Engage your middle and high school students with this 18-Day Multimedia Thematic Unit on Disabilities in Schools and Society! Designed for Grades 6 and up, this comprehensive unit explores both visible and invisible disabilities through a variety of media, hands-on projects, and critical assessments. Perfect for ELA, social studies, or humanities classes, this unit provides students with opportunities to develop empathy, research skills, and a deeper understanding of accessibility and inclusivity.

This unit integrates multimedia resources, including documentaries, political cartoons, TED Talks, and informational texts. Students will build critical thinking skills as they analyze real-world challenges faced by individuals with disabilities, assess their school’s ADA compliance, and create projects to promote inclusivity.

What’s Included:

• Pacing Plan for 18 days of engaging, standards-aligned instruction.
• A range of activities including debates, Socratic seminars, evidence-mining, and reflective writing.
• Viewing guides and discussion prompts for multimedia content such as The Miracle Worker and the Zion Clark documentary.
• Informational text analysis with strategies for gathering evidence.
• Projects like the Walk in My Shoes research project, school ADA evaluation, and political cartoon analysis to encourage creative thinking and real-world application.
• Assessment rubrics and graphic organizers to support student learning.

Aligned Standards:

This interdisciplinary unit is aligned with Common Core ELA Standards (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) and encourages cross-curricular learning with a focus on disabilities, social studies, and media literacy. It promotes research, empathy, and accessibility discussions through engaging multimedia and project-based learning.

Why You'll Love This Unit:

• Interactive and Student-Centered: Students actively engage with real-world issues around disability awareness and inclusivity through meaningful activities.
• Multimedia Integration: TED Talks, articles, films, and political cartoons create a dynamic and engaging learning experience.
• Project-Based Learning: Includes hands-on projects like the Walk in My Shoes disability research project, allowing students to take ownership of their learning.
• Critical Thinking and Reflection: Encourages students to reflect on how disabilities affect individuals’ lives and how society can become more inclusive.

Who It’s For:

• Middle and high school teachers (Grades 6-9) looking for an engaging, interdisciplinary unit addressing disabilities and inclusivity.
• Educators seeking a Common Core-aligned unit that integrates multimedia, research, and project-based learning.

Perfect for:

• ELA, social studies, and humanities classrooms.
• Teachers seeking units that focus on empathy, accessibility, and real-world issues.
• Maternity leave or long-term sub plans, with a pacing guide and ready-to-use materials.

This 18-Day Multimedia Unit helps students understand the challenges and strengths of individuals with disabilities while improving essential academic skills. Get ready for insightful discussions, creative projects, and meaningful reflections that resonate with your students’ real-world experiences. Download now and bring relevant, standards-aligned learning to your classroom!

Bring the heartwarming and inspiring Disney+ adaptation of Out of My Mind into your classroom with this comprehensive movie guide and activity bundle. Perfect for grades 5-8, this resource engages students in thoughtful discussion, critical analysis, and creative reflection while exploring key themes of inclusion, perseverance, and advocacy.

What’s Included:

Pre-Watching Activities:

• Agree/Disagree/Justify Statements: Students reflect on key themes like inclusion, disability, and perseverance before viewing the movie.
• Author Investigation: Research questions about Sharon M. Draper’s life, career, and motivations for writing Out of My Mind.

During-Watching Questions:

• 3 Open-Ended Discussion Questions: Encourage critical thinking and active viewing, focusing on the film’s characters, themes, and key moments.

Post-Watching Reflection:

• Creative Reflection Choices: Students choose from a variety of activities, including:

• A personal essay exploring connections to Melody’s story.

• A diary entry written from the perspective of a character.

• A 6-panel brochure highlighting the movie’s plot, characters, and themes.

Skills Covered:

• Critical Thinking: Through open-ended questions and reflection activities.
• Research Skills: Investigating Sharon M. Draper’s life and work.
• Creative Expression: Writing diary entries, essays, or designing brochures.
• Empathy and Inclusion: Exploring themes that challenge perspectives and foster understanding.

Why Teachers Love It:

Engaging & Flexible: Perfect for a wide range of learners with multiple activity options.
Low Prep: Ready-to-use activities designed for easy implementation.
Standards-Aligned: Meets objectives in reading comprehension, writing, and critical thinking.

Perfect For:

• Movie Companion Activities
• SEL Lessons on Inclusion and Perseverance
• Sub Plans or Flexible Learning Days
• Cross-Curricular Connections in ELA and Social Studies

This complete guide offers everything you need to turn Out of My Mind into a powerful teaching moment. Inspire your students to think deeply, reflect creatively, and grow in understanding with this must-have resource. Grab it today!

Additional resources with similar themes: 18-Day Disabilities & Equity Unit Grades 6+ Project, Essay, Assessments, Seminar