Curated OER
Counting on Art
Explore the life and painting style of African-American artist Horace Pippin by looking carefully at its parts, then create a "secret number" painting for a classroom counting book.
Curated OER
Pendemonium: The Great African Surfari
Young scholars discover the importance of matching verbs to their subjects through a discussion of a whimsical video on verb agreement and a read aloud of the book, "To Root, To Toot To Parachute". They practice verb agreement in...
Scholastic
Ruby Bridges: A Simple Act of Courage, Grades 3-5
Through character trait graphic organizers, a vocabulary sorting activity, class discussion, and a civil rights movement slide show, your young historians will be introduced to the amazing story of Ruby Bridges and her experiences as the...
Curated OER
On Sunday There Might Be Americans Lesson
Students examine the life of a rural Niger boy. They discover his relationship with foreigners and indigenous peoples. They read excerpts from a former Peace Corps volunteer.
Penguin Books
A Guide to the Works of Jacqueline Woodson
The works of Jacqueline Woodson introduce readers to diverse characters and themes. A guide covers many of the author's best-known books such as Brown Girl Dreaming and Locomotion. Dive & Discuss and Explore & Extend activities...
Curated OER
Elements of African Oral Literature
Ninth graders examine the importance of family history. In this Language Arts lesson, 9th graders read and discuss African oral literature with a focus on the roles of griots. Students compare /contrast the elements of African oral...
Curated OER
Harriet Tubman Integrated Unit: Lesson 3
Students explore African spirituals. In this slavery lesson, students listen to and analyze the spiritual song "Wade in the Water" line by line. Students share their interpretations with their classmates.
Curated OER
A South African Storm
Learners read a letter titled "A South African Storm" on her experiences of discrimination in the country. Individually or as a class, they answer questions about the author's purpose in writing the piece was and how she made herself...
National Endowment for the Humanities
A “New English” in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”: A Common Core Exemplar
To examine the “New English” Chinua Achebe uses in Things Fall Apart, readers complete a series of worksheets that ask them to examine similes, proverbs, and African folktales contained in the novel. Individuals explain the meaning...
Curated OER
Heroes in Art
Students examine the life, portraits and speeches of Frederick Douglass. They consider what made his speeches effective and why he is regarded as a national hero. They write an original speech.
National Gallery of Canada
A Cultural Portrait
Explore heritage and identity through an examination of art and a related project. The featured art, related to the African diaspora, includes several types of art created by different artists. Pupils consider their own backgrounds and...
National Gallery of Canada
A Unity Wall Drawing
Build class community with an art project. Learners first examine and discuss works of art. They then contribute to a class mural by tracing their hands and decorating them in relation to their own cultures. The final mural incorporates...
Curated OER
Kwanzaa Symbol Strips
Research the African family holiday of Kwanzaa and find the symbols for the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Learners analyze the symbols and how they may relate to their own lives. They then create an original art following the designs of...
August House
Anansi and the Pot of Beans
Anansi is a tricky character, but can he realize he's wrong and write an apology letter? Learners use Anansi and the Pot of Beans to practice writing, art, and figurative language. A series of activities are engaging for both advanced...
K20 LEARN
Diversity Quilt: A Lesson on Culture
After brainstorming the various aspects of cultural identity, class members interview each other, examine video clips, and read stories to discover how these aspects reveal one's cultural identity. Individuals then craft a quilt square...
Adult Fiction by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Ghost Boys: Educator Guide
The spirit of the Civil Rights Movement lives on in a more literal than figurative way in Ghost Boys. A focused lesson plan features Jewell Parker Rhodes' novel about ghosts of slain black teenagers, including the main character, Jerome,...
Curated OER
African Art and Personal Adornment: Jewelry
Pupils observe and identify examples of personal adornment in African art and recall how African jewelry relates to beauty, status, and wealth. They create their own clay pendants or other personal adornments.
Curated OER
Water in Africa
Young scholars discover the horrible situation of water shortages that many people face by completing Peace Corps activities. In this global health lesson, students analyze and discuss photographs of people in Africa struggling to find...
Curated OER
The Talking Goat
Students read and analyze an African folktale. They read and discuss the folktale, analyze a map of Africa and Liberia, complete a worksheet, answer discussion questions, and analyze the patterns and analogies of the folktale.
Curated OER
The Math Of African Music
Students practice rhythms and fractions on African drums in this Music lesson mixing Math skills and music notation. The lesson also includes ideas for assessment and state and national benchmarks met.
Curated OER
Masking: Honoring Animals, Ancestors, and Gods
Learners analyze the role of masks in African culture. In this African masks lesson, students read about the importance and meaning of imagery of African masks. Learners observe animals in local ecosystems and create a mask combining the...
Curated OER
African-American Participation in Wars and Conflicts
Pupils research the enlistment of African Americans, including particular divisions and individuals, in different conflicts. They, in groups, research past American military conflicts, and report on the experience of African Americans in...
Curated OER
Entrepreneurs and the African-American Dream
Students make a simple graph of labor supply and labor demand in the North and South in the early twentieth century. They conduct research to identify top contemporary African-American entrepreneurs.
Curated OER
The Role of African Slaves on South Carolina Rice Plantations
Fourth graders investigate the role of African American slaves in rice plantations. In this slave life lesson, 4th graders discuss the products produced in the 13 colonies. Students discuss the importance of rice to South Carolina's...