Lesson Plans - Safe Schools Coalition

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Jump to Middle School ~ High School

Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves: by Louise Derman-Sparks, Julie Olsen Edwards. The eagerly awaited successor to the influential Anti-Bias Curriculum! Become a skilled anti-bias teacher with this volume’s practical guidance to confronting and eliminating barriers of prejudice, misinformation, and bias about specific aspects of personal and social identity; most importantly, find tips for helping staff and children respect each other, themselves, and all people. Individual chapters focus on culture and language, racial identity, family structures, gender identity, economic class, different abilities, holidays, and more. (Paperback) $33.00.

Chrysanthemum: by Kevin Henkes. Tells the story of a young mouse who gets picked on by her classmates because of her unique name. 1991, 32 pages, Grades PreK-2, William Morrow & Company. Focus Activity: There is a vocabulary handout, suggestions on engaging students in dramatic play, read aloud, and discussion using Chrysanthemum, and more.

Developing Empathy: from Teaching Tolerance. Early grades activities to help students understand empathy and identify ways to be more understanding toward others. http://www.tolerance.org/supplement/developing-empathy-early-grades

Families: Different and the Same: from the That's a Family! teacher's guide, for use with the video by that name.

NOTE: When Safe Schools Coalition supporters who purchase That's a Family! use the partner promotional code, N3GC28, the Coalition will get a much needed 10% rebate. We appreciate your donating to us in this painless way.

Family: from the F.L.A.S.H. (Family Life And Sexual Health) curriculum for grades 4-6, this lesson recommends the use of the DVD That's a Family!
(pdf format) Updated Aug./09.

NOTE: When Safe Schools Coalition supporters who purchase That's a Family! use the partner promotional code, N3GC28, the Coalition will get a much needed 10% rebate. We appreciate your donating to us in this painless way.

Francine's Bad Hair Day Episode #101 from the Arthur Series on PBS: Examine how media affects feelings toward body image and gender stereotypes. (pdf format)

Gender Doesn't Limit You: from Teaching Tolerance. Educators at St. Francis School in Austin, Tex., teamed up with researchers from the Gender and Racial Attitudes Lab at the University of Texas at Austin to examine ways to counteract gender bullying among young children. This curriculum presents six lesson plans that served as the basis of the St. Francis study: Peer Exclusion, Role Exclusion, Teasing about Gendered Activities, Biased Judgments, Gendered Beliefs, and Highlighting Gender.

I Will Be Your Friend: Songs and Activities for Young Peacemakers: a sound recording produced by Larry Long through Teaching Tolerance of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Over 200,000 kits are being given out free throughout North America to elementary schools and teachers, religious and community centers and other organizations serving children in the younger grades. Order a free hard copy of the lessons and DVD of the songs from Teaching Tolerance.

No Name-Calling Week: lessons from GLSEN and the National Association of Elementary School Principals ... for K-5.

Lesson 1: It's All in a Name (pdf format)
Lesson 2: We're All Different Alike (pdf format)
Lesson 3: Staying Safe in the Face of Name-Calling (pdf format)
Lesson 4: What If It's Not Me? Speaking Up About Name-Calling (pdf format)
Lesson 5: Building a Bully-Free Building (pdf format)
Complete Set: Elementary Lesson Plans 2007: This 45-page document contains all five lesson plans rom GLSEN and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), plus additional resource material.
Garden of Kindness: With this creative lesson students will gain an understanding of the importance of kindness as a tool to end name-calling in schools by creating a visual garden of kindness.
Suggested Literature for Elementary Level Students - Bibliography

Say Something: by Peggy Moss (Addresses bullying, ally skills) From the Anti-Defamation League, to accompany the children's book by the same name.

Treating People With Dignity: from Teaching Tolerance. Early grades activities to help students explore how people who are seriously ill might feel, and to identify appropriate ways to treat people with diseases.

Words that Heal: Using Children's Literature to Address Bullying: from the Anti-Defamation League -- includes lesson plans for your book groups from Pre K - high school. Free online.

MIDDLE SCHOOL Jump to Elementary School ~ High School ~ top of page

Appreciating the Men of Ballet: from PBS, the Public Broadcasting System.

