Making Professional Development Easy with Journeys in Film Webinars
Deepen your skills for teaching with film with Journeys in Film Professional Development Webinars. These teacher training sessions are available free, online and on-demand. Earn one hour of PD credit upon successful completion of each webinar. Participants will gain tools to boost student engagement and teach critical thinking across the curriculum.
New in 2025!
Teach STEM with Short Films
Get tools & media literacy techniques for teaching STEM classes with short films and dive deep into resources for our newest short film The Crisis Scientists. For grades 9-12 plus higher education.
This free webinar is now available to watch on-demand.
Learn about teaching critical thinking with film to combat Antisemitism and Islamophobia.
This webinar highlights key aspects of anti-bias education and shares film-related resources specific to Antisemitism and Islamophobia. Featured resources include our new lesson about Antisemitism within the context of the rise of white supremacy. The webinar also explores films and film-related resources that offer students a broader understanding of Islam and the Muslim world.
Learn how to inspire students with film to build a sustainable future, with a specific focus on Climate Emergency: Feedback Loops. This invigorating panel discussion with climate educators and scientists demonstrates the power of using this series of five short films to engage and inspire students to build a sustainable future through increased understanding of forests, permafrost, the atmosphere, albedo, and regreening.
Learn how to use the power of film and biographical stories to increase student learning and engagement around sensitive subjects, with a specific focus on award-winning documentary Gabby Giffords Won’t Back Down. This webinar offers tangible resources and tools for tackling challenging topics such as gun violence in the classroom. It also explores the power of this resource to teach a wide array of important themes, including civics, community service learning, mental health, media responsibility, and career pathways.
Learn how Hidden Figures can excite & engage your grade 3-12 students about 9 different subjects. This webinar uses Hidden Figures as an example to guide educators to resource techniques in teaching with film while addressing Common Core objectives. Grounded in the inspiring true story of the Black women mathematicians who worked in the NASA space program, participants explore our Hidden Figures lessons on the Civil Rights Movement, the Cold War, and the Space Race as tools to address gender equity in STEM fields when teaching across subjects for their own classroom.
Learn about exploring Inequity in Criminal Justice with Just Mercy. This narrative film is based on the true story of Equal Justice Initiative founder Bryan Stevenson and his crusade as a young lawyer to exonerate Walter McMillian, a Black man unjustly convicted for murder. The webinar explores strategies for culturally responsive teaching to support working with students on difficult and crucially important topics like inequities in criminal justice.
Teach Black History all year round! Learn about celebrating Black History through music & film with Oscar-winner Summer of Soul. Directed by Ahmir Questlove Thompson, Summer of Soul is a powerful, transporting film about the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969 featuring performances by Nina Simone, Sly and the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension and more. Bring Black Joy and Black Excellence to your classroom to engage students in celebrating Black History through music and film.
Learn about teaching STEAM classes with film, with a special focus on The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind. This Netflix film is based on the true story of William Kamkwamba, a brilliant teenager whose creativity, persistence and courage provided a solution to devastating drought for his family and eventually for his village and many others in his country of Malawi and beyond. The webinar presents an overview of the interdisciplinary resources available for the film to support science, physics, language arts and social studies teachers in exploring the geographical and environmental context of Malawi, the history and engineering of wind power and the factors that influenced William’s journey: religion, politics, the environment, and education. William Kamkwamba himself joins the presentation for the Q&A.
Here are guides and other suggestions for educators, homeschooling individuals, community groups, and others for what to teach in April!
Celebrate Earth & The Environment
April is Earth Month! Plus April 21 – 27 is Earth Week, April 22 is Earth Day and April 26 is Arbor Day. We have collections of teaching resources that can help you celebrate the environment all month long across the curriculum: Teach With Film for Earth Month.
April Teaching Highlights
For Arab American Heritage Month, Wadjda is a film from Saudi Arabia that students love. We also recommend The Neighborhood Storyteller, a short documentary about Syrian refugee Asmaa Rashed.
For Poetry Appreciation Month, check out Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, the animated feature film about a poet based on the poetic writing of Kahlil Gibran.
Teach April Holidays With Film
Passover takes place April 12-20, 2025: introduce your students to Judaism with The Story of God, and share Steven Spielberg’s moving Passover Story from the making of Schindler’s List.
