In the wake of the tragic events in Charlottesville, VA, this past weekend, educators around the country are grappling with how to address current events in the classroom and create space for meaningful discussions about racism, bigotry, and violence. As the start of a new school year looms, teachers are faced with an educational—and moral—obligation to help young people process what's happening in the news and within their own neighborhoods and cities. Numerous organizations and associations have stepped up to offer lesson plan ideas, discussion guides, links to thought-provoking articles, and excellent booklists for a range of ages and reading levels, sharing them via #CharlottesvilleCurriculum on Twitter. We've collected some of the best resources below and added a few of our own picks. We encourage you to share your own recommendations, links, and curriculum ideas in the comments section below.

classroom and curriculum support

• The Reconstruction Era and the Fragility of Democracy from Facing History. Lesson plans, videos, and primary source materials to aid in teaching.
• A #CharlottesvilleCurriculum compiled by the American Federation of Teachers. Includes dozens of lesson plans on topics such as Addressing Racism & Stereotyping, Helping Children Cope with Traumatic Events, and Teaching Social Justice.
• Teaching Tolerance offers lesson plans, guides, and classroom materials. Their site is a treasure trove of resources for teaching everything from Race and Justice in America to Civil Rights Research to an up-to-the-minute unit on Charlottesville and the Alt-Right.
• Confront anti-Semitism from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Documentary videos, articles, and museum holdings on the history of anti-Semitism and rising anti-Semitic violence.
• I Witness: One Voice at a Time from the University of Southern California's Shoah Foundation. A collection of primary source video interviews with Holocaust survivors and civil rights activists, along with lesson plans and activities.
• Race & Ethnicity unit from The Critical Media Project. A topic overview, lesson plan, and collection of short videos to engage teens and older students in an exploration on how media plays an influential role in our understandings of race and identity.
• Creating Social Activists at School from the Horn Book. Elementary school librarian Liz Phipps Soeiro details how she uses books to engage her students in issues around social justice and community activism.
• Tools and Resources to Support Social Justice and Antibias Lessons by Stacy Dillon and Amy Laughlin. Websites and other online resources ideal for sparking or supplementing lesson plans and programs on social justice, antibias, and inclusion.
• Teach Students Resilience, Empathy, and More with Social Emotional Learning Strategies by Linda Jacobson.

Inservice: educate yourself

• Curriculum for White Americans to Educate Themselves on Race and Racism from Citizenship & Social Justice. A collection of articles on understanding whiteness, white privilege, implicit bias, and systemic racism. An excellent starting place for adults and educators. There is also a section for parents and caregivers on "Parenting Racially-Conscious Children."
• The Charlottesville Syllabus created by the University of Virginia Graduate Coalition. Must-read articles on systemic racism, the history and rise of white supremacy, gentrification, eugenics, and more.
• Resources for Addressing Racism and Hatred in the Classroom from the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). Articles, podcasts, and webinars to help educators prepare for classroom discussions on racism and extremism.
• Preventing Racial Inequity in Schools and Beyond from Race Forward. A video and free assessment tool designed to enable educators and administrators to take effective action toward racial equity.
• 7 Ways Teachers Can Respond to the Evil of Charlottesville, Starting Now from Alternet.
• There Is No Apolitical Classroom from the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). An excellent collection of links and resources, including a list of recommended titles for teachers.
• Have You Experienced or Witnessed a Hate Crime or Bias Incident in Your School? EdWeek has partnered with the Documenting Hate project to help create a fuller picture on hate incidents in America. Educators can submit information through a secure form.
• YALSA's (Young Adult Library Services Association) wiki pages offer a wealth of information and resources for librarians and teachers:
  • Cultural Competence
  • Fostering Global Citizenship, Inclusion, and Understanding
  • Serving Diverse Teens
  • Supporting Youth in the Post-Election Climate

Booklists

A Social Justice Book List curated by the National Network of State Teachers of the Year. Selected by an outstanding group of educators, this list contains over 200 titles on racism, homophobia, classism, xenophobia, religious persecution, sexism, and more. The list is divided into five main sections: Early Learning, Elementary, Middle School, High School, and Teachers. Standing Up for What's Right: LiteracyConnections by Rachel Roseberry. The Literacy Manager at ExpandED Schools, a New York City based nonprofit dedicated to closing the learning gap by increasing access to enriched educational experiences, recommends using literature as a starting point for difficult conversations and suggests titles across three categories: Younger Elementary, Upper Elementary, and Middle School. Books to Help Kids Understand the Fight for Racial Equality from Brightly. A selection of 11 titles, including picture books, middle grade, and YA (mostly nonfiction), including several from beloved authors Jacqueline Woodson, Rita Williams-Garcia, and Duncan Tonatiuh. Books on Democracy and Citizenship. Over 30 titles, divided into Elementary, Upper Elementary and Middle School, and Teens, selected by the editors of School Library Journal in collaboration with Facing History. Social Justice: Teachable Movements by Tessa Michaelson Schmidt. Twenty titles that encourage reflection, critical thinking, and the exchange of ideas. Upsetting the Apple Cart: Books About Activists and Whistle-Blowers by Jody Kopple Social Justice in YA Lit (#SLYALit) blog series. The Teen Librarian Toolbox bloggers discuss books and chat with authors and librarians about social justice within teen books. Unity and Justice Booklists from the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)

Programming, Outreach, and Library Policy

How Skokie Public Library Tackled Race by Amy Koester and Amita Lonial

Free Library of Philadelphia Hosts First-Ever Social Justice Symposium for Teens by Erin Hoopes

The Power of Nonneutral Librarianship by Mahnaz Dar Why Social Justice in the Library? by Margo Gustina and Eli Guinnee Social Justice and You by the ALSC Children and Technology Committee. Library program and display ideas, along with recommended reads.