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We are two U.S. public elementary school teachers. We have 17 years of teaching experience between us. We've hosted professional development for teachers, presented at conferences, consulted, and have spent several years creating our own gender inclusive content.

Kieran (left) teaches fifth grade and is transgender and white. He uses the pronouns he/him.

Katy (right) teaches second grade and is cisgender and white. She uses the pronouns she/her.

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Gender Inclusive Classrooms | Genderinclassrooms | United States

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Gender Inclusive Classrooms is a website created by teachers for teachers. Find kid-friendly definitions, book recommendations, inclusive curriculum including free lesson plans, stories from real teachers, links to resources, blog posts and more. www.genderinclassrooms.com

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This list is intended to be a starting point for important conversations about family diversity with your students. Many families have multiple identities and might include themselves in multiple family definitions.

Most children see the caring adults who love and take care of them as their family and will refer to them in that way. It is important to recognize the complexity and variation amongst all families. We recommend that you connect with families in your classroom community to find out the language that they use to refer to their families to help respectfully answer questions that may arise. We encourage you to expand beyond this list so that all of your students and their families feel welcomed in their school community.

ADOPTION: When adults bring children into their families and legally become the parents of those children.

ADOPTIVE PARENTS: The parents of children who have joined the family through adoption.

BIRTH PARENT: A biological parent. People may also use the terms birth mother or birth father. Most often used in the context of adoption.

DONOR OR SURROGATE: People who help other people have children.

BLENDED FAMILY: Two families who come together to form a new family. This may include stepparents and step-siblings.

CHOSEN FAMILY: People who you care about and consider family, such as friends or neighbors.

DIVORCE: When people legally separate and end a marriage.

EXTENDED FAMILY: All of your relatives, including your grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. In some families, this can include neighbors, friends and chosen family.

FOSTER PARENT: People-other than a child's first family-who take children into their homes and take care of them for as long as their family needs help. Sometimes children will return to their first family, sometimes foster parents go on to become adoptive parents or permanent guardians and sometimes children will be adopted by other families.

GUARDIAN: A person who has responsibility by law to care for a child; a person other than the biological parent who takes care of a child. The person may be biologically related to the child, such as a grandparent.

INTERFAITH FAMILY: When people of different religious backgrounds are part of the same family. Some families choose to raise their children primarily in one faith, some choose to teach their children both faiths and others practice multiple faiths.

HALF-SISTER or HALF-BROTHER: When siblings have one biological parent in common.

LGBTQ FAMILY: A family in which some people are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary or queer. This could include parents, guardians, foster parents, children, chosen family, siblings or grandparents who are LGBTQ.

LESBIAN: People who love people of the same gender-two women.

GAY: People who love people of the same gender.

BISEXUAL: People who love people of more than one gender.

PANSEXUAL: People who love people of any gender.

TRANSGENDER: When your gender identity (how you feel) is different than what doctors/midwives assigned to you when you were born (girl/boy or sex assigned at birth).

NON-BINARY: People who do not feel like the words "girl" or "boy" fits. They may feel like both or neither. They sometimes use pronouns such as they, them, theirs.

QUEER: People use this word as a way to identify with and celebrate people of all gender identities and all the ways people love each other. When used in a mean way, it is a word that hurts.

MIXED FAMILY: When people of different racial and cultural backgrounds are part of the same family. People of different ethnic, religious or national backgrounds can also form families who are "mixed" in terms of culture, skin color, language and/or religious practices.

MULTIGENERATIONAL FAMILY: When more than one generation of a family lives together.

MULTIRACIAL FAMILY: When people of different racial backgrounds are part of the same family.

MULTILINGUAL FAMILY: When people within a family speak more than one language.

SIBLING: Children or adults who share a parent.

SINGLE-PARENT FAMILY OR SOLO-PARENT FAMILY: A family in which one parent cares for the child or children.

STEP-SIBLINGS: If a divorced or solo parent forms a family with a new person and that person already has children, those children can become step-siblings to their children.

STEPPARENT: When a divorced or solo parent forms a family with a new person, the new partner might become a stepparent to their children.
Remember to ask your students and families to share how they talk about their families.

