World History/Global Studies
Teaching Activity PDFs
The Coming of the Pink Cheeks
Teaching Activity PDF. By Chief Kabongo as told to Richard St. Barb e Baker. 7 pages.
Story of what happened to the Kikuyu people of Kenya when Europeans took control of their land.
Imperialism, Racism & Racial Identity, World History/Global Studies
History Textbooks: “Theirs” and “Ours”: A Rebellion or a War of Independence?
Teaching Activity PDF. By John DeRose. 4 pages.
Analysis of textbook passages from different countries, videos and books are used to explore different perspectives about the same event in history, i.e. “Philippine-American War” vs. “War of Philippine Independence”.
Imperialism, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, World History/Global Studies
Hunger on Trial: An Activity on the Irish Potato Famine and Its Meaning for Today
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bill Bigelow. 5 pages.
Role play in the form of a trial to determine who was responsible for the death of Irish peasants during the potato famine.
Environment & Food, Immigration, Social Class, World History/Global Studies
The Other Internment: Teaching the Hidden Story of Japanese Latin Americans During WWII
Teaching Activity PDF. By Moé Yonamine. 18 pages.
Poetry, photography, and text are used in this role play to teach about the often untold history of Japanese Latin American internment during WWII.
Asian American, Civil Rights Movements, Criminal Justice, Democracy & Citizenship, Immigration, Laws & Citizen Rights, Racism & Racial Identity, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, World History/Global Studies
‘Don’t Take Our Voices Away’: A Role Play on the Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change
Teaching Activity PDF. By Julie Treick O’Neill and Tim Swinehart. 16 pages.
A role play on the Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change that asks students to develop a list of demands to present to the rest of the world at the U.N. climate change treaty meeting.
Environment & Food, Native American, Pacific Islander, Science, World History/Global Studies
Remembering Mahmoud Darwish
Teaching Activity PDF. By Naomi Shihab Nye and Linda Christensen. 4 pages.
A teaching idea utilizing famous Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish’s work to inspire students.
ANPO: Art X War: A film tackles the U.S. occupation of Japan.
Film review and teaching activity. By Moé Yonamine. From Rethinking Schools.
ANPO is a documentary about visual resistance to U.S. military bases in Japan by Japan’s foremost contemporary artists.
Art & Music, US Foreign Policy, World History/Global Studies
Dirty Oil and Shovel-Ready Jobs: A Role Play on Tar Sands and the Keystone XL Pipeline
Teaching Activity. By Abby Mac Phail. 12 pages.
Role play on the Keystone XL Pipeline battle.
Environment & Food, Native American, Organizing, US Foreign Policy, World History/Global Studies
The Most Dangerous Man in America Teaching Guide
Teaching Activities. Zinn Education Project. 2010. 100 pages.
Eight lessons for use with the documentary film about Daniel Ellsberg, the Pentagon Papers, the Vietnam War, and whistleblowing.
Media, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, World History/Global Studies
Teaching Guides
Rethinking Globalization: Teaching for Justice in an Unjust World
Teaching Guide. Edited by Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson. 2002. 402 pages. Grades 4 – 12.
An extensive collection of readings and source material on critical global issues, plus teaching ideas, lesson plans, and rich collections of resources for classroom teachers.
Speaking Out: Women, War and the Global Economy
Teaching Guide. By Jan Haaken, Ariel Ladum, et al. 193 pages with DVD. Ooligan Press. 2005.
Interactive lessons on the 1990s civil war in Sierra Leone and broader issues such as cross-cultural awareness, the global trade in diamonds and guns, and the effects of war on women.
Economics, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, Women's History, World History/Global Studies
Strangers In Their Own Country: A Curriculum Guide On South Africa
Teaching Guide. By Bill Bigelow. 1985. 116 pages.
Lessons on apartheid in South Africa and the global anti-apartheid movement.
Articles
Globalization: A View from Below
Reading – PDF. By Jean-Bertrand Aristide. 5 pages.
An essay on the impact of globalization, with the story of Haiti as an example.
Books: Fiction
Sacred Leaf
Book – Fiction. By Deborah Ellis. 2009. 206 pages.
A story based in Bolivia about a group of peasants who organize against the military.
The Streets are Free
Book – Fiction. By Karusa. Illustrated by Monica Doppert. 1985 (reissued 2008). 48 pages.
A group of children organize to convince the mayor that they need a playground and when they do not get it they organize the neighbors to help them build one.
Trouble in Timbuktu
Book – Fiction. By Cristina Kessler. 2009. 368 pages.
Two young people take great risks to protect the ancient manuscripts of their city from being stolen by two tourists.
Books: Non-Fiction
After Gandhi: One Hundred Years of Nonviolent Resistance
Book – Non-fiction. By Anne Sibley O’Brien and Perry Edmund O’Brien. 2009. 192 pages.
Stories about 15 activists who continue in the tradition of Gandhi, written and illustrated for upper elementary and middle school.
Individuals in US History, Organizing, World History/Global Studies
Caribbean Connections: The Dominican Republic
Book – Non-fiction and Fiction. Edited by Gallin, Glasser, Santana. 2005. 250 pages.
