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Making Black History Month Activities
Copyright 2006-2010 by Jeffery Bradley - All Rights Reserved --
Contact Info
The published version of "How to Make Black History Month Last All Year!"
purchased direct from the publisher here.
The activities in this booklet are
for children aged 4-11. Each of the activities can be adapted to a
child of any age and ability level. Even a preschooler can “read” a
newspaper with your help, for a short period of time. While an
activity that is too difficult will frustrate your child, an
activity that is too easy will lose his interest. Challenges bring
feelings of accomplishment.
Have a goal. When you choose or
begin an activity you may not have a clear idea of where it’s going.
But keep in mind that the purpose of doing the activities in this
book is to learn something about history. The first section of this
book, the introduction to each activity, and the question boxes can
help you. As you complete each activity discuss with your child what
you learned together. Making bread is one thing, knowing that bread
has historical meaning is another. Achieving a goal for an activity
also helps your child sense the pleasure of a completed project.
Our Town
Your phone book, newspaper, and other resources can serve as your
best guide to Black history in your town. Not only does referring to
them save time, it teaches how to use tools to get information.
What
you’ll need:
Phone books, both yellow and white pages, daily city newspaper,
community newspapers (particularly African American newspapers),
diary or journal.
What to
do:
Newspaper Search
-
Look in your
city and community newspaper, particularly the African American
publications and special parenting newsletters / guides. They
list “things to do.”
-
Look for
special parades, museum and art exhibits, music events,
children’s theater, history talks and walks that cater to the
African American experience.
- Participate in an event and
when the event is over, discuss with your child the significance
of the event. The best times and places to strike up a
conversation are going home in the car, having lunch or dinner
immediately after the event. You may even help your child write
about it in a diary or journal when you get back home.
Phone Book
Search
- Find a telephone
book that caters to the Black community. Your local library or
Black Chambers of Commerce should have this particular phone
book.
- Look in your
phone books under “History” or “Historical Places.” You will
find a few places under this heading but many more are listed
elsewhere.
- Brainstorm with
your children about what other words to look under in the phone
book to find local Black history.
- Call the places
you find. Ask about their programs, hours, and upcoming special
events. Ask to be put on their mailing list. Also ask where else
you should go to learn about your town’s history. Your younger
children should listen to your phone conversation. They learn
how to ask for information by listening to you.
- Begin a list of
local black historical sites. Include phone numbers, addresses,
hours of operation, and other useful information for future
visits.
-
What
is the most surprising thing you learned about your town? If you
were asked to be a tour guide for visitors to you town, what would
you show them about Black history. If you went to another town, how
would you go about visiting it.
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