Conflict Resolution and U.S. History – Sample Lesson – War Between Mexico and U.S.

This 111-page pdf provides a full kit for a classroom activity focused on learning U.S. history within a conflict resolution framework. The activity, focused around the war between the United States and Mexico in the 1840s, sets up a negotiation and mediation between two historical figures from the period. The activity comes from Volume One: The Colonial Period through Reconstruction, the first of two volumes available from the NJ Center for Civic and Law-Related Education for teaching conflict resolution and U.S. history. The two volume set was created with supportive funding from the Ford Foundation. More than 25 leading historians helped to provide a rich historical background as the materials were developed and presented. More than 200 teachers from 15 states participated in the institutes and piloted the materials in their classrooms. More information available at http://civiced.rutgers.edu/

Juliette Hampton Morgan – “A White Woman Who Understood”

The lessons in this guide build upon the life of Juliette Hampton Morgan, a white woman who lived in Montgomery, Alabama, during segregation. At a time when our nation’s laws sanctioned, and in many ways mandated, white supremacy, Morgan challenged racism among her white peers. She was an ally — someone who supports and stands up for the rights and dignity of others — and her story provides a powerful roadmap for today’s students. This guide contains three lesson plans appropriate for grades 9-12 that meet academic content standards for U.S. history, language arts and visual arts. These lessons can be easily incorporated into typical classroom content units. A special lesson for teachers, also included in the guide, is designed as a professional development activity and supports core propositions of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.