In this lesson, students will  demonstrate their understanding of acceptance by developing a creative narrative that demonstrates the core theme of acceptance. The lesson includes a video clip, storyboard template, and rubric. This lesson is based on a video about the life of Carl Erskine, The Parallel book, and students’ research and perceptions of the concept.

In this lesson, students learn about their classmates and teacher in a way that builds community and cohesiveness in the learning environment. Using the books, Playing for Change by Kelly Brown and The Parallel by Carl Erskine, as well as the Special Olympics video clip, Acceptance, students will discuss differences in the characters who were accepted and those who were not. In pulling these elements out of the plot, the students will then identify differences in themselves that possibly relate to others in the classroom.

Students will use various math skills and standards to complete a baseball-themed lesson. The main topics of this lesson include percentages, rates, and geometry.

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.

This is the educational version of the documentary about Carl Erskine, the last of the Brooklyn Dodgers’ storied “Boys of Summer” who had a profound social impact in diversity and inclusion. Carl was witness to Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball and the beginning of Special Olympics. Produced by Ted Green Films in partnership with the Indiana Historical Society and Special Olympics Indiana, this film shows Carl's life themes of friendship, loyalty, acceptance, inclusion, diginity, leadership, and social change.

This is Part 1 of the educational version of the documentary about Carl Erskine, the last of the Brooklyn Dodgers’ storied “Boys of Summer” who had a profound social impact in diversity and inclusion. Carl was witness to Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball and the beginning of Special Olympics. Part 1 follows Carl Erskine from his youth in the burgeoning industrial town of Anderson, Indiana, through meeting Jackie Robinson and signing a Major League Baseball contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers. In between, it covers Carl’s deep friendship with Johnny Wilson, and the courage the two of them — Carl being White, Johnny being Black — showed in navigating the racism of the era. Produced by Ted Green Films in partnership with the Indiana Historical Society and Special Olympics Indiana, this film shows Carl's life themes of friendship, loyalty, acceptance, inclusion, diginity, leadership, and social change.

This is Part 2 of the educational version of the documentary about Carl Erskine, the last of the Brooklyn Dodgers’ storied “Boys of Summer” who had a profound social impact in diversity and inclusion. Carl was witness to Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball and the beginning of Special Olympics. Part 2 traces Carl’s colorful baseball career during the Golden Age of the sport, including his two no-hitters, World Series strikeout record and five World Series appearances. It also delves deeply into Carl’s relationship with Jackie Robinson, Major League Baseball’s first Black player, and shows how Carl was, according to the nation’s leading expert in diversity in sports, “one of the first white allies.” Produced by Ted Green Films in partnership with the Indiana Historical Society and Special Olympics Indiana, this film shows Carl's life themes of friendship, loyalty, acceptance, inclusion, diginity, leadership, and social change.

This is Part 3 of the educational version of the documentary about Carl Erskine, the last of the Brooklyn Dodgers’ storied “Boys of Summer” who had a profound social impact in diversity and inclusion. Carl was witness to Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball and the beginning of Special Olympics. Part 3 opens with the birth of Carl’s son Jimmy, who has Down syndrome, and then dives back to show the mistreatment of people with intellectual disabilities that began in the United States’ Industrial Age. It then shows how the Erskines bucked the trend by not institutionalizing Jimmy and instead brought him home, and how they subsequently became national pioneers in the acceptance of people with special needs. Produced by Ted Green Films in partnership with the Indiana Historical Society and Special Olympics Indiana, this film shows Carl's life themes of friendship, loyalty, acceptance, inclusion, diginity, leadership, and social change.

In this lesson, students will learn about their classmates and teacher in a way that builds community and cohesiveness in the learning environment. Using the book, Playing for Change, students will discuss differences in the characters who were accepted and those who were not. In pulling these elements out of the plot, students will then identify differences in themselves that possibly relate to others in the classroom. 

In this lesson, students will learn about their classmates and teacher in a way that builds community and cohesiveness in the learning environment. Using the book, Playing for Change, students will discuss differences in the characters who were accepted and those who were not. In pulling these elements out of the plot, students will then identify differences in themselves that possibly relate to others in the classroom. 

In this lesson, students will identify similarities and differences between themselves and a partner to help break down barriers. Students will explore the power of accepting others and connect what they learn to create an acceptance campaign.

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.

In this lesson, students learn why it is important to have personal values. Students will identify a list of core values and discuss how to bring these values into their everyday life and communities.

In this lesson, students will learn about their classmates and teacher in a way that builds community and cohesiveness in the learning environment. Using the book, Playing for Change, students will discuss differences in the characters who were accepted and those who were not. In pulling these elements out of the plot, students will then identify differences in themselves that possibly relate to others in the classroom. 

Carl Erskine's core values of inclusion and loyalty are illustrated in the story of his life-long friendship with Johnny Wilson. This clip is 3:25 minutes.

This is a sample year-long map that incorporates the EPIC classroom materials into Social Studies, Writing, and Reading lessons.

In this lesson, students will discuss, collaborate, and complete an activity to learn how to show empathy toward others.

In this lesson, students will analyze character traits using the book, Playing for Change, by Kelly Brown. As an extension, students will identify positive character traits in themselves and others.

In this lesson, students will recognize acts of kindness in their classroom community. They will then demonstrate these actions by competing in a kindness bingo activity.

In this lesson, students will demonstrate their understanding of loyalty through discussion with their classmates. An optional public service announcement activity is provided. This lesson is based on a video about Carl Erskine’s core leadership topic of loyalty and his book, The Parallel.