Althea Gibson was a major Black American tennis player in the late 1950’s. Gibson was the first Black woman featured on the covers of Sports Illustrated and Time, and was “the first Black player to win the French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open singles.” but also faced racism and prejudice during her career.
“Won’t
it be wonderful when Black history and Native American history and Jewish history and all of U.S. history is taught from one book. Just U.S. history.”
–Maya Angelou
“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
—Michael Jordan
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
COURAGE -
The mental or moral strength to face fear, danger, or difficulty without fear. It can also be described as the willingness to confront pain, uncertainty, or intimidation.
“I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law”
—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.”
–Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
OUR MISSION
–Robert Sengstacke Abbott
Brookwood School District 167, in partnership with parents and community, will create a learning environment in which all students excel at becoming lifelong learners and decision makers.
We believe:
• Families shape their children’s motivation, confidence, and academic success by being interested and involved in their overall development.
• All students are unique and should be challenged to the highest level of academic and artistic excellence.
• In the importance of staff development opportunities based on best practices and educational research.
• In educating our children in a safe and nurturing environment with access to state-of-the-art technology.
• The school system should teach students to think critically enabling them to become contributing citizens in our global society.
• In continuous improvement in all aspects of the school system to foster a culture of excellence, accountability and integrity.
• In responsible stewardship of financial and physical resources.
OUR VISION
Our overall vision is to improve the achievement of all students, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, gender, or ability levels (disabilities). We share the accountability of student achievement throughout the school. We believe in using research-based practices to achieve our goals. We promote school and community involvement because we believe that these partnerships help us meet the needs of all our students. We are committed to: 1) providing students with highly qualified teachers; 2) providing our staff with professional development.
CONTENTS
Ella Baker was a key Black Civil Rights figure who organized for racial and economic justice for Black Americans. Baker was integral to the most influential organizations of the Civil Rights movement such as the NAACP, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.
Hickory Bend School (HB) - Black History Month Activities
Longwood School (LWS) - Black History Month Activities
Brookwood Middle School (BMS) - Black History Month Activities
Brookwood Junior High School (BJHS) - Black History Month Activities
*Click on the School name to go to their page!
“I am America. I am the part you won’t recognize. But get used to me. Black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own; get used to me.”
–Muhammad Ali
Was a Black American attorney, businessman, and founder of “the most influential” Blackowned newspaper, the “Chicago Defender.” –Robert Sengstacke Abbott
Kindergarten | Black History Month Activities
Focus
Kindergarteners will choose a famous African-American to learn about, research and create a “Bottle Buddy” to introduce to classmates!
-George Washington Carver
“No
individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving behind him distinct and legitimate reasons for having passed through it.”
First Grade | Black History Month Activities
Quilt Project: Work collaboratively throughout the month to create a quilt of history. The final project will be displayed in the hallway for all to celebrate.
We will focus on the following character traits: perseverance, leadership, loyalty, bravery, friendship, equality, freedom, peace, helpfulness, sharing, caring, and love.
TIMELINE: DAILY MINI-LESSONS
Important People To Study: We will read comprehension passages, create artwork, view videos, and enjoy read-alouds to study the following people:
- Thurgood Marshall
- Ruby Bridges
- George Washington Carver
- Jackie Robinson
- Harriet Tubman
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Rosa Parks
- Barack Obama
- Katherine Johnson
- Sojourner Truth
- Jesse Owens
- Shirley Chisholm
- Frederick Douglass
- Maya Angelou
- Booker T. Washington
- Serena Williams
- Mary Jackson
- Dorothy Vaughan
- Rita Dove
- Oprah Winfrey
- Michael Jordan
- Langston Hughes
- Muhammad Ali
- John Lewis
- Ray Charles
- Louis Armstrong
- Duke Ellington
- Sarah Breedlove
- Jacob Lawrence
- Faith Ringgold
- Kamala Harris
- Kobe Bryant
- Prince
- Amanda Gorman
- Simone Biles
Thomas
was a NASA scientist who invented the illusion transmitter, which creates 3-D optical illusions of images. -Valerie
Second Grade | Black History Month Activities
Activity
• Daily inspirational quotes focused on African American History.
