Curriculum

In what ways does having access to public pools impact a community?

Ethnic Studies/11th Grade US History

Students will learn about the creation of public pools and the challenges presented to equal access by exploring historic access to pools in three Inland Empire cities: the Fairmount Park Plunge in Riverside during the 1920s, the Sylvan Plunge in Redlands in the 1930s, and the Perris Hill Plunge in San Bernardino during the 1940s.  Students will identify why having access to a public pool was important then and now – and how it impacts individuals and the community. Finally, students will research and map access to public pools in their own community to analyze current needs.

How do community support groups honor our intersectional identity?

Ethnic Studies

Students will examine the influence of community support groups and explore intersectionality. Students will engage in a historical analysis of important figures in the Inland Empire community, analyze examples of mission statements from community support groups, and dissect the purpose of community support groups and their principles. For the culminating project, students will work in groups to create their own mission statement in support of a community group of their choice, along with five principles to identify and support a specific group.

How did communities in Riverside and San Bernardino challenge educational segregation, and what do their efforts reveal about the ongoing struggle for educational justice?

11th Grade US History/Ethnic Studies

This lesson introduces students to the underrepresented history of educational segregation and resistance in the Inland Empire, particularly San Bernardino and Riverside. Students will analyze primary sources, hear community voices, and interview elders to construct a more inclusive narrative of civil rights history. They will apply historical thinking concepts to assess the causes, consequences, and varied community responses to segregation and integration. Students will demonstrate their learning by selecting a method that best suits their learning style.

How have Inland Empire communities built and sustained spaces of belonging, resistance, and care across generations?

11th Grade US History/Ethnic Studies

In this 4-day lesson (55-minute class periods), students explore the concept of spatial entitlement, the idea that marginalized communities have the right to claim and shape space for belonging, resistance, and care.

On Day 1, students are introduced to the term through personal reflection, guided analysis of Orange Valley Lodge, and the study of sonic spaces inspired by Gaye Theresa Johnson’s Spaces of Conflict, Sounds of Solidarity.

In Days 2–4, students apply this learning by researching a local Inland Empire space and creating a historical “postcard” that illustrates how the site embodies spatial entitlement. The lesson culminates in a peer postcard exchange and analysis, deepening students’ understanding of local histories and their relevance to the power of place.

Which sites are remembered, how are they remembered, and who has the power to decide?

11th Grade US History/Ethnic Studies

In this 2-day lesson (Possibly 3 with the extension activity) spread across 2-3, hour-long class periods, students will learn about key sites across the Inland Empire. By looking at historical markers and sacred sites, students will explore the concepts of colonialism, displacement, and forced assimilation and the impact these ideas have had on Southern California Native people in the modern world, and how power is seen in how sites are remembered. Students will have the opportunity to write/rewrite a historical marker that centers the indigeneity of the Inland Empire and proximal areas.

On day 1 (60-minute class period), students will be introduced to a land acknowledgement. They will then delve straight into information about Pá’čapa. Day 1 will end with watching the  Pá’čapa documentary.

On day 2 (60-minute class period), students are introduced to historic markers on various sites and the impact the language used to describe them has. Day 2 will include a listen through of a book by excerpt by Deborah Miranda. Day 2 will end with students creating their own historical marker for Pá’čapa.

On day 3 (60-minute class period), students will be looking at sites around the Inland Empire that are worthy of recognition but have been ignored. Students will examine the effect this has on native tribes, as well as the impact it has on the sacred site itself when it goes unprotected. Day 3 will end with students creating their own “Prado Damn” Mural that highlights the indigenous roots of the Inland Empire.

How can communities repair past injustices?

11th Grade US History/Ethnic Studies

Students will explore ways in which various community members have sought justice for the 1946 arson murder of O’Day Short and his family in Fontana, California. Students will analyze primary source documents to research attempts to bring this injustice to light, repair the harm, and commemorate the Short family’s death. After exploring and discussing primary sources, students will write an argumentative paragraph answering the question “Has the injustice of the firebombing and death of the Short family been repaired?” Students will apply what they have learned about repairing past injustices to research and bring to light an issue or incident that affects their community, and produce a 30-60 second “Instagram Reel” that highlights the issue and proposes an action to address the injustice.

How do community food spaces reflect cultural wealth and resilience?

11th Grade US History/Ethnic Studies

Students will learn about the almost century-long history of Mitla Cafe in San Bernardino, California. Attention will be given to the founders of Mitla Cafe (1937), such as Lucia Rodriguez, and to the historical significance of the space as a community hub, site of politics, and celebration. From sponsoring student historical theatre and community meals such as Feed the IE to hosting civil rights leaders like Cesar Chavez, Mitla’s significance in the community is historic and ongoing. Students will discuss the geographical and institutional challenges faced by Mitla Cafe, such as redlining, segregation, freeway infrastructure, and highlight the resilience that allowed cultural wealth to thrive, such as lowrider cruising, the cafe as a civil rights center, and community events for West San Bernardino. As extension activities, students can also learn about Glen Bell and the founding of Taco Bell (1964), as it relates to Mitla Cafe and Taco Tia (1954) in Redlands and San Bernardino.

How did Baseball help forge community ties and a strong sense of ethnic identity, pride, and power that was necessary for the fight for civil rights?

Ethnic Studies

In this lesson, students will explore the impact of segregation on communities of color, with a particular focus on the Latino community in the Inland Empire region of Southern California. Emphasis will be placed on the historical context and implications of the “separate but equal” doctrine in the United States and how Inland Empire communities responded and resisted.

Students will engage in the analysis of primary source materials, including an excerpt from the book Mexican American Baseball in the Inland Empire, a video from the Colton oral history project, and photographs highlighting Latino baseball and softball players during the era of segregation. These sources will serve as a lens through which to examine the social, political, and cultural dynamics of the time. Through critical discussion and analysis, students will develop a broader perspective on how segregation shaped everyday life and how the community resisted by forging community pride, support, and identity as they fought in the ongoing struggle for civil rights.