Positive School Climate

Updated on February 2019

Share My Lesson has an updated collection of resources and lesson plans to help promote dialogue with students and families to help establish and maintain a supportive and positive school environment. Find free K-12 lessons, blogs, videos and classroom activities.

In This Collection:

Finding Common Ground
Enduring Social Justice Issues
Student Expression
Supporting Students and Educators

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Finding Common GroundBack to top

This lesson was used as a “kick-off” to a unit called “Citizenship Denied” which included a variety of sub-topics including The Civil Rights Movement in the US, Apartheid in South Africa, The...

WITNESSING VIOLENCE CAN CHANGE A KID’S MIND. | YOU CAN HELP THEM HEAL.

New research shows that witnessing traumatic events, like domestic violence, shootings, or even...

WITNESSING VIOLENCE CAN CHANGE A KID’S MIND. | YOU CAN HELP THEM HEAL.

New research shows that witnessing traumatic events, like domestic violence, shootings, or even...

Colorín Colorado provides information, activities, and advice for educators and Spanish-speaking families of English language learners. Teachers who work with English as a Second Language learners...

The one-week immigration community outreach project and lesson plan meets three objectives: 1) to educate students on the experiences of the immigrant population; 2) to celebrate and welcome...

After this lesson, students will know who Archbishop Desmond Tutu is and why he is a Nobel Peace Prize recipient and human rights defender; be able to distinguish between different approaches to...

#1 Webinar of 2017

American Federation of Teachers, Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance project, Anti-Defamation League, and Facing History and Ourselves.

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (RAK) is an internationally recognized nonprofit inspiring a culture of kindness schools, homes, and communities. We believe kindness is more than a nice idea;...

What do we owe our neighbors and fellow citizens? Reflect on the need for the virtue of compassion and civic attitudes toward our neighbors by reading Herman Melville short story "Bartleby, the...

Common Core

This third grade lesson helps students improve their ability to communicate and appreciate communication as a tool of peacemaking. For free access to our Digital Activity Center and hundreds of...

In this lesson, students take a literal and figurative snapshot of their community with regard to tolerance/inclusion of those with intellectual disabilities. Important Terms: asset, inclusion,...

Why do people need national identity and attachment? Explore the meaning and significance of national identity in general and American identity in particular by reading the full text of Edward...

Common Core

Enduring Social Justice IssuesBack to top

The fundamental constitutional protections of due process and equal protection embodied in our Constitution and Bill of Rights apply to every person, regardless of immigration status. You can...

Muslim students throughout the United States have been forced to deal with the effects of hateful anti-Islamic rhetoric that has been increasing among politicians and the media. Young people are...

Black Lives Matter is an activist movement which began as a hashtag and became more widely known after two high-profile deaths in 2014 of unarmed African-American men at the hands of police...

Images of girls and women in the media are filled with stereotypes about who women are and what their roles should be in society. These stereotypes can be negative, limiting and degrading and...

This unit is about historical figures who stood up and fought for causes they believed in, (ex. abolition of slavery, women voting, welfare of migrant workers, etc.) Susan B. Anthony, Eleanor...

Students read a short article, "Five Habits to Heal the Heart of Democracy," by educator Parker Palmer who presents qualities of citizenship that are essential for sustaining democracy in troubled...

Common Core

Activities will help students: •explain why the federal government passed the Voting Rights Act •evaluate the impact of the Voting Rights Act •explain current challenges to the Voting Rights Act •...

#2 Top Collection of 2017...

Activities will help students:
•Read and interpret charts and graphs
•Recognize differences within the U.S. Muslim population
•Identify similarities and differences between the U...

After the terrorist attacks in Paris, Beirut and San Bernardino, California, there has been an increase in incidents targeting the Muslim community and those who are perceived to be Muslim. Since...

Aligned with NYS Common Core Learning Standards. Students will be able to: know who Van Jones is and why he is a human rights defender; understand the issue of police brutality within the U.S. and...

Seventh graders at Orinda Intermediate School are taking a personal approach to the study of Islam by inviting Shajee Syed-Quadri to be a guest speaker in their world history class. As president...

In this video, University of Mississippi students question whether traditions tied to the Confederacy belong on their campus after the revival of an old football chant divides the community. It...

Not In Our Town offers free copies of the film, Waking In Oak Creek. This documentary profiles a town rocked by hate after 6 Sikh Temple worshippers are killed by a white supremacist in August,...

The data is clear: Even just one out of school suspension sets a student on a path for low academic achievement and...

Teach Immigration strives to promote a better understanding of immigrants and immigration by providing educational resources, lessons and professional development that inspire...

#3 Collection of 2018

As educators, we need to help our students work through these difficult to comprehend events by encouraging them to ask questions, help provide as many answers as possible and open up an honest...

Student ExpressionBack to top

Inspired by Parkland students, three schools across the U.S. participated in the Connection Challenge as a way to step out of their comfort zones and connect with other young people at school who...

The session also covers the importance of addressing larger issues of intolerance, and helping students become more accepting of those who are different. By teaching these skills, you’ll help make...

This lesson uses the events surrounding a hot topic to build important literacy, research, and civic skills and knowledge.

Enduring Understandings:

Difficult decisions involve

Common Core

This lesson uses primary sources and stories of participants in the civil rights movement to introduce students to the concept of non-violence. Students will analyze the characteristics, costs,...

Students will be able to:
•Understand that segregation existed in many areas of life in the South, including transportation, public accommodations, schools, stores and neighborhoods
•...

#12 Collection of 2018

Supporting Students and EducatorsBack to top

#2 Collection of 2018

Share My Lesson's curated collection for school support staff—from bus drivers and cafeteria workers to paraprofessionals, recess aides and front office personnel--is full of useful resources. You...

#5 Top Collection of 2017

by Julie Stern

Has anyone else been having trouble sleeping since the school shooting in Florida? Every single life lost before its time is a tragedy. For many of us, this one feels…...

Most people are familiar with the term “posttraumatic stress disorder” (PTSD), a syndrome experienced by individuals who have been traumatized by one or more life experiences. But few are aware...

#1 Blog of 2017

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Positive School Climate

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