Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Inside The Harlem Renaissance

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore the Harlem Renaissance to discover where, when, and why it took place and who was associated with the experience. They decide what are the most informative facts, interesting people, and events in this lesson.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Martin Luther King Jr. Layered

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young scholars identify African American and their contributions to American Society. They describe what African Americans did and explain how it positively changed our way of life. In essence, this lesson plan increases children's...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kensington Mansion: Plantation, Sharecroppers, Tenants

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders investigate the significance of the Kensington Mansion. In this South Carolina history lesson, 11th graders take field trips to the mansion and research primary and secondary sources about plantations, sharecropping, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African American Concentration

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students study African American history month. In this culture activity, students discuss the origins of African American history and play a concentration game by matching the picture to the name of a famous African American.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

New Voices for African Americans

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders study Malcolm X and black power. In this African American lesson, 11th graders write a journal entry about black power and create a timeline of the events during the civil right movement.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sneetches by Dr. Seuss:

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students enter the classroom, half of them are given die-cut stars. They are told to keep the star for later. At the start of the day, the students with stars a piece of candy. Students brainstorm how it feels to get/not get a piece...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

From Slave to Entrepreneur: The Life and Times of William Ellison

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this South Carolina history lesson, 8th graders examine sources that require them to examine the life of William Ellison, a black slave owner.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rise and Fall of the Jim Crow Era

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore African American history by researching the Jim Crow laws. In this Civil Rights lesson plan, students define the Jim Crow laws, the reasons they were put into place, and how they were ultimately defeated. High...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aboriginal Quilting Activity

For Teachers K
Students explore Aboriginal culture by participating in an art activity. For this First Nation history lesson, students utilize the Internet to research images and designs from Native American culture. Students create images on quilting...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Buffalo Soldiers

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the role of the buffalo soldiers. In this African American history lesson plan, students research the African American soldiers of the 19th and 20th centuries. Students discuss their findings and compose songs that...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gold Rush Abolitionists: How different was the role of Spanish-speaking blacks under Mexican rule from the role of English-speaking blacks under U.S. rule?

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students determine how Spanish-speaking blacks and English speaking blacks were treated differently. In this emancipation lesson, students compare the Mexican and American rules regarding slavery.     
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Countries of Africa

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students study the coutries of Africa. In this African American history, small groups of students research a different country, color the country on the map of Africa, write a paragraph about the country, and draw pictures of its flag.
Lesson Plan
National Park Service

Discover the Mary Ann Shadd Cary House

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Mary Ann Shadd Cary was an extraordinary woman, no matter the time period. Academics research the life and achievements of Mrs. Cary, who was born a free African American in 1823. The lesson plan uses primary sources, worksheets, written...
Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

Deconstructing Reconstruction: The Reconstruction Era

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
High schoolers examine the Reconstruction programs instituted following the American Civil War, the potential for change these efforts offered, and the realities that occurred. Guided by a PowerPoint presentation, class members read a...
Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Blockbusting: Social and Economic Change through Real Estate

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
"Redlining," "Blockbusting," and "White Flight" may not be terms familiar to young historians. Here's a activity that introduces middle schoolers to these terms and the actions associated with them. Class members examine a series of...
Lesson Plan
Diane Venzera

Kwanzaa Celebration: Celebrating Family, Community, and Culture

For Teachers K - 3rd
Kwanzaa is the focus of a three-part lesson that celebrates the history and traditions of the holiday. Before lighting the Kinara, scholars listen to a read-aloud of Seven Candles of Kwanzaa by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Learners express...
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

The Vocal Blues: Created in the Deep South of the U.S.

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Bring the sounds of the deep South vocal blues to the classroom with a Smithsonian Folkways lesson. In preparation, scholars listen to and count the 12 bar blues patterns in several works and identify the I, II, IV, and V chords as well...
Lesson Plan
National Woman's History Museum

Fannie Lou Hamer and Social Activism

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Not all heroes wear capes. An impactful lesson plan focuses on the life and activism of Fannie Lou Hamer during the civil rights movement. Scholars read her speeches and other material, participate in group discussion, and complete a...
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Braiding Rhythms: The Role of Bell Patterns in West African and Afro-Caribbean Music

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Africans transported to the Caribbean as part of the transatlantic slave trade brought with them a rich tradition of music and dance. Four lessons teach young musicians the rumba clave rhythm, cascara rhythm, and the 6/8 bell patterns...
Lesson Plan
John F. Kennedy Center

Harriet Tubman: Secret Messages Through Song

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
A lesson all about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad introduces scholars to African American spirituals. By way of reading, speaking, and listening, learners discover, analyze, and decode African American spirituals. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Defying Convention: A World of Black and White

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students watch a series known as "Unforgiveable Blackness". They examine the history of interracial marriage. They analyze how Jack Johnson was affected by this development.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A New Birth of Freedom: Black Soldiers in the Union Army

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students investigate the history of civil rights by viewing historical photographs.  In this U.S. history lesson, students discuss why Black Soldiers fought for their rights by joining the Union Army in the 1800's.  Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

History, African Americans, The Blues

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
This lesson plan enables teachers to use blues music to explore the history of African Americans in the 20th century. By studying the content of blues songs, students can learn about the experiences and struggles of the working-class...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Folklore in Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners define folklore, folk groups, tradition, and oral narrative. They identify traditional elements in Their Eyes Were Watching God Analyze and understand the role of traditional folkways and folk speech in the overall literary...

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