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Complicity and Responsibility

Lesson Plan
Painting by Felix Nussbaum - The Refugee
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 provides an opportunity for students to examine the complex issues…
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Transformational Texts: Using Children's Literature to Open Doors on Historical and Current Events

Webinar
Books of the Month Collage
Speakers: Jinnie Spiegler, Director of Curriculum and Training, and Libby Otto, Associate Director of Curriculum and Training, ADL Books for young children about historical topics like enslavement, the Holocaust, Japanese-American internment, voting rights, segregation and genocide present these subjects with both sensitivity and insight. When it comes to current event topics there are many excellent books about immigration and the refugee crisis, racial justice, transgender rights,…
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Coronavirus Highlights and Perpetuates Inequities in Our Society

Article
Workers Disinfect Schools Against Coronavirus in Bojnord
March 24, 2020 Over the last several weeks, we have seen the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic pervade every facet of daily life.  Of course, the chief concern about the novel virus is its impact on community health and our healthcare systems. Beyond the immediate threat of contracting, spreading, and treating the virus, however, are the undeniable ripple effects COVID-19 has on systems and structures in society. States and major cities have taken historic measures to increase social…
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Holocaust Survivors and Liberators

Lesson Plan
Child survivors of Atlit refugee camp
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 The purpose of this unit is to provide students with an understanding of the…
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The Coronavirus Surfaces Fear, Stereotypes and Scapegoating

Article
Multiracial students working on common project and using laptops
Global anxiety about the outbreak of the coronavirus has led to the spread of much misinformation and scapegoating. In schools and communities in the U.S., we have seen incidents of bias, harassment, bullying, isolation, exclusion and racism against the Asian community and those who are perceived as being Chinese or Asian. What is the new coronavirus? According to the World Health Organization (WHO) coronaviruses are: "A large family of viruses found in both animals and…
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Elections, Gender and Bias

Tools and Strategies
Six, formally announced female Presidential candidates
Table Talk: Family Conversations about Current Events The 2020 presidential campaign was distinctive in the number of women who ran for office. Six women in total—the most women ever in the history of elections—ran for President in the Democratic primary. They were: Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawai’i, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Senator Kamala Harris of California, Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Senator Elizabeth Warren of…
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Nazi Germany

Lesson Plan
Adolf Hitler Walking up Steps at an Annual Nazi Party Rally Ceremony
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 The purpose of this unit is for students to learn about the Weimar Republic…
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Liberation at 75: Teaching Strategies and Resources

Article
Old woman and children walking in Auschwitz-Birkenau
January 22, 2020 On January 27th, the anniversary of the allied liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, we commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day in honor of the victims of Nazi persecution. This annual observance provides an opportunity for teachers to focus on the pivotal role of liberators in defeating the Nazis at the culmination of World War II, and as some of the first to bear witness to the horrors of the Holocaust. Here are some strategies and resources to guide you in…
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Emojis and Me

Lesson Plan
Emojis depicting West African culture
GRADE LEVEL: Middle School COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Speaking and Listening, Language Seeing a Positive Reflection of Yourself in Media O’Plérou Grebet, a 22-year-old digital artist from the Ivory Coast, was recently in the news because he created his own emojis, reflecting life in contemporary West Africa. In an interview with CNN, he stated, "I noticed that media and most articles about Africa were talking about the bad sides of the continent only. They reduced the…
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What is Heterosexism and What Can I Do About It?

Tools and Strategies
Kind Teenage Boy Starring a Friendship with Bullied Student
Table Talk: Family Conversations About Current Events Despite advances, LGBTQ+ people continue to face bias, discrimination and injustice in our classrooms, workplaces, media, streets and digital spaces. While great strides have been made in recent years, including marriage equality, there is still much work to do to achieve equity for members of the LGBTQ+ community.  What is heterosexism? Heterosexism (sometimes referred to as homophobia), is defined as: “the…
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Are White Supremacists Coming for Your Teens?

