Students explore "The Story of Ruby Bridges," by Robert Coles to uncover examples of courage in the lives of others and in themselves. This search into the story is meant to help students form connections with others and to foster the...

Learners read the book Ray Charles by Sharon Bell Mathis. For this biography lesson plan, students read about the life of Ray Charles. Learners answer pre-reading questions about senses, strengths, and weaknesses they have. The lesson...

In this South African idiom worksheet, students match idioms with their meanings, translate them, and complete 12 multiple choice questions, selecting the correct meaning of idioms in sentences.

Third graders listen to the non-fiction book: COMING HOME: FROM THE LIFE OF LANGSTON HUGHES. They identify examples of metaphors and similies within the book and understand how this figure of speech is used in writing. They then create...

Students find information about the life and legal career of Thurgood Marshall, including the NAACP and its causes. They comprehend the issues and context of the Brown v. Board of Education case that Marshall argued before the U.S....

In this Martin Luther King learning exercise, students analyze 10 words that pertain to Martin Luther King. Students match the words with their meanings.

Help your high schoolers navigate the cross-curricular text Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass with this reading guide. The questions guide learners through composing a summary of any given chapter in the text. In addition,...

Students discuss current knowledge of internet searches. They research vocabulary terms related to internet usage. Students list African-Americans that they believe have made a difference. Each student picks a person to research and...

Students study the state of the world before the slave trade. They explain the geography and economics of the slave trade. They explore primary sources and how historians use these sources to create historical interpretations.

Fifth graders explore how Africans built South Carolina into an economic giant. They write an expository paper explaining how Africans and their descendants built the rice empire along the Carolina coastline. They write a persuasive...

Students explore African cultures by creating a holiday collage. In this Kwanzaa art lesson, students identify the popular colors associated with the African holiday and create a collage using them. Students present their art work for...

High schoolers study the relationship between sugar, African and Caribbean laborers, and migration. They examine the role of enslaved Africans in the creation of the Caribbean sugar industry.

A crossword puzzle based on Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man provides readers with an opportunity to test their knowledge of the novel's events.

Young scholars determine that the lands the English settled on were owned and inhabited by 70,000 Indians. They consider that the London Company sold land charters to the English, which gave them illegal title to lndian land and that the...

Celebrate Kwanzaa and reinforce grammar skills with one language arts activity. Learners add missing pronouns to sentences in a passage about the traditions and customs of Kwanzaa. Next, they answer four comprehension questions...

Learn more about the work of Gwendolyn Brooks with a language arts lesson. Young learners read an informational passage about the acclaimed poet before attempting a shape poem of their own.

Students investigate equality by reading a historical fiction book in class.  In this civil rights lesson, students read the story Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry with their classmates and define the Jim Crow Laws that kept blacks...

Students read articles relating to Jackie Robinson's breaking of the racial barrier in professional baseball. This leads to a deeper exploration of racism in the United States. They use a variety of worksheets imbedded in this plan to...

Kindergartners respond to the events in My First Kwanzaa Book by completing an activity at home with a parent. After cutting out six labeled picture cards, they arrange them in the order in which they appeared in the book.

Students explore Frederick Douglass's method of resisting slavery. In this Frederick Douglas lesson, students read a speech given by Douglas regarding his theories of resistance. Students discuss the speech and then write their own...

Students create their own working definition of what it means to be an American. They examine the achievements of Latinos and discuss how the contribution of these Americans have enriched and helped shape American culture.

Choosing from a list, researchers investigate topics that range from the women in the American Civil Rights movement to the quest for equal rights in Iraq and Afghanistan. Although the plan is not detailed, a link to a PBS site that...

Investigate biographies with your class. Compare autobiographies and biographies of Martin Luther King, Jr. as an example. Learners explore the factual components that make up a biography and locate several biographies of notable...

Students research influences on African American literature. They research someone who has influenced the development of African American literature and create a multi-genre research project. They create a photograph poem, character...