California Council for the Social Studies 59th Annual Conference

The Holocaust and Armenian Genocide are specifically required in the CA Framework, but for students, these historic events can seem irrelevant. In this session, explore an approach to teaching the legacy of genocide that humanizes the people, complicates the issues, deepens our understanding of restorative justice, and brings nuance and relevancy which engages students in the world around them today.

Actively engage in simulation activities about concepts of freedom of conscience, human dignity, and respect for the rights of all people to live together peacefully.  It is aligned with the core concept of human rights, religion and history for grades K through 12. Methodologies and tools will be provided to use in the classroom to articulating these concepts to students. 

Educators explore IWitness, USC Shoah Foundation's educational website, which provides ready-to-use multimedia activities and testimony-based resources that connect students to human experiences in history and empowers their responsible participation in society. Educators learn how to integrate primary source audiovisual testimony across the history discipline, to meet 21st century academic and digital literacy standards, while developing students’ social-emotional and civic capacities.