LGBTQ+ HISTORY LESSON PLANS
One Institute has partnered with the UCLA History-Geography Project, OUT for Safe Schools at LA LGBT Center, and ONE Archives at the USC Libraries to host K-12 curriculum symposiums and provide LGBTQ+ history lesson plans for educators at no cost. The lesson plans comply with California’s FAIR Education Act and History-Social Science Framework, which requires California K–12 schools to integrate fair, accurate, inclusive and respectful representations of LGBTQ+ communities into their social studies and history classes.
We invite you to read and download the lesson plans featured below.
For inquiries about the LGBTQ+ Lesson Plans, please email Trevor Ladner, Education Programs Manager, at tladner@oneinstitute.org.
EXPLORE LESSON PLANS
![AIDS & HIV Activism](https://www.oneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/lesson-plan_aids-crisis.jpg)
AIDS & HIV Activism
Help students understand why and how activists responded to the AIDS crisis in the 1980s.
Grades 11-12, U.S. History/Government/Civics
![Audre Lorde](https://www.oneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/lesson-plan_audre-lorde.jpg)
Audre Lorde
Analyze Audre Lorde’s writings to explore intersectionality, power and privilege.
Grades 11-12, U.S. History/Civics/Government
![Bayard Rustin](https://www.oneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/lesson-plan_bayard-rustin.jpg)
Bayard Rustin
Learn about Bayard Rustin’s identity and how it shaped his beliefs and actions.
Grades 11-12, U.S. History/Civics/Government
![Black Cat Riots](https://www.oneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/lesson-plan_black-cat.jpg)
Black Cat Riots
Explore the causes of the Black Cat Riots in Los Angeles’ Silverlake neighborhood.
Grade 11-12, U.S. History/Civics/Government
![Daughters of Bilitis](https://www.oneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/lesson-plan_dob.jpg)
Daughters of Bilitis
Assess how the Daughters of Bilitis’ The Ladder magazine supported lesbians in the 1950s.
Grade 11, U.S. History
![FAIR Education Act](https://www.oneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/education-main-pagelgbtq-resources.jpg)
FAIR Education Act
Explore students’ rights to LGBTQ+ representation in the classroom as set forth in the FAIR Education Act.
Grade 12, Civics/Government
![Harvey Milk](https://www.oneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/lesson-plan_harvey-milk.jpg)
Harvey Milk
Investigate how Harvey Milk’s leadership and the Briggs Initiative united marginalized groups.
Grades 11-12, U.S. History/Civics/Government
![Hollywood, 1920s–1930s](https://www.oneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/lesson-plan-lgbtq-hollywood-scaled.jpg)
Hollywood, 1920s–1930s
Were LGBT Americans welcome in Hollywood during the 1920s and 1930s?
Grades 9 & 11, California History/U.S. History
![LGBTQ Civil Rights](https://www.oneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/lesson-plan_lgbtq-rights.jpg)
LGBTQ Civil Rights
Examine how the movement for LGBTQ+ rights were part of the broader Civil Rights Movement.
Grades 9, 11-12; California History/U.S. History/Civics/Government
![LGBTQ Equality, 1950–1970](https://www.oneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/lesson-plan_1950-70.jpg)
LGBTQ Equality, 1950–1970
Interrogate how the LGBTQ+ movement went from assimilation to coming out from 1950–1970.
Grade 9 & 11, California History/U.S. History
![Magnus Hirschfeld](https://www.oneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/lesson-plan-magnus-hirschfeld-scaled.jpg)
Magnus Hirschfeld
Explore how Magnus Hirschfeld advocated for LGBTQ+ people in Germany and abroad.
Grade 10, World History
![Urbanization & Gender](https://www.oneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/lesson-plan-urbanization-gender-scaled.jpg)
Urbanization & Gender
Evaluate how urbanization challenged gender role in the late nineteenth century.
Grades 8 & 11, Geography/U.S. History
![Vietnam War](https://www.oneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/lesson-plan-vietnam-war-scaled.jpg)
Vietnam War
Explore how sexuality and social conditions impacted LGBTQ+ Americans during the Vietnam War.
Grade 11, U.S. History
![World War I](https://www.oneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/lesson-plan_wwi.jpg)
World War I
Evaluate the role female impersonation played in various WWI soldier camp performances.
Grades 8 & 11, U.S. History
![LGBTQ Freedom of Speech](https://www.oneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/lesson-plan-fos.png)
LGBTQ Freedom of Speech
Explore how One, Inc. v. Olesen expanded freedom of speech for the LGBTQ+ community.
Grades 11-12, U.S. History/Civics/Government
![American Psychiatric Association](https://www.oneinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/lesson-plan-blitmore.png)
American Psychiatric Association
Explore how the Biltmore Invasion lead to the de-pathologization of homosexuality.
Grade 11, U.S. History/Psychology
We want to thank the following teachers for their work in creating these LGBTQ+ History Lesson Plans: Elana Goldbaum, Hala Dillsi, Sasha Guzman, Miguel Covarrubias, Eunice Ho, Chris Lewis, Emily Waldron, Marika Manos, Peta Lindsay, Oliver Treanor Miska, Aditi Doshi and Israel Calderon.