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A recent article about a teacher in NJ:

Video-Based Questioning- A new technique for teaching through video clips.

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Teaching Through Tough Subjects: Slavery

No doubt, tough things happen in your classroom.  Whether you are faced with a student's personal life crises, current events, or topics in curricula, teachers guide their classrooms through understanding and considering their futures.

In 5th grade in NJ, curricula includes the history of the United States from Native Americans to the Civil War.  We cover "What is slavery?" In 2002, NJ also approved the Amistad Bill to ensure schools address and have tools to teach African American contributions to our nation's history.

Personally, I feel slavery is a very tough subject to teach.  I'm sure many educators, especially in Elementary levels, feel the same.  Though, the topic is an integral part of how our nation has evolved and a wide example of democracy, "we the people" working to be "a more perfect union."  In fact, to not teach the subject is depriving students a full understanding of the American experience, a sentiment also expressed in the Amistad Commission.  I challenge teachers to explore the subject but also how to approach teaching tough subjects to develop critical thinking and empathy.

Here are resources and ideas.  I will add as I find more.  Please comment to add to the list!

1. List of texts by grade level K-5: http://www.nj.gov/education/amistad/resources/literacy.pdf 

2.  Register as a NJ Educator on the Amistad Commission website: http://www.njamistadcurriculum.net/user/registration

3. African American Museum in Philadelphia has resource trunks to borrow and educational resources: http://www.aampmuseum.org/

4. Scholastic Articles:
  -Teaching About Slavery in the Elementary Classroom
  -African American Heritage

5. National Museum of African American History and Culture has educational resources: https://nmaahc.si.edu/

6. Smithsonian Resources: www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/resource_library/african_american_resources.html

7. Tolerance.org Resources: http://www.tolerance.org/article/dos-and-donts-teaching-black-history

8. Resources from Teaching Channel on best practice techniques for social studies:
  - https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/teaching-slavery
  - https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/tch-presents-social-studies-essentials