Grades 6-8
Teaching Activity PDFs
“A School Year Like No Other”: Eyes on the Prize: “Fighting Back: 1957-1962″
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bill Bigelow. 7 pages.
A companion lesson to the Eyes on the Prize segment on school integration.
African American, Civil Rights Movements, Education, Individuals in US History, Laws & Citizen Rights, Organizing, Racism & Racial Identity
Bound for the Rio Grande: Traitors—Or Martyrs
Reading in PDF and music video. Reading by Milton Meltzer. 1974. Song by David Rovics.
The story of the San Patricio Battalion, Irish-American soldiers who deserted the US Army during the US-Mexican War and fought on the side of the Mexicans.
Constitution Role Play: Whose “More Perfect Union”? and The Constitutional Convention: Who Really Won?
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bill Bigelow. 23 pages.
A role play on the issues involved with the framing of the Constitution.
Democracy & Citizenship, Laws & Citizen Rights, Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery, Social Class
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
Got Coal? Teaching About the Most Dangerous Rock in America
Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow.
A lesson examining the motives, goals, and environmental consequences of the coal mining industry.
Haiku and Hiroshima: Teaching About the Atomic Bomb
Teaching Activity PDF. By Wayne Au. 3 pages.
Lesson for high school students on the bombing of Hiroshima using the film Barefoot Gen and haiku.
Language Arts, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Labor Matters
Teaching Activity. By Teaching Tolerance.
Introduces students to the role of the labor movement in securing contemporary benefits such as the 40-hour workweek, the minimum wage, and workplace safety regulations.
Lessons in Solidarity: Grady Hospital Workers United
Teaching Activity PDF. By Larry Miller. 6 pages.
Story and discussion questions about a teacher’s own experience of labor solidarity.
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
Presidents and Slaves: Helping Students Find the Truth
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bob Peterson. 7 pages.
How a 5th grade teacher and his students conducted research to answer the question: “Which presidents owned people?”
African American, Education, Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery
Promoting Social Imagination Through Interior Monologues
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bill Bigelow and Linda Christensen. 3 pages.
Empathy, or “social imagination,” allows students to connect to “the other” with whom, on the surface, they may appear to have little in common.
Language Arts, Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, Women's History
Re-examining the Revolution
Background Reading PDF. By Ray Raphael. 7 pages.
Based on his book Founding Myths, Raphael critiques the textbook portrayal of the American Revolution. The textbooks say that “a few special people forged American freedom” which “misrepresents, and even contradicts, the spirit of the American Revolution.”
Reading Between the Lines: An Art Contest Helps Students Imagine the Lives of Runaway Slaves
Teaching Activity PDF. By Thom Thacker and Michael A. Lord. 4 pages.
An art contest is used as the basis from which students can examine primary historical documents (advertisements for runaway slaves) to gain a deeper understanding of the institution of slavery in the North.
Rethinking the U.S. Constitutional Convention: A Role Play
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bob Peterson. 14 pages.
A role play on the Constitutional Convention which brings to life the social forces active during and immediately following the American Revolution with focus on two key topics: suffrage and slavery. An elementary school adapation of the Constitution Role Play by Bill Bigelow.
Democracy & Citizenship, Laws & Citizen Rights, Native American, Slavery, Women's History
A Revolution of Values
Teaching Activity PDF. By the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 3 pages.
Text of speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the Vietnam War, followed by three teaching ideas.
Civil Rights Movements, Imperialism, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
U.S. Mexico War: “We Take Nothing by Conquest, Thank God”
Teaching Activity PDF. Lesson by Bill Bigelow and student reading by Howard Zinn. 21 pages.
Interactive activity introduces students to the history and often untold story of the U.S. Mexico War.
Imperialism, Latino, Slavery, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Unsung Heroes: Encouraging Students to Appreciate Those Who Fought for Social Justice
Teaching Activity PDF. Essay by Howard Zinn and lesson by Bill Bigelow. 11 pages.
Students research and share stories about unsung heroes in U.S. history.
Civil Rights Movements, Organizing, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, Women's History
Warriors Don’t Cry: Connecting History, Literature, and Our Lives
Teaching Activity PDF. By Linda Christensen. 21 pages.
Role play and writing activities for language arts and social studies on the Little Rock Nine, Brown v. Board, and schooling in general. Designed for use with the memoir, Warriors Don’t Cry.
