Six Resources that Honor Jewish Voices on Yom HaShoah

Posted by Emily Weisberg on April 9, 2015

Next week marks Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day. While Yom HaShoah affords us the opportunity to honor the memory of those we lost during the Holocaust, it's also a time to commemorate and celebrate the vibrancy and diversity of the lives and communities decimated during this dark moment in history.

Topics: Classrooms, Art, Books, Online Tools, Benjamin B. Ferencz, Memory, Choosing to Participate, Facing History Resources, Teaching, Holocaust, Upstanders, Teaching Resources, Survivor Testimony, Video, History

On the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide

Posted by Adam Strom on April 7, 2015

In September 1939, just before the invasion of Poland and the beginning of the Nazi Holocaust, Adolf Hitler asked his generals, “Who today still speaks of the massacre of the Armenians?”

Topics: Armenian Genocide, Facing History Resources, Genocide/Collective Violence, Teaching Resources, History

Soul Music and the Civil Rights Era: Respecting Self and the Other

Posted by Andrew Reese on April 5, 2015

Welcome to the third installment of our four-part blog series exploring the connections between music, history, and social change. In this third lesson, students will learn about two Stax Records recordings that both address respect: Otis Redding's "Respect" and the Staple Singers' "Respect Yourself."

Topics: Art, Teaching Resources, Video, Civil Rights, Sounds of Change, Common Core State Standards, Flipped Classroom, Facing Technology

How Can History of Lynching Help Us Understand Issues of Race and Justice in “To Kill a Mockingbird”?

Posted by Julia Rappaport on April 2, 2015

In a blog post up now on the New York Times Learning Network, Facing History and Ourselves Senior Program Associate Laura Tavares pairs an article about the recent report documenting the history of racial lynching in America with an excerpt of To Kill a Mockingbird

Topics: To Kill a Mockingbird, Professional Development, Facing History Resources, Teaching, Race and Membership, Teaching Resources, History

Four Resources to Teach About Genocide Awareness and Prevention

Posted by Julia Rappaport on March 30, 2015

In several areas of the United States, April is recognized as Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month.
Here are four classroom resources you can use in April, or any time of year, to introduce your students to specific moments in world history while encouraging them to consider the behaviors—such as prejudice, stereotyping, and conformity—that contribute to the proliferation of violence today.

Topics: Art, Books, Professional Development, Armenian Genocide, Facing History Resources, Holocaust, Genocide/Collective Violence, Teaching Resources, Video, History

Soul Music and the Civil Rights Era: Breaking the Racial Barriers

Posted by Andrew Reese on March 29, 2015

Welcome to the second installment of our four-part blog series exploring the connections between music, history, and social change. In this second lesson, students will be introduced to Booker T & the MGs, who were the house band for many Stax Records artists, in addition to being an independent act.

Topics: Teaching Resources, Video, Civil Rights, Sounds of Change, Common Core State Standards, Flipped Classroom, Facing Technology

Music and Identity

Posted by Andrew Reese on March 22, 2015

This week we're kicking off a four-part blog series exploring the connections between music, history, and social change.

Topics: Art, Facing History and Ourselves, Teaching Resources, Video, Civil Rights, Sounds of Change, Diversity, Common Core State Standards, Flipped Classroom, Facing Technology

Five Facing History Resources That Use Poetry to Build Skills

Posted by Julia Rappaport on March 20, 2015

April is National Poetry Month in the United States. By writing, reading, and analyzing poetry, students can study important lessons from history and explore topics of religion, culture, community, and identity. Get ready with five resources that use poetry to build reading and writing skills and encourage student voice.

Topics: Classrooms, Books, English Language Arts, Poetry, Writing, Students, Facing History Resources, Holocaust, Memoir, Teaching Resources, Survivor Testimony

Confronting Antisemitism

Posted by Karen Murphy on March 18, 2015

Last week, the United States media reported on an event that took place at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).

A month ago, UCLA student Rachel Beyda put herself forward as a candidate for a student judicial board position. In the interview process, a student board member asked her, "Given that you are a Jewish student and very active in the Jewish community, how do you see yourself being able to maintain an unbiased view?"

Members of the board then debated her candidacy and her ability to be unbiased.

Topics: Antisemitism, Facing History Resources, Religious Tolerance, Holocaust, Teaching Resources, History

What Role Can Music Play as an Agent of Change?

Posted by Andrew Reese on March 15, 2015

What is soul music?