The United States has a long history of activists seeking social, political, economic, and other changes to America—along with a history of other activists trying to prevent such changes. American activism covered a wide range of causes and utilized many different forms of activism. American sociopolitical activism became especially prominent during the period of societal upheaval which began during the 1950s. The African American civil rights movement led the way, soon followed by a substantial anti-war movement opposing American involvement in the Vietnam War, and later by vigorous activism involving women’s issues, gay rights, and other causes. The United States remains a land of nearly constant change, and activists play a significant role in the ongoing evolution of American democracy. It seems likely that Americans will remain enthusiastic activists in the future. This exhibition is part of the Digital Library of Georgia.

Students will look at data showing how the “millennial” generation differs from other generations. They will analyze and evaluate social changes evident in the data. Then they will work with a partner to compose a newsletter.

This book was created by upper-year kinesiology students in a Fall 2020 seminar class entitled “Sport and Culture” at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. This term was a very different learning experience for all of us, as we had to do our courses online due to the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic threw a lot of challenges our way, but we adapted as needed, and we think our class was still very successful. KNPE 473 focused on looking at big social issues through a sport lens and then funneling out beyond sport to look at these issues from a broader sociological perspective. As a class, the 25 students, our Teaching Assistant, Niya St. Amant, and our professor, Dr. Mary Louise Adams, worked together to create learning objectives, grading contracts, and this book.

In this lesson, students learn about what it means to belong and how to include others. Students will identify similarities and differences between themselves and a partner but understand how they are still part of the same community.

Through employing the sociological imagination, Lauren Rodriguez, Bryan Thomas, Kristin Walters, and Jennifer Vidal examined pieces of literature that can help us understand the dynamics of power structures affecting the interplay of individuals and society.

The boycott is one of the most powerful, time-tested tactics that social movements have at their disposal. History offers many examples of people joining together to exercise their power as consumers in support of movements for social justice, civil rights, and workers' rights. By calling for people to not spend their money on a target good or service, boycotts can aid these movements by drawing on a wider base of supporters who would otherwise be unable to participate.

This lesson examines the historical development of the boycott as a tactic - with examples of its use by both progressives and conservatives - and looks at some recent boycotts that are related to hot-button political issues.

In this lesson, students will compare inclusive and prejudicial behaviors. Additionally, students will identify how they can be positive toward their peers and utilize inclusive behaviors.

The Community Tool Box is a free, online resource for those working to build healthier communities and bring about social change. Our mission is to promote community health and development by connecting people, ideas, and resources. The Community Tool Box is a public service developed and managed by the KU Center for Community Health and Development and partners nationally and internationally. The Tool Box is a part of the Center’s role as a designated World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Community Health and Development.

Professors and instructors from various disciplines use the Community Tool Box as a resource for their teaching. The Tool Box is often used as course text in the fields of public health, community psychology, nursing, social welfare, and other applied fields.

Chapter 1. Our Model for Community Change and Improvement
Chapter 2. Other Models for Promoting Community Health and Development
Chapter 3. Assessing Community Needs and Resources
Chapter 4. Getting Issues on the Public Agenda
Chapter 5. Choosing Strategies to Promote Community Health and Development
Chapter 6. Communications to Promote Interest
Chapter 7. Encouraging Involvement in Community Work
Chapter 8. Developing a Strategic Plan
Chapter 9. Developing an Organizational Structure for the Initiative
Chapter 10. Hiring and Training Key Staff of Community Organizations
Chapter 11. Recruiting and Training Volunteers
Chapter 12. Providing Training and Technical Assistance
Chapter 13. Orienting Ideas in Leadership
Chapter 14. Core Functions in Leadership
Chapter 15. Becoming an Effective Manager
Chapter 16. Group Facilitation and Problem-Solving
Chapter 17. Analyzing Community Problems and Solutions
Chapter 18. Deciding Where to Start
Chapter 19. Choosing and Adapting Community Interventions
Chapter 20. Providing Information and Enhancing Skills
Chapter 21. Enhancing Support, Incentives, and Resources
Chapter 22. Youth Mentoring Programs
Chapter 23. Modifying Access, Barriers, and Opportunities
Chapter 24. Improving Services
Chapter 25. Changing Policies
Chapter 26. Changing the Physical and Social Environment
Chapter 27. Cultural Competence in a Multicultural World
Chapter 28. Spirituality and Community Building
Chapter 29. The Arts and Community Building
Chapter 30. Principles of Advocacy
Chapter 31. Conducting Advocacy Research
Chapter 32. Providing Encouragement and Education
Chapter 33. Conducting a Direct Action Campaign
Chapter 34. Media Advocacy
Chapter 35. Responding to Counterattacks
Chapter 36. Introduction to Evaluation
Chapter 37. Operations in Evaluating Community Interventions
Chapter 38. Some Methods for Evaluating Comprehensive Community Initiatives
Chapter 39. Using Evaluation to Understand and Improve the Initiative
Chapter 40. Maintaining Quality Performance
Chapter 41. Rewarding Accomplishments
Chapter 42. Getting Grants and Financial Resources
Chapter 43. Managing Finances
Chapter 44. Investing in Community Resources
Chapter 45. Social Marketing of Successful Components of the Initiative
Chapter 46. Planning for Sustainability

Sample syllabi are also available: https://ctb.ku.edu/en/teaching-with-the-community-tool-box

This class is divided into a series of sections or "modules", each of which concentrates on a particular large technology-related topic in a cultural context. The class will start with a four-week module on Samurai Swords and Blacksmithing, followed by smaller units on Chinese Cooking, the Invention of Clocks, and Andean Weaving, and end with a four-week module on Automobiles and Engines. In addition, there will be a series of hands-on projects that tie theory and practice together. The class discussions range across anthropology, history, and individual development, emphasizing recurring themes, such as the interaction between technology and culture and the relation between "skill" knowledge and "craft" knowledge.

