For the Week of: Jul 12, 2026 - Nelson Mandela
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Life under Apartheid | Teaching with Primary Sources - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
6 to 12
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Help students understand the realities of apartheid in South Africa through historical context and firsthand perspectives. This lesson explores how apartheid laws affected daily life...more
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Help students understand the realities of apartheid in South Africa through historical context and firsthand perspectives. This lesson explores how apartheid laws affected daily life for Black South Africans, including restrictions on where people could live, work, travel, and attend school. Using video content and supporting materials, students learn about the social, political, and economic impacts of segregation while examining the experiences of those who lived under the system. This resource provides an engaging way to introduce topics such as human rights, civil rights, social justice, and the struggle for equality, making it a valuable addition to world history, social studies, and civics instruction.
tag(s): civil rights (220), Nelson Mandela (29), primary sources (133), south africa (31)
In the Classroom
After viewing the video, have students write a journal response describing how apartheid laws affected the daily lives of Black South Africans. Have students compare apartheid in South Africa with segregation in the United States. Using a Venn diagram made with the Venn Diagram Creator by Canva, reviewed here, have students identify similarities and differences in laws, daily life, resistance efforts, and outcomes. Students can create posters, public service announcements, podcasts, or digital presentations with Adobe Creative Cloud Express, reviewed here promoting equality and human rights.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Mandela Day: 67 Minutes of Service - Globe Trottin' Kids
Grades
K to 8
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The Globe Trottin' Kids article "Mandela Day: 67 Minutes of Service" introduces students to Nelson Mandela Day and encourages them to honor Nelson Mandela's legacy through acts of service...more
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The Globe Trottin' Kids article "Mandela Day: 67 Minutes of Service" introduces students to Nelson Mandela Day and encourages them to honor Nelson Mandela's legacy through acts of service and kindness. The article explains the significance of dedicating 67 minutes to helping others--representing Mandela's 67 years of public service--and provides age-appropriate ideas such as organizing food or clothing drives, helping neighbors, cleaning community spaces, and volunteering. In addition to service-learning ideas, the site recommends books on Nelson Mandela and South Africa, as well as links to geography and culture activities that help students learn more about the country. This resource is a great way to combine character education, global awareness, citizenship, and community service in the classroom.
tag(s): charactered (86), Nelson Mandela (29), south africa (31)
In the Classroom
In honor of Nelson Mandela's 67 years of public service, have students spend 67 minutes completing a service project. Ideas include organizing classroom supplies, creating thank-you cards for school staff, cleaning a school garden, collecting donations, or helping younger students. Use maps, books, and online resources to learn about South Africa's geography, culture, languages, and landmarks. Students can create travel brochures, postcards, or digital presentations with Canva for Edu, reviewed here highlighting what they discover. Read a picture book or biography about Nelson Mandela and discuss his leadership, perseverance, and commitment to equality. Students can create character trait webs, timelines, or illustrations with Google Drawings, reviewed here that highlight important moments in his life.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Strangers In Their Own Country: A Curriculum Guide on South Africa - Zinn Education Project
Grades
9 to 12
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Strangers In Their Own Country: A Curriculum Guide on South Africa is a comprehensive teaching resource from the Zinn Education Project that explores South Africa's history,...more
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Strangers In Their Own Country: A Curriculum Guide on South Africa is a comprehensive teaching resource from the Zinn Education Project that explores South Africa's history, apartheid, and the struggle for freedom and democracy. The guide uses stories, poems, role-plays, news articles, photographs, and historical readings to help students examine the experiences of South Africans living under apartheid and the movements that challenged racial oppression. Designed to encourage critical thinking and historical inquiry, the resource provides engaging lessons and primary-source-based activities that help students understand issues of human rights, social justice, resistance, and civic action while making connections between South African history and global struggles for equality.