Creating Safe Space for GLBTQ Youth: A Toolkit: from Advocates for Youth includes 12 lesson plans. Free online. Download individual lessons here: or, in pdf, the whole tool kit here. (pdf format)

Gender Roles and Relationships: from Advocates for Youth’s Life Planning Education: A Youth Development Program.

HATE CRIME: "Should it be considered a crime? - a 4-LESSON SEQUENCE - CURRENT EVENTS - " Two Illinois high school students went to court on May 16, 2007 accused of committing a hate crime at school. The incident is explained in a May 17, 2007 CBS article headlined "Girls Charged With Hate Crime For Anti-Gay Fliers." (No longer online but included in the lesson.) The article is a valuable teaching tool, especially because of the balanced way it was written. The Safe Schools Coalition's 4-lesson sequence is based on this article. A current events lesson for grades 8-12. (pdf format)

Introduction to Gender Identity and Gender Expression from Advocates for Youth’s Creating Safe Space for GLBTQ Youth: A Toolkit

Lipstick: (10 minutes, 2001) Emily is your average teenage girl. She hangs with her friends. Plays soccer. Looks forward to graduation. And thinks about boys... and girls. This is Emily's story of coming out. Lipstick examines sexual identity by looking at friendship, ambivalence, peer pressure, self-awareness and acceptance. The film, like all films from Scenarios USA was written by a teens (Emily Alvarez, Dan Barnard, Roxanna Garcia, Simone Lance and Sophia Tavernakis) and directed and acted by professionals. It's outstanding. Watch it free online and download a lesson plan or purchase it in DVD form -- and support Scenarios USA for supporting young scriptwriters --for $89.

No Name-Calling Week lessons from GLSEN for grades 4-9:

Lesson 1: Reflections (pdf format)
Lesson 2: Using Literature as a Tool To End Name-Calling (pdf format)
Lesson 3: Name-Calling in Our School (pdf format)
Lesson 4: Creating an Anti-Slur Policy (pdf format)
Lesson 5: I Was Just Kidding! (pdf format)
Lesson 6: Instant Replay (pdf format)
Lesson 7: Don't Just Stand By (pdf format)
Lesson 8: Instant Replay (pdf format)
Lesson 9: What's in a Name? (pdf format)
Lesson 10: "Beauty is Skin Deep" (pdf format)
Lesson 11: Are You Part of the In-Crowd? (pdf format)
The whole set of 11 lessons are described in more detail here.
NEW: Bullying Op-Ed. Piece: With this lesson students will gain an understanding of the impact of name calling and bullying, develop their own views on bullying prevention and raise awareness among their peers.
NEW: Learning about Labels: With this lesson students will gain an understanding labels and attached stereotypes, gain an understanding of seeing someone as a whole person and agree to abstain from labeling one another.
NEW: Shirts of Empowerment: With this creative lesson students will gain an understanding of name calling's magnitude and impact on students and develop empathy for those being name called
NO NAME-CALLING WEEK RESOURCE KIT: Produced by the No Name-Calling Week Coalition and Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. The Education Kit contains all of the resources needed to implement a No Name-Calling Week in your school. The kit includes:
- A 27-minute VHS educational video, No Name-Calling: Creating Safe Environments. Produced by Human Relations Media. Available in DVD or VHS.
- A resource guide with program information, lesson plans, resource lists, and other curricular material
- A copy of The Misfits, a novel by James Howe
- Two No Name-Calling Week posters
- Two packs of No Name-Calling Week stickers (60 total)
- Grades: 5-8; Cost: $129.95

Q & A on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity from Advocates for Youth’s Creating Safe Space for GLBTQ Youth: A Toolkit.

Relationships, Day 2: Gender Identification: from the F.L.A.S.H. (Family Life And Sexual Health) curriculum for secondary special education classes, this lesson offers guidance for teachers with gender variant special ed students. (pdf format) Updated Feb./06

Taking the Human Rights Temperature of your School: from the Human Rights Resource Center at the University of Minnesota: http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/edumat/hreduseries/TB3/act9/act9f.html

The Revealers by Doug Wilhelm: Examine bullying and student activism) From the Anti-Defamation League, to accompany the children's book by the same name.

