These lessons are part of the Reform to Equal Rights K-12 Disability History Curriculum from Emerging America, part of the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium.

This unit examines how people seek social and political change to secure their rights. Students explore ideas about disability and learn the many innovative and effective ways that people with disabilities have advocated for their rights across United States history. Lesson 2 focuses on immigration and exclusion; it can stand alone or support this unit; or it could help build a full unit on immigration. In the conclusion of the unit, students evaluate and make a case about how disability advocates made change.
Grades 4-5 - Lesson 1: What is "Disability"?
Grades 4-5 - Lesson 2: Immigration: Who Is In? And Who Is Out?
Grades 4-5 - Lesson 3: History of the Disability Rights Movement
Grades 4-5 - Lesson 4: How Disability Activists Created Change

Reform to Equal Rights uses 250+ primary sources. Most are in the public domain. Many others come from public online collections. For the rest, Emerging America secured permission so that teachers can use all these sources in creative ways. https://www.emergingamerica.org/disability-history-curriculum.
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These lessons are part of the Reform to Equal Rights K-12 Disability History Curriculum from Emerging America, part of the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium.

This unit works particularly well in a course on civics and government. The intro lesson introduces key information and can be useful to check student knowledge and experiences. Lesson 1 is essential to introduce the unit's study of disability. Lessons 2 & 3 delves into work for disability rights, including transformative legislation. In lesson 4, students apply what they have learned about civic action to research, plan, and carry out their own civic engagement project. (This lesson is also used for Grades 9-12.) Lesson 5 can stand alone or fit within the unit; it adds disability rights as an option for study of historic Supreme Court cases

Grades 6-12 - Intro Lesson: Introduction to Disability History
Grades 6-8 - Lesson 1: What Are Disability Rights?
Grades 6-8 - Lesson 2: Disability Rights Activism
Grades 6-8 - Lesson 3: Disability Rights Legislation
Grades 6-8 - Lesson 4: Inclusive Civics Project - Disability Rights
Grades 6-8 - Lesson 5: Supreme Court Case: Olmstead v. L.C.

Reform to Equal Rights uses 250+ primary sources. Most are in the public domain. Many others come from public online collections. For the rest, Emerging America secured permission so that teachers can use all these sources in creative ways. https://www.emergingamerica.org/disability-history-curriculum
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These lessons are part of the Reform to Equal Rights K-12 Disability History Curriculum from Emerging America, part of the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium.

An introduction to disability helps establish safe and respectful study of the topic. Lesson 1 examines the context and causes of the growth of schools and asylums in the early 19th century through analysis of images, documents, and slide presentation. Lesson 2 studies federalism and roles of government and adds the voices and perspectives of people with disabilities and journalists, including critics of mass institutions. Students may continue to research institutions in their state. These lessons lay a foundation for discussion of the difficult topic of mass institutionalization, continued in units on the Progressive Era and on Disability Rights.

Grades 6-12 - Intro Lesson: Introduction to Disability History
Grades 8-10 - Lesson 1: Disability and 19th Century Moral Reformers
Grades 8-10 - Lesson 2: Perspectives on Schools and Asylums

Reform to Equal Rights uses 250+ primary sources. Most are in the public domain. Many others come from public online collections. For the rest, Emerging America secured permission so that teachers can use all these sources in creative ways. https://www.emergingamerica.org/disability-history-curriculum.
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These lessons are part of the Reform to Equal Rights K-12 Disability History Curriculum from Emerging America, part of the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium.

An introductory lesson calls students to use words about disability with respect. Lesson 1 generates questions about the war, using the Question Formulation Technique. Lesson 2 discusses the scale and historical context of the Union's capacity to care for injured soldiers. Students predict how disability might impact veterans and the nation. Lesson 3 analyzes a story of care for a disabled veteran. Pairs or groups analyze one of seven stories and share key points for discussion. In lesson 4, students analyze ten institutions that served veterans. In the unit assessment, students explain how the war changed ideas about government. In lesson 5, students examine experiences of disabled veterans today through video interviews from the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. Students may research veterans' needs and organize a project to support them.

Grades 6-12 - Intro Lesson: Introduction to Disability History
Grades 8-10 - Lesson 1: A Nation Shocked by War
Grades 8-10 - Lesson 2: Care for Wounded and Disabled Soldiers
Grades 8-10 - Lesson 3: Stories of Men and Women Who Served
Grades 8-10 - Lesson 4: Agents of Care
Grades 8-10 - Lesson 5: Veterans Today

Reform to Equal Rights uses 250+ primary sources. Most are in the public domain. Many others come from public online collections. For the rest, Emerging America secured permission so that teachers can use all these sources in creative ways. https://www.emergingamerica.org/disability-history-curriculum

These lessons are part of the Reform to Equal Rights K-12 Disability History Curriculum from Emerging America, part of the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium.

An introduction to disability helps establish safe and respectful study of a difficult topic. Students examine eugenics policy, including forced sterilization and examine how values change. Primary sources include challenges to eugenics from the 1930s as well as 21st century efforts to come to terms with its impacts. The grades 4-5 lesson 2 on immigration policy can provides primary sources and guiding questions that can provide solid support to expand this unit. Unit resources support optional research projects.

Grades 6-12 - Intro Lesson: Introduction to Disability History
Grades 9-12 - Lesson 1: The Dehumanizing Effects of Eugenics

Reform to Equal Rights uses 250+ primary sources. Most are in the public domain. Many others come from public online collections. For the rest, Emerging America secured permission so that teachers can use all these sources in creative ways. https://www.emergingamerica.org/disability-history-curriculum.
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These lessons are part of the Reform to Equal Rights K-12 Disability History Curriculum from Emerging America, part of the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium.

An introduction helps establish safe and respectful study of disability history. In lesson 1, students the Question Formulation Technique helps develop questions. Then a presentation highlights disabled advocates across American history. In lesson 2, students research the causes, goals and methods, successes and setbacks of the Disability Rights Movement. Students present research with multiple media options: talk with slides, podcast, video, essay, or poster. Lesson 4 guides a genuinely inclusive civic engagement project.

Grades 6-12 - Intro Lesson: Introduction to Disability History
Grades 9-12 - Lesson 1: The Roots of the Disability Rights Movement
Grades 9-12 - Lesson 2: Research and Share Disability Rights History
Grades 9-12 - Inclusive Civics Project - Disability Rights

Reform to Equal Rights uses 250+ primary sources. Most are in the public domain. Many others come from public online collections. For the rest, Emerging America secured permission so that teachers can use all these sources in creative ways. https://www.emergingamerica.org/disability-history-curriculum.
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These lessons are part of the Reform to Equal Rights K-12 Disability History Curriculum from Emerging America, part of the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium.

Lesson 1: students learn about disability and access through primary sources and personal experiences.
Lesson 2: students agree on inclusive decision-making strategies and discuss disability advocates using illustrated stories.
Lesson 3: students examine a case study of disability advocacy and its impact on the community.
All three lessons can be taught in one grade or introduced over multiple grades.

Reform to Equal Rights uses 250+ primary sources. Most are in the public domain. Many others come from public online collections. For the rest, Emerging America secured permission so that teachers can use all these sources in creative ways. https://www.emergingamerica.org/disability-history-curriculum