Grades 9-12 Unit Overview: Disability in the Progressive Era
The Unit Overview will feature a grid of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies and tools employed, standards, and a list of the many primary sources used in the unit with thumbnails for each. (Lists of primary sources in lesson plans include hyperlinks to sources as readable text. Lesson plans detail the UDL strategies and tools that they use.) The Unit Overview will also list all secondary sources and background materials for teachers used in the unit. Link to the Grades 9-12 Progressive Era Unit Overview.
The grade 4-5 unit lesson 2 on immigration policy provides primary sources and guiding questions that can provide solid support to expand this topic. Unit resources support optional research projects.
Grades 6-12 - Intro Lesson: Introduction to Disability History
Introductory lesson slides call students to use words about disability with respect. The slides also include a definition of disability and feature pictures from the Library of Congress that show tools for access. Students generate questions.
Grades 9-12 - Lesson 1: The Dehumanizing Effects of Eugenics
Students examine terrible events in U.S. history–forced sterilization of people with disabilities under the laws of the eugenics movement–in part to examine how values change. Primary sources include challenges to eugenics from the 1930s as well as 21st century efforts to come to terms with its impacts. The lesson pays particular attention to establishing a safe space for all to study this difficult topic. Lesson 1 slides present a coherent narrative and analysis of eugenics, including its effects and responses to it.
Link to a google doc of the grades 6-12 lesson: Introduction to Disability History.
Includes slides.
Link to a google doc of lesson 1 for the grades 9-12 Progressive Era unit.
Includes slides.