Happy February! Though February is the shortest month of the year, there is certainly a lot to celebrate within the 28-day period. This month, we spotlight Black History.
I have a few tips and activities below that can help you celebrate Black history every day in this wonderful month with the early learner(s) in your life!
Read, Research, Recite, Reimagine!
What better way to celebrate African American contributions to the American experience than to expose your early learners to empowering and celebratory African American narratives, while promoting literacy. For your reading pleasures, we recommend the following:
- The Ordinary People Change the World Series – this series exposes early learners to their own power and potential through childhood narratives of American heroes. Among others, the series includes African American heroes like Jackie Robinson, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., and Rosa Parks. This series is also the inspiration for the PBS Kids show Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum.
- Check out Storytime with SCETV – In this virtual series, we spotlight notable South Carolinians and South Carolina Stories. For Black History Month content, check out this series features virtual readings notable South Carolinians and South Carolina stories. African American features include No Fear for Freedom: The Story of the Friendship Nine, All Around Town: The Photographs of Richard Samuel Roberts, Ron’s Big Mission, The Day You Begin, Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters, and The Freedom Ship of Robert Smalls.
- Beyond February, celebrate Black History by downloading your free South Carolina African American History Calendar 2021. On our site, www.knowitall.org, we have videos and lesson plans that will cater to your third and fourth graders! There are videos of the honorees for your little one(s) to watch. I challenge you to watch the videos and quiz your little one(s) about the honorees. FYI, we will also be producing a quarterly zine for the calendar that will be available in March, so stay tuned!
Need more ideas for Black History Month? Check out the activities below:
- African American Inventors Activity: What better way to discuss Black history in the context of today, than to expose early learners to innovative contributions of African Americans. For this activity you only need sticky notes, African American inventor resources, and time. After researching African American inventors, identify listed items in your home or classroom and mark them with the sticky note. Your notes can identify the inventor, or they can encourage your learners to research the origins of the identified inventions. No matter the rigor of the activity, your little one(s) will be surprised by the number African American inventions we use on a daily basis.
- Lastly, you should make sure when celebrating Black History Month, to have fun! If you’re a parent, try role-playing with your family, and showing up to dinner each night as a different African-American historical figure. Take this time to educate and learn from one another, as your family discusses who they are dressed as each night, and their contributions to society. For example, if you are dressing as the poet, actress, professor, and activist Maya Angelou, you may decide to wear a beautiful dress with African print and a matching hat. If you are dressing as the first Black neurosurgeon, Ben Carson, you may wear a pair of glasses and a white or lab coat. As a teacher, you can do the same thing with your class! Who said you have to be in middle school to start projects? It’s never too early to learn, and you’re never too old to have fun! Dressing up never hurt anyone!
February is a month jam-packed with great educational opportunities for the early learner(s) in your life. For more tips or for any help accessing any of our resources, please contact me at bmwilson@scetv.org.
We look forward to seeing and hearing what you’ve done with your little one(s), so be sure to follow us on Facebook at SCETV Education and share your celebrations with us.