African American, Civil Rights Movements, Education, Language Arts, Racism & Racial Identity
Who Freed the Slaves?
Student Handout in PDF. By Bill Bigelow. 2 pages.
This timeline can be used as a resource for lessons on the Civil War, President Lincoln, the 54th Regiment, and the end of slavery.
African American, Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Whose “Terrorism”?
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bill Bigelow. 11 pages.
Using scenarios based on real situations, this lesson helps middle and high school students examine the definition of terrorism and the use of the term terrorism in the media and U.S. foreign policy.
‘If There Is No Struggle…’: Teaching a People’s History of the Abolition Movement
Teaching Activity. By Bill Bigelow. 16 pages.
A role play putting students in the position of abolitionist groups working together to end slavery.
African American, Civil Rights Movements, Democracy & Citizenship, Laws & Citizen Rights, Organizing, Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery
Teaching Guides
Caribbean Connections: Moving North
Teaching Guide. Edited by Catherine Sunshine and Keith Warner. 2005. 240 pages.
Literature and essays about Caribbean life in the United States.
History in the Present Tense: Engaging Students Through Inquiry and Action
Teaching guide. By Douglas Selwyn and Jan Maher. 2003. 192 pages.
A guide to a different way of teaching history — start from today and keep asking questions.
Make Just One Change: Teach Students to Ask Their Own Questions
Book – Teaching Guide. By Dan Rothstein and Luz Santana. Foreword by Wendy D. Puriefoy. 2011. 176 pages.
The uses and methods of the Question Formulation Technique.
Open Minds to Equality: A Sourcebook of Learning Activities to Affirm Diversity and Promote Equity
Teaching Guide. By Nancy Schniedewind and Ellen Davidson. 2006. 408 pages.
Full of activities to help students explore inequalities and cooperation.
Putting the Movement Back into Civil Rights Teaching
Teaching Guide. Edited by Deborah Menkart, Alana D. Murray, and Jenice L. View. 2004. 576 pages.
Provides lessons and articles for K-12 educators on how to go beyond a heroes approach to the Civil Rights Movement, with a focus on education, economics, labor, youth, women, and culture.
Reading, Writing, and Rising Up: Teaching About Social Justice and the Power of the Written Word
Teaching Guide. By Linda Christensen. 2003. 196 pages.
Lessons for teaching a range of writing genres while addressing social justice themes.
Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years
Teaching Guide. Edited by Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson. 2003. 192 pages.
Readings and lessons for pre-K to 12 about the impact and legacy of the arrival of Columbus in the Americas.
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.
Rethinking Mathematics: Teaching Social Justice by the Numbers
Teaching Guide. Edited by Eric Gutstein and Bob Peterson. 2005. 180 pages.
Lessons and articles on social justice math education for elementary and secondary school classrooms.
Rethinking Our Classrooms: Teaching for Equity and Justice (Volume 2)
Teaching Guide. Edited by Rethinking Schools. 248 pages.
Social justice lessons for all ages and subjects.
Teaching for Joy and Justice: Re-imagining the Language Arts Classroom
Teaching Guide. By Linda Christensen. 2009. 300 pages.
Through stories, Christensen demonstrates how to draw on students’ lives and the world to teach poetry, essay, narrative, and critical literacy skills.
Teaching What Really Happened: How To Avoid the Tyranny of Textbooks and Get Students Excited About Doing History
Teaching Guide. By James W. Loewen. 2010. 264 pages.
A wealth of ideas on how to rethink the teaching of U.S. history.
Articles
The Bonus Army
Article. By Mickey Z.
History of the 1932 Bonus Expeditionary Force (BEF) or Bonus Army.
Empire or Humanity?: What the classroom didn’t teach me about the American empire
Article for Teachers and High School Students – PDF. By Howard Zinn. 4 pages.
An essay which raises questions about the justifications for empire building and imperialism.
Imperialism, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Audio
Get It From The Drums: A History of Protest and Protest Songs of the 1960s and 70s
Audio CD and Book. By Wynne Alexander. 2006.
Books: Fiction
Behind the Mountains
Book – Fiction. By Edwidge Danticat. 2004. 166 pages.
A riveting novel detailing the struggles of a young Haitian girl as she adjusts to life in New York.
The Birchbark House
Book – Fiction. By Louise Erdrich. 1999. 244 pages.
Historical fiction set in the mid-19th century in the Lake Superior area.
A Boy from Ireland
Book – Fiction. By Marie Raphael. 2007. 224 pages. Ages 12+.
