead to patriarchy, goes deeper into the idea with an excerpt from bell hooks, and engages them in small and large group discussion about how patriarchy and sexism shape their own lives.
Zip file includes lesson plan and PowerPoint with discussion prompts, handout with Neolithic Revolution history and bell hooks excerpt
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We All Need Water to Live
All of the first civilizations in the world start by water. This lesson looks at the importance of water to people's lives and what happened in Flint, Michigan and the North Dakota Access Pipeline when access to safe, clean water was put at risk.
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This lesson was inspired by a panel on water access and community organizing at the 2017 Free Minds Free People Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.
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Zip file includes lesson plan with links to readings and PowerPoint with videos
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Our Ideal Civilization
Before we begin studying the first civilizations, students create their own ideal civilizations with one other person in the class and present them in small groups. In the process, we learn the acronym SPICE (social, political, interactions with environment, cultural, and economics) as a way to study different elements of historical societies.
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Last year, one group created a benevolent monarchy with Beyonce as the queen.
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Zip file includes lesson plan, PowerPoint, SPICE handout
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The Riches of West Africa
The lesson starts by asking students to silently reflect on what they think of when they think of Africa. Immediately afterwards, they are shown a series of 50+ images that show a broad variety of experiences in the continent. Students discuss what stuck out to them, how their initial ideas compared to the images, and where they get information about Africa. They then learn about the history of the gold-salt kingdoms of West Africa. Finally, for homework, they respond to Donald Trump's comment about Africa as a "sh*thole country" based on what they've learned.
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Zip file includes lesson plan, PowerPoint with all images, repsonse to Trump hw assignment
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Economies of the Mexicas/Aztecs and Incas
Students will look at key elements of the economic systems of the Mexica and Inca economies like meritocracy, taxes through work, providing for all, running a money-less system, and caring for the environment and will consider how these compare and contrast to their own ideas about what makes an economy "fair."
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Zip file includes lesson plan, PowerPoint, handout for their opinions, historical information and discussion cards
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Myths of Spanish Conquest
Students compare and contrast the stories told by the Spanish -- many of which have remained part of the dominant narrative to this day -- about their take over of the Mexica/Aztec Empire. Students will analyze why the Spanish told this version of the story and what that means for how we read and understand history.
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Zip file includes lesson plan, PowerPoint, graphic organizer, and additional reading for homework
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African Diaspora in Latin America UNIT coming soon
This unit uses the African Diaspora as a lens for studying the Transatlantic Slave Trade in Latin America and the Caribbean. As a class, we use Brazil (the country that took more enslaved people from Africa than anywhere else in the world) as a case study to understand 1) what the Transatlantic Slave Trade was like and how it was connected to new racial hierarchies 2) how enslaved people resisted slavery (including, for Brazil, quilombos, capoeira, and religious beliefs like Candomblé) and 3) African Diaspora past and present (e.g. music, dance, political movements, race and racism today, food, literature and poetry, etc.). Students then choose their own country in Latin America or the Caribbean, complete research on those three elements in their country, and create a website to share their findings.
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Sample student websites here; Sample teacher website here.
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Zip file includes unit plan, lesson plans with PowerPoints, materials for each lesson, Student Guide for Making a Website
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Year-Long Curriculum Map
My year-long curriculum map, including year-long essential questions, learning goals, and skills and a break down of each thematic unit. ​
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pdf of curriculum map
please leave comments if you use this map and upload your own related lessons or materials
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