Educator Resources

These units, lesson plans, websites and resource lists have been developed by licensed K-12 teachers in conjunction with Institute for Global Studies professional development opportunities. Lessons are linked to state standards.

Lesson Plans and Units on award winning books developed by NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellows Alumni, for Globalizing Rural Teacher Training Programs, a collaboratiion with Dr. Kathrina O'Connell at Bemidji State University, Spring 2022

• The Arabic Quilt, an Immigrant Story (3rd grade)
• Between Us and Abuela (3rd-4rth grade)
• A Gift for Amma Market Day in India (1st grade)
• Grandad Mandela (5th grade)
• Tiger Boy (4rth-5th grade)

Lesson Plans and Units Developed by Teaching for Action Human Rights and Civic Engagement in Our Global Communities Cohort, a collaboration with the Institute for World Affairs at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and the National Youth Leadership Council, Spring 2021

• Sweet Freedom: Sugar and the Haitian Revolution (secondary social studies)

• Keeping Language Alive (middle grades ESL)

• The Tuskagee Project Medical Experimentation, Human Rights and African Americans (secondary social studies)

• Art and Vaccine Equity (secondary art)

• Memory and Modern Society-Local Museum Evaluation Unit Plan(Act of Silencing) (secondary social studies)

•  Research Based Argument Essay Launch: Intro to Convention of the Rights of a Child (7-9 grade ELA)

• Deforestation to Reforestation from the World to Your Town (secondary science)

• Combatting the Myth of the Indian in Golding’s Lord of the Flies (secondary literature)

• Photography4Humanity: Awareness to Action Lesson (secondary social studies)

• Finding Diversity and Discussing Social Justice Issues in Literature (elementary ELA)

• Can Separate be Good? (secondary social studies/ civics)

Units and Lessons Developed by the Globalizing Curriculum Elementary Social Studies Cohort for CHAINED THE STORY OF PRODUCTS, PLACES, and FORGOTTEN PEOPLE, led by Dr. Jeff Henning-Smith, Summer 2021 

• Lesson 1 Intro (Chained the Story of Products, Places and Forgotten People) 
• Lesson 2 Resources and People (Chained the Story of Products, Places and Forgotten People) 
• Lesson 3 Production and People (Chained the Story of Products, Places and Forgotten People) 
• Lesson 4 Producers and Consumers  (Chained the Story of Products, Places and Forgotten People) 
• Lesson 5 Assessment  (Chained the Story of Products, Places and Forgotten People) 

Units and Lessons Developed by the Globalizing Curriculum for Elementary Social Studies Cohort; YOUTH ACTIVISM AROUND THE WORLD, led by Dr. Jeff Henning-Smith, Summer 2020

• 1_Introduction to Youth Activism Around the World 
• 2_Youth Activism Around the World_WATER
• 3_Youth Activism Around the World_ CLIMATE CHANGE
• 4_Youth Activism Around the World_EDUCATION
• 5_Youth Activism Around the World_MENTAL HEALTH

Units and Lessons Developed by the Exceptional Virtual Lessons with Global Content Cohort, Summer 2020 (elementary-community college)

• Green Power: a Global Studies STEM Unit on Renewable Resources (middle school)
• 1947 India Migration
• My Personal Response During the Global Event of COVID-19 (secondary)
• Public Health with the Peace Corp (Year 5 IB)
• Women with Wings Aviation History (secondary ESL)
• Global Perspectives Writing Activity (community college)
• Modern Japanese History Virtual Exam (community college)
• Amal Unbound Virtual Lesson Plan (5th-6th grade)
• Introduction to Global Studies through the SDGs -an Open Education Resouce (community college)
• Human Wildlife Conflict Global Challenge Local Solutions (secondary-Wakelet site)

Units and Lessons Developed by the Empowering Students to Improve the World Cohort, June 2019

• Introduction to the Sustainable Development Goals Grades 2-5 (elementary) 
• Using Literature to Create a Global Classroom (elementary) 
• Life Under Water SDG #14 in French Immersion (in French) 1 Jour 1 Question 1 Action (Elementary)
• Life Under Water SDG #14 in French Immersion (in English) 1 Day 1 Question 1 Action (elementary)
• WWII, the United Nations, and the Sustainable Development Goals  (secondary social studies)
• Developing Global Citizens through Global Lessons Writing Assignments (community college)
• Global Lessons Book Club Project for Intercultural Competence  (community college)
• Mindfulness and Stress Management in Community College ESL Advanced Writing and Speaking (community college)
• SDGs for ESL Advanced Writing and Speaking (community college) 

Units and Lessons Developed by the Minneapolis Public School Global Learning Fellows, 2018-2019

• Haitian Revolution (secondary social studies)
• Russia vs US:  Who has Interfered More? (secondary social studies)
• Operation Infektion - Russian Interference in US Media (secondary social studies)
• Russia and the US through Current Events (8th grade social Studies)
• Constructions of Race around the World (secondary ethnic studies)
• How People Get and Use Water (secondary ESL) 

Units and Lesson Plans on Teaching Issues of Social Justice

• Investigating Social Justice through Infrastructure (secondary social studies, Humanities, Current Events) 
• Social Justice in Action (Grades 2-5)
• What do You Think When You Look at Me? Body Shaming across Cultures (secondary sociology)
• Intro to Social Justice Education (community college syllabus)

Units and Lesson Plans about Africa  

• An Opportunity in Africa (secondary social studies)
• Culture and Identity (secondary social studies)
• Deconstructing Stereotypes (secondary interdisciplinary)
• Economics of Africa Unit (secondary social studies)
• Ghanian Fantasy Coffins Lessons (secondary social studies)
• Kibera Walls for Peace Lessons (secondary social studies)
• Play Pump Lessons (secondary social studies)
• Ripple Effects: How Access to Water and Sanitation Impact Standard of Living (secondary social studies)
• Teaching with Comics (secondary interdisciplinary)
• Unpacking African Stereotypes (secondary interdisciplinary)
• The Red Pencil as Ethnography (secondary interdisciplinary social studies/language arts)
• African Voices of Paris (post secondary, in French and English) 

African Literature

• A Long Way from Home: A Study of Journeys and their Effects on Mankind through Black Dove White Raven (secondary literature)
• Challenging Perspectives: An Inquiry-Based Approach to Apartheid in Beverly Naidoo's Out of Bounds (middle and secondary literature)
• Far From Home: Novel Study (secondary literature)

Award-Winning Books for K-12 Students on Global Topics

Children’s Africana Book Awards

Since 1991, these awards honor outstanding books on Africa published or republished in the United States. View past winners.

Middle East Outreach Council Book Awards

Since 1999, these awards recognize books for children and young adults that contribute meaningfully to understanding of the Middle East. View past winners.

Américas Award: Consortium of Latin American Studies Program

Since 1993, these awards recognize books for children and young adults that portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States, and to provide teachers with recommendations for classroom use. View past winners.

Website for 2016 Summer Institute Africa in the Classroom

Resources including maps, data, lesson plans, service learning, and more can be found on the Africa in the Classroom website.

Other Sites for Internationalizing Curriculum

Library of Congress primary sources
Asia Society resources and lesson plans on global education

Internationalizing Social Studies a list of all Title VI National Resource Center educator resource websites