• Research and Report on Famous African American Heroes - Capture our work in a Google Slides presentation.
was a Black American author and anthropologist who was a key figure of the “Harlem Renaissance”. Hurston dedicated her life to studying Black culture, incorporating her research into her literature.
Third Grade | Black History Month Activities
• Kickoff - ABC’s of Black History ( )
• Explain the “Research Project” - choose people - hand out information
• Complete Inspiring African American research at home - (Due February 10th)
• Create a Google Slide of Inspiring African American
Jauuary 22nd - February Daily - Inspiring African American Resources
• Black History Month Slides ( )
Post To Google Classroom
• Morning Meeting Presentation of Someone You Should Know ( )
• Virtual Field Trip to Black History Museums ( )
-Sammy
Leamon Young, Jr.
was the first African-American university student to be murdered in the United States due to his actions in support of the Civil Rights Movement.
Fourth Grade | Black History Month Activities
Important Features Research Project (ELA & Social Studies)
• Biography - African Americans ( )
• Students are to do independent research on a specific figure, creating either a Google Doc or posterboard of their findings.
Art Book Read Aloud: Gordon Parks
• Art Book Read Aloud: Gordon Parks ( )
• Discuss the importance of capturing the moment in tumultuous times.
Black
History
Virtual Tour
AAHM - Springfield & Central Illinois
African American History Museum
• Black History Virtual Tour ( )
Flocabulary Videos
• Prominent Black History Month Figures ( )
• Flocabulary is a learning program for all grades that uses Educational hip-hop music to engage students and increase achievement across the curriculum.
Raz-Kids Assignments
• Readings on Historial Black Figures ( )
• Raz-Kids delivers hundreds of interactive, leveled eBooks spanning twenty-nine (29) levels · 400+ eBooks that students can listen to, read, and even record.
Epic Books
• Students have a wide variety of books to choose from to celebrate Black History Month (sports figures, musicians, authors, poets, historical events) ( )
Additional Assignments
• The Drinking Gourd Reader’s Theatre
• Ruby Bridges Digital Biography
• Rosa Parks Q&A and Write-On!
• Black History Month Google Slides
• Uncovering Hidden Figures Project
MUSIC
Each grade level in music class will participate in Black History music activities to help the students gain knowledge, understanding, and appreciation for this rich heritage and its contribution to the musical growth in our nation, and to the world.
Fourth Grade
• The fourth-grade students are being assigned a famous African American musician that they will research in class and give a presentation to the class about their musician. The class will also get to watch a performance by each musician.
Third Grade
• The third-grade classes will work on a mini-musical about famous African American musicians. This musical includes songs and information about Scott Joplin, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald. While learning about these famous musicians, the students will also be learning about the styles of music these musicians helped to create and enhance. These styles include Ragtime, Jazz, and Swing, and we will discuss a type of singing called “Scat Singing.”
Second Grade
• The second-grade classes will study the history of jazz music through a Jazz children’s series created and narrated by the great African American trumpeter Wynton Marsalis.
First Grade/Kindergarten
• The kindergarten and first-grade classes will learn about the history of African American music from a children’s text titled “Let’s Get the Rhythm of the Band.” They will learn about this music from its origins to the modern day. The students are very excited to play the African drums we have in music class!
-Simone Biles
is an American artistic gymnast. Her eleven (11) Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals make her the most decorated gymnast in history. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest gymnasts of all time and one of the greatest Olympians of all time.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION (P.E.)
Every class will warm-up with a fun way to celebrate Black History Month.
Week 1
Movement through Dance with Jack Hartmann
Week 2
Real Hero Bingo Cardio
Week 3
This or That - Black History Month Edition
Week 4
Black History Yoga Freeze Dance
-- Kindergarten --
Timeline
• February 3rd - 5th | Explore
• February 6th - 10th | Plan/Do
• February 11th - 13th | Reflect Share
Activity
• Students will learn about the inventor Garrett Morgan.
