Students sit in a circle in a library and smile and laugh

Collection

Community Matters: A Facing History & Ourselves Approach to Advisory

Our advisory curriculum for grades 8–10 contains a year’s worth of activities, handouts, and best practices for establishing inclusive communities where students can engage in honest discussions and build their voices.

Published: July 15, 2022

Last Updated: January 23, 2022

Collection

Language

English — US

Subject

Advisory

Grade

8–10

Duration

Part of a full-year program

Culture & Identity
Equity & Inclusion

Overview

Adolescence is a time when two tasks take on special importance: determining our own individual identity and figuring out where and how we belong. These themes of identity, membership, belonging, and participation are the cornerstones of Facing History’s advisory curriculum for grades 8–10.

Built on a foundation of social and emotional learning, this curriculum provides a year’s worth of activities and materials designed to help you build student-centered spaces where honest questioning, discussion, and social and academic growth can occur.

Students who participate in this curriculum will

build understanding and empathy,
break down stereotypes,
discover their voices,
develop the skills necessary for academic and community success,
and build civic agency and find new ways to participate in the school and local community.

Our full-year advisory curriculum, available in print or PDF format, includes:

Introductory materials including best practices for advisors, tips for fostering a reflective community, and sample advisory meeting maps
69 activities
34 handouts
17 readings
9 videos
An appendix on designing your school’s advisory program

Inside This Collection

Book

Our advisory curriculum contains a year’s worth of activities, student handouts, and best practices to help you build student-centered spaces where honest questioning, discussion, and social and academic growth can occur.

Community Matters: A Facing History and Ourselves Approach to Advisory Cover

Collection

This collection contains all of the digital resources referenced throughout Community Matters: A Facing History & Ourselves Approach to Advisory.

Materials and Downloads

Our advisory curriculum is also available in PDF format, organized by section and activity. Download as a zip file or access in Google Drive.

Download the Files

Download all

Get Files Via Google

Guide

Community Matters: A Facing History & Ourselves Approach to Advisory

Activity

Students reflect on a meaningful, inspirational, or thought-provoking quotation.

The back of a white book with a quote from Brianna Wiest which reads "I thought becoming myself was improving each part piece by piece. But it was finding a hidden wholeness seeing the fractures at the design."

Activity

The Rose, Thorn, Bud exercise increases students' self-awareness as they reflect on recent successes, challenges, and opportunities.

Activity

Students communicate how they are feeling in response to a chosen prompt, giving teachers a pulse on the class’s opinions or well-being.

A person holding a rectangular white photo frame near a body of water.

Activity

Read aloud a chapter of a book your students are interested in to build community around stories and storytelling.

Person sitting on the floor while holding a book.

Activity

Students identify their strengths and areas for growth in a journal reflection.

A student in a grey sweatshirt looks down at a paper with a pencil in hand.

Activity

Students get an opportunity to give feedback about the class and communicate their needs and worries.

A person holds a compass in their hand with the ocean in the background.

Activity

Students share how they are feeling, what their needs are, and what goals they’d like to set in an exit card.

A person holds a glass door open with a backpack over one shoulder.

Activity

Students explore the relationship between our names, identities, and the societies in which we live.

A pile of "Hello my name is" nametags and sharpie markers sit on top of a desk.

Activity

Students identify an object that holds special meaning and learn about each other by sharing the stories of these special items.

Activity

Students analyze a poem in order to determine the qualities of a classroom community where members are seen, valued, and heard.

Two students look at each other in conversation. One student is also taking notes.

Activity

Students practice gratitude by naming and recording three good things that have happened that day.

Two students look to the front of the classroom with smiles on their faces.

Activity

Students use poetry as a spark for reflection and discussion about what’s happening in their lives and the world.

Four students in conversation with each other in a classroom.

More Like This Teaching Resources Learning & Events

Facing History & Ourselves is designed for educators who want to help students explore identity, think critically, grow emotionally, act ethically, and participate in civic life. It’s hard work, so we’ve developed some go-to professional learning opportunities to help you along the way.

Professional Learning

On-Demand

Virtual

Listen to #DisruptTexts founder Julia Torres about taking a critical lens to text selection in ELA classrooms.

Three students at table, working on a project

Professional Learning

On-Demand

Virtual

Issues of equity and education have long existed in our country and continue to manifest today. How can writing and the power of one's voice help us respond to these disparities? Listen to writer and educator, Dr. Clint Smith, where we hear his poetry and reflections on working for justice, equity, and civic agency in our schools.

Professional Learning

On-Demand

Virtual

Explore approaches to centering student voice, building authentic relationships and cultivating community with Molly Josephs, the creator of This Teenage Life, a youth-driven, story-sharing podcast that started as a school club.

More Like This View Upcoming Events View On-Demand Events

Most teachers are willing to tackle the difficult topics, but we need the tools.

— Gabriela Calderon-Espinal, Bay Shore, NY

Search

Search

Community Matters: A Facing History & Ourselves Approach to Advisory