Hopefully, this will lead to some great discussion! As a reminder, preview the videos/books before your students view them. Spotlights of Black contributions to American History.
Block Party via PBS.org (8 -12) This site identifies a variety of activities, posts and streams that celebrate and ignite conversations celebrating Black Excellence.
Juneteenth : via PBS Learning - 4 videos that give historical context to the creation, development and establishment of what would today be recognized as a national holiday.
Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom and consider essential questions posed by the film, including: What was slavery like? What happened during the first Juneteenth celebration? What actions did emancipated people take once slavery was abolished? Why is Juneteenth relevant today? These and additional discussion questions are available for each segment as well as three possible extension activities.
via WeAreTeachers.com - Note: Due to the nature of thess topics, some Black history videos, and poems include references to slavery, violence, and death. Please review the poems before using them with your students to make sure they’re appropriate.
Learn the Basics: ; to give context to students and staff looking to give acknowledgment to Black History Month and beyond.
5 African American Artists Who inspire My Students’ Creativity ; activities to insight creative expression like those that came before us.
55 Black History Videos Everyone Should Watch ; Black history videos to enlighten students in every grade level. K-5, 6-12.
40 Powerful Black History Month Poems for Kids of All Ages ; Create a Black History Month Newsletter using the writings and poems from Black Authors. Use this as an opportunity to educate our students about the important events and figures that shaped this nation while highlighting the realities we’re still facing today. To enhance these conversations, we’ve put together this list of powerful Black History Month poems for kids of all ages.
Black History Month Door Decorating (competition): Not only do these impressively decorated doors aim to celebrate inspirational Black heroes who have made history, but they also empower students and kick-start dialogue.
Learn to Step: Stepping is a form of dancing in which the body itself is used to create unique rhythms and sounds.
Virtual Tour of a Museum: The digital collections of the Schomburg Center, located in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood, feature some amazing online exhibits, interviews, and podcasts.
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture: Here you will be able to explore a variety of exhibits, stories and centers. Teachers will have to explore the site and identify specific center/exhibits (Special, Current, History, Community, Culture, Digital) Past to direct students to which aspect or theme they are to research effectively.
Slavery and Making of America Museum : This is a virtual museum created with donations from a number of members of the Association of African-American Museums. The free “field trip” includes resources for kids to make their own virtual museum exhibits.
Birmingham Demonstration: Civil Right Digital Library; For those looking to dive deeper into the cause and effect of the civil Rights Movement, starting with demonstrations in Birmingham.
Black History Month Writing Prompts: Through the use of quotes from the writings & quotes of historically celebrated authors, inventors, and educators. (6-12)
STEM: Black History Month Science Activities & Experiments: Commemorative months allow people of any age to discover something new every year. Let’s take Black History Month, celebrated in February. We might learn about the contributions various Black people have made in primary and secondary school, but how many activities get you to learn about historical figures and think like scientists?
The View from Planet Earth activity engages students in a model of the Earth-Moon-Sun system to develop an explanation for the lunar & solar eclipse.