• The teacher will read aloud “Saving the Day” by Karyn Parsons.
• Students will use “Squishy Circuits” to create a stoplight,
“Squishy
Circuits” uses conductive and insulating play dough to teach the basics of electrical circuits, a perfect blend of play and learning!
-- First Grade --
Timeline
• February 3rd - 5th | Explore
• February 6th - 10th | Plan/Do
• February 11th - 13th | Reflect Share
Activity
• Students will learn about the inventor Garrett Morgan.
• The teacher will read aloud “Saving the Day” by Karyn Parsons.
• Students will use “Squishy Circuits” to create a stoplight,
“Squishy Circuits” uses conductive and insulating play dough to teach the basics of electrical circuits, a perfect blend of play and learning!
-- Second Grade --
• February 3rd - 5th | Explore
• February 6th - 10th | Plan/Do
• February 11th - 13th | Reflect Share Timeline
Activity
• Students will learn about the inventor Garrett Morgan.
• The teacher will read aloud “Saving the Day” by Karyn Parsons.
• Students will use “Squishy Circuits” to create a stoplight,
“Squishy Circuits” uses conductive and insulating play dough to teach the basics of electrical circuits, a perfect blend of play and learning!
-- Third Grade --
• February 6th - 13th | Collaboration Timeline
Activity
• I am collaborating with third grade teachers to help students complete a Google Slide supporting their classroom research.
-- Fourth Grade --
• February 3rd - 5th | Explore
• February 6th - 10th | Plan/Do
• February 11th - 13th | Reflect Share Timeline
Activity
• Students will use “Comic Life” to create a comic about historical figures. I will be collaborating with teachers to help students choose a historical figure.
Black History Month | Family Night Celebration
Tuesday, February 25th, 2025 | 5:30 p.m.
This year’s theme will be geared towards a celebration of gospel music and the artists. We will feature the 4th graders in a Living Wax Museum of artists as well as liturgical dancers (a.k.a. Praise Dancers) and gospel music presentation by our Sensational Singers. Additionally, our drama club will take us through a timeline of from then until now in “Black History of America”.
-Shirley Anita Chisholm
was an American politician who, in 1968, became the first black woman to be elected to the United States Congress.
Pre-K | Black History Month Activities
Focus
Pre-K will be discussing friendship, self-love and caring for others as well as being kind using books with African American main characters and books written by African American authors.
“All Are Welcome” - Alexandra Penfold
“One Love” - Cedella Marley
“Ohana Means Family” - Ilima Loomis
“What Happened To You?” - Dr. Bruce D. Perry
“Hair Love” - Matthew A. Cherry, Bruce W. Smith
“ABC I Love Me” - Miriam Muhammad
“Love Is Magic” - Random House (Disney)
“My First Heroes: Black History” - Silver Dolphin
“Dream Big Little One” - Vashti Harrison
“I Am Me” - Susan Verde
“I Am Enough” - Grace Byers
“Brown Boy Brown Girl what could you be?” - Dr. Temika S. Edwards
Activities
Reach for the stars with our “Dr. Mae Jemison Starry Night Craft”. Inspired by the first African American woman in space, this craft encourages kids to dream big and aim high. “Potato Chip Craft” Inspired By George Crum; Dive into creativity with our Potato Chip Craft, inspired by the inventive George Crum, who blessed us with the delicious snack we all love today! Celebrate innovation and history as we crunch into crafting fun, one chip at a time.
Read aloud - “Mae Among the Stars”.
Small Group - spaceship craft and trace/write Mae Jamison.
Read aloud - (still looking for Garrett Morgan).
Small Group - traffic light craft using black paper; red, yellow and green circles. Glue on to make a traffic light.
-Annie Lee Cooper
Cooper’s lasting legacy is recognized as her activism in the Selma voting rights marches and her role as a female leader in the civil rights movement.