Historical fiction about the life of the Irish in New York City at the beginning of the 20th century.
Bread and Roses, Too
Book – Fiction. By Katherine Paterson. 2006. 275 pages.
Moving young adult historical-fiction novel based on a major strike in Lawrence, Mass. in 1912.
Bull Run
Book – Fiction. By Paul Fleischman. 1993. 128 pages.
A historical novel for middle school and above about the Civil War Battle of Bull Run drama told in sixteen voices.
Catch a Tiger by the Toe
Book – Fiction. By Ellen Levine. 2005. 176 pages.
A historical novel for middle school on McCarthyism.
Democracy & Citizenship, Labor, Laws & Citizen Rights, Media
Crow
Book – Fiction. By Barbarba Wright. 2012. 304 pages.
A Reconstruction era African American community violently loses its freedom in turn of the century North Carolina.
African American, Democracy & Citizenship, Laws & Citizen Rights, Media
Fire in the Hole!
Book – Fiction. By Mary Cronk Farrell. 2004. 176 pages.
Based on the true story of a silver miners’ strike in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, the book shows the desperate conditions of miners’ lives and how the striking miners were detained illegally in a late 19th century version of Guantanamo.
Forty Acres and Maybe a Mule
Book – Fiction. By Harriette Gillem Robinet. 1998. 144 pages.
Historical fiction featuring 12-year-old Pascal, 8-year-old Nellie and their older brother Gideon, Union Army aide, as they claim and farm the land promised to them during Reconstruction.
The Game of Silence
Book – Fiction. By Louise Erdrich. 2006. 288 pages.
The second in a series of novels for middle school and high school students about an Ojibwe family in the mid-19th century. The story parallels the time of the widely read Little House on the Prairie.
Hurricane Dancers
Book – Fiction. By Margarita Engle. 2011. 160 pages.
Historical fiction in the form of poetry about the conquest and resistance.
Journey of Dreams
Book – Fiction. By Marge Pellegrino. 2009. 250 pages.
Historical fiction for young adult readers about the experience of Central American refugees and the long journey north.
Lyddie
Book – Fiction. By Katherine Paterson. 1995. 192 pages.
A young girl works in the mills and gets involved in labor activism.
Missing From Haymarket Square
Book – Fiction. By Harriette Gillem Robinet. 2003. 142 pages.
Historical fiction chapter book on the Haymarket labor struggles and massacre.
My Mother the Cheerleader
Book – Fiction. By Robert Sharenow. 2007. 304 pages.
Louise’s mother spends her mornings at the local elementary school with a group of women known as the Cheerleaders, who harass the school’s first black student, six-year-old Ruby Bridges.
Ninth Ward
Book – Fiction. by Jewell Parker Rhodes. 2010. 217 pages.
Through this historical fiction, middle and high school readers can learn about the devastation caused by the levees breaking in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and the how people drew on their wits, community, and history to survive.
No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller
Book – Fiction. By Vaunda Micheaux Nelson. Artwork by R. Gregory Christie. 2012. 188 pages. About the life of Lewis Micheaux, owner of the famous National Memorial African Bookstore.
One Crazy Summer
Book – Fiction. By Rita Williams-Garcia. 2010. 224 pages.
Chapter book for middle school introduces readers to the Black Panthers in 1960s Oakland.
The Porcupine Year
Book – Fiction. By Louise Erdrich. 2010. 244 pages.
The third in a series of novels for middle and high school students about an Ojibwe family in the mid-19th century. The story parallels the time of the widely read Little House on the Prairie.
Remember: The Journey to School Integration
Book – Fiction. By Toni Morrison. 2004. 80 pages. Upper elementary and above.
Fictional story and real photographs tell the story of desegregation.
The Rock and the River
Book – Fiction. By Kekla Magoon. 2010. 304 pages.
Coming-of-age story that shows the close connections between the civil rights and black power movements through an intimate and relatable lens.
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.
Sunrise Over Fallujah
Book – Fiction. By Walter Dean Myers.
Young adult novel about a U.S. soldier in Iraq. In addition to the day to day experiences of the war, Walter Dean Myers weaves in the limited media coverage of the war and raises questions about the US government “intelligence.”
Sylvia & Aki
Book – Historical fiction. By Winifred Conkling. 2011. 160 pages.
Based on the true story of two girls who meet in 1940s California and a landmark lawsuit on education.
