Ideas This Week
Ideas This Week is your hub for updates on all things Facing History—from announcements and featured press to expert interviews, impact stories, and essays on the ideas driving our work.
Poetry and Civic Agency
Poetry has the power to connect us with the stories of others. Help your students amplify their voices, challenge inequalities, and consider social change in verse.
![High School Girl Writing](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2024-04/FH287141.jpg?h=4362216e&itok=0DEvuQJn)
April Assemblies
Download our assembly PowerPoints for the month of April for use with Key Stage 3-4 and S1-4 students.
![Facing History Students in a classroom having a discussion.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2023-03/DSC04311_Website.jpg?h=4362216e&itok=LnEmSh9t)
How to Write Essential Questions for ELA That Spark Curiosity and Deepen Understanding
Follow this guide to write essential questions for your next ELA unit that genuinely deepen your students’ learning.
![A teacher and two students in a library talking and looking at a paper and laptop](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/NewEngland_Classroom_2017_FH256412.jpg?h=a141e9ea&itok=GAVs2Yrb)
Donor Spotlight: Ancestry
Ancestry, a Facing History partner, is helping classrooms discover the past! Sign up for free access to historic records, webinars, and other resources.
![Ancestry Ideas This Week Header](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2024-03/Ancestry%20Ideas%20This%20Week%20Header%20%28FH2201605%29.png?h=166e5e36&itok=yQEYjFAu)
28 Social-Emotional Learning Activities for the Classroom
Use these simple social-emotional learning activities to incorporate SEL in your lesson plans and classroom routines.
![Two women in discussion.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2024-03/076_Bully_Summit%2C_2012%2C_LA%2C_078.jpg?h=4997dc06&itok=KLLmzTIA)
Women's Power in the Struggle for Freedom and Equal Rights
Throughout history, women have shaped and advanced human rights and democratic ideals by challenging societal norms and championing gender equality and civic freedom.
![Woman protesting for women's rights in Iran](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2024-03/Woman%20protesting%20for%20women%27s%20rights%20in%20Iran.png?h=81b0ed00&itok=WZ9tuLuT)
How One Facing History Alum Connects History and Technology
Ethan Ferguson details how his Facing History background has intersected with his current work in the tech industry.
![Ethan Ferguson showing his drones which he used for taking 3D scans of historical sites.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2024-03/Ethan_Ferguson_showing_his_drones_which_he_used_for_taking_3D_scans_of_historical_sites_resize.jpg?h=b0c51a6c&itok=GGGhCOEC)
Nine Recommended Books for Facing History Educators
These selected titles can help you gain unique classroom insights and deepen your engagement with new educational scholarship.
![Women in bookstore looking at open book](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2024-03/Women%20in%20bookstore%20looking%20at%20open%20book.png?h=fa1c963e&itok=XCcez5jv)
Eight Great YA Reads for National Reading Month
Kick off National Reading Month by introducing the middle and high school students in your life to these impactful fiction and nonfiction texts.
![Student Reading Book Outdoors - wearing glasses, a plaid shit, jeans, and noise cancelling headphones around the neck](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2024-03/Student%20Reading%20Book%20Outdoors.png?h=c8a20b23&itok=ixEjhCNE)
Nothing about Us without Us: Promoting Disability History and Awareness in Classrooms
Explore resources to bring disability education into your classroom and support progress towards an inclusive and equitable society.
![Graphic image of disability pride flag](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2024-03/Disability_Pride_ITW_Header.jpg?h=c9a3a702&itok=V-MHz74-)
Approaching Election Season as a Teaching Opportunity
Educators have the opportunity to empower students to become active participants in our democracy.
![Young Woman Affixing a Vote Button on Her Shirt](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2024-03/Young%20Woman%20Affixing%20a%20Vote%20Button%20on%20Her%20Shirt%20-%20square%20sizing.png?h=5b6e9454&itok=834oESRr)