tag(s): Nelson Mandela (29), poetry (195), primary sources (133), south africa (31)
In the Classroom
Using scenarios and historical information from the curriculum guide, assign students different roles representing people living under apartheid. After the simulation, hold a debriefing discussion about how laws and policies affected daily life and individual rights. Have students examine photographs, speeches, poems, news articles, or personal accounts included in the guide. Students can use a primary source analysis chart to identify the source's perspective, purpose, audience, and historical significance. Have students research apartheid-era South Africa and compare it to another historical or contemporary struggle for civil rights or human rights. They can create a presentation, infographic, or digital poster with Adobe Creative Cloud Express, reviewed here highlighting similarities, differences, and lessons learned.
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Nelson Mandela - Ducksters
Grades
3 to 8
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Ducksters' Nelson Mandela biography provides a student-friendly overview of the life and accomplishments of Nelson Mandela. Written in clear, accessible language, the article covers...more
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Ducksters' Nelson Mandela biography provides a student-friendly overview of the life and accomplishments of Nelson Mandela. Written in clear, accessible language, the article covers Mandela's childhood, education, involvement in the anti-apartheid movement, imprisonment, release, presidency, and lasting legacy in South Africa and around the world. The page also includes a timeline of key events, interesting facts, and comprehension-friendly content, making it a useful introduction to Mandela's role in promoting equality, justice, and human rights. This resource is well-suited for social studies, history, reading comprehension, and biography studies.
tag(s): Nelson Mandela (29), south africa (31)
In the Classroom
After reading the biography, have students identify important events in Mandela's life and place them on a timeline using MyLens, reviewed here. Have students create a trading card using Trading Card Creator, reviewed here featuring Nelson Mandela. Include key facts, accomplishments, important dates, challenges he faced, and a quote that reflects his values. Students can then create cards for other influential leaders and compare them. Use Mandela's work against apartheid as a starting point for discussions about fairness, equality, and human rights. Students can write a reflection explaining how one person can make a positive impact on society.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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What Can I Do?- Nelson Mandela Day - Nelson Mandela Foundation
Grades
K to 12
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The Mandela Day "What Can I Do?" website encourages students, teachers, and community members to honor Nelson Mandela's legacy through service and positive action. The site promotes...more
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The Mandela Day "What Can I Do?" website encourages students, teachers, and community members to honor Nelson Mandela's legacy through service and positive action. The site promotes the idea that everyone can make a difference by dedicating time to helping others and improving their communities. Visitors can explore ideas for volunteering, community service projects, environmental initiatives, and acts of kindness that reflect Mandela's values of justice, equality, compassion, and service. The resource is especially useful for classrooms looking to connect social studies, citizenship, character education, and service-learning activities while inspiring students to become active and responsible global citizens.
tag(s): africa (162), charactered (86), Nelson Mandela (29), south africa (31)
In the Classroom
Nelson Mandela Day encourages people to dedicate 67 minutes of service to others. Have students brainstorm needs within the school or community and complete a 67-minute service project, such as writing thank-you notes, organizing supplies, cleaning a shared space, or creating care packages. After learning about Nelson Mandela, have students reflect on qualities such as perseverance, leadership, equality, and compassion. Students can create a personal pledge describing one way they will make a positive difference in their community. Have students research Nelson Mandela and another historical or contemporary leader who has worked to improve society. Using a Venn diagram, infographic, or presentation made with Canva Edu, reviewed here, students can compare the individuals' goals, actions, and impact on their communities and the world.
