Green Schools National Network

Social Justice Resources for Sustainability-Minded Educators
Social Justice Resources

IWitness

Social Justice

Overview

Developed by University of Southern California Shoah Foundation – The Institute for Visual History and Education, IWitness is a classroom tool that provides teachers and students access to more than 1,500 life stories from survivors and witnesses to the Holocaust and other genocides. IWitness brings these stories to life via engaging videos, multimedia-learning activities, and digital resources. Topics are standards aligned, so teachers can easily integrate IWitness’s resources across numerous content areas.

 

Social-Emotional Learning

The personal narratives found on the IWitness website allow students to take a deeper dive into historical events so they can better understand the impact of those events on individuals, communities, and society, while relating them to their personal experiences. IWitness covers over 52 subject areas, most of which relate to social justice, including character education, civics and government, history, social studies, and world history.

Topics are divided into resource categories such as: Goestory, IWalks, Lessons, Mini Quests, Info Quests, and Video Activities.

 

Virtual Learning

IWitness allows teachers and students to watch, search, edit, and share videos, images, and other content within a secure, password-protected space. Teachers can watch testimony and learn about the life stories of men and women who were confronted with social justice issues. Students can build video projects using IWitness’s built-in online video editor and learn important digital media skills, including searching and ethical remixing. Teachers and students can search for video testimony and photos to add to classroom projects and presentations. IWitness’s built-in encyclopedia and glossary can be referenced to better understand the testimonies and history presented on the website.

 

Flipped and Flexible

IWitness is designed to be flexible, providing educators with a variety of ways to integrate video testimony into curriculum for both in-person and virtual learning. Flipped classroom strategies can be utilized to engage students and foster critical conversations that are facilitated by teachers. Teachers can develop their own activities specific to their subject areas and interests using the IWitness Activity Builder.

Source: IWitness

The latest from the GreenNotes Blog

Three Ways to Think Beyond Recycling for National Recycling Day

Three Ways to Think Beyond Recycling for National Recycling Day

National Recycling Day is November 15. If your school or district doesn’t have a recycling program, now’s a great time to start! If your school or district has an established program and you want to take your recycling game up a notch, here are three fun ways to do so...

read more
Six Ways to Make Self-Care a Daily Practice for Educators

Six Ways to Make Self-Care a Daily Practice for Educators

Education is a rewarding, yet exhausting profession. Educators often put students and their families first, giving of their time, energy, and resources, before meeting their own needs. This isn’t healthy or sustainable. Many passionate educators cut their careers...

read more
Getting Started with a Schoolwide Mindfulness Program

Getting Started with a Schoolwide Mindfulness Program

Mental health is top of mind for many in the United States these days and schools are taking steps to support the mental health of their teachers, staff, and students. One way that schools are offering support is through the implementation of schoolwide mindfulness...

read more
How to Distinguish Outdoor Learning from Learning Outside

How to Distinguish Outdoor Learning from Learning Outside

Over the last several years, teachers have been shifting their classes outdoors in response to safety protocols spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been beneficial for student health and well-being for sure but learning outside could be so much more if it...

read more