Kindergarten | Black History Month Activities
Timeline
• Daily Activity
Activity
• Each day students will learn about a different figure with black history. Students will also engage in daily activities that allow students to share what they have learned. Students will also create a culminating art and writing project.
-Dorothy Irene Height
was an African-American civil rights and women’s rights activist. She focused on the issues of AfricanAmerican women, including unemployment, illiteracy, and voter awareness.
First Grade | Black History Month Activities
• Daily Activity Timeline
Activity
• Each day students will highlight an African American with a focus on scientists, inventors, and civil rights activists. Students will discuss their achievements and contributions to the world.
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” —Harriet Tubman
-Benjamin O. Davis, Sr.
was a career officer in the United States Army. One of the few black officers in an era when American society was largely segregated, in 1940 he was promoted to brigadier general, the army’s first African American general officer.
Second Grade | Black History Month Activities
Timeline
• Weekly Activity
Activity
• Students will look up a different black history person weekly associated with their theme for that week. Research will be done on or from either Duckster, Epic, or Library books from the school, and/or a virtual library posted on Google Classroom. They will write about one person of their choice each week noting when their person was born, died, what they’re famous for, and two or more other interesting facts.
was an American labor unionist and civil rights activist. In 1925, he organized and led the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first successful African-American-led labor union.
Third Grade | Black History Month Activities
• Students will create a biography project about an influential African American using Book Creator ( ) Activity
“Did you know that the human voice is the only pure instrument? That it has notes no other instrument has? It’s like being between the keys of a piano.”
—Nina Simone
-Pauli Murray
was an American civil rights activist, advocate, legal scholar and theorist, author and – later in life – an Episcopal priest. Murray’s work influenced the civil rights movement and expanded legal protection for gender equality.
Fourth Grade | Black History Month Activities
• Students will collaborate to create A to Z books about prominent figures in Black History using Book Creator ( ) Activity
-Kobe Bean Bryant
was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the sport’s greatest and most influential players of all time, Bryant won five NBA championships and was an 18-time All-Star, 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), and a two-time NBA Finals MVP.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION (P.E.)
Students will learn about the life and legacy of Kobe Bryant. Students will learn about his life, the impact on the game of basketball, and the legacy he left behind. Students will be shown and discuss highlights of a game where he scored 81 points.
MUSIC
Activity
• Students will be learning about African American inspired music and dance. They will complete various activities that are age appropriate for each grade level.
Second Grade
Body percussion to music by Black artists, creating ostinatos to play while singing folk songs important to Black History.
Third Grade
Listening maps to music by Black artists, learning about Stevie Wonder and creating “Circle Dances”, “Electric Slide” history and learning the steps.
Kindergarten
Learning about Abiyoyo, exploring different drum sounds and ensembles, dancing to folk songs important to Black History.
First Grade
Learning about lullabies and other short folk songs, listening and watching world drumming, participating in and singing folk songs important to Black History.
Fourth Grade
Listening to popular music by Black artists they listen to, learning about beats under lyrics, replicating those, and creating their own, world drumming.
STEAM
Activity
• Lower Grades: Students will learn about the inventor Garrett Morgan. The teacher will read aloud “Saving the Day” by Karyn Parsons. Students will use “squishy circuits” to create a stoplight.
• Upper Grades: Creating portraits of notable people in Black History. Students are using how to draw videos and adding their own details to the portraits. They are using watercolors to bring them to life.
Black History Portraits ( )
-Jo Ann Robinson
After a verbally abusive encounter on a segregated city bus, Jo Ann Robinson became an advocate for equal rights for African Americans. She led a successful city bus boycott that gained national attention and the support of Martin Luther King Jr.
SPECIAL ED
(Differentiated Instruction)
Activity
• Students will learn about a different figure in black history and engage in various cooperative activities during their ELA sessions.
