In leading America through the Great Depression and implementation of the New Deal, FDR had to convince Americans to see the world through a new hopeful perspective in the midst of anxiety and fear. Staging the Theodore Roethke conversation just …
The Women’s Movement of the 1800s is a great opportunity to teach the theme of cooperation and how the leaders of the movement– Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony– worked together to fight against injustice. I could use the …
I’m teaching the Underground Railroad and I want to focus on the importance of dreams as a tool for changing the world. I could use the Harriet Tubman conversation to kick off the lesson. For fun, I wouldn’t tell the …
I’m studying World War II and want to look at the theme of sacrifice by exploring how the average citizen was made to contribute their heart and soul to defeat the enemy through volunteering, food rationing and the like. The …
I want to teach the Gettysburg Address and I think the Gandhi conversation on sacrifice would be a great conversation to have just before handing out this speech to get the kids appreciating the importance of thinking of others before …
In the Ted Talk “The power of believing that you can improve,” psychologist and Stanford professor, Carol Dweck, delivers her findings about growth and fixed mindsets, which can help viewers uncover the tools within themselves to achieve their dreams. I …
Reconstruction is a great opportunity to explore the theme of forgiveness by considering when it is appropriate to use as a basis for punishment. The Mahatma Gandhi conversation would serve as a great bridge between the Civil War and the …
I’m teaching the Civil Rights Movement and I want to focus on the theme of anger by looking at the negatives and positives of getting angry versus staying calm to get what you want. I could stage the Lao Tzu …
After reading the novel, The Jungle by Upton Sinclair with my students, which exposes the ugly truth of the meat industry, I would present Abraham Lincoln’s conversation self-determination. We would use this conversation to prompt a thorough investigation of Sinclair’s …
Teaching about a youth leader like Malala Yousafzai provides a great opportunity to really delve into the theme of fear, because even though many in Malala’s country do not believe girls should be educated, Malala stayed calm in the face …
In government I want to teach the theme of power through federalism— the balance of authority between the states and national government. The John Adams conversation would be an effective way to introduce the concept of federalism by getting the …
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is an important novel that every American should read. I like to use this novel to teach several different themes and historical issues, but the character of Atticus Finch in To Kill a …