Asian American, Civil Rights Movements, Education, Latino, Laws & Citizen Rights, Organizing, Racism & Racial Identity
Tough Times
Book – Fiction. By Milton Meltzer. 2007. 176 pages.
A historical novel about a child of immigrants during the Great Depression, including his participation in the Bonus March.
Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugees in Cuba
Book – Fiction. 2009. 208 pages. Daniel has escaped Nazi Germany and must make his way in Cuba once New York turns away his ship full of refugees.
Immigration, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
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.
Underground Man
Book – Fiction. By Milton Meltzer. 2006. 288 pages.
An historically accurate novel on abolitionists and the Underground Railroad for middle school readers.
Uprising
Book – Fiction. By Margaret Peterson Haddix. 2007. 352 pages.
Three young women march against unfair labor practices in the Shirtwaist Strike of 1909-10, only to find themselves engulfed in the raging flames consuming the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory.
Zora and Me
Book – Fiction. By Victoria Bond and T. R. Simon. 2010. 186 pages.
A coming-of-age story inspired by the early life of Zora Neale Hurston for ages 10 and up.
Books: Non-Fiction
50 American Revolutions You’re Not Supposed to Know
Book – Non-fiction. By Mickey Z. 2005. 128 pages.
A pocket-sized collection of stories about dissent throughout U.S. history.
500 Años del Pueblo Chicano – 500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures
Book – Non-fiction. By Elizabeth Martinez. 1991 (2nd Edition). 238 pages.
Chicano history as told through hundreds of pictures.
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
The American Revolutionaries: A History in Their Own Words, 1750-1800
Book – Non-fiction. Edited by Milton Meltzer. 1987. 224 pages.
First hand accounts and primary documents on the American Revolution.
Bayard Rustin: Behind the Scenes of the Civil Rights Movement
Book – Non-fiction. By James Haskins. 1997. 128 pages.
Biography for middle school readers of Bayard Rustin.
The Black Americans: A History in Their Own Words, 1619-1983
Book – Non-fiction. Edited by Milton Meltzer. 1987. 320 pages.
Engaging first person stories and primary documents.
Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux
Book – Non-fiction. By John G. Neihardt, Standing Bear, Raymond J. Demallie. 2008. 334 pages.
The life and visions of the Lakota healer Nicholas Black Elk and the history of his Sioux people.
Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage
Book – Non-fiction. By William Loren Katz. 2012. 272 pages.
History book for ages 10 to adult that traces relations between Blacks and American Indians since the time of the conquest.
African American, Native American, Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
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
Celebrate People’s History: The Poster Book of Resistance and Revolution
Book – Non-fiction. Edited by Josh MacPhee. 2010. 256 pages.
A visual representation of people’s history through political posters.
César Chávez: A Photographic Essay
Book – Non-fiction. By Ilan Stavans. 2010. 96 pages.
Photo essay about César E. Chávez of the United Farm Workers.
Chew on This
Book – Non-fiction. By Eric Schlosser. 2006. 318 pages.
Geared to the young consumer, takes a bite out of fast-food industry.
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
Book – Non-fiction. By Phillip Hoose. 133 pages. Ages 10+
The story of Claudette Colvin, a teenager who refused to give up her seat in the year leading up to the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
The Field Guide to the Global Economy
Book – Non-fiction. By Sarah Anderson, John Cavanagh and Thea Lee. 2005. 160 pages.
The economics of globalization in easy to read charts.
Firebrands: Portraits from the Americas
Book – Non-fiction. By Shaun Slifer and Bec Young. 2010. 192 pages.
Images and short bios of 78 activists from throughout U.S. history and the Americas for middle school to adult.
Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Book – Non-fiction. By Russell Freedman. 2006. 114 pages.
Written for middle school, the story of the bus boycott, in which Rosa Parks played a role but was not the sole hero.
Freedom’s Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories
Book – Non-fiction. By Ellen Levine. 1993. 192 pages.
Thirty African-Americans who were children during the 1950s and 1960s tell their true stories of what it was like for them to fight segregation in the South.
African American, Civil Rights Movements, Organizing, Racism & Racial Identity
Growing Up in Slavery: Stories of Young Slaves as Told by Themselves
Book – Non-fiction. Edited by Yuval Taylor. 2005. 230 pages.
Ten individuals tell stories of their childhood and teenage years in slavery.
Henry David Thoreau: A Biography
Book – Nonfiction. By Milton Meltzer. 2007. 160 pages.