“Walking” by Charles Henry Alston. Walking recalls the bus boycotts in the 1950s and anticipated the civil rights marches of the 1960s. The work not only depicts the spirit and conviction of the civil rights protest, it also references the significant role of women and youth in the movement.
THE ART GALLERY
Black History Month | Family Night Celebration
Thursday, February 27th, 2025 | 5:30 p.m.
The month will end with our “Black History Celebration” on February 27th at 5:30 p.m. We hope you can come out to see our students perform.
Please Mark Your Calendars!
“Resisting Hate, Embracing
-Rosa Parks
name is synonymous with the peak of the American Civil Rights Movement. It all stems from December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, when Parks refused to give up her seat at the front of the bus to a white passenger.
8:35 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. | Please use the lesson suggestions to engage with your students about Black History in your homeroom daily.
8:35 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. | Black History Education
Each week has a theme, and there are suggested resources to utilize with your students during this time. Feel free to supplement your activities.
We have provided resources for each day of the week relating to the area of focus.
Bell ringer work and integrating Black History into your subject area and curriculum throughout the month are encouraged.
Your Black History components should be reflected in your daily lesson plans for February.
February 3 - February 7
Children of Black History
February 10 - February 14
Science, Inventors, & Inventions
February 26
Black History Program @ 5:30 p.m.
February 17 - February 21
February 24 - February 28 Civil Rights Sports, The Arts, & Entertainment
-Whitney Young
Beginning in 1961, the World War II veteran was the executive director of the National Urban League for 10 years, where he developed relationships with white politicians to influence public policy to benefit the Black poor and working class.
Lesson Suggestions During Homeroom
Week 1 | January 29 - February 2
“The Children of Black History”
Monday - Watch “The Children’s March (Part 1)” ( )
Tuesday - Watch “The Children’s March (Part 2)” ( )
Wednesday - Watch “Children who marched for equal rights inspire a new generation” ( )
Thursday - Watch “The ABCs of Black Hictory: A Children’s Guide” ( )
Friday - Read-Aloud “The ABC’s of Black History” ( )
-Dr. Marian R. Croak
is an American engineer known for her voice over IP (VoIP) related inventions. Croak worked for three (3) decades at Bell Labs and AT&T where she filed over 200 patents. In 2022, she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for her work with VoIP.
Lesson Suggestions During Homeroom
Week 2 | February 10 - February 14
“Science,
Inventors, & Inventions”
Monday - “Black Scientists & Inventors” ( )
Tuesday - “Famous Africian American Inventors” ( )
Wednesday - “14 Black Inventors You Probably Didn’t Know About” ( )
Thursday - “10 Black Inventors Who Changed The World” ( )
Friday - Catch-Up Day | Rehearsal
-Shelton Jackson “Spike” Lee
is an American director, producer, writer, actor, author, and educator who has helped revolutionize Black cinema. His work is known for its provocative approach to controversial subjects, including race relations, political issues, urban crime, and poverty.
Lesson Suggestions During Homeroom
Week 3 | February 17 - February 21 “Sports, The Arts, & Entertainment”
Monday - Watch “Welcome to the Black History Museum| African American Singers” ( )
Tuesday - “50 Black Actors Who Made Entertainment History” ( )
Wednesday - “Black History Museum | African American Singers” ( )
Thursday - “The History Of Hip-Hop” ( )
Friday - Catch-Up Day | Rehearsal
In 2021, Clarke became the first Black woman to lead the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division as the assistant attorney general for civil rights.
Lesson Suggestions During Homeroom
Week 4 | February 24 - February 28
“Civil Rights”
Monday - Watch “Plessy Vs. Ferguson” ( ) | The beginning of Civil Rights
Tuesday - Watch “The Literacy Test” ( ) | African Americans had to pass to Vote
Wednesday - Watch “Thurgood Marshall” ( ) | The Soldier of Litigation for the Civil Rights Movement
Thursday - Watch “The Little Rock Nine” ( ) | The opportunities that came from the Civil Rights Movement
Friday - Wrap-Up Day | Complete any Projects about Black History
-Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr.
is an American actor, director, and producer, known for his dramatic roles. In 2020, The New York Times named him the greatest actor of the 21st century. Washington has worked with some of the film industry’s most respected directors.
