I woke up Monday morning jolted into action about what was happening in the Middle East with tears in my eyes. The terror attack from Hamas against Israel resulting in the declaration of war by Israel against Hamas in the Gaza Strip has led to unprecedented causalities and injuries for both sides. In addition, with the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, the effects on our students are far-reaching with every broadcast on TV and social media seemingly worse.
While never an organization to shy away from conflict, we’ve successfully covered the Black Lives Matter coverage, the January 6 Insurrection, and the election of Donald Trump and we own that fact that schools are not exempt from having hard conversations about what is happening in the world.
Honestly, ignoring world events and choosing to stay “out of it” is easy, but it’s not the right thing to do.
And for kids who are in school, the impact of war and violence on their mental health can be vast and far-reaching. As our writers find their voices and write a commentary on how to cover diverse perspectives on this, I think it’s important to start with resources schools, districts and families can use.
Teaching about the Gaza conflict with Israel in a K-12 setting is a complex topic with thousands of history that must be in context. As teachers think about this topic, please remember to have age appropriate, well-rounded, objective understanding of the historical, political, and cultural aspects of the conflict.
Here is a list of resources that can help educators teach about the Gaza conflict in an objective and informative manner:
News Sources About Israel and Gaza
BBC News – Israel and the Palestinians: The BBC provides comprehensive coverage of the conflict with articles, timelines, and interactive maps.
Al Jazeera – Palestine: Al Jazeera offers news and analysis from a Middle Eastern perspective.
The New York Times: – Israel and Gaza:** The New York Times offers in-depth coverage and analysis of the ongoing conflict.
Educational Websites about Israel and Gaza
Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) – Israel and the Palestinians: CFR provides a comprehensive background guide with maps and timelines.
PBS LearningMedia – Israel and Gaza Conflict: PBS offers a collection of lesson plans, videos, and interactive resources suitable for K-12 classrooms.
Facing History and Ourselves – Israel and Palestine: This nonprofit organization offers a range of educational resources, including lesson plans, readings, and primary source materials.
How to Talk to Kids About What’s Happening in Israel Right Now: This article from Kveller shares balanced scripts parents and family members can use with their children based on their age range.
How to Talk to Kids About Violence, Crime, and War: Common Sense Media gathers tips and conversation starters to help you talk to kids of different ages about the toughest topics.
Talking to Your Kids About War: VeryWell Family explores ways families can speak with young people about war, including tips on sharing information and restricting media coverage.
How to Talk to Your Children About Conflict and War: UNICEF’s guide offers eight tips to support and comfort your children.
Handle with Care: Supporting Young People During Crises: Learning for Justice offers recommendations and resources to help guide conversations with young people and to manage potential subsequent actions and reactions.
Books for K-12 Students:
The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict” by Dan Cohn-Sherbok: An age-appropriate introduction to the conflict suitable for young readers.
A Child’s View of Gaza” by Various Authors: This book features drawings and stories by Palestinian children in Gaza and can help students empathize with the experiences of children living in the region.
One City, Two Brothers (ages 4-8): In a folktale shared by both Jewish and Arab, two brothers plow their father’s field and divide the harvest equally.
A Bottle in the Gaza Sea (ages 12 and older)Valérie Zenatti Told primarily through emails, this is the story of two young people on opposite sides of a political chasm:
Documentary Films:
“The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A People’s History” (2015) – Directed by Nurit Kedar and Yaron Shani. This documentary offers a people-centered perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It includes interviews with Israelis and Palestinians from different backgrounds.
“Promises” (2001): This documentary follows the lives of Palestinian and Israeli children living in and around Jerusalem.
“The Wanted 18” (2014): An animated documentary about a group of Palestinians who decided to start their dairy farm during the First Intifada.
Discussion Guides and Teaching Materials:
Teaching the Israel-Palestine Conflict: A guide from Teaching Tolerance, which includes lesson plans and resources for educators.
TeachMideast, an educational outreach initiative developed by the Middle East Policy Council, aims to aggregate “moderate and balanced resources with perspectives from both sides”
AllSides shares how media sources from different political perspectives report the news
C-Span Classroom article: Conflict in the Middle East Following a Surprise Attack by Hamas Fighters on Israel
PBS Kids offers historical coverage of Israeli-Palestinian conflict
More Resources:
Facing History and Ourselves – Fostering Civil Discourse: How Do We Talk About Issues That Matter
Judy Pace – Teaching Controversial Issues: A Framework for Reflective Practice
Street Law – Classroom Deliberations
Constitutional Rights Foundation – Conducting a Civil Conversation in the Classroom
SDCOE resource guide – Facilitating Dialogue with Compassion
SDCOE guide for educators to address antisemitism contains resources from educational organizations, many of which are promoted and used by state departments of education and teachers across the country.
SDCOE’s resource guide on supporting Muslim students includes a section about countering Islamophobia in schools. Teach 9/11 with Compassion guide also contains resources that, while not specific to the war, may be helpful.
B’Tselem:** An Israeli human rights organization that documents and advocates for Palestinian rights. Their website includes reports, videos, and resources about the conflict.
Human Rights Watch – Israel/Palestine:** HRW provides reports and articles on human rights issues in the region.
Please remember to adapt these resources to the age and maturity level of your students and encourage critical thinking and respectful discussion in the classroom.