A biography of Henry David Thoreau containing relevant pictures and quotes from his contemporaries for middle school readers.
Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who are Helping to Protect our Planet
Book – Non-fiction. By Harriet Rohmer. 2009. 109 pages.
Presents the true stories of twelve people across North America who are challenging environmental devastation. Written for middle school readers.
How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate: Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming
Book – Nonfiction. By Lynne Cherry and Garry Braasch. 2008. 56 pages.
Jessie De La Cruz: A Profile of a United Farm Worker
Book – Non-fiction. Gary Soto. 2002. 116 pages.
An inspiring story of Jessie De La Cruz, one of the first women to organize for the United Farmer Workers.
The John Carlos Story: The Sports Moment That Changed the World
Book – Non-fiction. By John Carlos and Dave Zirin. Foreword by Cornel West. 2011. 220 pages.
Written for grades 7+, this biography of John Carlos recounts his childhood, his legendary act of courage at the ’68 Olympics, and the backlash.
African American, Civil Rights Movements, Democracy & Citizenship, Racism & Racial Identity, Sports
Kids at Work: Lewis Hine and the Crusade Against Child Labor
Book – Non-fiction. By Russell Freedman. 1998. 112 pages.
Child labor for middle school and above through images and essays.
Kids on Strike!
Book – Non-fiction. By Susan Campbell Bartoletti. 2003.
Describes the conditions and treatment that drove working children to strike, from the mill workers’ strike in 1834 and the coal strikes at the turn of the century to the children who marched with Mother Jones in 1903.
A Long Hard Journey: The Story of the Pullman Porter
Book – Non-fiction. By Patricia & Fredrick McKissack. 1995. 160 pages.
A true story of the history of this powerful union effort by the African American porters.
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.
Never to Forget: The Jews of the Holocaust
Book – Nonfiction. By Milton Meltzer. 1991. 240 pages.
A document-based historical account of Jewish experiences in Nazi Germany during World War II, for ages 12 and up.
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America
Book – Non-fiction. By Barbara Ehrenreich. 2008. 256 pages.
Undercover journalism exposing hard realities of life for the working poor.
No More! Stories and Songs of Slave Resistance
Book – Non-fiction. By Doreen Rappaport. Illustrated by Shane W. Evans. 2005. 64 pages.
Picture book for upper elementary/middle school on the many forms of resistance to slavery.
Nobody Gonna Turn Me ‘Round: Stories and Songs of the Civil Rights Movement
Book – Non-fiction. By Doreen Rappaport. Illustrated by Shane W. Evans. 2008. 64 pages.
Stories and songs for upper elementary from the Civil Rights Movement from 1955 to 1965.
African American, Art & Music, Civil Rights Movements, Labor, Organizing
Pencils Down: Rethinking High Stakes Testing and Accountability in Public Schools
Book – Non-fiction. By Wayne Au and Melissa Bollow Tempel. 2012.
Collection of articles from Rethinking Schools magazine takes high-stakes standardized tests to task.
The People Speak: American Voices, Some Famous, Some Little Known
Book – Nonfiction. Edited by Howard Zinn. 2004. 96 pages.
A Place at the Table: Struggles for Equality in America
Book – Non-fiction. By Maria Fleming. 2002. 152 pages.
A booklet with stories for middle school readers on repression and resistance throughout U.S. history.
Rachel Carson: Preserving a Sense of Wonder
Book – Non-fiction. By Thomas Locker and Joseph Bruchac. 2004. 32 pages.
The life of environmental activist Rachel Carson for upper elementary.
Environment & Food, Individuals in US History, Women's History
Rescue: The Story of How Gentiles Saved Jews in the Holocaust
Book – Nonfiction. By Milton Meltzer. 1991. 176 pages.
Stories of people who resisted the Nazi’s and worked to aid Jewish individuals.
Rise Up Singing
Book – Non-fiction. By Peter Blood and Annie Patterson. 288 pages.
Social justice songs on many themes.
Selma, Lord, Selma: Girlhood Memories of the Civil Rights Days
Book – Non-fiction. By Sheyann Webb and Rachel West Nelson as told to Frank Sikora. 1980. 168 pages.
The moving story of two young girls who were caught up in the 1965 movement in Selma, Alabama.
A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson
Book – Nonfiction. By Michelle Y. Green. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. 2004. 128 pages.
A biography on one of only three women to play baseball in the Negro Leagues.