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LGBTQ Inclusive Family Diversity Definitions | Welcoming Schools

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Adoptive parents, blended family, LGBTQ family, surrogate, donor, chosen family, foster parent, guardian... Most children see the caring adults who love and take care of them as their family and will refer to them in that way. Find kid friendly ways to describe families.

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Many people refrain from talking about sexual orientation and gender identity because they are unsure of what to say or are afraid of saying the wrong thing. After all, language around gender, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression can shift rapidly. This glossary was written to give adults the words and meanings to help make conversations easier and more comfortable.

Note: These definitions are geared toward adults. Student definitions can be found here.

Ally: A term that describes a person who speaks out or takes actions on behalf of someone else or for a group that they are not a part of.

Androgynous: Identifying and/or presenting as neither distinguishably masculine nor feminine.

Asexual: A term that describes a person who lacks sexual attraction or desire for other people.

Bi: Bisexual.

Bisexual: A term that describes a person who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to people of more than one sex, gender expression, or gender identity though not necessarily simultaneously, in the same way or to the same degree.

Butch: Commonly used to refer to masculinity displayed by a female, but can also refer to masculinity by a male.

Cisgender: A term that describes a person whose gender identity aligns with the sex assigned to them at birth.

Coming Out: The process in which a person first acknowledges, accepts and appreciates their sexual orientation or gender identity and begins to share that with others.

Cultural Competence: The ability to know one's culture and to interact effectively with people of different cultures. In a school this includes behaviors, attitudes, policies and structures that enable educators to work effectively cross-culturally.

Drag Queen/Drag King: A man who dresses as a woman, typically as a performance. A woman who dresses as a man, typically as a performance. This is different from transgender (see definition below).

FTM: A term referring to a person, assigned female at birth, who identifies and lives as a male. See transgender boy or man.

Gay: A term that describes a person who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to some members of the same gender.

Gender: A person's internal sense of self as male, female, both or neither (gender identity), as well as one's outward presentation and behaviors (gender expression). Gender norms vary among cultures and over time.

Gender Binary: The idea that there are two distinct and opposite genders--male and female. This model is limiting and doesn't account for the full spectrum of gender identities and gender expressions.

Gender-Expansive: An adjective used to describe people that identify or express themselves in ways that broaden the culturally defined behavior or expression associated with one gender.

Gender Expression: How a person expresses their gender through outward presentation and behavior. This includes, for example, a person's name, clothing, hairstyle, body language and mannerisms.

Gender Identity: An internal, deeply felt sense of being male, female, a blend of both or neither-how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. One's gender identity can be the same as or different from their sex assigned at birth.

Gender Role: A set of social and cultural beliefs or expectations about appropriate behavior for men/boys or women/girls. Gender roles can vary from culture to culture. Strict gender roles can limit a person's development.

Gender Role Stereotyping: Stereotypes based on social and cultural beliefs or expectations about appropriate behavior for men/boys or women/girls. This can limit children's aspirations, achievements and well-being.

Gender Spectrum: The broad range along which people identify and express themselves as gendered beings or not.

Genderqueer: People that typically reject the binary categories of gender, embracing a fluidity of gender identity. People who identify as "genderqueer" may see themselves as being both male and female, neither male nor female or as falling completely outside these categories.

Gender Transition: The process by which some people strive to more closely align their outward identity with the gender they know themselves to be. To affirm their gender identity, people may go through different types of transitions.

Social transition: This can include a name change, change in pronouns and change in appearance, clothes or hairstyle.

Legal transition: The process of updating identity documents, such as birth certificates and drivers' licenses, to reflect a person's authentic gender and name. Different states and localities have different rules, often making this process very challenging.

Medical transition: For children, this may include the use of hormone blockers to delay the onset of puberty. It may also include cross-sex hormones to induce a puberty that is more consistent with the child's gender identity, or for adults, to promote physical changes. It can also include gender affirmation surgery.

Heteronormative: The assumption of heterosexuality as the given or default sexual orientation instead of one of many possibilities, and that the preferred or default relationship is between two people of "opposite" genders.