Tentatively Scheduled
Practice/Rehearsals/Presentation
February 24 - February 25
We will run a 2:00 p.m. schedule for homeroom meetings (we can adjust if we need additional dates or don’t need all of these dates).
Rehearsal | Classes/Participants will be called down.
Activities
All 2:00 p.m. scheduled days will be used to get organized and practice for the Black History Wax Museum presentations and Program.
We will keep homerooms on February 12th to practice with our homeroom kids who are participating. You can also utilize the time to introduce some of the Black History lessons included as well as give students time to work on their Black History Across the Curriculum.
February
26
| Black History Program
Black History Program | in the evening ONLY!
Parents are invited to attend from 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Additional Black History Resources
“Black History Museums You Can Explore From Home”
“ The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center ”
“ Thomasville, GA | Jack Hadley Black History Museum Tour ”
“ The National Museum of African American History and Culture”
“ The Archives of African American Music and Culture (AAAMC)”
“ The Museum of African American Art (MAAA)”
“ The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum”
“ The King Center ”
“ The National Center for Civil and Human Rights”
“Black History Documentaries On Netflix/Prime, You Need To Watch”
“Seven (7) Fresh Ideas For Black History Month”
“ TeacherVision | Black History Month Activities & Resources”
“Education World | Connecting Educators To What Works”
“Family Education”
“Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)”
“ The Literacy Test | The Right To Vote”
“Reconstruction & Jim Crow Test Review | Quizizz”
“How Grandfather Clauses Disenfranchised Black Voters in the U.S.”
“ The Grandfather Clause is Enacted | African American Registry”
“Brown v. Board of Education (1954) | Separate Is NOT Equal”
“ The History Channel | Was Jim Crow a Real Person? ”
“Britannica | The Impact of the Plessy Vs. Ferguson Court Case”
“ The Little Rock Nine”
“Red Tails | The Tuskegee Airmen”
“ The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment”
“ 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Civil Rights (1868)”
“Emancipation Proclamation (1863)”
“How Selma’s ‘Bloody Sunday’ Became a Turning Point in the Civil Rights Movement”
“Freedom Riders”
“ The History of Jim Crow”
“Kids Speak Their Mind About Race”
Black History Month | Celebration
Wednesday, February 26th, 2025 | 5:30 p.m.
The month will end with our “Black History Program” on February 26th at 5:30 p.m. We hope you can come out to see our students perform.
Please Mark Your Calendars!
The Association for the Study of African American Life & History (ASALH®) | Established on September 9, 1915, by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, we are the Founders of Black History Month and carry forth the work of our founder, the “Father of Black History”.
The “Father of Black History” Dr. Carter G. Woodson
-Bayard Rustin
lifelong commitment to nonviolence was at the root of his leadership in activism, as he’s credited with organizing many mass civil rights demonstrations, including 1957’s Prayer Pilgrimage to Freedom and 1963’s famous March on Washington.
February 1 - February 28
Morning Announcements | Daily Recognizing Important Figures In Black History
February 4 | Historical
7th Grade | Wilma Rudolph
Perspectives
8th Grade | Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
February 5
Black History Pencils | Distributed to Students
February 6
Black History Bracelets | Distributed to Students
Week of February 24
Educational Activities Book | 10 Days in Black History That Changed Our Nation
February 28
Black History Program | “We Are The Dream” | 1:30 p.m.
-Nikki Giovanni
“I really don’t think life is about the I-could-have-beens. Life is only about the I-tried-to-do. I don’t mind the failure but I can’t imagine that I’d forgive myself if I didn’t try.”
English Language Arts (ELA)
8th Grade
Students will work through a multi-week unit covering excerpts from The Diary of Frederick Douglass as well as Langston Hughes’ poem “Mother to Son”. Throughout the unit, they will engage in various analytical assignments, culminating in a formal writing prompt where they will compare and contrast key aspects of these two influential literary works.