Students on Strike: Jim Crow, Civil Rights, Brown, and Me
Book – Non-fiction. By John A. Stokes with Lois Wolfe. 2007. 128 pages.
First person description of the student led movement to desegregate schools in Prince Edward County.
That’s Not Fair! Emma Tenayuca’s struggle for justice/¡No Es Justo!: La lucha de Emma Tenayuca por la justicia
Book – Non-fiction. By Carmen Tafolla, Sharyll Tenayuca, Celina Marroquin. 2008. 40 pages. Bilingual (Spanish and English).
Biography for upper elementary of labor activist Emma Tenayuca.
There Comes a Time: The Struggle for Civil Rights
Book – Non-fiction. By Milton Meltzer. 2002. 208 pages.
History of the struggle for civil rights throughout U.S. history, for middle school readers.
This Day in Civil Rights History
Book – Non-fiction. By Horace Randall Williams and Ben Beard. 2009. 368 pages.
A full page description of a key event in the history of the Civil Rights Movement for each day of the year.
Through My Eyes
Book – Non-fiction. By Ruby Bridges. 1999. 64 pages.
Biography of Ruby Bridges for middle school.
Civil Rights Movements, Education, Individuals in US History
Troubled Water: Saints, Sinners, Truths and Lies about the Global Water Crisis
Book – Nonfiction. Brooke Shelby Biggs and Anita Roddick. 2004. 144 pages.
Compelling facts, figures, and illustrations about water in everyday life.
Ultimate Field Guide to the U.S. Economy: A Compact and Irreverent Guide to Economic Life in America
Book – Non-fiction. By Jonathan Teller-Elsberg, James Heintz and Nancy Folbre. 2006. 256 pages.
Easy to read graphs make complex economic data accessible to all ages.
Vietnam: An Antiwar Comic Book
Book – Non-fiction. by Julian Bond and illustrated by T. G. Lewis. 1967. 19 pages.
A detailed history and analysis of the Vietnam War in an easy to read format.
African American, Racism & Racial Identity, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Voices of a People’s History of the United States
Book – Non-fiction. Edited by Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove. 2009. 704 pages.
Speeches, letters, poems, and songs for each chapter of A People’s History of the United States.
Labor, Organizing, Slavery, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, Women's History
Warriors Don’t Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock’s Senior High
Book – Non-fiction. By Melba Pattillo Beals. 2007. 336 pages.
Story of a teenage girl chosen to integrate Little Rock High School.
African American, Civil Rights Movements, Education, Individuals in US History, Organizing
We Are One: The Story of Bayard Rustin
Book – Non-fiction. By Larry Dane Brimner. 2007. 48 pages.
A sophisticated picture book on a key civil rights leader.
We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
Book – Non-fiction. By Kadir Nelson. 2008. 96 pages.
The story of Negro League baseball, in text and stunning imagery.
We Shall Overcome: A Song That Changed the World
Book – Non-fiction. By Stuart Stotts. Illustrated by Terrance Cummings. 2010. 64 pages and a CD.
History of the song from the Civil Rights Movement and other struggles, We Shall Overcome.
African American, Art & Music, Civil Rights Movements, Individuals in US History, Organizing
Willa Cather: A Biography
Book – Non-fiction. By Milton Meltzer. 2008. 160 pages.
An account of Willa Cather’s accomplishments and personality written for upper elementary/middle school readers.
The World at Her Fingertips: The Story of Helen Keller
Book – Non-fiction. By Joan Dash. 2001. 256 pages.
Biography of Helen Keller.
A Young People’s History of the United States
Book – Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn with Rebecca Stefoff. 2009. 464 pages.
A young adult version of the best-selling A People’s History of the United States.
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
Chief Tecumseh: “Speech to the Osages”
Chief Tecumseh’s “Speech to the Osages” (Winter 1811-1812) read by Deepa Fernandes. From Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
E.Y. “Yip” Harburg: Brother Can You Spare a Dime
Film clip. E.Y. “Yip” Harburg’s “Brother Can You Spare a Dime” (1932) is performed by Allison Moorer. From Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
John Lewis: “Original Text to be Delivered at the Lincoln Memorial”
John Lewis’ “Original Text of Speech to be Delivered at the Lincoln Memorial” (1963) read by Brian Jones. From Voices of People’s History of the United States.
