Teaching the Levees

This new curriculum addresses the issues of citizenship, race, class, and poverty that were raised in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In September 2007, through a generous collaboration between The Rockefeller Foundation, Teachers College, and HBO, this dynamic teaching tool was distributed to schools, colleges, and community educators as part of a box set that included a copy of Spike Lee and HBO’s epic documentary, “When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts.” Due to continued demand, you can now purchase the curriculum book, “Teaching The Levees,” without the DVD.

Developed by faculty at Teachers College, Columbia University, “Teaching The Levees” includes chapters for teaching history, media literacy, civics, economics, and geography. The guide includes a detailed timeline of the unfolding of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, as well as a map of the New Orleans levee system. Each lesson includes thought-provoking discussion questions connected to the stories in the documentary (must be purchased separately) that will help students to explore “why” and “how” this tragedy happened, and to examine their own reactions to the devastating chain of events.