Teach about Public Health in April
National Interprofessional Healthcare Month
World Minority Health Month
National Public Health Week April 1-7
Black Maternal Health WeekApril 11-17;
National Infant Immunization Week April 22-29
World Immunization Week April 24-30
The Invisible Shield is a powerful teaching tool for exploring the importance of public health and public health workers, the critical role of immunizations in public health, and the urgency of addressing public health inequities to make healthcare available for all.
Week of the Young Child (April 5-11, 205) is a great time to screen Children of Heaven.
Discover the magic of forests for National Parks Week (April 19-25, 2025): Learn about Forests.
April 3: Pioneering primatologist and anthropologist Jane Goodall was born on this day in 1934. Celebrate with her biographical documentary Jane. Learn more about teaching with this film with our article at Share My Lesson: Inspiring a Love of Nature and Learning: Celebrating Jane Goodall.
April 23 is English Language Day. We are pleased to offer over two dozen film guides with English Language Arts lessons. A great place to start is the oral history assignment for Big Sonia (grades 7-12), the Crip Camp lesson on language power and ableism (high school) , the lesson based on Malala Yousafzai’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech at age 17 for He Named Me Malala (grades 7-12), and rich, engaging lessons combining language arts, music, and social studies for The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (grades 7-12).
April 28: Oskar Schindler of Schindler’s List was born on this day in 1908. Introduce your students to this remarkable and complex man with Who was Oskar Schindler.
April 30 is International Jazz Day. Wrap up April with the joyful sounds of Summer of Soul.
Music in Our Schools Month: Teach with Film
March is Music in Our Schools Month. Celebrate with these beautiful films plus our free lesson plans to boost student engagement across the curriculum including Music Education, Language Arts, Social Studies, History, Environmental Science and more! For grades 5 and up.
New in 2025: My Music with Rhiannon Gidden
My Music with Rhiannon Giddens Season 2 presents a series of musical performances and conversations with multicultural musicians. We offer Learning Guides for the episodes that feature Chinese pipa master Wu Man, Celtic harpist Maeve Gilchrist, Black American violinist and improvisational conductor Mazz Swift, and Native American vocalist and lap steel player Pura Fé. For grades 6-12.
We also offer handouts for two music-related extension activities. The Music Listening Handout gets students focused on the component parts of what they’re hearing and they work together. In the Song Analysis Handout, students explore the lyrics, cultural context, and meaning behind songs. For grades 6-12.
Five More Great Films to Teach for Music in Our Schools Month
Disney’s hit film Chevalier was inspired by the true story of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the historic Black violinist, composer and fencer at the court of Marie Antoinette. The Chevalier Discussion Guide explores Joseph Bologne’s legacy, as well as the impact of music and the arts on social and cultural revolutions. For high school.
Powerful Holocaust Education film Defiant Requiem chronicles how prisoners at Theresienstadt (Terezin) concentration camp used music and the arts as a tool of resilience and resistance. The Defiant Requiem Curriculum Guide includes lessons on Verdi and his requiem, and also on the psychology of art and resilience. For grades 6 and up.
Landfill Harmonic is an inspiring documentary about the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, the Paraguayan classical music group that plays instruments made entirely out of upcycled garbage. The Landfill Harmonic Curriculum Guide includes a lesson all about this amazing youth orchestra. For grades 5-10.
Summer of Soul documents the extraordinary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, in an epic celebration of Black history, culture and fashion. The Summer of Soul Curriculum Guide introduces students to iconic Black musicians of the 1960s. It also features an activity where students plan their own music festival. For grades 9-12.
The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble presents a vivid portrait of a bold musical experiment and a global search for the ties that bind that brings together musicians and artists from around the world. The Music of Strangers Curriculum Guide features a lesson on ancient instruments and a printable PDF about traditional instruments around the world. For grades 9-10.
Plan Ahead
In addition to Music in Our Schools Month, these films can also be great choices to teach with for Classical Music Month in September, International Music Day on October 1, and Violin Day on December 13.
Teach with Oscar movies to boost student engagement across the curriculum! We are proud to offer free, classroom-ready lesson plans and discussion guides to make it easy to teach with Oscar winners and Oscar-nominated films.
Bridge of Spies
Bridge of Spies received six nominations. They were for Best Supporting Actor (Mark Rylance), Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Production Design and Best Sound Mixing. Our Bridge of Spies Discussion Guide explores the Cold War and implications for today.
