Mission US: An incredible resource that is always working to stay current and present relevant resources for today’s teachers and students.
- 1960: The Civil Rights Movement No Turning Back ESTIMATED TIME: 2-2.5 hrs The year is 1960. You are 16-year-old Verna Baker, born and raised in the Mississippi Delta. As you move to the city of Greenwood to start high school, a movement for civil rights is gaining momentum. How will you take part in the struggle for freedom and equality?
Video: Top 5 Things to Know Before You Play Ready to play Mission US? This video explains five things to know before you begin.
Pamela’s Part-by-Part Guide to the Mission In these short videos, advisor Pamela Walker highlights key takeaways from each part of the game.
Video Overview of No Turning Back A 10-minute video walkthrough of the mission, educator materials, and development process.
Meet the people behind No Turning Back Learn about the advisors, cast, and other team members who worked on this mission.
About this Mission Learn more about the creation of and team behind No Turning Back.
Teacher’s Guide to Using This Mission Overview materials, background information, activities, and more.
Facing History and Ourselves: 15 Classroom Resources on Black History and Life
ICivics: Icivics is an amazing resource for Social Studies teachers! It covers a wide range o topics and has a tremendous variety of activities. It is one of our favorite resources.
- Ethel Payne: First Lady of the Black Press video (2:06) In this video, students learn about the life of Ethel Payne, the second Black woman to be a member of the White House Press Corps. In her position, Payne asked the questions others didn’t, and brought civil rights issues to a national audience. Her coverage of the Civil Rights Movement and international affairs, brought Black people’s experiences to the front page.
- Voting Rights Act of 1965 lesson plan, Students examine the key voting rights protected by this landmark civil rights law. This mini-lesson also provides an overview of the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the law in the case, Shelby County v. Holder (2013). Students analyze how the Act has affected voter behavior and provide a written reflection on the Shelby County v. Holder case.
- The Nashville Sit-Ins This powerful DBQuest module presents students with three compelling primary source documents, including an interview transcript, a newspaper photo, and a video.
- Jim Crow Use primary documents and images to discover the ways state and local governments restricted the newly gained freedoms of African Americans after the Civil War. Compare, contrast, and analyze post-war legislation, court decisions (including Plessy v. Ferguson), and a political cartoon by Thomas Nast to understand life in Jim Crow states.
- Jim Crow: Legislating Inequality Equality under the law is an ideal, not a reality. In this lesson, students explore state segregation laws and their political, economic, and social impact on African Americans in the Jim Crow era. Students also explore how Black communities resisted these laws and assess the lasting impact on people’s lives and opportunities.
- The Road to Civil Rights Discover the people, groups, and events behind the Civil Rights Movement. Learn about means of non-violent protest, opposition to the movement, and identify how it took all three branches of the federal government to effect change. Protest posters, fictional diary entries, and a map of the movement’s major events develop a greater understanding of the struggle for civil rights.
- Voting Rights Act of 1965 Students examine the key voting rights protected by this landmark civil rights law. This mini-lesson also provides an overview of the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the law in the case, Shelby County v. Holder (2013). Students analyze how the Act has affected voter behavior and provide a written reflection on the Shelby County v. Holder case.
Balanced Learning Resources: February Black History Month: Heroes and Helpers
- Honorable John Lewis (1940-2020): Civil Rights Leader, Great American Grade Level: 6-12
- Ruby Bridges – Courage Shapes the World We Live In Grade Level: 3-5
- Ruby Bridges – Making Spaces Welcoming and Kind Grade Level: K-2
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. & the March on Washington – Analysis of a Social Justice Movement Grade Level: 9-12
- Dorothy Pitman Hughes: Life and Legacy Grade Level: 6-8
- Asian American Activists in the Civil Rights Movement Grade Level: 7-12
- The Young Lords Grassroots Activism & Social Change – Fighting for Justice, Then and Now Grade Level: K-2
- Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel & Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – A Shared Struggle for Justice Grade Level: 6-8
- Exploring Stories During Black History Month Intended for grades 5-12, this lesson plan explores the Black History and Culture Collection on Google Arts & Culture. Use this opportunity to practice intentionality and analyze the complexities of Black History curricula.
- 25 Nonfiction Books for Students (and You!) to Explore Black History We’ve created a book list that includes a mix of well-known and lesser-known figures, each offering unique insights and lessons that can spark meaningful classroom discussions. Explore these stories with students to honor the resilience, struggles, and triumphs that have shaped our society. Explore Book Recommendations
- Cultivating Revolutionary Love with Inclusive Literacy Practices This activity encourages students to explore their classroom library, analyze the data, and suggest ways to make it more reflective of their identities and experiences. It’s a good chance to evaluate how well the current texts represent students’ racial, ethnic, linguistic, and dis/abilities.
Bloomsbury Academic ABC-CLIO: A teacher will need to sign-up to access the resources.
- Oh, Freedom Over Me! In this activity, students will learn about the Freedom Rides of 1961.
- Civil Rights Movement What were the defining moments of the civil rights movement?
- Hip Hop and History How can modern hip hop culture be traced to the development of African American music from ragtime to rap?
- Black Women Progressives How did Black women in the Progressive movement bring awareness to problems and facilitate change in the United States in the early 20th century?