February is Black History Month
Understand, acknowledge and appreciate the influential contributions and experiences of key African American figures throughout the history of the United States.February is Black History Month. Help your students learn about and celebrate the important Black contributions to the American and global story with our cross-curricular lesson plans, worksheets, projects, quizzes, and activities below.
Why Do We Teach Black History Month?
As with any number of topics, approaches to teaching Black history have evolved and changed over the years. While it's roots go back to the early 20th century, Black History Month as a national observance was created as a way to focus attention on the contributions of Black Americans that had been overlooked, marginalized, and outright ignored as part of conventional American history lessons. As President Ford said when announcing the month-long observance in 1976, “In celebrating Black History Month, we can seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
For the most part, this led to a fairly "traditional" look at Black historical figures in the classroom - with a heavy emphasis on inspirational people and stories, but little context around the "hard history," as Black educator Rann Miller calls it, of the Black experience. "I was told of Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, and Frederick Douglass. I heard very little of Malcolm X, the FBI’s campaign against civil rights leaders...I was taught about the marches and firehoses in Alabama, but I had to teach myself about the acts of terrorism committed against Black people in Rosewood, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Wilmington, North Carolina," says Miller in a widely-read and influential essay.
Over the past several years, as high-profile events like the murder of George Floyd have forced a reckoning look at systemic racism and inequality in the United States, the teaching of Black history has become more contextual and less personality-driven. It's still important to highlight the considerable achievements of Black Americans for students - but many teachers are also using Black History Month to "explore the impact of racism in the Black experience," as Miller puts it.
What to Teach for Black History Month
These TeacherVision resources were commissioned or curated to give teachers a wide selection of approaches to integrating Black History Month into existing curriculum. You'll find lesson plans, student choice activities, printables, videos, and more for all of the major curriculum areas - Social Studies, Reading, Math, and Science.
Choice Boards and Projects
- Black History Month Project - Black Pioneers in Medicine
- Black History Month Choice Board for Middle School
Educational Videos & Activities
Choose from various activities to extend student learning after viewing these short videos for Black History Month.Technology Resources
Help students understand more about Black history through research on websites and an Hour of Code activity.Black History Worksheets for Grades K-5
Use these printable pages to expand students' knowledge about Black culture and history. Activities include a collaborative project, reading passages, a writing prompt, and more.- Black History Month Profile: Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron
- Black History Month Profile: Young Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman
- Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
- Cultures Day Project Ideas
- The Civil Rights Movement
- "I Have a Dream" Little Book
- Jackie Robinson Biography & Activities
Black History Worksheets for Grades 6-8
Increase students' knowledge of Black culture and history with these cross-curricular writing, reading, and vocabulary term activities.- Black History Month Profiles: Great African American Poets from Across the Generations
- Black History Month Profile: Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron
- Black History Month Profile: Young Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman
- The Underground Railroad Matching Activity
- The Life and Accomplishments of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Fever 1793 Teacher's Guide
- I Have a Dream
- The Harlem Renaissance Activities
- Sarah Boone Coloring Page
Black History Worksheets for Grades 9-12
These creative resources are designed to enhance students' understanding of Black history and culture through the influence of music. Activities include lessons with song lyrics, reading passages, and math in jazz.- Black Lives Matter E-Book: A Movement for Racial Justice
- Black History Month Profiles: Great African American Poets from Across the Generations
- Billie Holiday's Song "Strange Fruit"
- Defining Jazz Music
- Visualizing Jazz Scenes of the Harlem Renaissance
- Jazz and Math: Improvisation Permutations
- Jazz and Math: Rhythmic Innovations
- African-American Gospel Music
- Black History Word Search
Black History Month Lesson Plans for Grades K-5
Expand students' learning about Black history through these resources which include reading passages about African folk tales, heroes, and important people.- Black History Month Profile: Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron
- Black History Month Profile: Young Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil Rights Leader
- Triangular Trade in the Atlantic Ocean
- Write a Letter to Jesse Owens
- Activities for African Folk Tales
- Percussion Performance and Culture
- African-American Heroes
- Influencing Others in Our World
Black History Month Lesson Plans for Grades 6-8
Help students understand the Black experience in America through these activities which include the Underground Railroad, Martin Luther King Jr. and other influential people.- Black Lives Matter E-Book: A Movement for Racial Justice
- Black History Month Profiles: Great African American Poets from Across the Generations
- Black History Month Profile: Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron
- Black History Month Profile: Young Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil Rights Leader
- The Underground Railroad
- The Struggle Against Segregation
- Write a Letter to Jesse Owens
- Jackie Robinson and Civil Rights
- Interactive Timeline
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Receives the Nobel Peace Prize
Black History Resources
Use our resources to enhance students' Black history knowledge through reading African folk tales or other literature, videos with activities, and coloring pages.- Black Lives Matter E-Book: A Movement for Racial Justice
- African Folk Tales: Background Information
- A Raisin in the Sun
- Maniac Magee Literature Guide
- Slavery & The Civil War Videos & Activities
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil Rights Leader
- Jackie Robinson Coloring Page
- Rosa Parks Coloring Page
- Civil Rights Movement Playlist
EDITOR'S COLLECTIONS
Our Editor's Collections provide lists of interesting and creative activities to do to help students learn more about Black culture and history.- Top 10 Children's Books for Black History Month
- Top 10 Martin Luther King Activities
- 20 Black History Month Activities
- Kwanzaa Activities (Grades K-8)
- Coloring Book of African-Americans Slideshow
Quizzes
Test your students' knowledge and ideas of African holidays, civil rights, and Martin Luther King, Jr. with these quizzes during Black History Month.- Civil Rights Quiz
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Quiz
- ABC Order -- Famous Black Americans
- Kwanzaa Facts Quiz
- Black History Month Quiz
- Kwanzaa Word Problems
References
Use our references to deepen students' understanding of important people and events in Black history.- Black Lives Matter E-Book: A Movement for Racial Justice
- Coretta Scott King Award Winners
- Dwight D. Eisenhower's Little Rock Response
- Martin Luther King Jr.'s Life
- Assassinations and Attempts in U.S. Since 1865
- Amendments to the Constitution of the United States
- Amendments to the Constitution: Voting
- Harriet Tubman Biography
Music & Drama Activities
Extend students' knowledge through these fun and creative music-related activities. Included you will find how your students can create a talk show and learn about the relationship of math and jazz.- Jazz and Math: Improvisation Permutations
- A Jazz Talk Show
- Learning through The Duke
- Exhibit Scoring Guide
- Assessment of Learning Through "The Duke" Lesson
Language Arts Activities
Black History Month is a perfect time to expand your students' knowledge using warm-ups, reading passages with writing activities, and a wordsearch.- Black History Month Profiles: Great African American Poets from Across the Generations
- Black History Month Profile: Young Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman
- Black History Month Profile: Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron
- Maniac Magee Literature Guide
- In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson
- Historical Fiction Reading Warm-Up: Rosa Parks
- Harriet Tubman Writing Activity
- Teammates
- Juneteenth - African Americans Word search
