Balanced Learning Resources
Lesson Plans

Grade 6-12: Students will learn about the life and legacy of the late U.S. Representative John Lewis, a major leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Through two short videos, discussion, and activities, students will explore leadership, nonviolence, and standing up for justice.

Grade: K-2. Students learn about Ruby Bridges, a young girl who helped change history during desegregation as the first African American student to attend an all-white school in her community. Ruby showed bravery and kindness when she faced unfair treatment at school.

Grades 7-12. Students will explore the Soviet Jewry Freedom Movement through two powerful videos: U.S. Representative John Lewis Speaking for Soviet Jews (1987) and The Soviet Jewry Freedom Movement (Unpacked). By examining this historical social justice movement, students will gain insight into the broader themes of advocacy, solidarity, and global human rights. Using a set of 10 criteria, students will critically analyze the movement’s structure, impact, and legacy, applyin

Grades 9-12. Students apply 10 objective criteria to analyze a social justice movement that is widely noted for its non‑violent, dignity‑centered tactics: the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia (Nov–Dec 1989). Using short videos and primary‑source snippets, learners test whether the movement’s goals, methods, and outcomes align with genuine social justice for all, or reveal red flags.

Grades 9-12. Students will examine the civil rights movement through two key films: Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech and The March (1964), a restored documentary on the March on Washington. After viewing, students will use 10 criteria to evaluate whether the movement meets the standards of a true social justice movement.

Grades 8-12. This lesson begins with The Path to Nazi Genocide, a short introductory documentary that examines how the Nazis systematically excluded Jews from society and justified escalating violence. Students are given 10 criteria with which to measure a social movement in order to think critically about how ideology and propaganda can shape collective behavior. The second part of the lesson features The Wave, a dramatization of a real 1967 high school experiment in Califor

Grades: 8-12. Explore our lesson plan for grades 8-12 on the Russian Revolution. Featuring a concise video, key events, and critical analysis of its social justice impact, this resource includes objectives, discussion questions, and activities to foster critical thinking and empathy.

Grades 9-12. In this lesson, students will explore the contradictions of the American Revolution, particularly regarding slavery and inequality, and how these flaws led to movements for abolition, women’s suffrage, and civil rights.

Grades 10-12. Hidden Letters is a haunting and lyrical documentary that uncovers the secret language of Nüshu—a script invented and passed down in whispers among generations of Chinese women, who, confined by patriarchal norms and silenced by tradition, found solace in each other through the written word. In a world where women were forbidden to learn or express themselves freely, Nüshu became more than a language—it was a lifeline.

Grades 9-12. In this lesson, students will watch the informative and endearing documentary RBG (2018) and reflect on the life and career of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933-2020), a Jewish American. Students will explore her contributions to gender equality and civil rights and discuss how her legacy continues to influence the American legal system and our society today. Through this lesson, students will analyze the role of the judiciary in shaping laws and so

Grade 11-12. This moving interview on American Thought Leaders introduces two modern day heroes - Simon Deng and Charles Jacobs - who discuss the ongoing struggle against slavery, human trafficking, and genocide in Africa, and the impact of Islamist extremism. Simon Deng, formerly enslaved, shares his personal story of escape and the horrors of slavery in Sudan. He and Charles Jacobs, who helped free tens of thousands of slaves in Sudan, highlight the international community'

Grades 6-8. In this lesson, students will explore the life and contributions of Dorothy Pitman Hughes, a Black feminist, child welfare advocate, and community activist.

Grades: 11-12. The video "In Her Own Words" is a documentary that explores the life and work of feminist icon Gloria Steinem. Through interviews and archival footage, it provides insight into Steinem's personal experiences, including her pivotal role in the feminist movement in the 1960s and 1970s.

Grades 6-12. The Young Lords Grassroots Activism and Social Change - Fighting for Justice, Then and Now

Grades 6-8. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were united by a deep commitment to justice and human dignity. Heschel, a Jewish theologian and Holocaust survivor, believed that the fight for Black civil rights was a moral and spiritual imperative. He famously marched alongside Dr. King during the Selma to Montgomery march in 1965, later saying, “I felt my legs were praying.”