Article
Teenage Boy on Laptop at Home
November 25, 2019 It might be hard to believe, but the reality is white supremacists are trying to recruit your white teenage boys. Parents see white supremacists recruiting online Recently, parents are writing articles that express fear and deliver warnings based on what they’ve been through with their teenage sons. One anonymous parent described the circumstances that led their thirteen-year-old son to join the Alt-right. A misunderstanding about sexual harassment at school…
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Rescuers and Righteous Among the Nations

Lesson Plan
Boat with Jews Sailing from Falster Denmark to Ystad in Sweden, 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 provides students with an opportunity to learn about the…
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It's Adoption Awareness Month. How Can Teachers Be Respectful and Inclusive in the Classroom?

Article
Family holding hands of adopted child
November is National Adoption Awareness Month—an annual reminder that it is important for all of us to raise our awareness about adoption and adoptees. There are approximately 5 million adoptees living in the United States today. Ensuring that your classroom and school are inclusive and respectful of adoptees and their unique experiences is crucial. Words Matter: Positive Adoption Language (PAL) and Inclusivity Educators know that words matter. You understand the harm that is…
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Diversity in Media and Why Visibility Matters

Tools and Strategies
Multi-ethnic Audience Watching Movie in Theater
Table Talk: Family Conversations about Current Events   America’s Got Talent Makes History In a poignant and historical finale, Kodi Lee won the 14th season of America's Got Talent in September 2019. The win was groundbreaking because Lee, an Asian-American man, is a person who has autism and is blind. With his victory, Lee provides inspiration and affirmation for those who share these identity traits, which are rarely seen in mainstream media. For others, Lee’s…
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On-Screen Diversity: Why Visibility in Media Matters

Lesson Plan
Media Concept Smart TV
GRADE LEVEL: Elementary School, Middle School COMMON CORE STANDARDS: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, Language Does Entertainment Represent Our Increasingly Diverse Society? In September 2019, Kodi Lee won America's Got Talent, which was a groundbreaking and emotional victory. Lee is a person who is Asian-American, blind and has autism. While he is one example of on-screen diversity, there is still more work to be done to ensure that the stories told reflect all people…
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Gender-Neutral Pronouns Make Headlines

Tools and Strategies
Merriam Webster's the Binary 'They' Tweet
Table Talk: Family Conversations about Current Events For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers Pronouns matter. There has been a cascade of recent news about the use of ‘they’ and ‘them’ as gender-neutral pronouns. These stories provide a useful teachable moment about the importance of pronouns and in understanding people who are non-binary. Evolving knowledge of pronouns is a result of our society becoming more aware of gender identity and expression. …
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Important Books to Explore Bullying and Ally Behavior

Tools and Strategies
Books on Bullying and Ally Behavior
While bullying is still a problem in schools, the intersection of bias and bullying can be particularly harmful. Identity-based bullying is when a person is targeted based on an essential part of their identity (e.g., race, immigration status, sexual orientation, religion, or gender identity). It is common in schools and not only impacts the targeted person but everyone else around them that shares their identity. Identity-based bullying can leave all students feeling unsafe and fearful that…
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Fake News and What We Can Do about It

Lesson Plan
Fake News Computer Screen Reading Fake News
Civics Lesson GRADE LEVEL: High School What is ‘Fake News’ and How Can We Identify it on Social Media? What is Our Role and Responsibility to Identify and Stop the Spread of Fake News?   The term “fake news” refers to misinformation that presents false, inaccurate, or intentionally misleading information in news stories, current events and other issues. Many of these stories are spread through online sites and social media platforms that…
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Let’s Bring Current Events to Life in the Classroom

Article
Friends Using Mobile Phone on Steps in High School
September 15, 2019 Many have labeled today's young people apathetic and obsessed with their phones — a group not interested in news or improving their communities. Another common assumption is that college students and young adults don't vote and aren’t civically engaged. However, a recent survey dispels these misconceptions. The myth of youth apathy Common Sense Media reveals in a 2019 survey that teens are interested in news. In fact, 78% of thirteen to seventeen year-olds…
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