Facing History, Facing Ourselves

Mission of Organization

“Facing History and Ourselves uses lessons of history to challenge teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate." 

Curriculum Description

Facing History and Ourselves is a collection of lessons and materials focusing on the past to encourage teachers and students to engage in social justice in the present. Each unit includes approximately one dozen lessons that dive into varying issues. The lessons outline outside resources needed in addition to the extensive resources provided through the database, provide potential activities, and detail key topics, questions, and vocabulary. The lessons also provide teachers with a leveled materials to encourage scaffolding and differentiation.

Curriculum Materials Reviewed
  • Facing Ferguson
  • New Literacy in a Digital Age
  • Social Media and Ferguson
  • Teaching Holocaust and Human Behavior
  • The Concept of Race
Source of Funding
  • Contributions & Special Events
  • Sales (Books & Materials)
  • Returns on Investment
  • In-Kind Contributions
  • Endowment Distribution
Learning Resources
  • Videos
  • Social Media
  • Graphic Organizers
  • Handouts
  • Newspaper Articles
Target Population/Grade Levels
Cost Per Classroom
Printing of recommended handouts
Training
Training: Suggested Material for Review Prior to Teaching Lesson (included in linked curriculum)
Domain Presence
Critical Consciousness

Presence Evaluation: Full Presence

Evaluation Notes: Many lessons focus on developing critical consciousness. Students are asked to understand the challenges others may be facing and form opinions on a range of issues. Students engage in facilitated reflection on how certain issues impact their life and community.

Social Action

Presence Evaluation: Some Presence

Evaluation Notes: There are several lessons which encourage students to raise their voices take social action across a range of issues. 

Reciprocal Community Relationship

Presence Evaluation: Some Presence

Evaluation Notes: Lessons focus on democracy and voting but do not reference additional opportunities for community engagement. Voting lessons demonstrate a role students can play in their communities.

Systems Wide Approach

Presence Evaluation: Full presence 

Evaluation Notes: There are several resources for teachers to improve their teaching practice.

Explicit Teaching of Social Justice Principles

Presence Evaluation: Full Presence

Evaluation Notes: There are many lessons with explicit social justice instruction. The lessons support students’ social justice knowledge with key terms and phrases while providing real-life examples.

Self-Reflection

Presence Evaluation: Full Presence

Evaluation Notes: There is an emphasis on self-reflection as a lens for understanding the current injustices that exist within American society.

Evidence Based

Presence Evaluation: Full Presence

Evaluation Notes: There have been several studies highlighting Facing History positive affect on students' affective outcomes like motivation and engagement. 

Inclusion and Equity

Presence Evaluation: Full Presence

Evaluation Notes: There are only a few explicit lessons on inclusion and equity. Otherwise, notions of inclusion and equity are weaved into each lesson as the overall goal of the curriculum is to create a more just society.

High Expectations

Presence Evaluation: N/A

Evaluation Notes: We are unable to evaluate this domain since it is best measured through observation.

Social Identities

Presence Evaluation: Full Presence

Evaluation Notes: Students must look at themselves as citizens in a democracy when engaging with the material and examine how people of certain backgrounds have been discriminated against due to their race, gender, or sexuality.