69ý

Teaching

How to Talk About the Israel-Hamas War: Resources for Educators

By Lauraine Langreo — October 09, 2023 | Updated: October 13, 2023 5 min read
Map of Israel, Gaza, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Jerusalem.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Updated: This story has been updated to reflect recent developments in Israel and Gaza.

Soon after the surprise Hamas attack on Israel earlier this month, the San Diego County Office of Education released a that educators and parents can use to help young children and adolescents think and talk about this international crisis. The Associated Press reported that the violence had caused at least 2,800 deaths on both sides as of Oct. 13 and unleashed some of the greatest violence the region has seen in years.

“California is home to students and staff with cultural ties to Israel and Palestine, and has seen a and even before the outbreak of war,” according to . “As educators, we must make sure we provide a safe space for all members of our community to learn about current events and process their emotions.”

Other school district leaders are taking similar steps to help their communities process the Hamas attack and the ensuing Israeli response.

“It is heartbreaking to see the devastating impact of terrorism on innocent civilians, especially our most vulnerable—children,” . He added that his district will be “providing resources to our schools to facilitate discussions about the conflict and supporting our students in being compassionate global citizens.”

Fred Rundle, the superintendent of Mercer Island school district in Washington state, sent out providing resources for educators and parents to use to discuss the crisis with their students and children.

“Our hearts are with our students, staff, and families impacted by the horrific events in Israel and Gaza,” Rundle wrote. “This is a scary and emotional time, especially for our Mercer Island community who is so connected to this part of the world.”

On Oct. 7, Hamas, a Palestinian militant group that has governed more than 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since 2006, launched its , prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare war. While Hamas has governed the territory since 2006, dozens of countries label it a terrorist organization, and it receives substantial support from Iran, according to the Council of Foreign Relations, a nonpartisan think tank.

Israel responded with airstrikes on cities in the Palestinian territory, and Hamas has continued to fire rockets into Israel.

Israel has blocked deliveries of food, water, and fuel, and shut down electricity to the Gaza Strip. On Oct. 13, Israel’s military ordered more than a million civilians living in northern Gaza to evacuate, a possible precursor to a ground invasion. Israel has been massing troops along the Gaza border since the Hamas’ attack, and on Oct. 13, they entered the border to battle militants, according to reporting from the Associated Press.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is rooted in a millennia-old territorial dispute over the Holy Land, a region in the Middle East with religious and historical significance to Jews, Muslims, and Christians. Israel and Hamas have exchanged attacks for decades. For instance, in May 2021, an Israeli police raid on the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem set off an 11-day war between the two. This weekend’s attack took place on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, when a coalition of Arab states attacked Israel, and just before the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah.

To help educators explain the conflict and guide students in how to talk about emotionally charged, violent events like this in measured, respectful ways, Education Week has collected several resources. Those resources are intended to help students understand historical context, process current events, and use media literacy skills to analyze news coverage and social media responses and misinformation about the conflict.

  • : This high-school-level lesson plan from PBS explores the history and complexity of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through videos, websites, and interactive activities that provide more insight into the conflict.
  • PBS has also created “Daily News Lessons” to guide discussions with students about the Israel-Hamas war using PBS News Hour’s reporting.
  • : This guide from the Council on Foreign Relations provides background information behind the conflict and explains what the United States has done to negotiate a resolution to the conflict.
  • : Crash Course, an educational YouTube channel, explains the origins of the long-standing conflict in under 13 minutes.
  • and : These two guides from Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that examines the impact of technology on children, provide age-appropriate tips on how to talk to kids about what’s happening in the news, especially when it involves violence.
  • : This guide from UNICEF provides 8 tips on how to support and comfort children when war dominates headlines.
  • Learning for Justice, a social justice and activism program for schools, provides ideas to support “meaningful” discussions about emotionally charged topics, such as the Hamas attack on Israel, with young people and potential follow-up steps and responses.
  • : This guide from nonprofit Facing History and Ourselves gives educators ideas for how to prepare students to engage in reflective conversations on controversial topics.
  • : This guide from Judy Pace, a teacher educator at the University of San Francisco, provides a research-based framework for teaching controversial issues.
  • : This infographic from the News Literacy Project provides an overview of the pervasive use of misinformation and how people can be more critical readers of news and other information.
  • : The News Literacy Project has also started collecting misinformation about the war to help readers separate fact from fiction.
  • The New York Times’ The Learning Network has provided a space for students to react to the news and share their thoughts. They provide discussion questions that teachers can use when talking about this conflict with their students.

Video: How Teachers Can Talk About Hard Things With 69ý

Related Tags:

Events

School & District Management Webinar Crafting Outcomes-Based Contracts That Work for Everyone
Discover the power of outcomes-based contracts and how they can drive student achievement.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in 69ý
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
School & District Management Webinar EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?
What issues are keeping K-12 leaders up at night? Join us for EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Teaching Download How to Build a Classroom That Supports Difficult Conversations (Downloadable)
69ý need opportunities to learn how to talk openly and respectfully about divisive topics. Teachers can set students up for success.
1 min read
Word bubbles of different sizes and abstract content arranged in a grid like pattern.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + iStock
Teaching Opinion 5 Small Classroom Changes for Big Rewards
Most educators know that building relationships is crucial to student learning. Small actions by teachers can help foster them.
10 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Opinion 69ý Are Often Blamed for Our Foundering Democracy. It’s Not That Simple
Regardless of who wins the election, teachers must help students see what it means to forge a collective path ahead. Here are three steps.
Nicole Mirra & Antero Garcia
4 min read
Collage art of civics and democracy images.
iStock/Getty + Education Week
Teaching Opinion Post-Election Advice for the Classroom From a Teacher
What educators can say to their students or families if they express concerns or anxiety about election-related classroom discussions.
7 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week