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Apartheid Museum - Apartheid Museum
Grades
6 to 8
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The Apartheid Museum Resources page offers a collection of educational materials designed to help students understand apartheid, human rights, social justice, and South African history....more
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The Apartheid Museum Resources page offers a collection of educational materials designed to help students understand apartheid, human rights, social justice, and South African history. Teachers can access articles, historical background information, videos, downloadable resources, and primary source materials that explore the causes, impact, and legacy of apartheid. The resources encourage critical thinking and discussion about equality, discrimination, citizenship, and the role of individuals in creating social change. This site is a valuable tool for supporting instruction in history, social studies, civics, and global studies through authentic and engaging content.
tag(s): africa (162), civil rights (220), comics and cartoons (66), Nelson Mandela (29), primary sources (133), south africa (31)
In the Classroom
Create stations featuring different topics from the museum resources, such as segregation laws, education, protests, daily life, and Nelson Mandela. Students can rotate through the stations, taking notes and identifying the effects of apartheid on people's lives. Students can use Wayground (formerly Quizizz), reviewed here to create a review quiz. Students can use Adobe Express for Education, reviewed here to create a presentation showing their understanding of the material.
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Nelson Mandela: 33 Years of Freedom - Google Arts and Culture
Grades
5 to 12
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Google Arts & Culture's Nelson Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom is an interactive digital exhibit that explores the life, legacy, and impact of Nelson Mandela. Through photographs,...more
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Google Arts & Culture's Nelson Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom is an interactive digital exhibit that explores the life, legacy, and impact of Nelson Mandela. Through photographs, videos, personal letters, historical documents, and timelines, visitors learn about Mandela's fight against apartheid, his years of imprisonment, his release in 1990, and his role in shaping a democratic South Africa. The exhibit also highlights the people and organizations that continue his work today, includes opportunities to test understanding through interactive features, and shares powerful lessons about leadership, perseverance, equality, and social justice that remain relevant around the world.
tag(s): africa (162), charactered (86), civil rights (220), Nelson Mandela (29)
In the Classroom
Have students read excerpts from Mandela's letters and write a journal entry or letter from Mandela's perspective. Have students use Mind Map Generator, reviewed here to showcase ways to honor Nelson Mandela today. Students can use Stickies.io, reviewed here to note noticing and wondering from Madela's letters and diary entries.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Nelson Mandela Story for Kids - Bedtime History
Grades
3 to 6
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This educational video introduces students to the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela, a leader who played a key role in ending apartheid and promoting equality in South Africa. Through...more
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This educational video introduces students to the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela, a leader who played a key role in ending apartheid and promoting equality in South Africa. Through an age-appropriate overview, students learn how Mandela challenged unfair laws, endured many years in prison for his beliefs, and eventually became South Africa's first Black president. The video highlights important themes such as perseverance, courage, leadership, justice, and peaceful change, making it a valuable resource for lessons on world history, human rights, and character education. If your district blocks YouTube, the video may not be viewable.
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tag(s): africa (162), black history (131), charactered (86), Nelson Mandela (29), south africa (31)
In the Classroom
While watching the video, students can take notes using Google Keep, reviewed here. After watching the video, ask students to write about a time they faced a challenge and how they overcame it. Students can use Google Drawing, reviewed here to compare and contrast Nelson Mandela to another famous figure.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Remembering Nelson Mandela - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
6 to 12
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This PBS LearningMedia resource explores the life, leadership, and legacy of Nelson Mandela through video and supporting materials that help students understand his role in ending apartheid...more
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This PBS LearningMedia resource explores the life, leadership, and legacy of Nelson Mandela through video and supporting materials that help students understand his role in ending apartheid and promoting reconciliation in South Africa. Students learn about Mandela's commitment to justice, equality, and peaceful change while examining the impact of his leadership on South Africa and the world. The resource encourages critical thinking about human rights, citizenship, perseverance, and individuals' power to create positive social change. It is well-suited for social studies, history, civics, and character education lessons in middle and high school classrooms.
