February is Black History Month. Pioneered in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, Black History Month was originally known as “Negro History Week” and was purposed to recognize and celebrate the contributions and achievements of African American people which went largely unnoticed by American society at large. Over the years, Negro History Week evolved into a month-long space of time dedicated to commemorating African American scholars, scientists, inventors, social justice forerunners, entertainers, athletes and others whose work has become interwoven into the fabric of our nation.
As a parent, you may have noticed assignments and projects from your child’s school that are thematically aligned with Black History Month during February. During this time, teachers will often read books, assign essays or other activities that are designed to bring awareness of Black History Month to the classroom setting. Although there are many great things happening at school to celebrate Black History Month, there are also lots of things you can do at home to not only bring more awareness to African American trailblazers but also to develop your child’s reading, writing, and critical thinking skills.
Below are a few ways you can turn Black History Month into teachable moments in your home this year:
Watch It: Earlier this year, the film Hidden Figures was released. The picture chronicles the contributions of three women of color to the United States NASA program that most people have never heard of despite the significant influence they had on man’s first trip to the moon. This film provides a great visual representation of two marginalized groups: women and people of color excelling in the STEM field at a time in our country where neither group was encouraged to do so. In addition, it provides an excellent platform to begin conversations with your children about equality, racism, and perseverance that will get their critical thinking wheels moving! If you can’t make it to the theater, there are tons of videos and movies that feature the stories of African Americans for your child to view. You can also find links to other films that celebrate African American achievement here.
Read It: If your child completes a weekly or monthly reading log, integrating books written by or about African Americans is a great way to get their daily reading in while also expanding their knowledge of significant African American figures. This also presents a great time to introduce them to less well-known people that they may not learn about at school. To take it a step further, you can create a set of questions based on the text, ask students to describe cause and effect relationships, compare and contrast, or hone in on other reading comprehension skills using these texts. For a list of books your children may find interesting, check out this link from the Pink Chair Tutoring Pinterest board here.
Write About It: Regardless of the field of endeavor, there is a notable African American who has contributed to virtually every area of greatness in this country. However, just like the ladies in Hidden Figures, many people may not know about them. To facilitate a greater awareness of African American excellence and to focus on writing skills, encourage your children to research an African American person of interest that has done work in their area of interest. Whether they are into sports, music, science, or art, your child will be able to find a person to research and write a quick summary or short essay describing their life and why their work or scholarship matters. To get the ball rolling, you can find a list of people your child may be interested in learning more about here.
I hope your children enjoy the Black History Month activities listed above, and for more great learning ideas and resources be sure to check out the Pink Chair Tutoring Pinterest page here!
