Fair Trade Educational Resources

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Fair Trade Educational Resources

Curriculum and Community Action Links:

Fair Trade Uniforms
Fair Trade School Uniform Project School Curriculum (PDF 1.1 MB)
This curriculum is designed for elementary age children in parochial schools. Please see "Fair World for All" for a more comprehensive curriculum packet for children in public, private and parochial schools.

Education for Justice
With membership, this site provides resources and materials for teachers, social action directors, parish members, campus ministers and others in leadership roles to use with their groups/classes in order to deepen their understanding of Catholic Social Teaching and social justice. Click here to go directly to index of resources.

Scholastic News
Social science and literacy curriculum supplements, such as news articles, teach students about the realities of children around the world, who are without the protection of fair trade laws. Other resources include online activities, such as a scavenger hunt, as well as, reproducible lesson plans and lesson “helpers.” Scholastic is a global children's publishing, education and media company.

United for a Fair Economy - Teaching Economics as if People Mattered
Teaching Economics provides online and down-loadable lesson plans, free of charge, to teach high school economics in the context of economic justice. Developed by a long-time social studies teacher, this curriculum meets the National Council on Economics Education (NCEE) standards.

Global Exchange - Fair Trade in the Classroom
Fair trade coffee and chocolate curriculum is free of charge, and helps students to expand spelling, reasoning and social science skills while exposing them to the world outside the classroom. Includes materials to help children write to chocolate and coffee companies, an opportunity for students to enter a fair trade poster contest, as well as, “take action” guidelines for students, schools, and communities. Their Children’s Education Campaign lists ways that students can take action and promote fair trade. The website also provides examples of what other teachers have done to support fair trade in their classrooms. Another useful tool is their Global Economy 101 which explores some of the critical issues pertaining to corporate globalization.

Fair Trade Foundation
A free resource, from the UK, that aims to enable teachers to introduce and develop the concept of fair trade in the classroom in a range of curriculum areas. Down-loadable lessons and products for purchase available. Fair Trade in your School (PDF 0.2 MB)

Oxfam Education
Oxfam campaigns against global trade inequalities. Oxfam Education is primarily intended for teachers in England, Scotland and Wales and their students. These lesson plans will help you explore global trade and make its complexities accessible to primary school pupils. Includes a scheme of work and activity sheets. The teacher resources link offers information and activities that teachers can use to help their students understand trade issues. Also gives ideas on how students can take action for change.

Global Gang
A fun and interactive website from the UK to bring global issues into the classroom. Fair trade is explored through classroom activities and lesson plans. A teaching supplement, Chocolate Can be Good for You (PDF 0.1 MB), uses the stories of children from Ghana and Brazil who work on cocoa plantations to illustrate the principles of fair trade, and can be easily applied in US classrooms. Sponsored by Christian Aid, an agency of the churches in the UK and Ireland, that works with needy communities irrespective of religion or race.

International Studies Schools Association
A national network of K-12 schools, administered by University of Denver’s Center for Teaching International Relations (CTIR), dedicated to improving students’ understanding of the world. Offers a wealth of resources, including for purchase and free ready-to use publications and pre-packaged lesson plans, as well as, free ready-to-use lesson plans. Some resources relevant to fair trade include, the Globalization 101 lesson, and The World Affairs Challenge.

Heifer International for Educators
Free curricula publications are available as part of a Read to Feed campaign, part of the organization’s mission to end world hunger.

Catholic Agency for Overseas Development
Innovative lesson plans created for UK schools, but a great starting point for any educator interested in bringing fair trade into the classroom in a fun, yet academically rigorous way.