Roots of Hate: Teacher Guide

Organization: Museum of Tolerance
Common Core Domain: English Language Arts, English Language Arts/Literacy, History-Social Science, Reading, Speaking and Listening, Writing
Grade Level: Grades 9-12. Can be adapted for 8
Duration: 60-120 Minutes
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.1, 2, 6, 9 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1, 2, 6, 9 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1, 4 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1, 4 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.3 HSS 10.3.5 HSS 10.8.6 HSS 11.11.5 HSS 12.1.5

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This is a 2-hour lesson that explores how fear and anxiety can be manipulated to fuel hate, dehumanization, and exclusion. Using case studies from the Holocaust and the incarceration of Japanese Americans, students examine the psychological and societal roots of hate, analyze propaganda, and reflect on emotional responses through writing, discussion, and primary source analysis. The workshop fosters empathy, critical thinking, and emotional awareness as tools for civic engagement and social responsibility.

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