tag(s): africa (162), black history (131), charactered (86), Nelson Mandela (29), south africa (31)
In the Classroom
Before starting the lesson, students can generate one word that comes to mind when they hear the name Nelson Mandela and post their one word using Mentimeter, reviewed here. Students can use Cartoon Comic Maker, reviewed here to create a comic timeline about Mandela's life. Students can create a magazine cover highlighting Mandela's impact on the world using Magazine Cover Maker, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Nelson Mandela - Encyclopedia Britannica
Grades
2 to 12
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Nelson Mandela on Kids Britannica offers three reading levels -- Kids, Students, and Scholars -- making it easy to differentiate instruction for a variety of learners. The Kids version...more
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Nelson Mandela on Kids Britannica offers three reading levels -- Kids, Students, and Scholars -- making it easy to differentiate instruction for a variety of learners. The Kids version (grades K-5) introduces Mandela's early life, political activism, imprisonment, presidency, and later years using age-appropriate language. The Student version (grades 6-8) provides more detailed information about his leadership in the African National Congress (ANC), his imprisonment, receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, and his presidency of South Africa. The Scholar version (grades 9 and up) explores Mandela's life in greater depth, including his anti-apartheid activism, underground activities, the Rivonia Trial, incarceration, presidency, retirement, and notable quotations. This resource is an excellent tool for teaching biography, world history, human rights, and leadership while supporting readers at different levels.
tag(s): africa (162), Nelson Mandela (29), south africa (31)
In the Classroom
Students can post their favorite Nelson Mandela quotes on a virtual bulletin board using Stormboard, reviewed here. Students can use SchoolAI, reviewed here to have a conversation with Nelson Mandela using their Historical Figure Chatbot. Students can use AI Mind Map Generator, reviewed here to share reasons why Nelson Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Life of Nelson Mandela - National Geographics Kids
Grades
3 to 6
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This National Geographic Kids article introduces students to the life and achievements of Nelson Mandela through engaging text, photographs, and fun facts. Students learn about Mandela's...more
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This National Geographic Kids article introduces students to the life and achievements of Nelson Mandela through engaging text, photographs, and fun facts. Students learn about Mandela's childhood, his fight against apartheid in South Africa, his 27 years in prison, and his election as the country's first Black president. The article highlights themes of perseverance, equality, leadership, and social justice while presenting complex historical events in an accessible format for upper elementary and middle school learners. It is an excellent resource for lessons on world history, human rights, biography, and character education.
tag(s): africa (162), charactered (86), Nelson Mandela (29)
In the Classroom
Students can use Timeline Infographic Templates by Venngage, reviewed here to create a timeline of Nelson Mandela's life. Students can use Just Paste It, reviewed here to create a blog of how to celebrate Mandela's life. Students can debate using Tricider, reviewed here on who is the most influential person in history.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Teaching Nelson Mandela: Learning Experiences and Lessons to Support Grades 7-12 Classrooms - Canadian Museum for Human Rights: Brock University
Grades
7 to 12
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Teaching Nelson Mandela: Learning Experiences and Lessons to Support Grades 7-12 Classrooms offers a variety of lessons about Nelson Mandela and South Africa. Some lessons include Apartheid...more
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Teaching Nelson Mandela: Learning Experiences and Lessons to Support Grades 7-12 Classrooms offers a variety of lessons about Nelson Mandela and South Africa. Some lessons include Apartheid as a Social Policy, Apartheid Laws and Resistance, Documentary and Biography: A Lens for Studying Life Stories, Communicating a Message, and more. Each lesson gives the grade level, time, objectives, procedure, list of materials, and links to resources. Some lessons include follow-up activities and questions to reinforce learning.
tag(s): Nelson Mandela (29), south africa (31)
In the Classroom
Students can use Padlet, reviewed here to share one fact that they learned about Nelson Mandela. Students can use the Time Graphics Timeline Tool, reviewed here to create a timeline of events for apartheid. Finally, students can create a word cloud using WordClouds, reviewed here to share a word associated with Nelson Mandela.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Inspire My Kids - Mike Stutman and Kevin Conklin
Grades
K to 12
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Find inspiring, age-appropriate, real-life stories, videos, and projects to share with children and teens. The site hopes to help these students take positive actions and become the...more
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Find inspiring, age-appropriate, real-life stories, videos, and projects to share with children and teens. The site hopes to help these students take positive actions and become the best people they can be. Stories offer great examples of values like courage, determination, honesty, humility, kindness, responsibility, and tolerance. The stories range from incredible kids inspiring other kids, to amazing animals demonstrating admirable qualities, to the invention of inspirational social causes. Stories are searchable in several ways - by values, topics, age range, and format. Formats include articles, podcasts, reference, and videos. Under Educators investigate the lesson plans categorized by grade levels. You can also sign up for the site's newsletter including updates and new article information.