June Jordan: “Speech Against the Gulf War”
June Jordan’s “Speech Against the Gulf War” (1991) read by Kathleen Chalfant. From Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
African American, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, Women's History
Langston Hughes: “Montage of a Dream Deferred”
Langston Hughes, “Montage of a Dream Deferred” (1951) is read by Danny Glover. From Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
Maria Stewart: Address Delivered at the African Masonic Hall
Film clip. From Voice of a People’s History of the United States. 3:41 minutes.
Maria Stewart’s “Address Delivered at the African Masonic Hall” (1833) is read by Alfre Woodard.
Mighty Times: The Children’s March
Film. By Hudson and Houston. 2005. 40 minutes.
This Academy Award-winning documentary film tells the heroic story of the young people in Birmingham, Alabama, who brought segregation to its knees.
The North Star: “The War with Mexico”
Benjamin Bratt reads from The North Star, “The War with Mexico” (1848). From Voices of a People’s History in the United States.
Not Just a Game: Power, Politics & American Sports
Film. By Dave Zirin and Jeremy Earp. 2010. 62 minutes.
Film documentary for 6th grade to adult based on the bestselling book “A People’s History of Sports in the United States.”
African American, Media, Racism & Racial Identity, Sports, Women's History
Orlando and Phyllis Rodriguez: “Not In Our Son’s Name”
Film clip. Orlando and Phyllis Rodriguez’s “Not In Our Son’s Name” (2001) is read by Benjamin Bratt.
From Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
The People Speak – Extended Edition – DVD
Film. 2009. Directed by Howard Zinn, Chris Moore and Anthony Arnove. 110 minutes.
Dramatic readings and performances based on Voices of a People’s History and A People’s History of the United States.
Labor, Organizing, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, Women's History
Race – The Power of an Illusion
DVD. By California Newsreel. 2003. Three episodes – 56 minutes each.
Race – The Power of an Illusion is a three-part documentary series that questions the very idea of race as biology, suggesting that a belief in race is no more sound than believing that the sun revolves around the earth.
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
Sam Cooke: A Change is Gonna Come
Film clip. Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come” (1964), is performed by Allison Moorer. From Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
African American, Art & Music, Democracy & Citizenship, Laws & Citizen Rights
Sojourner Truth: “Ain’t I a Woman?”
Film clip. Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman?” (1851) is read by Alfre Woodard. From Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
The Story of Bottled Water
Film. By Annie Leonard. 2010. 7 minutes.
A viewer-friendly, informative, animated critique of the bottled water industry.
Unlearning “Indian” Sterotypes
Film. 1977 (Updated in 2008). Rethinking Schools and the Council on Interracial Books for Children.
Native American history through the eyes of Native American children.
Uprooted: Refugees of the Global Economy
Film. Produced by National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. 2001. 28 minutes.
Stories of three immigrants (from Bolivia, Haiti and the Philippines) to the U.S. and how global institutions and multi-national corporations erode people’s capacity to survive in their home countries.
Viva La Causa
Film. Bill Brummel Productions. 2008. 39 minutes.
A documentary film and teaching guide on the grape strike and boycott led by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta in the 1960s.
Yuri Kochiyama: “Then Came the War”
Yuri Kochiyama, “Then Came the War” (1991) is read by Deepa Fernandes and Sandra Oh. From Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
Picture Books
No More! Stories and Songs of Slave Resistance
Book – Non-fiction. By Doreen Rappaport. Illustrated by Shane W. Evans. 2005. 64 pages.
Picture book for upper elementary/middle school on the many forms of resistance to slavery.
Nobody Gonna Turn Me ‘Round: Stories and Songs of the Civil Rights Movement
Book – Non-fiction. By Doreen Rappaport. Illustrated by Shane W. Evans. 2008. 64 pages.
Stories and songs for upper elementary from the Civil Rights Movement from 1955 to 1965.
African American, Art & Music, Civil Rights Movements, Labor, Organizing
Rachel Carson: Preserving a Sense of Wonder
Book – Non-fiction. By Thomas Locker and Joseph Bruchac. 2004. 32 pages.
The life of environmental activist Rachel Carson for upper elementary.
Environment & Food, Individuals in US History, Women's History
That’s Not Fair! Emma Tenayuca’s struggle for justice/¡No Es Justo!: La lucha de Emma Tenayuca por la justicia
Book – Non-fiction. By Carmen Tafolla, Sharyll Tenayuca, Celina Marroquin. 2008. 40 pages. Bilingual (Spanish and English).