Crip Camp
Crip Camp was nominated for Best Documentary Feature Film in 2021. Our Crip Camp Discussion Guide explores the history-making 504 Sit-In. We also offer a Crip Camp Curriculum Guide, featuring a powerful anti-bias education lesson on language and ableism.
Children of Heaven
Children of Heaven received a Best Foreign Language Film nomination in 1999. It is a relatable, touching film about siblings in Iran. Our Children of Heaven Curriculum Guide offers opportunities to teach about Iran as well as the science of earthquakes and more.
Hidden Figures
Hidden Figures received three nominations in 2017. They were for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress (Octavia Spencer). OurHidden Figures Curriculum Guide is our most downloaded film guide. We also offer a Hidden Figures Discussion Guide.
Navalny
Navalny won the 2023 Oscar for Best Documentary. This political thriller 2023 Oscar Winner for Best Documentary Feature follows follows the late Russian opposition leader and democracy activist Alexei Navalny in his quest to identify the men who poisoned him in August 2020. We offer two resources for this acclaimed film: a Navalny Discussion Guide and a Navalny Learning Guide.
Schindler’s List
Schindler’s List, one of the first films we created resources for, dominated the Oscars in 1994. The film received 7 wins and a total of 11 nominations.
Wins include: Best Picture, Best Director (Steven Spielberg), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction (Set), Best Film Editing, Best Music (Original Score).
Nominations include: Best Actor (Liam Neeson), Best Supporting Actor (Ralph Fiennes), Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Makeup.
Summer of Soul won the 2022 Oscar for Best Documentary Feature Film. Our Summer of Soul Curriculum Guide introduces students to iconic Black musicians of the 1960s and also explores US History, Music, Current Events, Economics, Film Literacy, Language Arts, Sociology and Speech.
The Post
The Post received two nominations: Best Actress (Meryl Streep) and Best Picture in 2018. Our 8-lesson curriculum guide for The Post features a lesson on fake news.
Whale Rider
The beautiful New Zealand film Whale Rider garnered Māori actress Keisha Castle Hughes a Best Actress nomination in 2004. Our Whale Rider Curriculum Guide offers resources on exploring Maori culture as well as math, science, media literacy and more.
What to Teach in March
Let’s make March easy! Get classroom-ready resources to teach with film across the curriculum for Women’s History Month, Music in Our Schools Month, Pi Day (yes, you can teach math with film!), Ramadan, World Poetry Day and more!
March 31 International Day of Transgender Visibility: Finding Pride
Teach about Islam with Film
Celebrate Islam with film all year round with these global education films that center Muslim stories plus our free teaching guides.
Children of Heaven
Children of Heaven follows an Iranian brother and sister and their adventures over a lost pair of shoes. The film showcases both modern and tradition Tehran and portrays a loving family trying to do their best.
He Named Me Malala follows events leading up to the Taliban’ attack on Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai for speaking out on girls’ education, followed by the aftermath, including her speech to the United Nations.
In The Neigbhorhood Storyteller, a young Syrian woman in a refugee camp in Jordan embarks on a read-aloud project to raise a new generation of successful young women.
In Wadjda, a young Saudi girl signs up for her school’s Quran recitation competition as a way to raise the funds she needs in order to buy the bicycle of her dreams.
Our free Wadjda Curriculum Guide for grades 6-12 features a lesson with an introduction to the Quran.
The Story of God
National Geographic’s docuseries The Story of God with Morgan Freeman sheds a brilliant light on the remarkable and unmistakable similarities among different faiths.
The section on Islam in our free The Story of God Curriculum Guide for or grades 4-12 includes an introduction to Muslim beliefs and practices, highlights arts of the Islamic world, explores Islamic empires, and examines Islam’s rich contributions to science.
We are proud to partner with Share My Lesson and we warmly recommend their free educational resources. Check out more of our free articles and teaching materials available through Share My Lesson, including free professional development webinars:
Created and maintained by the American Federation of Teachers, Share My Lesson is a community of teachers, paraprofessionals and school-related personnel, specialized instructional support personnel, higher education faculty, and parents and caregivers who contribute content, collaborate, and stay up to date on the issues that matter to students and educators everywhere.
About Journeys in Film
Journeys in Film believes in the storytelling power of film to educate the most visually literate generation in history. Since 2003, Journeys in Film has been pioneering the use of film for interdisciplinary lessons in the classroom. We also develop discussion guides for films for powerful films designed to work in multiple settings, such as classroom discussions, after-school clubs, community screenings, college classes, adult education and more. All of the Journeys in Film educational resources are cost-free. Learn more about partnering with Journeys in Film.