Heterosexism: The attitude that heterosexuality is the only valid or "normal" sexual orientation. This can take the form of overt negative comments or actions towards LGBTQ people or subtle actions or assumptions that marginalize LGBTQ people.

Heterosexual: A term describing a person who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to people of a different gender. Also known as straight.

Homophobia: The fear and hatred of or discomfort with people who are attracted to members of the same sex or gender.

Homosexual: A term describing a person who is attracted to members of the same sex or gender. It is usually used in medical or scientific references.

Intersex: The term used for 2% of babies who are born with naturally occurring variations in chromosomes, hormones, genitalia and other sex characteristics.

Lesbian: A term describing a woman who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to some other women.

LGBTQ: An acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or questioning. Additions to this acronym can include A, for "asexual" or "ally," and I, for "intersex."

MTF: A term referring to a person, assigned male at birth who identifies and lives as female. See transgender girl or woman.

Non-binary: An umbrella term for people who transcend commonly held concepts of gender through their own expression and identities. Other terms for this might include gender expansive, gender creative, or genderqueer. Some non-binary people also identify as Transgender.

Outing: Exposing someone's sexual orientation or gender identity to others without their permission.

Pansexual: Describes someone who has the potential for emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to people of any gender though not necessarily simultaneously, in the same way or to the same degree.

Queer: A term some people use to identify themselves with a flexible and inclusive view of gender and/or sexuality. Also used interchangeably with LGBTQ to describe a group of people such as "queer youth." It is also seen in academic fields, such as queer studies or queer theory. Historically it has been used as a negative term for LGBTQ people. Some people still find the term offensive while some embrace the term as an identity.

Sex: One's biological and physical attributes--external genitalia, sex chromosomes and internal reproductive structures--that are used to assign someone as male or female at birth.

Sex Assigned at Birth: This is generally determined by external genitalia at birth--female, male or intersex.

Sexual Orientation: Describes a person's emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to other people. Some examples of sexual orientations are gay, lesbian, bisexual, asexual or pansexual.

Sexuality: Describes how one experiences and expresses one's self as a sexual being. It begins to develop in early childhood and continues over the course of one's lifetime.

Straight: A slang term for heterosexual.

Trans: Short for transgender.

Transgender or Trans: An umbrella term that describes people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from the sex they were assigned at birth: A term used to describe people who identify as a different gender from the sex they were assigned at birth. Being transgender does not imply any specific sexual orientation; transgender people may identify as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc.

Transphobia: The fear or hatred of, or discomfort with, transgender people.

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LGBTQ Definitions for Adults | Welcoming Schools

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Many people refrain from talking about sexual orientation and gender identity because they are unsure of what to say or are afraid of saying the wrong thing. After all, language around gender, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression can shift rapidly.

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This is an excerpt from Debbie Reese's article "Critical Indigenous Literacies: Selecting and Using Children's Books about Indigenous Peoples" in the July 2018 Language Arts. This article focuses on unlearning stereotypical representations of Indigenous peoples and replacing harmful narratives with accurate information and understandings. Teachers are critical in categorizing, selecting, and (re)presenting Indigenous communities through children's literature.

Let's turn, now, to Native American Heritage Month and its intersection with Thanksgiving.

Many teachers read aloud children's books about the "First Thanksgiving." Some classrooms take part in reenactments, with kids dressing up like Pilgrims and Indians or, perhaps, Wampanoags. Most of these books and activities default to stereotypes where Native people are shown in feathered headdresses and fringed clothing-items worn by Plains Indians rather than anything the Wampanoag people would have worn.

When teachers use Thanksgiving as the vehicle for their instruction about Native peoples, they are inadvertently locating Native lives in the past.

There are better ways to bring Native stories and books about Native peoples into classrooms. I focus on Cynthia Leitich Smith's (2000) picture book Jingle Dancer to illustrate how classroom book collections depicting Native people could be improved.

The key ideas are to choose books that are tribally specific (that name a specific tribal nation and accurately present that nation), written by Native writers, set in the present day, and relevant all year round, keeping Native peoples visible throughout the school year.