Biography for upper elementary of labor activist Emma Tenayuca.
We Are One: The Story of Bayard Rustin
Book – Non-fiction. By Larry Dane Brimner. 2007. 48 pages.
A sophisticated picture book on a key civil rights leader.
We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
Book – Non-fiction. By Kadir Nelson. 2008. 96 pages.
The story of Negro League baseball, in text and stunning imagery.
Posters
Celebrate People’s History: The Poster Book of Resistance and Revolution
Book – Non-fiction. Edited by Josh MacPhee. 2010. 256 pages.
A visual representation of people’s history through political posters.
People’s History Wall Charts
Posters. By Howard Zinn and George Kirschner. 2007. 13.75″ x 9.5″.
Visual time-lines of US history presented by era and thematically.
United Nations Convention On The Rights Of The Child Poster
Poster. By Syracuse Cultural Workers. 18″ x 24″. Illustration and design by Karen Kerney, 2005.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights Poster
Poster.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is clearly and beautifully laid out for students.
Profiles
Hatuey: 1512 – 2012
Profile. Hatuey.
Hatuey was a freedom fighter in the early 1500s who mobilized Caribbean islanders against invasion, theft, and murder by European conquistadors.
Songs and Poems
Battle of Blair Mountain
Song. By David Rovics. 2003.
Ballad about the West Virginia Coal Mine War of 1920-1921.
E.Y. “Yip” Harburg: Brother Can You Spare a Dime
Film clip. E.Y. “Yip” Harburg’s “Brother Can You Spare a Dime” (1932) is performed by Allison Moorer. From Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
Elegy for Peter Norman
Poem by Josh Healey. From Hammertime. 2008.
Poem in text and audio about Peter Norman, the white athlete in the iconic photo of the ’68 Olympics.
Hills of Tennessee
Song. By David Rovics. 2005.
Eye-opening song that tells of the perils of mountain top removal.
Langston Hughes: “Montage of a Dream Deferred”
Langston Hughes, “Montage of a Dream Deferred” (1951) is read by Danny Glover. From Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
Occupy Wall Street – Song by David Rovics
Song. By David Rovics. 2011.
A ballad of the Occupy Movement with a high energy beat.
Union Makes Us Strong
Song. By David Rovics. 2010.
The benefits of a union told through historic examples in a ballad.
Spanish/Bilingual
500 Años del Pueblo Chicano – 500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures
Book – Non-fiction. By Elizabeth Martinez. 1991 (2nd Edition). 238 pages.
Chicano history as told through hundreds of pictures.
Conexiones Caribenas: La Republica Dominicana
Teaching Guide. By Anne Gallin, Ruth Glasser and Jocelyn Santana. 2005.
Selected readings in Spanish from Caribbean Connections: Dominican Republic.
La Otra Historia de los Estados Unidos
Book – Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn. Translated by Toni Strubel. 2011 (translation). 512 pages.
A People’s History of the United States in Spanish.
Rights Matter: The Story of the Bill of Rights
Website. The Bill of Rights Education Project, ACLU of Massachusetts.
The site offers a downloadable 69-page student friendly booklet on the Bill of Rights, available in English and Spanish.
That’s Not Fair! Emma Tenayuca’s struggle for justice/¡No Es Justo!: La lucha de Emma Tenayuca por la justicia
Book – Non-fiction. By Carmen Tafolla, Sharyll Tenayuca, Celina Marroquin. 2008. 40 pages. Bilingual (Spanish and English).
Biography for upper elementary of labor activist Emma Tenayuca.
Websites
Rights Matter: The Story of the Bill of Rights
Website. The Bill of Rights Education Project, ACLU of Massachusetts.
The site offers a downloadable 69-page student friendly booklet on the Bill of Rights, available in English and Spanish.
The Story of Stuff Project
Website.
Series of short films on environmental and economic issues that make complicated issues easy to understand for middle school to adult viewers.
Studs Terkel: Conversations with America
Website.
Life and work of Studs Terkel, prize-winning author, radio broadcast personality, and people’s oral historian.
This Week in History from PeaceButtons
Website.
Descriptions of historical events from the grassroots, organized by dates.
List of Resources
- Articles
- Audio
- Books: Fiction
- Books: Non-Fiction
- Films
- Picture Books
- Posters
- Profiles
- Songs and Poems
- Spanish/Bilingual
- Teaching Activity PDFs
- Teaching Guides
- Websites
