Bring history to life in your classroom with our Traveling Trunks program! These interactive, artifact-filled trunks transport students through time, offering hands-on experiences that make the past tangible and exciting. Whether exploring the role of media in The Civil Rights Movement, uncovering the impact of our ethical footprint, or diving into The 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre, each trunk is packed with engaging lessons and primary sources.
Our Ethical Footprint: How What We Buy Has a Global Impact on Human Rights
Description:
Have you ever wondered how the products you love are made? From a basketball to the latest smartphone, every item has a story and connects people around the world—shaping industries, cultures, and daily life. By learning about how products are made—whether ethically or through unfair practices—we can better understand our impact as consumers. This trunk helps students dive into human rights and ethical consumerism by examining the supply chains behind everyday items like coffee, chocolate, and cell phones. With primary sources and engaging materials, this hands-on experience encourages critical thinking about the global consequences of our choices and how we can make more ethical decisions.
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Making Headlines: The Role of Media in The Civil Rights Movement
Description:
Before social media, how did people spread important messages and raise awareness? What role did the media play in shaping the events that changed history? In this engaging lesson, students will explore how the media influenced the Civil Rights Movement, examining how both those fighting for change and those defending segregation used newspapers, television, radio, and photography to raise awareness and sway public opinion.
This hands-on trunk includes primary sources and authentic 1960s cameras, offering students a deep dive into how individuals countered racist propaganda and exposed the harsh realities of segregation. Students will learn about the historical impact of media in the movement and develop critical media literacy skills to understand and analyze how today’s media shapes our perceptions and decisions.
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Unlocking History: Black Female Leadership in The Montgomery Bus Boycott
Description:
How did the resistance of Rosa Parks really go down? Was she really just tired or was this a strategic move in the fight for equal rights? Who else was involved in organizing the Montgomery Bus Boycott? In this engaging trunk, students will discover the crucial role Black women played in organizing and leading the Montgomery Bus Boycott, from Jo Ann Robinson’s efforts with the Women’s Political Council to Claudette Colvin’s early act of defiance. Through the exploration of primary sources like speeches, letters, and writings from key figures, students will deepen their understanding of these women. The experience is brought to life with a fun, interactive activity where students search through materials to solve a puzzle box, ensuring they leave with a stronger appreciation for the vital contributions of Black women in the Civil Rights Movement.
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Photo Credit: Montgomery, Alabama Police photo (mug shot) of Rosa Parks, February 21, 1956. (Alabama Department of Archives and History).
Planning For Change: The Strategy Behind The March on Washington
Description:
How do you organize a historic movement in a world before social media? What does into planning a massive event like the March on Washington? In this dynamic trunk, students will dive into the essential work of Civil Rights leaders like A. Philip Randolph, Bayard Rustin, and Dorothy Height, who dedicated months to organizing and strategizing against segregation, disenfranchisement, economic inequality, and violence toward Black Americans. This lesson highlights the power of grassroots organizations and the strategic use of nonviolent direct action to create lasting political change. Through hands-on activities, students will discover how collaboration and strategic planning helped lead to one of the most significant moments in American history. pressure.
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Youth in Action: The Guiding Role of Young People in The Civil Rights Movement
Description:
How can young people make a lasting impact? How can someone who feels powerless act and create change in their community? This trunk inspires students to explore the powerful role of high school and college-age leaders in the Civil Rights Movement, with a focus on key events like the March on Washington, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Albany Movement, and the Children’s Crusade in Birmingham. By analyzing primary sources from trailblazing youth like Claudette Colvin, the Little Rock Nine, and SNCC, students will discover how youth leadership helped drive civil rights progress and push for landmark legislative change.
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Uncovering The Past: The 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre Through AR, Primary Sources, and Interactive Learning
Description:
How well do we know the history of our own city? In Atlanta, the story of the 1906 Race Massacre and its legacy is still unfolding. This powerful lesson invites students to explore the events leading up to the massacre, the violence that devastated Atlanta’s African American community, and its enduring impact on history today.
Through an augmented reality experience, primary source materials, and more, students will uncover not only the specifics of this tragic event but also the broader issues of racial injustice, white supremacy, economic competition, and political disenfranchisement at the turn of the century. This trunk offers a critical perspective on the massacre’s systemic causes and its role in the larger fight for civil rights.
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No field trip? No problem! We bring the museum to you—providing K-12 educators with engaging, ready-to-use resources that bring lessons on civil and human rights to life.
K-12
Differentiated lesson plans, item list, hands-on activities, primary sources, reproduction artifacts, and other supporting materials based on each specific topic.
Rental Fee:
Getting the Trunks:
For more information, please email [email protected]
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