Lesson Plans for Every Classroom
Who Speaks for Us? Why Representation Matters
In the U.S. 2026 midterm elections, there were many “historical firsts.” Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman Governor in U.S.history. Abdul El-Sayed is now the first Muslim Senator in the U.S. Chris Pappas became the first openly gay man in the Senate. There are many others. These historical firsts are important and meaningful because the people we elect to represent us should not only represent our views, opinions and policy positions. They should also be representative of the diversity of our country. In this lesson, students will explore the concept of “representation,” learn about some of the historical firsts elected during the 2026 midterm elections, and research one of those elected officials in depth.
Bystander to Action
When young people are targeted by bias or bullying–whether it’s at school, in social situations, or online–there are often bystanders. There may be one bystander, a few, or many bystanders. Among other reasons, oftentimes the “bystander effect” takes hold and no one says or does anything when witnessing bias or bullying. In this lesson, students will learn about the bystander effect, reflect on their own experiences with bystanding, and examine bystander scenarios in order to explore possible actions.
Unseen Challenges: Raising Awareness of Invisible Disabilities
People with invisible disabilities face specific challenges that are often overlooked when analyzing the bias that people with disabilities experience. They may encounter misunderstanding, judgment and stigma. They may not be believed or feel they have to justify their disability. They also may not get the proper diagnosis of their condition or the accommodations they need. This lesson provides an opportunity for students to learn more about invisible disabilities, reflect on the bias and other challenges people face and analyze school-based scenarios that involve students with invisible disabilities.
National Hispanic Heritage Month: People Making a Difference Today
National Hispanic Heritage Month is a month-long celebration in the U.S. that honors the history, contributions and achievements of Hispanic/Latine American people. It takes place every year from September 15-October 15. There are many different ways to honor National Hispanic Heritage Month. One way is to focus on contemporary Hispanic/Latine people who are making a difference and impacting our society. In this lesson, students will learn more about National Hispanic Heritage Month, explore what it means to be notable, and gain knowledge about contemporary Hispanic/Latine people who are making a difference today.
Spotlight on Social Media: Meta Lawsuit & Its Impact on Young People
In August 2026, Meta, the company that owns social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, settled a lawsuit brought by 29 U.S. states. The states accused Meta of designing their apps to be addictive to young people, knowing about the risks to them, but hiding that information from the public. Meta settled out of court, paying up to $17 billion in penalties to the states and agreeing to make changes to their social media platforms. The changes are designed to help protect teens from the mental health harms associated with social media use. In this lesson, students will learn about the Meta lawsuit, explore the connection between social media and mental health, and reflect on the new social media guidelines.
Celebrating and Commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month is a month-long celebration in the U.S. that honors the history, contributions and achievements of Hispanic American people. It takes place every year from September 15-October 15. Schools, communities and people celebrate National Hispanic Heritage (NHHM) in a variety of ways.This lesson provides an opportunity for students to learn more about National Hispanic Heritage Month, explore why we honor commemorative months about specific identity groups and communities, analyzes the language used to describe the Hispanic/Latino community and considers different ideas about how to commemorate the month and beyond.
Borders, Belonging, and Brave Voices
In this lesson, students will either read some excerpts from Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez or the entire book, to examine the complexities of immigration, family separation, cultural identity, and friendship. Students will participate in thoughtful discussion, reflect on personal values and cultural backgrounds, and write a creative letter from the perspective of one of the characters.
Exploring Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM), also sometimes referred to as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. AAPIHM is a month-long commemoration of the history, culture, contributions and achievements of people who are Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander. This month was first acknowledged in 1979 when President Jimmy Carter declared a celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Week. In 1990 under President George H.W. Bush, Congress passed a law that made the commemoration the full month of May. This lesson provides an opportunity for students to learn about the origins of AAPIHM, explore demographics about the AAPI community, and consider ways that AAPIHM should be commemorated in schools and communities.
Exploring National Arab American Heritage Month
April is National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM). NAAHM is a month-long commemoration of the history, culture, contributions and achievements of Arab American people. Although celebrated by some states for years, the commemorative month was officially initiated in 2017 by two organizations, Arab America and the Arab America Foundation. In 2022, Congress, the U.S. The Department of State, and 45 state Governors issued proclamations commemorating the initiative. In 2023, President Joe Biden issued, for the first time, a proclamation that designated the annual commemoration of National Arab American Heritage Month. This lesson provides an opportunity for students to learn about the origins of NAAHM, gain knowledge about the Arab American community and consider ways that NAAHM should be commemorated in schools and communities.