Teach Holocaust Education with Film
We’re excited to share our new step-by-step guide on how to Teach Holocaust Education with Film. From award-winning documentaries to tools for fostering critical discussions, these resources help educators teach the Holocaust authentically, inspire empathy, and honor the lessons of history.
Holocaust Education Guide Highlights
1. Getting Ready to Teach Holocaust Education: instructional foundations & teaching tools for teaching Holocaust Education with Film.
2. Teaching with Holocaust Education Films: Award-winning films about the Holocaust with classroom-ready lesson plans.
3. Wrapping Up Your Holocaust Education Class: Tools for helping students process big feelings when you teach Holocaust Education.
4. When to Teach Holocaust Education: A Holocaust Education Calendar, of opportunities for sharing Holocaust Education films with your education community.
We hope the resources we have shared here will make it easy for teachers to bring Holocaust Education alive in the classroom and boost student engagement with this important subject.
PS We’re honored that our article was featured in the Share My Lesson newsletter!
We Are Here For You
A Message from our Executive Director
For many of us and our communities, this year has begun with loss, uncertainty, and other difficult challenges. Journeys works with many educators and film professionals in Los Angeles, where the effects of multiple wildfires are devastating. Others beyond L.A. may also be affected by these events as reminders of experiences with climate disasters, relocation, or housing insecurity. Many vulnerable and systemically oppressed communities are feeling the weight and worry of a world full of hostility. At Journeys, we are feeling all of these things, too.
We want to thank you for your commitment to supporting your students, colleagues, and communities. We know that you are working to create classroom and community spaces that are safe and welcoming, a respite no matter the circumstances. We appreciate that this is incredibly difficult work.
We stand with you in this commitment to classroom safety and community. We will continue to provide free resources that not only meet educational standards, but more importantly, that focus on empathy, compassion, global understanding, and connection.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us regarding our work and your needs. The best way to connect with us is through email. You can reach me directly at je******@************lm.org. We are incredibly grateful to be connected to each and every one of you and appreciate all that you do.
Jennifer Fischer Executive Director
Journeys in Film
Windows and Mirrors: Building Belonging Through Literary Perspective
When I first learned about the idea of windows and mirrors in literature, I felt a lightning bolt of recognition. As an English teacher, I appreciate when my class has a shared language around the semester’s enduring questions. Learning a concept early on and returning to it as a metaphor throughout the class discussion and textual investigations, we strengthen early knowledge until it becomes part of our natural conversation that builds community and a sense of belonging.
Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s windows and mirror concept presents a simple way to explain and visualize much of what I had studied and believed but clunkily explained in class:
Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange. These windows are also sliding glass doors, and readers have only to walk through in imagination to become part of whatever world has been created or recreated by the author. When lighting conditions are just right, however, a window can also be a mirror. Literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us and in that reflection, we can see our lives and experiences as part of the larger human experience. Reading, then, becomes a means of self-affirmation, and readers often seek their mirror in books.
I use this metaphor when I begin planning a unit or syllabus, asking myself if I am providing both windows and mirrors to my students, and I consider how they might interact with the variety of texts. It is an imperfect science, of course, but my reading and film lists have grown in diversity of perspectives in affirming ways.
Students catch the metaphor and make it their own immediately. In class discussion, we take a moment to track our readings and consider individually and collectively whether a text is a window or mirror. If we are leaning heavily towards one or the other, we brainstorm what kinds of stories we might add to balance out the metaphor.
In classes with older students, we do media audits, recoding and categorizing what we read, watch, listen to, and swipe through, noting how many mirrors and windows are in our feed. This exercise is not about shaming or guilting students for what they enjoy; it is to notice and raise awareness so they can become informed and conscientious transmedia consumers. Teachers can participate with students and model the process. It is also helpful to share (or even display if appropriate) some of the cultural content students reported and challenge them to add something from another’s list.
Adopting and sharing this lens with my students has nurtured a sense of belonging in the classroom. More than once, I have students stay after class to express excitement that we are reading about characters or topics that reflect their world. For some of them it is shocking. However, it is important to note that this content expansion should not happen in a vacuum. It is imperative to include students’ perspectives and opinions when choosing materials. I ask them directly and listen closely for recommendations on subjects or stories that have been impactful or transformative in their lives. I also listen to them through in-class writing, casual conversations, and student-to-student discussions. This process has helped ensure I do not offer a banquet of personal mirrors based on my likes. Instead, we build a class filled with windows that stream in light, allowing us to see ourselves and each other more clearly.