Choose books that are tribally specific.

Select books about Native peoples who are/were residents of your specific state. I recommend using websites like the National Congress of American Indians and the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian for information on tribal nations. Smith's picturebook is about Jenna, a little girl who is doing the jingle dance for the very first time at an upcoming powwow.

In the author's note, Smith shares that Jenna is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation, pertinent to children in Georgia, where the Muscogee people originated, or in Oklahoma, where they are today. Therefore, focusing on the local context empowers tribal nationhood within the states of origin rather than focusing on politically constructed holidays like Thanksgiving.

Use present tense verbs to talk about Native Nations.

A teacher in Georgia might say, "Today, the Muscogee Creek Nation is in Oklahoma. Before Europeans arrived on what became known as the North American continent, the Muscogee Creeks were in Georgia."

To go even further, use the provocative but accurate word "invaded" instead of "arrived." While reading Jingle Dancer, which is set in the present day, show the Muscogee Nation website as a complementary source. Jenna's house is in an everyday neighborhood and she is wearing clothes similar to kids in the classroom. She is a person of the present day.

Choose books by Native writers.

As noted earlier, Smith is Muscogee Creek. Introducing her as the author is another opportunity to use a present-tense verb. Because Smith and her character are Muscogee Creek, Jingle Dancer is an #OwnVoices story. As such, Smith is writing from her personal knowledge of Muscogee families and communities as they come together to help a child prepare and participate in a ceremonial dance for the first time. Jenna needs specific clothing, learns the steps and music, and understands the meaning of the dance from her tribal community.

At one point in the story, Jenna is feeling overwhelmed by all that she has to do. In a matter-of-fact way, Jenna's great-aunt tells her about the story of Bat, which is a Creek creation story. As a result, we learn that Creek families share creation stories with each other to instill strength and as a way to carry on when feeling low or overwhelmed.

Use books by Native writers all year round.

Jingle Dancer can be used any time of the year. I've focused on it for most of this article, but it is only one of many books available. (A list of recommended books in a range of genres, all written by Native authors and tribally specific, follows the references.)

A middle grade teacher doing a unit on lyrics in pop music might consider using Eric Gansworth's (2013) If I Ever Get Out of Here. It is tribally specific, set in the present day, and an #OwnVoices story. Every chapter title in the book is the name of a song by the Beatles or Paul McCartney. (If you're a fan of either one, you'll love the discography Gansworth has on his website!) Gansworth's book is about the relationship that develops between Lewis, a Native boy living on the Tuscarora Reservation, and George, a White boy living on a nearby Air Force base.

Each year the market is flooded with problematic books that publishers market to classroom teachers, but there are also gems worth reading.

At my website, American Indians in Children's Literature ( https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com), I read as many as I can and create "best of" lists. Visit! See what you'll find for your classroom.
Tribally enrolled at Nambé Pueblo, Debbie Reese is a former schoolteacher and assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her academic and professional articles as well as her blog (American Indians in Children's Literature) are taught in English, education, and library science courses in the United States and Canada. She can be reached at dreese.nambe@gmail.com or on Twitter at @debreese.
Photo courtesy of Della Nohl Photography. Nohl is Anishinabe, enrolled on White Earth Reservation.

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We Can Do Better: Rethinking Native Stories in Classrooms - NCTE

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This is an excerpt from Debbie Reese's article "Critical Indigenous Literacies: Selecting and Using Children's Books about Indigenous Peoples" in the July 2018 Language Arts. This article focuses on unlearning stereotypical representations of Indigenous peoples and replacing harmful narratives with accurate information and understandings.

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Tip Sheets - Race and Kids Education Resources | EmbraceRace

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Here you will find resources for educating children on race, and how to implement a race-concious, anti-bias approach early in childhood education.

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Teaching for Change and Rethinking Schools collaborate to bring people's history to the classroom.

A dedicated website to encourage and support teaching about Central American history.

The best selection of multicultural and social justice books for children, YA, and educators.

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Building social justice starting in the classroom.

