A new resource is helping students make sense of what is happening in Ukraine and the ongoing refugee crisis.
The curriculum for teachers of middle and high school students from the nonprofit Facing History and Ourselves includes reflective questions designed to get students talking and get an in-depth understanding of the war.
“We feel like our unique contribution to this conversation, and to the way we can help support teachers and help them support their students Is by really looking at the human component and really inspiring empathy among students,” said Abby Weiss, who leads Facing History's program implementation.
The nonprofit is focused on the Head, Heart and Conscience model.
It has seen 10,000 downloads so far of each of the two Ukraine resources it put out.
Meredith O'Brien is one of the teachers using the guides in her classroom.
“I think on a deeper level that is part of what I believe is so important, about history, education and a solid history of education,” O’Brien said.
She says she wants her students to understand the historical context of how we got to where we are today in Ukraine.
“I also want them to leave with an understanding of the people who are responding to this, whether at… a level of sort of individual action or more collective action, so individuals or nations -- that there are people who are responding to this and in particular, looking at the refugee crisis and understanding why it's important that we respond to that,” said O’Brien.
You can check out the teaching materials at FacingHistory.org