Looking for ways to teach with film for Violin Day on December 13? Celebrate Violin Day with these beautiful films featuring violins and violinists plus our free teaching guides with lesson plans that cover subjects across the curriculum including Music Education, Language Arts, Social Studies, History, Environmental Science and more!
Four Great Films to Teach About Violins and Music
Disney’s hit film Chevalier was inspired by the true story of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the revolutionary Black violinist, composer and fencer at the court of Marie Antoinette. The Chevalier Discussion Guide explores Joseph Bologne’s legacy, as well as the impact of music and the arts on social and cultural revolutions. For high school.
Defiant Requiem, a powerful Holocaust Education film, chronicles how prisoners at Theresienstadt (Terezin) concentration camp used music and the arts as a tool of resilience and resistance. The Defiant Requiem Curriculum Guide includes lessons on Verdi and his requiem, and also on the psychology of art and resilience. For grades 6 and up.
Landfill Harmonic is an inspiring documentary about the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, the Paraguayan classical music group that plays instruments made entirely out of upcycled garbage. The Landfill Harmonic Curriculum Guide includes a lesson all about this amazing youth orchestra. For grades 5-10.
The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble presents a vivid portrait of a bold musical experiment and a global search for the ties that bind that brings together musicians and artists from around the world. The Music of Strangers Curriculum Guide features a lesson on ancient instruments and a printable PDF about traditional instruments around the world. For grades 9-10.
Plan Ahead
In addition to Violin Day on December 13, these films are also great choices to teach with for Music in Our Schools Month in March, Classical Music Month in September, and International Music Day on October 1.
Teach about Syria with film. Film is a powerful way to teach about global peoples and cultures. As part of our global education collection, we are pleased to offer free education resources to help you bring films to your classroom to teach about Syria.
The Neighborhood Storyteller
The Neighborhood Storyteller is a valuable resource for introducing students to Syria. This 59-minute documentary follows Asmaa Rashed, a young Syrian mother in Jordan’s Za’atari refugee camp as she empowers young girls through transformative reading circles, igniting hope and change. This heartwarming film explores human resilience, the transition from child to adult and the capacity to turn hardships into an opportunity for self-growth.. Our The Neighborhood Storyteller Discussion Guide provides context and background about Syria. It also features connections to Muzoon: A Syrian Refugee Speaks Out by Muzoon Almellehan with Wendy Pearlman, for educators interested in doing a film-book pairing for grades 5-12.
The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble
The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble is a powerful global education tool. This stunning documentary follows musicians, artists and storytellers from around the world as they explore the ways art can both preserve traditions and shape cultural evolution. The film highlights Syrian clarinetist Kinan Azmeh, an internationally renowned composer, performer, and recording artist. He performs in concerts to raise funds for humanitarian relief for Syrian refugees and has visited refugee camps to share his music. The film also introduces Syrian visual artist Kevork Mourad. Azmeh and Mourad often perform together to help raise global awareness of the humanitarian crisis facing the people of Syria. Our curriculum guide for The Music of Strangers features a lesson on The Ongoing Syrian Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis.
The Music of Strangers is rated PG-13. Learn more about teaching with The Music of Strangers.
We hope that educators will find these resources helpful for putting Syrian culture, history and current events in context in your classroom.
New Stanford research finds that when people lose themselves in a story, they become more empathetic:
“According to findings published Oct. 21 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, watching Just Mercy increased participants’ empathy for the recently incarcerated and decreased their enthusiasm for the death penalty.”
– The Hollywood Reporter, October 23, 2024
You can read the Stanford findings published Oct. 21 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: Film intervention increases empathic understanding of formerly incarcerated people and support for criminal justice reform.
Filmmakers, if you want to harness the transformative power of film to increase empathy, talk to us about our customized impact materials and outreach programs.
5 Films That Celebrate Girls
Representation matters: it’s a powerful tool for creating empathy and understanding. Diverse film representation can act as both windows and mirrors for students, providing an opportunity to see into new perspectives and experiences, while also providing mirrors that reflect back affirmation and an expanded sense of possibility. We’re pleased to offer free teaching resources for award-winning documentaries and feature films with young female protagonists who students of all genders can relate to. These positive representations of girls can help to break down stereotypes, foster critical thinking about gender roles, and expand students’ ideas about what it means to be a girl.