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The Challenge Islamophobia Project offers lessons and resources to teach all of us to rethink what we know about the history of Muslims in the U.S.

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Terms to Avoid When Writing About Disability

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Terms to Avoid When Writing About Disability

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What is considered acceptable language regarding disabilities has changed dramatically over time, and standards continue to adapt as understanding and perceptions evolve. Many of the terms below were once widely used and were not always considered offensive, but now are widely considered to imply inferiority or have other negative connotations. Others are outdated medical or colloquial term

Here are a few terms to avoid:

Crazy, insane, nuts, psycho : All are considered offensive and should not be used except in direct quotes. See mental health.

Deaf and dumb/deaf-mute : Avoid these terms as they are often used inaccurately and can be offensive. See deaf and dumb/deaf-mute entry.

Loony, loony bin, lunatic: All are considered offensive and should not be used except in direct quotes. See mental health entry.

Stricken with, suffers from, victim of: These terms carry the assumption that a person with a disability is suffering or has a reduced quality of life. See entry on afflicted with.

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National Center on Disability and Journalism

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What is considered acceptable language regarding disabilities has changed dramatically over time, and standards continue to adapt as understanding and perceptions evolve. Many of the terms below were once widely used and were not always considered offensive, but now are widely considered to imply inferiority or have other negative connotations.

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On Compliance: Shifting the Narrative from Day One

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On Compliance: Shifting the Narrative from Day One

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First Encounters With Race and Racism: Teaching Ideas for Classroom Conversations (Published 2017)

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Using firsthand accounts from teenagers to guide classroom discussions around race and racism.

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EdChange - Equity, Anti-bias, & Diversity Activities & Exercises

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Multicultural, Anti-bias, & Diversity Activities & Exercises

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Welcome to NAACP ALLENTOWN UNIT NAACP in Allentown

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Welcome to NAACP ALLENTOWN UNIT NAACP in Allentown

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Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley

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Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley

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We might not be able to eliminate poverty. But we can curb it. We can feed people who are hungry. We can shelter them when they're homeless. We can get them heating assistance or weatherize their homes when they're cold. We can help people gain assets by buying a home or starting a business. We can organize them to take their neighborhoods back.

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Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley, Inc.

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We might not be able to eliminate poverty. But we can curb it. We can feed people who are hungry. We can shelter them when they're homeless. We can get them heating assistance or weatherize their homes when they're cold. We can help people gain assets by buying a home or starting a business.

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Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center of Allentown

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Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center of Allentown

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Serving the LGBTQ+ community of the Greater Lehigh Valley

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Being culturally responsive+making content real for Ss can mean simple compound sentence lesson can also show how to use words to push back against single stories. Compound sentences are tools in my curriculum, but stereotypes speak to Ss own lives ⁦@ncte⁩ #NCTEvillage

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Being culturally responsive+making content real for Ss can mean simple compound sentence lesson can also show how to use words to push back against single stories. Compound sentences are tools in my curriculum, but stereotypes speak to Ss own lives ⁦@ncte⁩ #NCTEvillage https://t.co/tSRhxyT8Dt

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Something went wrong, but don’t fret — let’s give it another shot.

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Being culturally responsive+making content real for Ss can mean simple compound sentence lesson can also show how to use words to push back against single stories. Compound sentences are tools in my curriculum, but stereotypes speak to Ss own lives ⁦@ncte⁩ #NCTEvillage pic.twitter.com/tSRhxyT8Dt
— Caroline Shearer (@CarolineLehman) January 17, 2019

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Being culturally responsive+making content real for Ss can mean simple compound sentence lesson can also show how to use words to push back against single stories. Compound sentences are tools in my curriculum, but stereotypes speak to Ss own lives ⁦@ncte⁩ #NCTEvillage https://t.co/tSRhxyT8Dt

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Being culturally responsive+making content real for Ss can mean simple compound sentence lesson can also show how to use words to push back against single stories. Compound sentences are tools in my curriculum, but stereotypes speak to Ss own lives ⁦@ncte⁩ #NCTEvillage https://t.co/tSRhxyT8Dt

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Being culturally responsive+making content real for Ss can mean simple compound sentence lesson can also show how to use words to push back against single stories. Compound sentences are tools in my curriculum, but stereotypes speak to Ss own lives ⁦@ncte⁩ #NCTEvillage

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COURAGEOUS CONVERSATION® is our award-winning protocol for effectively engaging, sustaining and deepening interracial dialogue. Through our Framework for Systemic Racial Equity Transformation, we help individuals and organizations address persistent racial disparities intentionally, explicitly, and comprehensively.

