Black History Month

1/8/2017

This blog post is from the Identity and Education group. We'd love to know how you will be celebrating Black History Month with your students. Please leave comments at the bottom of this page to share your stories!

The OCSU Identity and Education working group encourages you to remember that February is Black History Month! We would ask you to incorporate some recognition of black history in a meaningful way into your lessons and conversations with students. Posters, book displays, read-alouds, conversations, poems, music, art, content… all are great ways to celebrate black heritage and recognize the diversity in our schools, our country, and our planet. Especially in our majority white community, it’s important to expose students to the diversity that surrounds them.

Here are some lessons and resources you could look through for ideas:

If you want some more background, here’s a quick intro to the idea of multiculturalism in your classroom. If you want to dive a little deeper, check out this essay exploring the question, “what if all the students are white?”

If this is a topic that interests you, all are welcome to future meetings of the group! The next meeting will be Thursday February 9th at 4:30pm in the Lake Region Library. Agenda to follow.

Thanks for all your work!
Sincerely,
Identity and Education working group

26 Comments

Jeff Coburn

1/12/2017 03:48:12 pm

One thing I used to do with my kids around MLK Day was to read "Martin's Big Words" with them or have them watch a video of the book I had. This YouTube video looks very similar to the one I had:
https://youtu.be/qBKP6v3rWSI
Great book to help younger students understand the importance of a very important man and what he stood for.

Bev Davis

1/15/2017 08:32:37 am

Jeff, that reminded me of an activity I used to do with Martin's Big Words. Each student would choose a word, phrase, sentence from the book and then the students would arrange themselves in a circle and read what they had chosen. They would then re-arrrange themselves and repeat the process until they had an order they liked. It ended up sounding like a poem and really highlighted what stood out to students the most from the text. If more than one person chose the same phrase they could choose to read it chorally, they could place themselves in strategic places around the circle so that it was repeated,etc. This has the added benefit of being a great fluency activity.

Jeff Coburn

1/16/2017 08:03:20 am

Bev, I like that idea. I'm wondering if another extension to that would be to have the class all put their phrases into Wordle: http://www.wordle.net
I remember using that with the "I Have a Dream" speech once with an older class.....interested conversation came from that.

Sam Carbonetti

1/16/2017 12:28:52 pm

Hi Bev! I will be talking about the causes of the Civil War in 8th grade, and the issue if slavery and historical racism is a huge part of that unit of study. In 7th grade, we will be learning about Colonialism in Africa, with a focus on South African Apartheid. We compare it with Segregation in the USA, and examine the Civil Rights Movements though present-day in each country. Of course, historical racism, and systemic bias are addressed.

Anna Kennedy link

1/16/2017 02:16:09 pm

Black Violin
This is from Music Express Magazine January/ February 2017 edition -- play three clips without visuals (Brandenburg, Blessings, then Magic) ask students to identify styles of music, and then play videos and watch, discuss what we expected to see --- these two are very clear about consciously breaking stereotypes and their blend of classical and hip-hop makes the music accessible (and gorgeous!)

Karen Ceraso

1/18/2017 07:07:49 pm

As a parent, in our house I work to reinforce year round that Black History has shaped our society. Living in a predominately white community to date, it's easy to function with a myopic view of whiteness and U.S. history by not always including what was happening for Black Americans-- as a group and as notable individuals-- in any given time period. This isn't always a pretty view of history, but it is necessary to present an accurate picture.

For my young son in first grade, I take the opportunity of Black History month in February to also focus on greatness Black Americans achieved-- often in the face of great odds-- throughout the development of this nation. My son is Black; however it's important that his white peers-- living in an increasingly diverse yet presently extremely polarized society-- also gain exposure to this information.

For example, a large part of American music would not exist without Black people. This includes rock music and even what's now known as "country music" by white artists. Tracing the evolution of music in this country would be an ambitious but worthwhile Black History Month project. (I break this into pieces to talk about with my son throughout the year, but at some point, a more in depth look would be of value.)

It's important to remember that Black people are not a monolith and are as varied as those of us classified as white-- and deserve to be presented in various settings and occupations. I search for information beyond the most famous Black Americans, such as Martin Luther King, Jr (whose birthday we just celebrated a few days ago and President Obama). Last year a lit search let me to learn about a Black Puerto Rican baseball player named Roberto Clemente-- also a humanitarian on his way in an airplane in 1972 to deliver books to children in earthquake ravaged Nicaragua when his plane went down and he perished. I subsequently ordered a children's book to help teach my son about this great ball player and man. We will repeat this book again this year.