7th Grade
Students will learn about Black authors and other important figures in African American History from the 1700s through the 21st century, including Lucy Terry Prince, Phillis Wheatley, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells, James Weldon Johnson, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Alice Dunbar-Nelson, Claude McKay, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Bennett, Countee Cullen, Ann Petry, Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou, and Barack Obama.
“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” —Audre Lorde
-Dudley Weldon Woodard
also known as the “Mathematician of the African Diaspora,” made history by earning his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1928, becoming only the second African-American to do so. His reputation as one of the most respected and influential Black mathematicians of all time is well-deserved, as he made numerous contributions to the field through published research papers, a long career of teaching, and mentoring many students.
Math
8th Grade
Students will celebrate Black History Month by choosing a noteworthy African American and they will create a timeline of important events in their lives.
Students will:
List ten (10) important events in their person’s life and include dates
Calculate the mean, median, mode, and range of the years
Create a timeline drawn to scale that includes the important events
7th Grade
Students will celebrate Black History Month by choosing a noteworthy African American and they will create a timeline of important events in their lives.
Students will:
List ten (10) important events in their person’s life and include dates
Calculate the mean, median, mode, and range of the years
Create a timeline drawn to scale that includes the important events
-Max Robinson
Becoming the first Black American broadcast network news anchor in American television history, Max Robinson was a journalist for ABC News. He co-anchored for “ABC World News Tonight,” in 1978.
Social Studies
8th Grade
Students will celebrate Black History Month by looking at modern and lesser-known important events in Black History:
Biography of Bayard Rustin
Obama’s 2006 DNC Speech
Amanda Gorman’s Inauguration Poem
Each of these assignments celebrates excellence in African American modern history but are often the lesser read-about figures or moments when studying Black History.
7th Grade
Students will celebrate Black History Month with a variety of different assignments. We will begin with a discussion of the different philosophies between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. We will look at the different ideas of non-violence vs selfdefense and attempt to uncover how each has their merits. We will then go over the Black Panther Party and look into more detail about who they were, what they provided, and how they truly deserve to be remembered. Finally, we will turn our attention to a project that looks to bring a voice to those who played a role in the Civil Rights Era, but don’t often have their story told. We will research who these lesser-known activists were and what they contributed to society!
-Dr. Daniel Hale Williams
After apprenticing with a surgeon, Daniel Hale Williams earned a medical degree and started working as a surgeon in Chicago in 1884. Because of discrimination, hospitals at that time barred Black doctors from working on staff. So Dr. Williams opened the nation’s first Black-owned interracial hospital (Provident Hospital).
The first African American cardiologist who performed the first successful open-heart surgery.
Science
8th Grade
Each day, students will research a Science STEAM Journal with a different African American who has made an impact/contribution in the STEAM field throughout history.
7th Grade
Students will complete a daily science journal about influential black scientists/inventors.
“ The greatest challenge I faced in becoming a neurosurgeon was believing it was possible.”
—Dr. Alexa Irene Canady, MD
-Florence Griffith Joyner “FloJo”
More than 30 years after she sprinted to three (3) gold medals in the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games, Florence Griffith Joyner is still considered the fastest woman of all time.
Remarkably, FloJo, as she was known, set world records in both the 100- and 200-meter races that have stood for more than 30 years.
Physical Education (P.E.)
7th/8th Grade
Students will learn about a different African American Athlete every Friday and participate in physical activity inspired by that athlete.
Athletes Impact:
February 12 | Jackie Robinson | Baseball
February 21 | Serena Williams | Tennis
February 28 | Terrell Owens “TO” | Football
March 7 | Florence Griffith Joyner “FloJo” | Track & Field
“ We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, discipline, and effort.”
