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Enhancing Holocaust Instruction: 5 Tips to Prioritize Questions in the Classroom

Article
Closeup of student raising hand in classroom. Other students and teacher at front of classroom.
by: Jesse Tannetta March 04, 2021 Good questions are essential to sound pedagogy and solid teaching. As teachers, we spend countless hours creating questions for exams and structured discussions. We even construct questions spontaneously during dialogue with students, hoping to generate critical thinking and deeper cognition. At Echoes & Reflections, our pedagogy guides us to encourage inquiry-based learning; the best way to do this is to inspire students to create their own questions and…
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Young People in the Civil Rights Movement

Lesson Plan
Little Rock Nine Escorted by 101st Airborne Division
Civics Lesson GRADE LEVEL: High School How Were Youth Involved in the Civil Rights Movement? Throughout history, young people have stepped up and into leadership roles during different civil rights and social movements. This was never more evident than in the Civil Rights Movement, where young people were on the frontlines of the Montgomery bus boycotts, Freedom Rides and sit-ins. Given that student activism is on the rise again across the U.S., understanding how those young voices…
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How to Effectively Respond to Bias Incidents in Your Schools

Webinar
Youth in Discussion
Wednesday, March 3, 2021 Presenters: Danika Manso-Brown, Associate Education Director, and Caterina Rodriguez, Director of PreK-12 Education Programs, ADL This webinar will help participants understand how to use ADL's toolkit, "Responding to Bias Incidents in Middle and High Schools: Resources and Best Practices for School Administrators & Educators," to address incidents effectively at their schools. By educating students about the impact of harmful language and behaviors,…
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Creating a Brave Space

Lesson Plan
Teenage girl talks during group discussion of a diverse group of teens and adults
Civics Lesson GRADE LEVEL: High School What is My Role in Creating and Participating in a Brave Space for Myself and Others?Educators want a welcoming classroom where every student feels appreciated, supported and able to express their ideas. While creating a safe space has been the focus for a long time, we are now calling on educators and students to create “brave spaces.” These are spaces where everyone feels that they can contribute, that they will be heard and they…
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Resources to Address and Challenge Antisemitism

Tools and Strategies
Teacher Talking to Upset Student in a Classroom
The topic of antisemitism is complex, deeply historical and has a myriad of elements to it. Antisemitism is not only about defaming and attacking the Jewish community; it is a symptom of a larger issue. While antisemitism has sometimes escalated to violence as we saw at the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting, it more often appears in subtler ways, such as insensitive remarks or “jokes” that are brushed off, or negative stereotypes that go unchallenged. Today, Jewish young people…
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Teaching Women's History in March and Beyond

Article
Five women of different nationalities illustration, standing together looking to the right
February 25, 2021 The idea of dedicating a month to Women’s History came about in 1981 when Congress requested the President proclaim a week in March as “Women’s History Week.” In 1986, the National Women’s History Project played a significant role in expanding the observance to the entire month of March. Women’s History Month recognizes and honors the historical and present-day achievements, milestones and experiences of women. Over time, other countries…
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Empowering Young People in the Aftermath of Hate (In English and Español)

Tools and Strategies
Father Comforts Sad Child
What Educators and Family Members Can DoToday, local, national or international tragedies happen so frequently that they can feel almost commonplace. When a hate crime, mass shooting, act of terrorism or other terrible and hate-inspired event occurs, one of the first questions many people ask is, what should we tell the children? How can we explain to them what has happened? Despite our best efforts to protect youth from the details of hate-motivated events, we can never assume that they are…
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A Guide for Responding to School-Based Bias Incidents

Tools and Strategies
Teenage girl talks in group therapy session
Is your school experiencing a bias or hate incident?Whether it be a racist “joke,” slur, stereotype or some other form of implicit or explicit bias, school community members must be committed to addressing bias-related incidents in schools. Educators and school administrators play vital roles in creating an environment where all students can learn and thrive. Cultivating an equitable and inclusive school community requires ensuring that historically marginalized students are…
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Powers of Governments

Lesson Plan
Metal wheels interlocking with words written on them such as rules, policies
Civics Lesson GRADE LEVEL: High School Which Form of Government Has the Most Power? What are the Differences in Power Between Each Form of Government? Which Form of Government Has the Most Power to Address Equity and Social Justice Issues?   Aside from the separation of powers at the federal level, the U.S. Constitution also describes the power relationships between state and federal governments, how that power will be distributed, and the relationships between the…
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The Dangers of Disinformation

Tools and Strategies
Protestor standing in front of U.S. Capitol holding sign that reads "Check Facts Before Posting"
Table Talk: Family Conversations about Current EventsOn Wednesday, January 6, 2021, Congress met in the U.S. Capitol to count electoral votes and certify the results of the 2020 Presidential election. This is a formality that takes place every four years under our country’s system for choosing its President and Vice President. While this took place, a violent mob of right-wing extremists and others, who came to Washington, D.C. (and several state capitals) to disrupt and overturn the…
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Human Rights