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COURAGEOUS CONVERSATION® is our award-winning protocol for effectively engaging, sustaining and deepening interracial dialogue. Through our Framework for Systemic Racial Equity Transformation, we help individuals and organizations address persistent racial disparities intentionally, explicitly, and comprehensively.

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#OwnVoices Middle Grade Fiction - The Seattle Public Library

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OwnVoices Middle Grade Fiction by LibrarianDest - a staff-created list : In 2015, #OwnVoices emerged as a hashtag on Twitter. It means the author of a book is from the same culture or background as the main character of that book. For more information about #OwnVoices, check out the links at the end of the list.

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Empathy in Your Classroom (Activities & Ideas)

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Empathy in Your Classroom (Activities & Ideas)

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Educator Guides for GLSEN Programs | GLSEN

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Want to take action but don't know how? Take part in GLSEN programs and events designed to help students, teachers, allies - anyone - take a stand and effect change in their school.

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"Empathy is not political: Creating Inclusive Classrooms"

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"Empathy is not political: Creating Inclusive Classrooms"

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"Some people may argue that such concerns are unimportant, but if you consider that language is the primary filter through which we perceive the world, it's obvious that it affects how we relate to and make judgments about one another," Dowd tells Teen Vogue. "Until now, history has been written and told by men, to the detriment of others. Part of any attempt to create a society in which all people - regardless of gender, sexuality or race - have equal opportunities and freedoms is to use language that no longer excludes certain groups or creates unconscious bias."

Just because a nonbinary person isn't present doesn't make it OK to use binary language.

Many nonbinary people aren't as vocal about their identity and pronouns as others, and you can't know someone's gender by looking at them, Hoffman-Fox stresses. Nonbinary people reflect a wide variety of gender expressions and are sometimes still identified as male or female because they don't present as androgynous.

"It's fairly common for people to assume that a nonbinary person isn't in the room," Hoffman-Fox said. "The truth is, there is no way someone could know that, unless they have had conversations with every person in the vicinity and have asked them if they use binary terms to describe themselves."

Hold those around you accountable.

Don't be afraid to correct those around you, such as your classmates and even teachers, about using exclusive, gendered language, but do understand not everyone receives criticism in the same way.

"Some people will be comfortable with being very direct, like: 'Excuse me, but when you used ladies to describe our friend group, it leaves out those who are uncomfortable with being gendered as female,'" Hoffman-Fox tells Teen Vogue. "Some may want to take a more subtle approach, such as repeatedly using a gender-neutral term within earshot of the person using binary language."

Pay attention to which responses work better for certain people.

"Depending on the situation, you can address the situation with the person publicly or privately, in person or through a message," Hoffman-Fox adds. "Try to keep it as simple as possible, explaining briefly what binary language is and how it can often result in people feeling invisible."

Remember that binary language also harms cisgender and binary transgender people.

Nonbinary people aren't the only ones hurt by binary language. Binary transgender people (or trans people who aren't nonbinary) and cisgender people are also affected - and often harmed - by the gender binary and how ingrained it can be in our language. For instance, many women prefer not to be lumped into a group of "ladies" because of society's expectations of how a lady should act.

"There are people who aren't nonbinary who are uncomfortable with binary gendered terms, thanks to these terms also being experienced as stereotypical," Hoffman-Fox says. "Shifting to gender-neutral language is of benefit not only to those who are nonbinary but to many others in society who feel that binary terms are inaccurate ways of describing them."

