Police Violence

This activity has students listen to and reflect on the voices of those who are out in the street in the wake of George Floyd's murder by police. What brings them there? And what do students think and feel about it?

The police killing of George Floyd has ignited outrage, grief, and protest across the country. Here are some suggestions to give your students space to share their thoughts and feelings about these events.

Using tweets, video and a poster, students review the history of the Black Lives Matter movement, consider criticisms of it, and examine the movement's policy goals.   

NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick has added momentum to a remarkable wave of protests by athletes against racial injustice and police killings. Students discuss tweets about the protests, consider multiple points of view about them, and construct a timeline of events.   

What is happening at Standing Rock? Students learn about and discuss the growing protest by the Standing Rock Sioux and their allies to stop a pipeline.   

Through a series of engaging "opinion continuum" exercises, students explore a range of views about the phrases "Black Lives Matter" and "All Lives Matter."  

This first of three lessons on the Black Lives Matter movement serves as an introduction.  Students learn about the origins of the Black Lives Matter movement through tweets, quotes, and discussion of the movement's principles.    

This activity acknowledges the painful feelings surrounding the killings in Louisiana, Minnesota, and Texas, and points the way to positive action.  

Chicago decided on May 6, 2015, to provide reparations for its history of brutal police abuse, after decades of organizing by activists. This brief classroom activity uses two quotes to help students consider the news and its implications.  

In this lesson students discuss reactions to the police killing of Walter Scott, an unarmed black man, in North Charleston, South Carolina. Students consider quotes and discuss two short videos.