-Horace Pippin
turned to art after serving in World War I in the African American regiment known as the Harlem Hellfighters. After Pippin was shot by a sniper and lost full use of his right arm, he received an honorable discharge from the military. Pippin returned to his hometown of West Chester, Pennsylvania, and taught himself to paint using his left arm to support his injured right arm.
Art | 7th Grade
Threads of Change:
Art for Black Empowerment – Exploring Social Justice, Culture, and History through Art.
Freedom Quilt Squares | Symbolic patterns inspired by historical quilts.
Unity Hands Mural – Collaborative art celebrating unity and empowerment.
Protest Art | A Call for Justice | Creating posters that convey powerful messages.
-Laverne Brackens
quilts are not massproduced items assembled by intricate machines. Instead, they are lovingly handcrafted by an American Endowment artist who, even in her later years, continues to create works of art.
-Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington
A pivotal fixture of the Harlem Renaissance, Duke Ellington was the bandleader of the historic Cotton Club and a master composer — writing close to 3,000 songs in his lifetime and capturing the spirit of the Black experience in the Unites States. Over a 50-year career, Ellington became one of the biggest names in jazz as we know it. He went on to win 13 Grammys, a Pulitzer, and receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969.
Music | 8th Grade
Day 1 | Introduction To Black Music History
Activity | Begin with a presentation on the evolution of Black music in America, covering genres like jazz, blues, gospel, and hip-hop.
Objective | Students will understand the historical context and cultural significance of these music genres.
Discussion | Facilitate a discussion about how these genres influenced modern music.
Day 2 | Listen & Reflect
Activity | Play significant songs from various Black artists (e.g., Louis Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Kendrick Lamar).
Objective | Students will analyze lyrics and musical styles.
Reflection | Have students write a short paragraph about how the song resonates with them or reflects societal issues.
-Chevalier de Saint-Georges, aka “Black Mozart”
Joseph Boulogne, the Chevalier de Saint-George was a musician, athlete, and soldier. Known as “Black Mozart”, he was the firstever black composer to write significant works in the western classical tradition.
Music | 8th Grade
Day 3 | Composer Spotlight
Activity | Select a prominent Black composer or musician (like Duke Ellington or Nina Simone) and explore their contributions to music.
Objective | Students will research and present key facts about the chosen figure.
Group Work | Divide students into small groups, and each group can create a poster or digital presentation about their musician.
Day 4 | Create Your Own Song
Activity | Using themes and styles learned throughout the week, students will write their own song or rap.
Objective | Students will apply their understanding of Black music traditions to create original work.
Performance | Have students perform their creations in front of the class.
“Musicians don’t retire; they stop when there’s no more music in them.” —Louis Armstrong
-Dr. Valerie Capers
is a preeminent pianist, vocalist, educator, composer, and arranger. After graduating with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in classical composition and performance from The Juilliard School of Music, the first blind person to do so, Valerie undertook the next step in her musical career – learning to play jazz.
Music | 8th Grade
Day 5 | Music & Movement
Activity | Incorporate dance or movement by learning a traditional dance style associated with Black music (like the Charleston or Hip-Hop).
Objective | Students will experience the connection between music and movement.
Reflection | Discuss how dance is an integral part of music in Black culture and ask students to share their thoughts after the activity.
-Misty Copeland
is an American ballet dancer for American Ballet Theatre (ABT), one of the three (3) leading classical ballet companies in the United States.
“If you try to suppress the arts, then you’re suppressing the deepest dreams and aspirations of a people.” —Barack Obama
-Mary McLeod Bethune
set the foundation for higher education in the United States as one of the most prominent Black Educators and Civil Rights Leaders in the 20th century. Bethune, the daughter of formerly enslaved parents, built her career and legacy from the ground up.
Intervention Classes
Read 180 (R180)
We will do some short readings on African Americans in History.
Math
180 (M180)
Flocabulary on Black History Month and slide show.
Black History Month | Celebration
Friday, February 28th, 2025 | 1:30 p.m.
The month will end with our “Black History Program” on February 28th at 1:30 p.m. Please come out and support our students as they showcase their talents.
