Teaching About El Salvador’s Civil War at Columbia Heights Educational Campus

Heber Diaz, a middle school ELA teacher, taught a lesson about the Civil War in El Salvador. Students explored the political and economic factors leading to the conflict, as well as the role of the United States in influencing the war's outcome. This lesson was grounded in both primary sources and secondary analysis to help students understand the impact of Cold War politics on Central America. Diaz used materials that connected the Civil War to larger discussions of human rights violations, migration, and the long-lasting effects on Salvadoran society and the Salvadoran diaspora in the U.S. Students analyzed personal stories of those affected by the conflict and engaged in reflective discussions about U.S. foreign policy and its humanitarian consequences.