Many schools rid themselves of any literature, videos or any other kind of materials that appear biased in terms of race. However, these can actually become potent sources for kids to study. For example, look at "The Birth of a Nation," a famous movie that attracted controversy for its portrayal of African-American men. As students examine these materials, ask them to think about why and how the source takes a racist viewpoint. Explore how the source makes them feel; ask how it would have made people feel at the time it was created. Be sure to clear controversial materials with the principal before bringing them to your students.
Sometimes educating students about racism is simply a question of dealing directly with related questions as they come up. Many students have questions about racism when they read a historical novel that brings up issues of prejudice or see a related news story on TV. Children are likely to be curious about such prejudice, which isn't a bad thing at all; it gives you a chance to engage with the issue head-on.
History is dotted with individuals who have been involved in fighting against racism and other forms of prejudice. Incorporate lessons about figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. into children's history classes. Learning about these personalities helps to establish a context for racism, challenging kids to compare the social environment today with that of the past. It's worthwhile to consider the motivations of both those who discriminate and those who fought against racism.
Your students need to learn about the state of racism in their country at the present time. One way of doing this is to find recent news cuttings that contain content relating to prejudice or other matters of race. For example, look at a piece about how previously segregated groups within a town have now come together. This will tell students quite a lot about the situation now and how it is was before; ask students to brainstorm about what more could be done. Consider how race is portrayed across the media today, including in TV programs and movies.