Two Towns of Jasper - Examining Prejudice: from the Public Broadcasting System, based on a POV special, "Two Towns of Jasper." Written for grades 7-12 and uses film as a learning tool in the subject areas of American History, Civics, and Government.

Lesson #1: Examining Prejudice: In this lesson, students take a test to uncover hidden biases, research the struggles of people who are discriminated against, and reflect on their commitment to their beliefs and how they arrived at their own convictions.
Lesson #2: Examining White Privilege: Teachers can use this lesson plan to explore the contributing factors to racism in America. Students examine the legacy of white privilege and the unspoken ways in which it touches their lives, using 26 scenarios from daily life.

Words that Heal: Using Children's Literature to Address Bullying: from the Anti-Defamation League -- includes lesson plans for your book groups from Pre K - high school. Free online.

HIGH SCHOOL Jump to Elementary School ~ Middle School ~ top of page

Are Gay Rights "Special?": from the Human Rights Resource Center at the University of Minnesota.

At Issue: Marriage Exploring the Debate Over Marriage Rights for Same-Sex Couples: from GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network:

Beyond Tolerance: A Resource Guide for Addressing LGTBQI Issues in Schools: A curricular resource guide on lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, questioning, and intersex (LGBTQI) for educators. Teaching guide published by New York Collective of Radical Educators, posted on The Zinn Education Project website. 35 pages.

Bowers v. Hardwick and the "Right to Be Left Alone": from GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network: NOTE: The 1996 Bowers decision was overturned by the U.S, Supreme Court in 2003 in a case called Lawrence v. Texas. By a vote of 6-3, the Court ruled unconstitutional a Texas law that allowed two men to be arrested for having consenting sex in the privacy of their home. The decision also invalidated “sodomy laws” still on the books in 14 states that prohibited sex between same-sex couples and, in some cases, also prohibited certain sex acts between heterosexual couples.

Child & Adolescent Sexual Development: Gender Identity & Expression: from the F.L.A.S.H. (Family Life And Sexual Health) curriculum for grades 11 and 12 and college. (pdf format) Updated Nov./06

Child & Adolescent Sexual Development: Sexual Orientation and the Individual: from the F.L.A.S.H. (Family Life And Sexual Health) curriculum for grades 11 and 12 and college. (pdf format) Updated Nov./06

Child & Adolescent Sexual Development: Sexual Orientation and Society: from the F.L.A.S.H. (Family Life And Sexual Health) curriculum for grades 11 and 12 and college. (pdf format) Updated Nov./06

Coming Out: A Gay Teen Talks About Telling: from the Sex Etc. web site of the Network for Family Life Education at Rutgers University:

Constitutional Amendments and Gay Marriage: Background, Activities and Critical Analysis: from the Public Broadcasting System, based on a Newshour with Jim Lehrer special for students: NOTE: Since this lesson plan was written, additional states have granted marriage equality to same-sex couples. See a map that shows which states, here. (pdf format)

Creating Safe Space for GLBTQ Youth: A Toolkit: from Advocates for Youth includes 12 lesson plans. Free online.

The Discrimination Gap: from the Not Round Here curriculum of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission of Australia. (pdf format)

Earliest Beliefs: What Shapes Our Perceptions of LGBT People? – from GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network.

Examining Prejudice: from the Public Broadcasting System, up to 5 days worth of lessons based on a P.O.V. special.

Famous GLBT People in History Matching Activity: from GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network.

Gay, Straight, Bi: Do These Labels Still Apply? - from Answer, Sex Ed Honestly at Rutgers University.

Gender Roles and Relationships: from Advocates for Youth’s Life Planning Education: A Youth Development Program

Harassment in the Hallways: from Answer, Sex Ed Honestly at Rutgers University

The History and Impact of Anti-LGBT Slurs: from Anti-Defamation League, GLSEN and StoryCorps

HATE CRIME: "Should it be considered a crime?: a 4-LESSON SEQUENCE - CURRENT EVENTS - " Two Illinois high school students went to court on May 16, 2007 accused of committing a hate crime at school. The incident is explained in a May 17, 2007 CBS article headlined "Girls Charged With Hate Crime For Anti-Gay Fliers." (No longer online but included in the lesson.) The article is a valuable teaching tool, especially because of the balanced way it was written. The Safe Schools Coalition's 4-lesson sequence is based on this article. A current events lesson for grades 8-12. (pdf format)

The History and Impact of Anti-LGBT Slurs – from Anti-Defamation League, GLSEN and StoryCorps.

