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.
9 of Our Favorite Back-to-School Activities and Resources
Try these classroom activities and resources at the start of the year to build a foundation for learning all year long.
![Students and educator work on an assignment](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2023-08/221116-0215.jpg?h=56d0ca2e&itok=R-Z5CpUh)
Student Names: A Key Component to an Inclusive Classroom
Learning how to say students’ names the right way is an important part of the new school year. Ace your first attendance check with these resources.
![Graphic of "YOUR NAME" on typewriter paper](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2023-08/Your_name.jpg?h=eda8b49e&itok=UeHTGmNx)
How Two Teenagers Created a Textbook for Racial Literacy
Activist and author Winona Guo discusses the importance of personal narratives in fostering racial literacy and promoting democracy.
![Winona Guo And Priya Vulchi At TED Talk](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2023-08/24270063028_4e8fb648da_o%20%281%29.jpg?h=b69e0e0e&itok=-tjt-JsC)
Poetry and Identity
Bringing poetry into the classroom introduces a model for creative expression and self-reflection that can help students find their voice.
![Poetry Graffiti](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2023-06/Poetry_Graffiti_StockPhoto_FH2190020.jpg?h=1021c639&itok=68mmYNfa)
Begin 2023 by Exploring Identity and Belonging with Facing History
Join an upcoming community event and utilize our multi-part lesson plans to jump into the study of identity and belonging.
![Image displaying the statement who are you](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2023-01/brett-jordan-D44kHt8Ex14-unsplash.jpg?h=f03d1f75&itok=6BCjwZbY)
Disrupting Public Memory: The Story of the National Day of Mourning
Breaking down the historically one-sided narrative about Thanksgiving in the US has been a decades-long effort, led by historians and Indigenous communities.
![The First Thanksgiving, 1621.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-11/The_First_Thanksgiving_BW_FH2185279.jpg?h=fbba1660&itok=dpPgVloR)
Elevating Student Voice Through Podcasting and Storytelling
In this interview with educator Molly Josephs, we explore how storytelling helps students find their unique voices & create connections across differences.
![Picture of students.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-11/Facing-History_SJLA_037.jpg?h=c9f93661&itok=BVGZU-Cq)
5 Native-Led Podcasts for Media Literacy
The world of podcasting offers a platform for marginalized peoples to share their stories that would otherwise go unheard. Facing History provides five podcasts produced by Native American individuals dedicated to fostering healing within their own communities through the process of telling their stories and sharing their insights.
![Zoomed in photo of woman recording podcast.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/podcasting2.jpeg?h=2bf4480e&itok=RPLdwPTU)
Teaching While Queer: One Teacher on Being Out in the Classroom
Facing History educator Emily Haines discusses what it's looked like for her to bring her full identity into the classroom.
![Picture of rainbow flags.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-10/daniel-james-Dhw68hz9KbA-unsplash.jpg?h=a141e9ea&itok=BiDeyMJQ)
3 Hispanic Americans You Should Know
In this article we highlight three individuals who fought for representation, inclusion, and justice. Their work has contributed to the enrichment of American identity and culture and cultivated a more just society.
![Picture of Jovita Idár, Sylvia Rivera, & Julia Alvarez.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-10/HHMprofiles.png?h=27090159&itok=WsnDMagB)
10 New Books on LGBTQIA+ History and Contemporary Life
Facing History shares ten titles released in the last year that bring important themes in LGBTQIA+ history and contemporary life to the fore, exploring the diverse ways in which this extensive topic is explored by educators, intellectuals, and thought leaders.
![Book cover images of ten LGBTQIA+ novels.](/sites/default/files/styles/dynamic_stack_296_1x/public/2022-06/queerbooklist2.jpeg?h=ca04aa64&itok=H0KONV_z)