Teach Human Rights: Lesson Plans & Resources

The historical struggle for human rights is something that affects us, our children, and future generations as we fight for equity and inclusion in an increasingly torn society. It can also be difficult to speak with students about sensitive subjects, which is why this Share My Lesson collection provides expertly curated lesson plans, resources, and activities that define these rights, develop a global awareness, and teach how we can all make a difference when we act together.

  • Resource Type: Lesson Plans
  • Subject: Rights and Responsibilities
  • Grades: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

American Slavery Lesson Plans: Teaching Hard History

If you are lesson planning for the school year, or getting ready to celebrate Juneteenth — the June 19 holiday recognizing the abolition of slavery — this Share My Lesson collection has what you need to teach preK-12 students the history of American slavery. This preK-12 lesson and activity curated collection is in response to a Southern Poverty Law Center report, “Teaching Hard History: American Slavery,” that shows that schools are failing to teach American Slavery. This collection of resources features some of our partner and users’ best material to ensure schools and teachers have the support they need to teach about the history of American slavery.

  • Resource Type: Lesson Plans
  • Subject: Citizenship
  • Grades: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Immigration Resources: Inclusive School Communities

The Share My Lesson team curated a collection of free lesson plans and resources to help teachers educate all students about immigration and create inclusive school communities. Teachers, parents, and immigration advocacy organizations from across the country, including PBS NewsHour Extra, ADL and Re-Imagining Migration have contributed to these resources.

  • Resource Type: Quizzes
  • Subject: Citizenship
  • Grades: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Congress and the Legislative Branch: Lesson Plans & Resources

This Share My Lesson collection provides free lesson plans and resources to support teachers in educating students about the legislative branch of Congress. Students will learn about the powers of Congress and state legislatures, how those powers have been used or changed over time, and what issues face Congress today.

  • Resource Type: Lesson Plans
  • Subject: Legislative Branch/Congress
  • Grades: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Impeachment Lesson Plans & Resources

Historically, the United States House has only impeached two presidents, Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. However, neither president ended up being removed from office by the Senate. Share My Lesson has curated this collection of free lesson plans and resources to support educators in teaching students about what impeachment means, the history of impeachment, and how the impeachment process works.

  • Resource Type: Lesson Plans
  • Subject: Foundations of Democracy
  • Grades:

19th Amendment: Free Resources on Women’s Suffrage

On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the United State Constitution was ratified, thus granting women the right to vote. The ratification of this amendment was a result of the powerful, unwavering momentum of hundreds of women who first convened a women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York. This collection provides free lessons that will help students learn more about this important time in history, highlighting important developments in not only Women’s Rights, but U.S. Civil Rights and other amendments to the Constitution.

  • Resource Type: Lesson Plans
  • Subject: Citizenship
  • Grades: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Voting Rights Act of 1965: Lesson Plans & Resources

On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law. This landmark piece of legislation made discrimination based on race illegal. This law protected the right to vote for all citizens; forced states to obey the Constitution; and reinforced the 15th Amendment. The Share My Lesson team has curated a collection of free lesson plans, activities, and classroom materials that educators can use to teach students about the Voting Rights Act.

  • Resource Type: Lesson Plans
  • Subject: History
  • Grades: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Crisis in Venezuela

The United States historically had strong diplomatic and economic relations with Venezuela. Venezuela has the world’s largest oil reserves and is the third largest source of imported oil for the U.S. For decades, Venezuela was a democratic state. The positive relationship between the U.S. and Venezuela changed in 1998. Venezuelans elected Hugo Chavez president that year. His political program was known as Chavismo.

  • Resource Type: Descriptive Text, Interactives, Lesson Plans
  • Subject: Voting, Elections, Politics
  • Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12

The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850

In 1850, Southerners succeeded in getting a new federal law passed to return fugitive slaves who had escaped to the North. The U.S. government enforced this law, but some Northern states passed laws to resist it. Sometimes, free blacks and sympathetic whites joined to rescue captured fugitive slaves.

  • Resource Type: Lesson Plans
  • Subject: History
  • Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12