History Match-up: from GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network: there is a link on that page the right for a to a pdf file with includes 17 reproducible cards with historical figures and bios. Play this game to increase understanding of LGBT history and the impact of curricular invisibility.

Harassment in the Hallways: by Jun Liu, originally from the New Jersey Teen Peer Education Program and available through the Sex Etc. web site of the Network for Family Life Education at Rutgers University. (pdf format)

Lesson: Harassment in the Hallways Learning Objectives: By the end of this activity, participants will be able to clarify values and feelings regarding homosexuality. (pdf format)

How Does Homophobia Hurt Us All?: from GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network.

Human Rights 101: provides educators with the necessary tools to integrate human rights topics into daily classroom discussions. THIRTEEN/WNET's initiative provides opportunities for high school teachers and students to explore local, national, and global human rights issues through various human rights-related PBS programs. Interactive materials, student projects, and teacher guides.

Identity/Expression Activity: learning what it feels like to hide who you are by Caroline Gould adapted from various sources and used by the Massachusetts Department of Education's Safe Schools Program for Gay and Lesbian Students. (pdf format)

I Now Pronounce You... Same-Sex Marriage Legislation from the Human Rights Resource Center at the University of Minnesota.

In-Group, Out-Group: The Exclusion of LGBT People from Societal Institutions – from Anti-Defamation League, GLSEN and StoryCorps.

Introduction to Gender Identity and Gender Expression from Advocates for Youth’s Creating Safe Space for GLBTQ Youth: A Toolkit.

I ntroduction to Sexual Orientation from Advocates for Youth’s Life Planning Education: A Youth Development Program.

Increasing Tolerance for Diversity: from the Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention.

Is Everyone Protected By the Bill of Rights: from New York's public TV station, Thirteen WNET.

I Now Pronounce You... Same-Sex Marriage Legislation: from the Human Rights Resource Center at the University of Minnesota.

Is it a Crime to Be Gay? Debating Tolerance in a New Democracy: from the Human Rights Resource Center at the University of Minnesota.

Famous GLBT People in History Matching Activity: from GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network.

How Does Homophobia Hurt Us All? - from GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network.

Lawrence and Garner v. Texas: Sodomy Law, Equality and Privacy: from GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth from the FLASH curriculum, Public Health – Seattle & King County. (pdf format)

The Legal Debate Over Same-Sex Marriage: from MacNeil-Lehrer Productions, Channel Thirteen New York, PBS.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth from the FLASH curriculum, Public Health – Seattle & King County

Lessons about Gay and Lesbian Issues from The Tolerance Project of City College of San Francisco:

Gay or Straight - Same or Different? - Using a values clarification exercise in a pair dictation, teachers can address homophobia and hate crimes. Contributed by Venette Cook, City College of San Francisco.
This Is My Family: This lesson is appropriate for low level ESL students. Contributed by Rick Kappra, City College of San Francisco.
Proud to be a San Franciscan: A higher level reading and journal assignment - a letter from a gay Arab-American. Contributed by Katarina Mijatovic, City College of San Francisco.

Lifelong Sexuality and Unit Closure: from the F.L.A.S.H. (Family Life And Sexual Health) curriculum for grades 11 and 12 and college, this lesson puts gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation in the context of other aspects of human sexuality. (pdf format) Updated Nov./06

Love - All That and More: A Video Series and Six-Session Curriculum on Healthy Relationships: from the Faith Trust Institute. It is one of the only such resources that's LGBT-inclusive.