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tag(s): behavior (49), bullying (40), charactered (86), disabilities (37), diversity (55), identity (39), school violence (9), service projects (17), tolerance (7)
In the Classroom
Share stories from the site on your interactive whiteboard or projector when learning about character traits such as sportsmanship, perseverance, and responsibility. Use the site as a resource when problems arise in the classroom such as bullying, intolerance, or special needs awareness. Have students use resources from the website as models for writing their own articles or enhance learning with the challenge to create a podcast. Use a site such as podomatic. Use the stories as models for writing activities and essays. Your students could also draw inspiration from this site to create values comics. Have students create printed comics (or rough drafts) using Canva Comic Strip Templates, reviewed here, or exchange paper for a digital online comic with one or two characters. Use ToonyTools, reviewed here, for a single frame comic, or Make Beliefs Comix, reviewed here for multiple frames.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Do Something.org - Do Something.org Team
Grades
7 to 12
5 Favorites
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Do Something.org is one of the largest organizations in the United States that helps young people take action to promote causes they care about and motivates them with realistic,...more
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Do Something.org is one of the largest organizations in the United States that helps young people take action to promote causes they care about and motivates them with realistic, creative inspiration to establish a culture of volunteerism. By tapping into the web, television, mobile devices, and popular media, Do Something.org empowers and celebrates today's youth as the "Do Something" generation: teenagers who recognize the need to do something, believe in their ability to get it done, and then take action. Explore this site for ideas for starting your own project and browse the many causes and volunteer opportunities already in your own area and beyond. Help students discover ways to make a difference. The rules are simple: No Money, No Car, and No Adults permitted for putting your plans into action.
There are suggestions, resources, and support to empower young people and give them the energy to take action and make a difference. Whether their passion is to feed the homeless, end bullying, help even the playing field of educational inequalities, or many more needy causes, this website is chock full of easy to access information and strategies that encourage teenagers to decide for themselves how they can contribute their time and desire to make a difference.
There are suggestions, resources, and support to empower young people and give them the energy to take action and make a difference. Whether their passion is to feed the homeless, end bullying, help even the playing field of educational inequalities, or many more needy causes, this website is chock full of easy to access information and strategies that encourage teenagers to decide for themselves how they can contribute their time and desire to make a difference.
tag(s): charactered (86), Project Based Learning (28), service projects (17)
In the Classroom
Do you believe that kids can change the world? What are you doing about that? If you have been thinking about involving your class in some type of community service and project based learning, but need some direction, DoSomething.org is a phenomenal place to "shop" around for ideas. Perhaps you may want to start by showing the film, Pay It Forward, or with a writing prompt, "If you were given time in school to come up with one idea that could be put into action right now by people your age that would make this school or this community a better place, what would it be and how would you put your plan into action?" Have students share ideas in small groups, then introduce them to DoSomething.org by projecting it on your classroom whiteboard or projector, viewing some of the short videos, and using the power of the internet to empower them to act now. Challenge students to collect Internet resources for their cause using Wakelet, reviewed here, where they can add a cover image, background, collaborate with others, and chose the layout they prefer. Next, enhance learning by asking your students to create an interactive infographic using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, to explain their ideas about their cause and how they would put their plan into action. Club advisers, school counselors, and teachers of gifted can use the empowering resources of this site to inspire students to ACT.
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