Lesson Plan
Scales of Justice, Universal declaration of human rights
Civics Lesson GRADE LEVEL: High School What are Human Rights? What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?   In 1946, in the immediate aftermath of World War II, with hopes of preventing future atrocities, an international committee with varied legal and cultural backgrounds began to draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The UDHR was proclaimed by the new United Nations General Assembly in 1948. This document contains 30 Articles that set a standard…
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Books Matter™: The Power of Children's Literature

Article
Kids Reading Books
Anyone who has ever read to or with a child—parent, family member, teacher or friend—knows books leave lasting impressions. Beyond the educational benefits, books have the power to instill empathy, affirm, teach, transport and inspire action. Books matter. EmpathyIn exposing children to other people’s stories and the motivations and feelings behind those narratives, children begin to connect with others on an emotional level, which is the foundation for bridging differences…
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Let’s Avoid Holocaust Analogies in the Public Square

Article
Holocaust Museum
November 18, 2020 By: Shaya Lerner The Holocaust will be forever remembered as one of the most horrific events of the 20th century. The murder of six million Jews and millions of others carried out by the Nazis and their collaborators was the largest recorded genocide in modern history. There is simply no equivalent event, historical or current, that compares with it.  Despite this, over the past few months, both prior to and after the Presidential election, there have been an…
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Diverse and Complex Narratives Cultivate Empathy and Action

Article
Image of a protest from NBC's Superstore TV show.
November 10, 2020 How people are portrayed on television – matters. Increasingly diverse storylines, characters and content creators are widely seen as positive, but how is this trend affecting the prevalence of stereotypes in our culture? Is it increasing our ability to empathize and act? In a recent study, Define American and USC’s Norman Lear Center examined depictions of immigrants on television and the impact of those portrayals. The study examined depictions of 129 unique…
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Government 101: What is a Government?

Lesson Plan
Close up angled view of the U.S. Supreme Court
Civics Lesson GRADE LEVEL: High School What is a Government? What are Different Forms of Government? What is My Relationship to Government?   Governments, and the act of governing, have been part of human society for thousands of years. Governments have shifted and changed in the way they represent, operate and control, but one thing remains the same: they are created to organize groups of people and provide structure and accountability. Understanding the concept of…
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Writing a Bill

Lesson Plan
Close up on a notary public hand signing a document
Civics Lesson GRADE LEVEL: High School How Do I Write a Bill? When a change in the law is desired, whether at the community, state, or national level, people need to understand the processes of making that desired change, a bill, into a law. Submitting a bill for consideration by the legislature involves writing, revising and sharing bills with a focus on passing them in a Senate hearing. About the Lesson Plan In this lesson, students will brainstorm to identify changes they…
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The Supreme Court and the Right to Marry

Lesson Plan
John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney during a Marriage Equality Rally stand in front of the U.S. Supreme Court
Civics Lesson GRADE LEVEL: High School What Were the Multiple Perspectives of the Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court Based on During the Repeal of DOMA? According to the Supreme Court Decision, Who Has the Right to Marry? What Assurances Do We Have that the Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court are Able to Be Non-partisan and Avoid Bias When Deciding a Case?   The Judicial branch of the U.S. government is headed by the Supreme Court. This court analyzes and judges cases…
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What is the Electoral College and Why Is it Controversial?

Tools and Strategies
Electoral College Map Numbers by State in the U.S.
Table Talk: Family Conversations about Current EventsThe Electoral College is an election topic that inspires confusion, controversy and conflict. Many people know that the Electoral College is part of the Presidential election process but may be unsure about its importance and how it works. In the early days of our country’s formation, deciding on the process for electing a U.S. President was a controversial topic. Some suggested that Congress should choose the President. Others…
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Studying the Holocaust

Lesson Plan
Jews Forcibly Pulled Out of Dugouts, 1943
Echoes & Reflections is dedicated to reshaping the way that teachers and students understand, process and navigate the world through the events of the Holocaust. They partner with educators to help them introduce students to the complex themes of the Holocaust and to understand its lasting effect on the world. GRADE LEVEL: Middle School, High School COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening This unit introduces students to the Holocaust by providing a…
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Gaining Momentum: Lobbying for Change

Lesson Plan
Young woman shakes hands at interview
Civics Lesson GRADE LEVEL: High School How Do Lobbyists Impact the Democratic Process? What are Effective Ways of Lobbying? How Might I Lobby for My Bill?   “Lobbying” is an effort by individuals and groups to influence government decisions and actions, and specifically the writing of laws. Lobbying can take different forms including writing letters, making phone calls to legislators and meeting with people in the administration. As student activism in…
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