One Umbrella, Many People: Diversity Within the LGBT Communities: Within the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities there is a tremendous diversity of experience. This activity from GLSEN will hopefully encourage you to learn more about LGBT people from different backgrounds. Also in pdf format. (pdf format)

"A Peculiar Disposition of the Eyes": The Invisibility of LGBT People in History: from Anti-Defamation League, GLSEN and StoryCorps.

The Playing Field: from Tools for Change. (pdf format)

Prejudice and "Isms": from Learning From a Legacy of Hate. Objective: (1) to understand the underlying meaning behind prejudice and various “isms” associated with difference and (2) to discuss ways in which students can combat prejudice.

Puberty/Adolescence, Day 4: "Will I Fit In?" - from the F.L.A.S.H. (Family Life And Sexual Health) curriculum for grades 9-10, this lesson contains a "Put Down & Rumor Reference Sheet" that defines the terms "gay," "lesbian," and "bisexual." (pdf format) Updated June/06

Q & A on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity from Advocates for Youth’s Creating Safe Space for GLBTQ Youth: A Toolkit.

Rights Abuses Around the World: What Can We Do?: from the Human Rights Resource Center at the University of Minnesota.

Scarecrow: A Lesson Against Hate Crimes: from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to accompany the Melissa Etheridge song Scarecrow.

Sexual and Affectional Orientation and Identity Scales - Using the Klein Scale to Teach about Sexual Orientation: by Bobbi Keppel & Alan Hamilton. From the Bisexual Resource Center.

The Skin I’m In: by Sharon G. Flake, from the Anti-Defamation League.

Stereotyping, Prejudice and Discrimination: a PowerPoint presentation from the San Mateo County Community College District (author unknown). (PowerPoint format - 19 slides)

Stonewall and Beyond: Gay and Lesbian Issues: from New York's public TV station, Thirteen WNET.

Telling Your Parents..."I'm Transgender" – from Answer, Sex Ed Honestly at Rutgers University. (pdf format)
Telling Your Parents..."I'm Transgender" Discussion Guide (pdf format)

Toward Understanding... Some of Us are Lesbian or Gay: from the Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention:

Lesson #1: Examining Prejudice: In this lesson, students take a test to uncover hidden biases, research the struggles of people who are discriminated against, and reflect on their commitment to their beliefs and how they arrived at their own convictions.
Lesson #2: Examining White Privilege: Teachers can use this lesson plan to explore the contributing factors to racism in America. Students examine the legacy of white privilege and the unspoken ways in which it touches their lives, using 26 scenarios from daily life.

Understanding Gender Identity: from Anti-Defamation League, GLSEN and StoryCorps.

For Valentines Day: Talking About Love and Marriage: from GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network and in a 3 page pdf format. (pdf format)

Women, Gays, and Other Voices of Resistance: Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 19 of Voices of a People’s History of the United States on the emergence and legacy of the 1960s counterculture, as well as the movements it helped create. Teaching activity by Jack Bareilles, posted on The Zinn Education Project website. 17 pages.

What Can Be Done to Achieve Equality? Evaluating Different Approaches: from the Human Rights Resource Center at the University of Minnesota.

What Do 'Faggot' and 'Dyke' Mean?: from GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network in HTML format and in pdf format (12 pages). (pdf format)

What If Things Were Different? Charting the Effects of Change: from the Human Rights Resource Center at the University of Minnesota.

Who I Am: (12.5 minutes, 2006) Two young women confront their sexuality at the crossroads of race and class. Who I Am addresses stereotypes, racism, and homophobia. The film, like all films from Scenarios USA was written by a teen (Whitney Peters) and directed and acted by professionals. It's outstanding. Watch it free online and download a lesson plan (pdf format) or purchase it in DVD form - and support Scenarios USA for supporting young scriptwriters -- for $89.

Winning the Right to Marry: Historic Parallel from Anti-Defamation League, GLSEN and StoryCorps.

Words that Heal: Using Children's Literature to Address Bullying: from the Anti-Defamation League - includes lesson plans for your book groups from Pre K - high school. Free online.

Words Really Matter: Examining Language at School: from the Human Rights Resource Center at the University of Minnesota.

Youth Dealing with Homophobia: Stories from Real Life: What Can We Do?: from the Human Rights Resource Center at the University of Minnesota.