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The Gender-Neutral Words You Need to Know for Back to School

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"Some people may argue that such concerns are unimportant, but if you consider that language is the primary filter through which we perceive the world, it's obvious that it affects how we relate to and make judgments about one another," Dowd tells Teen Vogue.

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StoryCorps Education makes the StoryCorps mission come alive, supporting adults and youth in building relationships and creating more compassionate schools, families, and communities. With our lesson plans and resources, young people will:

Discover the power of their own voice and know that their experiences and stories matter

Learn about the power and importance of listening

Gain empathy and understanding for people who are different from themselves

Find strength in stories of people like themselves who succeeded despite personal challenges and social barriers.

The resources below will provide teachers and mentors with powerful tools for engaging and empowering youth in classroom and community settings. Additionally, connect directly with other educators and StoryCorps staff in our StoryCorps in the Classroom Facebook group.

Training & Resources for Educators

Student Voices

Hear from students who have participated in our work about the power of listening and recording a personal story.

The Great Thanksgiving Listen

The Great Thanksgiving Listen is a national movement that empowers high school students to create an oral history of the contemporary United States by recording an interview with an elder using the StoryCorps App.
Each year, StoryCorps works with educators and students around the country to preserve the voices and stories of an entire generation of Americans over a single holiday weekend. Learn more and join the movement.

More Information

Contact our Education team at education@storycorps.org.

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StoryCorps Education makes the StoryCorps mission come alive, supporting adults and youth in building relationships and creating more compassionate schools, families, and communities.

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Alliance for Sustainable Communities Lehigh Valley

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Alliance for Sustainable Communities Lehigh Valley

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Guest speaker ideas!

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The City's recycling drop-off center is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Center is located just west of t... More

Farmers' Markets Producer-only Farmers' Markets in the Greater Lehigh Valley. For additional information, see the Buy Local Lehigh Valley page. ... More

The FreeCycle Network is made up of many individual groups across the globe, including local groups in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Emmaus, and many ... More

We're proud to be part of the sustainable community with our three Bethlehem locations and our Allentown location. We make our bagels from scratch, on... More

We strengthen the Latino community through leadership development, education, health, and advocacy. The Latino Leadership Alliance provides a public f... More

The Food Policy Council was formed to promote policies and action towards a local food system that benefits our community, our environment, our farme... More

Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization that inspires a love of reading, builds community, and sparks creativity by fostering neighborhood boo... More

Transitions Lehigh Valley is one of over 100 official Transition Initiatives in the U.S. and part of the global Transitions movement. The Transitions ... More

Turning Point is the domestic-violence agency for Lehigh and Northampton counties. Its mission is to eliminate domestic violence in the Lehigh Valley ... More

For more information and a map showing the areas served by each watershed association, visit www.watershedcoalitionlv.org. Bertsch-Hokendauqua-Catasa... More

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Directory Listings - Alliance for Sustainable Communities

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Submit a Directory Listing View Advanced Search Options Bethlehem, PA 18018 Phone: 610-865-7082 Bethlehem residents may drop off leaves, small brush, hedge trimmings, garden plant residue, and Christmas trees (no ornaments/tinsel). No grass, sod,... More The greater Lehigh Valley region's many fine colleges and universities have a variety of resources that can promote sustainability, including course...

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Making Space for Students' Voices (Art Project)

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Making Space for Students' Voices (Art Project)

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This post is one I'm super excited to share. This unit is one of my favorites for about a million reasons - students are comfortable in the room and beginning to make some great choices; students are shown some powerful videos and images; students find an issue they are interested in and DO something about it; and on and on. I am excited to share this because I've worked hard on scaffolding the experiences for kids - I've done this unit in some iteration since I started teaching high school and I think that this year's version is the best yet.

This unit is our Social Issues Unit - the goal is to create a piece responding to a social issue that engages the viewer - either through interaction, shock, or intrigue.

We start out with an intense day or two (depending on the length of the class) of watching some videos and looking at artists. The day looks like this: we start by watching Islamophobia Killed My Brother and then respond on a post it to the question

Have you ever felt you've been judged for something you cannot control? How did it make you feel?

