The purpose of this lesson is to engage young students in thinking about the complexity of socio-historical symbols in the present day. After careful preparation, the authors decided to teach about the decision by the state legislature in July 2015 to remove the Confederate flag from the South Carolina statehouse grounds. Presenting the…

In this article, the author shares how she created a "peaceable classroom" through activities which she incorporated into a 1st-grade curriculum and which fulfilled academic requirements. As a 1st-grade teacher at Redlands Adventist Academy in Redlands, CA, she wanted to create a learning environment that would foster values like…

In 1999, things were dismal at Lebanon, Pennsylvania's Harding Elementary School. Many kids in this former coal town started at a disadvantage and never seemed to catch up. They were bored with books about "frogs on logs," says then-new principal Cheryl Champion. Since they were not engaged, they acted out. Harding's classroom…

First grade teachers detail how they successfully taught students assertiveness techniques for conflict resolution. Three times weekly, children learned to express themselves and take more responsibility for their behavior. Role playing was an important component. Teachers modeled assertive behavior, and parents were apprised of the situation so…