Rosa Parks Day: Anniversary of Arrest is December 1.
On Dec 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat and move to the back of the bus, prompting her arrest and a yearlong boycott of the Montgomery, Alabama bus system.  Celebrate this brave act of courage and the beginning of the modern civil rights movement through service-learning projects that focus on tolerance, diversity and social justice.  Discuss with your class the matter of segregation in the United States in the past century, what problems have been solved and what issues still need to be addressed concerning racism. 
 
December 6 is the Anniversary of the Ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution.
In 1865, the amendment abolishing slavery in the United States was ratified.  Combine lessons about this key historical event with Rosa Parks’ protest and the bus boycotts. 
 
December is Universal Human Rights Month.
Students can take this month to study the details of human rights policy as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  How do these rights coincide with the United States’ Bill of Rights?  Which of United States’ domestic and foreign policies support this declaration?  Are there any sections in which our nation needs improvement?  For the text of  the declaration, visit the official UN Human Rights home page at http://www.unhchr.ch/udhr/index.htm.  Combine these activities with Human Rights Week from December 10-16, declared in the United States through a Presidential Proclamation from 1958.
 
The United Nations International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development is December 5.
The UN encourages the international community to recognize the importance of and need for volunteerism in both local and global communities.  This is a perfect time to celebrate service-learning in your school and talk with your students about why service and citizenship in the community significantly helps a community grow and thrive. 
 
Read for 2003: United We Read is December 13.
This day, sponsored by Scholastic Books, celebrates reading for the next year by having children read for 2003 seconds (about 33 1/3 minutes) during that day.  Your students can participate by  reading to younger children, putting on skits about literacy and supporting already existing literacy programs.  Check out http://teacher.scholastic.com/readfor2003/index.htm for further information.