Reader-friendly overview of the history, politics and culture of the fourth largest Latino community in the United States.
Art & Music, Immigration, Latino, Sports, US Foreign Policy, Women's History, World History/Global Studies
Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America
Book – Non-fiction. By Juan Gonzalez. 2011. 416 pages.
An updated and thorough account of the role the United States in the mass migration of Latinos to the U.S.
Immigration, Latino, Laws & Citizen Rights, World History/Global Studies
Nelson Mandela: The Authorized Comic Book
Book – Non-fiction. By Umlando Wezithombe. 2009. 193 pages.
A graphic novel about the life and times of Nelson Mandela produced for school children in South Africa and now available for readers in the United States.
Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent
Book – Non-fiction. By Eduardo Galeano. 1997. 360 pages.
Gripping history of the land and people of Latin America.
Robeson in Spain
Book – Non-fiction. By The Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives. 2009. 25 pages.
Booklet in graphic novel format on Paul Robeson’s involvement in the Spanish Civil War.
African American, Art & Music, Racism & Racial Identity, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, World History/Global Studies
Teaching Global History: A Social Studies Approach
Book – Non-fiction. By Alan J. Singer. 2011. 206 pages.
A guide that proposes another way to teach history from a global perspective.
Democracy & Citizenship, Education, Imperialism, World History/Global Studies
The Vietnam Wars: 1945-1990
Book – Non-fiction. By Marilyn B. Young. 1991. 448 pages.
The history of the Vietnam War.
US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, World History/Global Studies
Films
Barefoot Gen: The Bombing of Hiroshima As Seen Through the Eyes of a Young Boy
DVD. By Geneon; directed by Mori Masaki. 1992. 170 min.
Barefoot Gen is a story about the devastating effects of war on everyday life.
US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, World History/Global Studies
Even the Rain/También la lluvia
Film. Directed by Icíar Bollaín and written by Paul Laverty. 2010. 103 minutes.
As a crew shoots a film about Columbus’ genocide, local people in Cochabamba, Bolivia rise up against plans to privatize the water supply.
Economics, Imperialism, Latino, Organizing, US Foreign Policy, World History/Global Studies
The Good Fight: The Abraham Lincoln Brigade and the Spanish Civil War
DVD. By Mary Dore, Noel Buckner, Sam Sills. 1984. 98 minutes.
Documentary narrated by Studs Terkel on the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.
Organizing, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, World History/Global Studies
Granito de Arena/Grain of Sand
DVD. Produced by Jill Freidberg. Corrugated Films. 2005.
Documentary about teachers, parents, and students fighting to defend Mexico’s public education system from the impacts of economic globalization
The Insular Empire: America in the Mariana Islands
Film. Directed by Vanessa Warheit. 2009. 60 minutes.
Documentary about U.S. colonies in the western Pacific.
Democracy & Citizenship, Imperialism, Pacific Islander, US Foreign Policy, World History/Global Studies
Maquilapolis (City of Factories)
Film. Directed and produced by Vicky Funari and Sergio De La Torre. 2006. 68 minutes.
The impact of globalization as told through the lives of the women who experience it in Tijuana, Mexico.
Labor, Organizing, Women's History, World History/Global Studies
Poto Mitan: Haitian Women, Pillars of the Global Economy
Film and website. Produced by Mary Becker and Renée Bergan. Writer/Narrator: Edwidge Danticat. 2009. 50 minutes.
Documentary about Haiti and global economics told through the lives of five women.
Rachel Corrie: “Letter from Palestine”
Film clip. Rachel Corrie’s “Letter from Palestine” (2003) is read by her mom, Cindy Corrie and Alice Walker. From Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, World History/Global Studies
Picture Books
The Streets are Free
Book – Fiction. By Karusa. Illustrated by Monica Doppert. 1985 (reissued 2008). 48 pages.
A group of children organize to convince the mayor that they need a playground and when they do not get it they organize the neighbors to help them build one.
Posters
What’s Up? South! World Map
Poster. 56″ x 36″ inches.
This full-color map flips the script, leading the viewer to re-examine what’s on top and why.
Songs and Poems
When the Hunger Was Upon Us
By Nigel Gray
Poem about the causes and impact of the Irish Potato Famine.
Environment & Food, Social Class, World History/Global Studies
Spanish/Bilingual
Granito de Arena/Grain of Sand
DVD. Produced by Jill Freidberg. Corrugated Films. 2005.
Documentary about teachers, parents, and students fighting to defend Mexico’s public education system from the impacts of economic globalization
Websites
The Museum of disABILITY History: Disability Timeline
Website.
Timeline from Museum of disABILITY History that chronicles significant events in disability history from 400 B.C. to 1999.
The Right Livelihood Award
Website.
The alternative Nobel Prize, an excellent place to learn about noted activists from around the world.
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
Website.
Center for the study and promotion of the histories and cultures of peoples of African descent.
African American, Art & Music, Education, World History/Global Studies
This Week in History from PeaceButtons
Website.
Descriptions of historical events from the grassroots, organized by dates.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Website.
Full text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related information.
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