Balanced Learning Resources
Lesson Plans

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. By design, this lesson is based on students’ observations of video content and teacher‑neutrality: the 1

Grade Level: 9-10 Duration of video 1: 5 minutes Themes: Methods vs. slogans, Non-violence & human dignity, Media literacy & misinformation, Inclusion & democratic participation, civil rights and dignity for all people Description: This lesson invites students to evaluate the Free Palestine Movement’s protests through 10 Criteria to analyze a Social Justice Movement. Students will examine activist messaging that uses social justice language. By applying the 10 Criteria Frame

Grade Level: 7-8 Duration of video 1: 15 minutes, 26 seconds Duration of video 2:  3 minutes, 52 seconds Duration of video 3:  18 minutes, 10 seconds Themes : Propaganda vs. justice, Communism, authoritarian control, manipulated language, media literacy, moral responsibility Description: This lesson uses historical case studies of authoritarian regimes to help students tell the difference between authentic justice movements and propaganda movements that use justice-themed la

Grade Level: 8–12 Duration of video 1: 7 minutes, 28 seconds Duration of video 2:  44 minutes Themes: Social psychology, Holocaust awareness, Nazism, World War II, media literacy and propaganda, social justice vs. hate movements, active citizenship, moral responsibility Description: 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. Stude