This BAFTA-winning documentary explores the events leading up to the Taliban’s attack on Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai for speaking out on girls’ education, followed by the aftermath, including her speech to the United Nations. We offer a He Named Me Malala Curriculum Guide with a lesson about Women’s Education, Health, and Economic Development. We also offer a He Named Me Malala Discussion Guide that explores Global Status of Girls’ Secondary Education. For grades 7+.
Hit Disney film Queen of Katwe follows the rise of young chess prodigy Phiona Mutesi from a slum in Uganda to become an international chess star. Our Queen of Katwe Discussion Guide deepens the experience of viewing this inspiring true story. For grades 5+.
The Neighborhood Storyteller
In compelling documentary The Neighborhood Storyteller, a Syrian refugee mother in Jordan’s Zaatari camp empowers young girls through transformative reading circles, igniting hope and change. Asmaa Rashed’s read-aloud project uses literature as a catalyst to expand the teenage girl participants’ horizons, nurture self-worth, and inspire them to envision a future filled with opportunities. Our discussion guide deepens engagement with these refugee girls’ stories and includes a section on Girls and Education. This must-watch film inspires students of all genders about the power of finding their own voice and the potential to change the world they live in. For grades 9-12.
This heart-warming feature film follows a young Saudi girl despite cultural norms about girls’ roles in society desperately wants the freedom of a bicycle. Our Wadjda Curriculum Guide introduces social constructions of gender, and also Saudi Arabia’s historic first woman film director Haifaa Al Mansour (the director of Wadjda). For grades 11-12.
This acclaimed feature film from Aotearoa / New Zealand follows a young Māori girl who is determined to fulfill her destiny despite traditional gender barriers. (Wadjda and Whale Rider make a great global education double bill!) Our Whale Rider Curriculum Guide introduces explores culture and gender. For grades 6-8.
Genocide education is more urgent and timely than ever. We recommend the following films and teaching guides to support you in mindfully teaching Holocaust education through film. These materials are variously appropriate for elementary school, middle school and high school; they can also work well for higher education, adult education, public screenings and community group settings.
Instructional Foundations
Our webinar about Anti-Bias Education: Using Media to Foster Critical Thinking and Combat Antisemitism and Islamophobia sets you up for success with Holocaust Education and Genocide education. The session provides an overview of anti-bias teaching tools and as well as strategies for dealing with difficult classroom situations around these topics. This webinar is available free and on-demand through Share My Lesson. Participants can quality for one hour of PD-credit. Learn more about our Anti-Bias Education Webinar.
We also offer Facilitation Guidelines to create safe discussion spaces and lead productive explorations of difficult topics. These guidelines pair well with our film guides for classroom use. The guidelines apply to a wide range of settings and are free for everyone.
First-Person Stories
To help your students understand the impact of the Holocaust, consider using a film that focuses on an individual caught in the maelstrom of Nazism.
Big Sonia is about Holocaust survivor Sonia Warshawski, who was a Jewish teenager living in Poland when the German army invaded in the 1930s. She’s a woman who speaks to students and prison inmates about her story of unimaginable suffering — and she’s also a beacon of hope and resilience. For grades 7 and up.
Defiant Requiem: The Film is about a unique chapter in Holocaust history when prisoners used music and the arts to sustain their spirits and resist oppression at Terezín concentration camp. This film can be difficult to find but it makes a powerful teaching tool when it is available. For grades 6 and up.
Schindler’s List is a powerful Genocide Education tool in its own right. Our Schindler’s List curriculum guide also includes our newly updated lesson about Antisemitism in the contemporary world. TheAntisemitism Today lesson works as a standalone teaching resource and can also pair with other Holocaust and Genocide Education resources. You can download Antisemitism Todayits own from our Schindler’s List page and also from Share My Lesson. For grades 9 and up.
Our Navalny learning guide includes a powerful lesson on online propaganda that pairs well with our Antisemitism Today lesson (above) for bringing Genocide- and Holocaust Education into the present moment. For grades 9 and up.
We hope these resources can support you in honoring those whose lives were lost to genocides, honoring survivors and their families, and committing to education, remembrance and prevention.
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