I also ordered this coloring book for my son, which includes intricate drawings (he has not started coloring in it yet, but perhaps this year!) and on each page a different history lesson about a notable Black American.

https://www.amazon.com/Great-African-Americans-Coloring-History/dp/0486288781/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484779651&sr=8-1&keywords=Black+History+coloring+book

There are endless directions one could go in presenting positive depictions of Black Americans: music, the sciences (there's a movie out right now about Black women scientist's role in the mood landing, which would be age appropriate for high school students), politics and law, sports. Several young Black women attained victory in the most recent U.S. summer Olympics. An article on the subject And of course we can't forget about the fabulous Serena Williams. A book or lesson about her life would be a wonderful addition to any classroom.

My son at his young age enjoys learning about people who look like him is story format-- sometimes doing everyday things. So when I read him books about Martin Luther King, I note that the ones that seem to speak to him most discuss what life was like for King as a child. We have delved into some of the victories of the Civil Rights Movement. However, it's relating to Dr. King's childhood that makes this great leader all the more real to my son.

Hope OSCU teachers will explore the links above-- and take it as an opportunity to learn something new to share with your students. That's how I try to approach sharing Black History Month with my son.

Karen

1/18/2017 09:31:00 pm

Ordering these.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1481476491/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1481480952/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Also this, a little above grade level but fine for reading together

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158536956X/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Amazon is fairly easy to search for Black History books because you can preview many of the books, they often have reviews, and some can be bought used for less.

Renee Piernot

1/19/2017 08:00:15 am

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and resources.

Renee Piernot

1/19/2017 08:33:28 am

I try to constantly use multi-cultural books and poetry in my 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Language Arts classroom throughout the year. I don't want to relegate a lesson or two to one month in February. My favorite titles include: The Watsons go to Birmingham, 1963, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Warriors Don't Cry. We read excerpts from the Autobiography of Malcolm X, poetry by Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, and more. For literature circles from authors of other cultures, I have Esperanza Rising, Any Small Goodness, Inside Out and Back Again, Dragonwings, and poetry by Gary Soto and Laurence Yep. Short stories by Walter Dean Myers and Gary Soto.
The world (outside of Vermont) is so multi-cultural, when we watch videos or Ted Talks, I try to choose those give students a glimpse of students from other cultures who are different and wonderful, just like you and me. For example, last year I chose a video that teaches the basic procedures of model United Nations from some hilarious and talented students from Indonesia. Sometimes we watch a video clip in a different language and read subtitles.
I'm glad to know that OCSU understands how important understanding world cultures and being world citizens is for our students. We need to realize that we grew up unconsciously biased, and need to figure that out and overcome it, especially if we are teachers in America. I am open to any suggestions or further ways I can improve in the way I teach, and I'm glad for further conversations.

Karen Ceraso

1/19/2017 12:42:49 pm

Appreciate learning about some works that are new to me. Will take a look. Thank you!

Bev Davis

1/20/2017 07:15:20 am

Each year our K-4 teachers read books and do activities from the Red Clover Award list. The Red Clover award is the Vermont children's choice award. There are many multi-cultural books on this list. Some that come to mind are:
Wilma Unlimited (Wilma Rudolph)
Big Jabe
Martin’s Big Words (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
The Other Side
When Marian Sang (Marian Anderson)
Henry’s Freedom Box
Grandaddy’s Turn: A Journey to the Ballot Box

You can find out more about the books on the Red Clover list here: http://libraries.vermont.gov/services/children_and_teens/book_awards/red_clover

Karen

1/20/2017 11:18:01 am

We have read several but not all of those. Thanks!

Rose Stone

1/22/2017 01:47:04 pm

Bev, I have read Martins Big Words as well as other books about Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. First grade has had some great discussions about fairness and equality. We also do an activity where they help each other to trace their hands using different skin tone colors. These are displayed as holding hands, this activity is based on a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a Dream" speech.

Rose Stone

2/27/2017 07:53:10 am

I found a story on Rosa Parks that was written on 3 different levels. We read this in our guided reading groups. We reviewed vocabulary, and discussed facts and opinions from the story. I also read related stories during read aloud time this month.

Angelique Brown

1/20/2017 10:24:16 am

I always taught a 3rd grade Civil Rights unit during January and February. I used a Scholastic book pack. The books in the pack were:
• The Champ
• The Civil Rights Movement in America
• The Day Martin Luther King, Jr., was Shot
• Freedom of Speech
• Granddaddy's Gift
• Knowing Your Civil Rights
• Rosa Parks
• The Story of Ruby Bridges
• Vote!
• When Marian Sang
https://shopbeta.scholastic.com/teachers-ecommerce/books/clearance-civil-rights-grades-3-5/9780439763561.html

Karen

1/20/2017 11:20:59 am

Thank you! A few in there we don't have/haven't read yet. Always working to supplement in-school resources at home. It means a lot for students (of all backgrounds) to also hear these works in school.

