Grades 9-12
All teachers new to Unlocking Alcatraz must attend the Teacher Workshop on February 9, 2019.
Boat tickets to Alcatraz Island are provided for your class at no charge.
Unlocking Alcatraz introduces students to Alcatraz Island - a controversial site that has witnessed the ongoing struggles to define justice and freedom - its limits and applications - for individuals, cultures, and society. Using Alcatraz Island as a departure point, students can conduct research with primary and secondary sources that unveil contrasting views on rights of political prisoners, the American Indian Occupation of 1969-1971, and changing opinions on human rights and rehabilitation. Students determine how Alcatraz has reflected society's view of rights and freedom - who is entitled, who is denied, and why.
Unlocking Alcatraz uses the Understanding by Design framework, and aligns with standards for Literacy in Historical/Social Studies and Common Core Standards.