Inauguration Day Resources for Educators

Berkeley High Vice Principal and PADC member Shannon Fierro put together some helpful thoughts and resources for educators. While some of the content is specifically about inauguration, most of it is about how to continue having important conversations about equity.

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While it may be difficult for many teachers to dedicate an entire class period to discussing the inauguration, we want to offer some ideas that may help you choose the path that is right for you and your students.

Our first piece of advice is to simply be responsive to where your students are, and the energy in the room.  You could start by a simple check in or writing prompt, “how are you doing today?”  Being honest about how you are doing, and giving a little time to check in will send a message to students that you are making space for their full selves.  Please be aware that you may have students in your class who feel particularly targeted by the incoming administration and may be experiencing an even deeper level of stress and anxiety.  If you a perceive a student to be struggling, we encourage you to make a decision that accesses your relationship with that young person.  If you feel comfortable, have a word with them in the hallway.  You could also ask them if they need a break from class, and use one of your 2 break passes that were provided to us this week. Please also be aware that you may have students who will feel fine, and may be happy about the outcome of the election. There have been some conflicts since Nov. 8th, and we want to be sure to remind our students of our expectation that they be civil to each other.

If you do choose to dedicate significant class time to the inauguration, there are an infinite number of directions you could go in.  We are including resources below.  We encourage you to share other ideas and resources that you may have as well.  Please remember to take care of yourselves and remember that ours is a collective journey.
 
Shannon Fierro
Vice Principal
Berkeley High School

• Teaching Resistance Lessons (30 pages of ideas):
  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YR1n9RWtXww8oN5l9UNR0FYBYp5G0qOf_RTu8-LyKtw/edit
• Teaching Tolerance: http://www.tolerance.org/
• Engaging with Diverse Opinions in the Classroom- Blog Posting
  http://www.cccoe.k12.ca.us/supe/toolkit/Lesson_Plans/Political_meets_personal_post_election_conversations_in_the_classroom.pdf
• 26 Sentence Stems For Higher-Level Conversation In The Classroom
  http://www.teachthought.com/critical-thinking/sentence-stems-higher-level-conversation-classroom/
• Teaching about Civil Discourse: http://www.tolerance.org/publication/chapter-1-civil-discourse-classroom-and-beyond
• Inauguration Interview All grades
  http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/01-1/lp2299.shtml
  Students develop questions that a reporter might ask during an interview with the new president.
• U.S. Presidential Inaugurations:
  How does Barack Obama’s first inauguration compare to this year’s inauguration? First Inauguration - January 20, 2009 Facts:
  ​- ​Largest attendance of any event in the history of Washington, D.C.
  - Largest attendance of any Presidential Inauguration in U.S. history.
  - First African American to hold the office of President of the United States.
  - First citizen born in Hawaii to hold the office.
  - Highest viewership ever of the swearing-in ceremonies on the Internet.
  - First woman, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, to emcee the ceremony.
  - First inaugural webcast to include captioning.
  - First swearing-in ceremony to include an audio description.
• Forms of Activism
  - Discuss forms of activism we’ve learned about, guiding the discussion towards protesting, boycotting, letter-writing:
  - Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlXMRKAeKFI&feature=youtu.be
  - (Teaching Tolerance awardees video/letter to trump)
  - Why did the teachers write to president elect trump? What message are they sending? What goals do they have? What changes are they seeking?
  - On this inauguration day, we have choices/chances to be activists too.
• Rights Matter: The Story of the Bill of Rights
  https://zinnedproject.org/materials/rights-matter-the-story-of-the-bill-of-rights/
  Teaching Guide.By Nancy Murray and the Bill of Rights Education Project at the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts.. 2006. 69 pages. A free, downloadable, student-friendly booklet on the Bill of Rights, available in English and Spanish. The project encourages citizens to think critically about difficult social issues and the importance of the Bill of Rights.
• President and Presidency: Dear Mr. President Letter Writing All grades
  http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/01-1/lp2291.shtml
  - Students can write letters to the new president. What are they hoping for?
  - They can also write letter to outgoing President Obama.  For many of our students he has been president for their entire life, or at least as long as they are aware.
• Social Studies Specific Curriculum
  http://www.c-spanclassroom.org/Lesson/2521/Lesson+Idea+President+Trump+Administration+and+Policy+Positions.aspx
• From CCCOE:
  ​http://www.cccoe.k12.ca.us/supe/toolkit.html​