critical thinking

Gentrification - Tania Lopez

Patterns of Colonization

4th Grade, SJE Units , , , , , ,

Grade: 4th Grade
Topics: Colonization, gentrification
Social Justice Skills: Critical thinking, effective communication, advocating for systemic change
Created by: Tania Lopez

This unit bridges the novel Buffalo Bird Girl and lessons on Native American assimilation with the effects of economic development in Newark. Students explore how gentrification and displacement mirror historical patterns of colonization. By examining Newark’s evolving landscape, they critically assess both the benefits and harms of urban development. Through themes like power and colonization, students build vocabulary (e.g., displacement, reservations) and conclude by writing letters to Newark’s Mayor, offering their perspectives on economic development, supported by insights from their lessons.

View the PDF: Lopez Unit Plan – Tania Lopez

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Community Pride

Community Pride

1st Grade, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, SJE Units, Social Studies, The Arts, Uncategorized , , , ,

 

Grade: 1st Grade
Topics: Communities
Social Justice Skills: Critical thinking, advocacy, self-determination, discovery
Created by: Corey Juarez

Throughout this unit students will explore what a community is and learn more about their specific community, Newark. We will discuss what defines a community and explore the idea that the students are part of a school and classroom community. As we begin to learn about the students’ community we will work as a class to describe what they know about their community as well as questions they have about their community. We will also learn about the rich history of their community and city and even have visitors from the Newark Museum come in, in order to help contextualize this information with actual artifacts for the students to observe. We will also discuss change students would like to see happen in their community.

View the PDF:Community Pride

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Let’s All Celebrate

Let’s All Celebrate

Kindergarten, Language Arts, Mathematics, Pre-K, Science, SJE Units, Social Studies, Subjects Integrated, The Arts ,

Grade: Pre-K / Kindergarten
Topics: Holidays
Social Justice Skills: Critical thinking, fairness
Created by: Kat Benevento

 

Holidays are celebrated by different cultural groups all over the world for different reasons. In the United States, some holidays are nationally recognized, others recognized in schools, and others not represented at all. To develop deeper multicultural understanding and respect for differences, a variety of cultures must be represented and celebrated. This unit explores the different holidays celebrated in our community and the representation of groups in celebration across the school. Students will be challenged to analyze the fairness of the system and recreate a utopia.

Download this PDF: Let’s All Celebrate

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Water We Waiting For

Water We Waiting For

5th Grade, 6th Grade, Language Arts, Science, SJE Units, Social Studies, The Arts , , , ,

Grade: 5th and 6th grade unit

Topics: Environmental Justice, Water
Social Justice Skills: Critical thinking, advocacy, protest, fairness, letter writing
Created by: Madeline Della Pesca, Rachel Hartman, Alejandro Hernandez. Nicole Larsen, Hayley Smith

The “Water We Waiting For” unit helps students explore whether clean drinking water is a resource that should be provided by the government as an unalienable right. Students will research the topic and investigate inequality, access to resources, injustice, human rights, and some of the political aspects of the water crisis, as well as the detrimental effects contaminated water has on our health as individuals and as communities. To do so, lessons have been crafted that span a cross curricular approach, through reading and language arts, science, social studies, math, health education, physical education and the arts. The unit will culminate in the cultivation of a protest in which students will explore methods of political expression that can be used not only to advocate for the access to clean drinking water, but also protest tactics that can be used in the face of injustice and oppression anywhere.

Download This Unit: Water Unit Fifth Grade

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Questioning Columbus

2nd Grade, American Sign Language, Language Arts, Social Studies , , , ,

bbGrade: 2nd grade unit
Topics: Colonization, Native Americans, Columbus
Social Justice Skills: Critical thinking, peer education
Created by Mike Nappi

This unit was created when students inquired about why they had a day
off from school. The result was a student created bulletin board that
aimed to educate other students and teachers about the truth behind
the Columbus Day Holiday.
Find out more: questioningcolumbus.wordpress.com


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