Curriculum Guides

The retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer provides a constitutional lesson in the nomination and confirmation process of a Supreme Court Justice — and fulfillment of Joe Biden’s campaign pledge to nominate the first Black woman to the Court. The history of the Court, its diversity, its influence and the public’s expectations of it are components of this curriculum guide.

Beginning with 5,558 congressmen who had served in the U.S. Congress and were born before 1840, The Post created the first database of lawmakers confirmed to be enslavers — 1,739 and increasing as readers help in the search of records. Students explore the database, learn about cartograms, search for “unknowns” and conduct their own family history search. Articles tell of families and Sen. Tim Kaine facing legacies with irony and openness.

Attention is turned to the unexpected, unusual and rare on land, in the air and within the waters of the world. The short reads and lab lesson capture students’ imaginations and stimulate discoveries within the natural world. Students use venery, study an elephant’s trunk and vampire bats’ kindness, and meet an octopus teacher. They get closer to sea snot, ghost nets and dark splotches. It’s quirky and true.