Study African-American history.
African-Americans have a rich history. Early history includes the slave trade and all the heroes that stepped up to fight it. There is also a neglected history that includes all the movers and shakers that made the world a better place. It is important for students to learn about African-American history through positive, creative lessons.
Slave Ship
Have students create a slave ship hold large enough for your entire class. Students will study the amount of space each person was allotted, both between rows and beside each other. Using pieces of cardboard and masking tape, have students construct the ship in the middle of the school room floor. Draw seats with markers. Have students sit on one of the seats. Read them a children's book about slavery while they sit there. Lead a discussion about the slaves who sat in dark, dank ships for weeks and how it would have affected them physically and mentally.
Inventors and Their Inventions Museum
Assign or let students choose an inventor of African-American descent. Students will do research on their inventor. Each student will create an invention display on a trifold fair board using pictures and facts describing the invention. When their work is completed, hold an inventor's museum. Students will stand, still and quiet, by their fair boards. When museum guests stand in front of them, they will become animated and play the role of the inventor. They will give a prepared speech about themselves and their inventions. At the end, they will assume a statuelike position.
Peanut Experiments
George Washington Carver, famous for saving the southern economy with his peanut research, used basic equipment gathered from homes to complete many of his experiments at Tuskegee. Use regular pots, pans, blenders and potato mashers. After reading a story about George Washington Carver, break the students into groups. Give each group a bag of peanuts with the instructions that they must find a use for the peanuts besides popping them in their mouths and eating them. When the experiment is over, have groups share their discoveries.
Civil Rights
Watch video segments and read stories about civil rights violations taken from American history. Assign students to study a group or individual involved in the civil rights movement. They will complete a visual aid, such as a slide show or video, sharing the information they have discovered. Allow each group time to share their visual aid and lead a class discussion about their group or individual.
African-Americans in Politics
From Barbara Jordan to Barack Obama, African-Americans have been a powerful force in American history. Encourage students to choose a living African-American politician to study. As a part of their study, have students write letters to the individual, asking questions about his or her experience as a politician and as an American. Done early in the year, students will have a good chance of receiving a response.