Lindy Sargent

1/25/2017 07:14:31 pm

Come visit your school libraries! We have all the Red Clover titles mentioned above, plus titles that have won the Coretta Scott King award, the Pura Belpre Award (Latino/Latina author and culture) and many other titles with African American and other ethnic cultures. John Lewis's third book, March 3, in his Civil Rights graphic novel trilogy just won the King, Sibert (informational) and Michael Printz Award for excellence in young adult literature (grade 8-9+), which is amazing! Black and Multicultural history books are read and shared throughout the year, because the lessons about race, culture, and tolerance are so important to our children's - and adults - education and existence, especially since we live in such a white state. I'm glad to share adult titles as well. This winter in 5th grade library classes, students will be researching African Americans, as a tie-in to their website evaluation unit. The Dorothy Canfield Fisher Lunch group is reading Stella by Starlight, which features African Americans during the Right to Vote struggle amid fears of the KKK. And the Language Arts and Social Studies teachers are helping their students prepare for the upcoming History Fair. The theme is "Take A Stand" and quite a few of the Americans being researched are Black Americans. This should be a very interesting and enlightening project, and their presentations will be open for viewing to the public.

Karen Ceraso

1/26/2017 12:15:43 pm

Great stuff. There's much for younger kids too. Needs to be in all grades!

Karen

1/28/2017 08:20:48 pm

Found this comprehensive new resource-- very well organized!

https://www.umbrasearch.org/

Steven Tatum

2/2/2017 10:29:33 am

It's a small gesture, but I'm going to put up a quote every day on my board to celebrate black people. I integrate a lot of black history into my world literature class and contemporary race issues in my writing courses, but I don't take enough time to celebrate people of color. Hopefully these small quotes will make some difference. I found a pretty good compilation of quotes here: http://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/Black-History-Month-Quotes.cfm

Jay Boneau

2/8/2017 09:37:41 am

Thanks for the link Steven.

Jodi Baker

2/2/2017 11:02:36 am

Early in the school year, my class read the story, "My Brother Martin" which was written by Dr. King's sister. From there, we were able to build on lessons around the civil rights movement. I showed footage of the March on Washington and of various demonstrations that took place during the 60s. We have read some books about Thurgood Marshall, Romare Bearden, and are learning about the Harlem Renaissance. I found some great resources on Achieve the Core on Dr. Martin Luther King and the Harlem Renaissance that offer reading and writing opportunities. We will be learning about notable African American females who have made contributions to science and mathematics, all well as to the civil rights movement.

Karen Ceraso

2/12/2017 10:20:09 am

Halfway through the month and just came across this very informative piece from the History Channel on the man behind Black History Month. Knowing people sometimes ask "Why is there a Black History Month but no White History Month?"-- sharing this for teachers who might seek to put some of the information and books being shared in context. Black History Month exists because it was-- and is still -- needed to fill a vacuum in education and culturally accurate and inclusive presentation of information.

http://www.history.com/news/the-man-behind-black-history-month?cmpid=_FBPAGE_Brand+Building_20170202_797164164

Karen

2/12/2017 10:45:36 am

And one more, not only for recognition of Black history and achievements in February but throughout the year. This resource, from 1995 but still worthwhile, shares ways to start/hold some of these conversations around presenting accurate information and talking about racism and individual differences.

http://www.civilrights.org/publications/reports/talking_to_our_children/?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F?referrer=https://www.facebook.com/

Jeff Coburn

2/21/2017 08:40:16 am

Not sure if this is good (haven't had a chance to do a deep review of the resources), but I ran across it today and figured I would share
http://goo.gl/2cUG7N

Michelle Hall

3/2/2017 04:00:31 pm

For second grade we read about Martin Luther King jr. from the website http://www.readworks.org. and worked on using the text to answer the questions. Then we read a text about Rosa Parks from the site https://www.teachervision.com/reading-comprehension/historical-fiction-reading-warm-up-rosa-parks and answered those questions.

Third Grade did a couple close reads. The first one was from https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Ruby-Bridges-Close-Reading-Passage-FREEBIE-2958827. This included several tasks that came with the passage and without. We were able to have rich conversations about the vocabulary and concepts that this passage brought up. Then we read about Rosa Parks through http://www.ducksters.com/biography/women_leaders/rosa_parks.php and/ or Harriet Tubman using the same website. After doing similar tasks, we did a constructed response, but through conversation using the video feature of seesaw to explain how at least two of these woman changed the lives of African Americans forever.
This turned out to be one of my favorite Social Studies units ever.

Black History Month

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