Facing Today
By providing many examples of civic participation, from the past to the present and from all over the world, our resources help students think about their identity as involved community members. Our publications include study guides, case studies, and resource books. Lessons and units provide teachers with ideas about how to use Facing History resources in the classroom. Facing Today updates our resources with current articles, websites, videos and podcasts.
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Facing Today | Lessons and Units | Publications | View All
View Resources by Type:
Facing Today | Lessons and Units | Publications | View All
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The Moral Dilemma in Witnessing Acts of Violence This week we've seen brave acts of heroism in response to the shooting in Tucson, Arizona and we have also seen video of bystanders witnessing, but not responding to, violence on the DC subway.Listen to Michel Martin’s piece on NPR titled “Can I... |
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Youth Venture Youth Venture's mission is to help young people participate in addressing social needs. Their website provides guidance about how to start a "Youth Venture" aimed at improving communities at the local and global level.Youth Venture's mission is to... |
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How Do You Stop A Bully? A common Facing History and Ourselves theme is that of bystanders. A bystander is a person or a group of people who see unacceptable behavior but do nothing to stop it. A recent Boston Globe Magazine article by Neil Swidey titled “The Secret to... |
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Remembering the Rwandan Genocide The week of April 6th begins a period of mourning in Rwanda. Sixteen years ago, on April 6, 1994, the genocide began. The immediate catalyst for the genocide was the shooting down of a plane carrying the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi. The... |
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Mobs Are Born as Word Grows by Text Message A mob, by definition, is different from a crowd. According to Random House Dictionary, a mob is “a disorderly or riotous crowd of people” or “a crowd bent on or engaged in lawless violence.” Despite the definition of a mob, Bill Wasik did not... |
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Threats to Lawmakers, Threats to Democracy? Since the House passed the health care overhaul this week, several lawmakers have received threats. Among the many incidents reported, The New York Times writes that two offices of Congressmen received faxed pictures of nooses, one Representative... |
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Two High School Seniors Bike Across America to Raise Funds for Haiti Two high school seniors at Memphis University School are using their spring break to bike across America in order to “raise money to help Haitian earthquake victims dig new wells and have clean water,” The Commercial Appeal reports. Eighteen-year-... |
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Remembering the Past in Chile In the aftermath of the earthquake in Chile, the Chilean military is back on the streets for the first time since Pinochet’s military dictatorship in the 1970s and 80s. Chileans recognize that the soldiers are there to protect them, and “Chileans... |
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Racism on Campus On February 15th, 2010, University of California San Diego (UCSD) fraternity students threw a “ghetto-themed” party called the “Compton Cookout.” NBC Los Angeles reports that the party was meant “to mock Black History Month” and the invitation... |
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Former Khmer Rouge Soldier Disarms Landmines By Hand Aki Ra is a former child soldier. When he was just a toddler, he was forced to serve in Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge. Gimundo reports that Ra was taught to plant deadly land mines at the age of five, and continued doing so until Cambodia was liberated... |