Culture Tech evolved from a more extensive, two-semester course which formed the centerpiece of the Integrated Studies Program at MIT.  For 13 years, ISP was an alternative first-year program combining humanities, physics, learning-by-doing, and weekly luncheons.  Culture Tech represents the core principles of ISP distilled into a 6-unit seminar. Although many collections of topics have been used over the years, the modules presented here are a representative sequence.

This video is an overview of Ethnocentrism, Stereotypes, and Prejudice.

Graphics from Shutterstock.comAudio from Envato.com - Boomopera - Lofied Vibe (Full Length)

A survey of how America has become the world's largest consumer of energy. Explores American history from the perspective of energy and its relationship to politics, diplomacy, the economy, science and technology, labor, culture, and the environment. Topics include muscle and water power in early America, coal and the Industrial Revolution, electrification, energy consumption in the home, oil and U.S. foreign policy, automobiles and suburbanization, nuclear power, OPEC and the 70's energy crisis, global warming, and possible paths for the future.

The 12th grade learning experience consists of 7 mostly month-long units aligned to the Common Core State Standards, with available course material for teachers and students easily accessible online. Over the course of the year there is a steady progression in text complexity levels, sophistication of writing tasks, speaking and listening activities, and increased opportunities for independent and collaborative work. Rubrics and student models accompany many writing assignments.Throughout the 12th grade year, in addition to the Common Read texts that the whole class reads together, students each select an Independent Reading book and engage with peers in group Book Talks. Language study is embedded in every 12th grade unit as students use annotation to closely review aspects of each text. Teacher resources provide additional materials to support each unit.

The laws that govern and the social norms that regulate society are not always fair, legal, moral, or ethical. What is a person to do about all this injustice? What are the hazards of righting injustices or changing social norms? And what are the dangers of doing nothing?

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Students read and annotate Antigone, “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” and Pygmalion.
Students write a literary analysis showing the effect of social class or the law on a character’s life.

GUIDING QUESTIONS

These questions are a guide to stimulate thinking, discussion, and writing on the themes and ideas in the unit. For complete and thoughtful answers and for meaningful discussions, students must use evidence based on careful reading of the texts.

How do social class and legal institutions shape literary characters’ lives (and presumably our lives)?
How does social class affect a person in dealing with the law (protect a person, hurt a person)?
How is social class determined in America and in other places in the world?

BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT: Cold Read

During this unit, on a day of your choosing, we recommend you administer a Cold Read to assess students’ reading comprehension. For this assessment, students read a text they have never seen before and then respond to multiple-choice and constructed-response questions. The assessment is not included in this course materials.

In our lives, we are constantly telling stories to ourselves and to others in an attempt to both understand our experiences and present our best selves to others.  But how do we tell a story about ourselves that is both true and positive? How do we hold ourselves up in the best possible light, while still being honest about our struggles and our flaws? Students will explore ways of interpreting and portraying personal experiences.  They'll read Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart , analyzing the text through the eyes of one character. They'll get to know that character's flaws and strengths, and they'll tell part of the story from that character's perspective, doing their best to tell an honest tale that presents their character's best side. Then they'll explore their own stories, crafting a personal narrative about an important moment of learning in his or her life.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Students read and analyze Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart , viewing the events and conflicts of the novel through the eyes of one of the central characters.
Students write a two-part narrative project: one narrative told through their character’s perspective and one personal narrative about an incident in their own life.

GUIDING QUESTIONS

These questions are a guide to stimulate thinking, discussion, and writing on the themes and ideas in the unit. For complete and thoughtful answers and for meaningful discussions, students must use evidence based on careful reading of the texts.

How do our conflicts shape and show our character?
How can we tell a story about ourselves that’s both honest and positive?
How do definitions of justice change depending on the culture you live in?
What are ways individuals can react to a changing world? To a community that doesn’t accept us?

BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT: Cold Read

During this unit, on a day of your choosing, we recommend you administer a Cold Read to assess students’ reading comprehension. For this assessment, students read a text they have never seen before and then respond to multiple-choice and constructed-response questions. The assessment is not included in this course materials.

Does being part of a community mean that you accept the values and customs of that community? In this lesson, students will begin to analyze what they know about Umuofian society, and try to figure out how various characters feel about its customs.

Bullying is a widespread problem among our schools and communities that can lead to increased fighting and violent futures for both the victims and bullies themselves. How can youth change these statistics and contribute to a positive school environment?

Highlighting the film, Girl Rising, this curriculum seeks to examine the barriers that prevent children, specifically girls, from accessing education. The curriculum engages students in a critical discussion of: "How do we, as youth, create solutions to overcome the challenges of access to education?"

With a focus on education in Afghanistan, the Witness to Education in Afghanistan and Throughout the World curriculum examines global and local examples of how education can be use to create social change. Students address the driving question: "How can we, as youth, utilize education to promote positive change within our communities?"

Often compared to modern day slavery, human trafficking has become one of the world's largest hidden criminal industries. How do we, as youth, combat all forms of human trafficking?

This 5-day curriculum teaches digital storytelling and media literacy skills through engaging youth to think critically on issues relevant to their life and future. This unit is guided by the question, "How does media contribute to positive social change?”