And then we look at a few of Ai Wei Wei's pieces - discussing how he is a contemporary artist and what issues he responds to.

Students take a few notes in response to Ai Wei Wei's work and then we watch The First Day I Realized I was Black and respond on a post it to the question

Have you ever really thought about how it might feel in another person's skin, gender, religion? What might be different about your life?

Then we look at Hank Willis Thomas' work and Kara Walker's work.

Again students take notes about their responses to the artists' work. Then we watch Donovan Livingston's HGSE Commencement Speech and respond on a post it to the question

How has your schooling experience affected your life? Describe both the positive and the negative.

We then look at Shepard Fairey's work and discuss his connections to their lives (they love his apparel from Obey).

Then we watch Why I'm Loud as Hell and respond to the question on a post it

Is your voice heard? How do you ensure it is heard in the community? In the school? In your family?

Then we look at Candy Chang's public interactive work and take some notes in response.

And then the introductory day is complete. It's an intense day (or two) but kids are engaged.

The next day we dive into how artists engage the viewer - we look at tons of artwork by the artists we already looked at and others. We use a How do artists engage viewers Graphic Organizer to find the strategies artists use to engage the viewer and we share our top three answers for each type on a class padlet. (This is a new addition this year and will occur tomorrow for many classes, so there will definitely be a part two to this post!). This takes some work so it will take the entire class period.

The following day we dive into what a social issue, what are social issues. Some classes are going to use a new website (to me) called menti.com to share out social issues as a class while other classes will use the post it/poster method. Once we've sort of exhausted our social issue sharing muscle, students will complete a social issue think sheet before we have a restorative circle on which social issues affect our lives.

Students will the next day get an overview on the assignment. The expectation is that they do some research - something so far I've scaffolded completely for them. I have again by creating Symbaloo Board where students have to check out two resources from.

This is not at all a comprehensive social issue research - but it's the stuff I've been wanting to share with kids in a quiet way. There are podcasts from Revisionist History; tedtalk videos from artists who work with social issues; websites from the artists and videos from other artists; there are articles about education and systemic racism. The idea for me is to provide some jumping off points for students.

Then they have to find at least one other resource. We are going to discuss how to research appropriately and how to find good resources. Students will have to take notes on their research and their resource. Social Issue Research sheet is how they will record their findings and how they will use the information they find. Research is meaningless unless it sends you in a new direction or it's something usable.

Then!! Students can begin planning their pieces - using social issue planning sheet. They can work collaboratively or alone, they can make almost anything BUT they MUST engage the viewer. The social issue rubric clearly shows that engagement is the goal. It must be thought out and planned in order for it to be successful. And that's the part I didn't do so well scaffolding in last year.

So far, in beginning this with 3 of my classes, students have been more obviously engaged and excited. Responses like, "that video was lit" and "today was the best day in this class" have demonstrated to me that the order of videos and the intensity of the introduction has worked. I may need to revisit the videos later on in order to keep the engagement high.

Over the past two years when I have done this assignment, students have made a variety of pieces engaging in social issues they are drawn to. Everything from legalization of marijuana, transgender rights, black lives matter, and gun violence has been a jumping point for students.

I hear you, I do... what does your administration say? They are really supportive. I send them a preemptive email with all my planning in it. I invite them into the classroom to be a part of anything they want - and they come.

These pieces and the unit become powerful catalysts for students to discover that art is more than just making pretty pictures - that their voices and their messages are a necessary part of this world and art is just one method for them to be heard.
How do you incorporate social issues into your classroom? How do you ensure that students feel safe enough to share and create?
Here's the Social Issues Overview powerpoint I'm using for this unit - I will add a few more slides in as the unit goes along but the basic introduction is here for you to use!

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This post is one I'm super excited to share. This unit is one of my favorites for about a million reasons - students are comfortable in the room and beginning to make some great choices; students are shown some powerful videos and images; students find an issue they are interested in and DO something about...

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From film kits and lesson plans to the building blocks of a customized Learning Plan—texts, student tasks and teaching strategies—our resources will help you bring relevance, rigor and social emotional learning into your classroom—all for FREE.