Lesson #1976. Famous Black Americans

Posted by Eugene Baker, White Oak Elementary School, Edenton, North Carolina

Subject: History
Level: Elementary
Materials Required: internet access, multimedia program(such as Kid Pix Studios), Microsoft Encarta and other references
Notable African Americans
Activity Time: 2-3 weeks in February
Concepts Taught: research skills integrating technology

Objective: At the end of this lesson, the student will be able to recognize famous Black Americans and their roles in America’s society. (Social Studies: Goal 7-History The learner will analyze religious and other cultural traditions. Objective 7.1 -- Identify and explain the importance of selected persons, patriotic symbols and public observances. Language Arts: Goal 3 -- Reading Comprehension: Constructs meaning from literary, informational, and practical texts. Objective 3.1 -- Reads literary, informational, and practical text. Objective 3.10 -- Summarized and records information. Notes and charts detail.).

Computer Functions: Students will gather information to describe a famous Black American. They will use this information to enter data into a Database of Famous Black Americans. They will create a slideshow containing the information they researched. (Computer Goal 3-The learner will use a variety of technologies to access, analyze, interpret, synthesis, apply, and communicate information. Objectives 3.2-The learner will locate and use information in electronic databases{Database]. Goal 2-The learner will demonstrate knowledge and skills in the use of computer and other technologies. Objective 2.10-Create a multimedia project as a group/class activity {Multimedia/Presentation}).

Specify a problem: In honor of February celebrated as Black History Month, students will create a booklet/slideshow/bulletin board of Famous Black Americans and their contributions to society.

Data manipulation: Students will enter data about the decade the person lived, the region of the United States they are from, their major contribution, and the number of resources the group found containing information.

Results and presentation: The students will have a database of famous Black Americans and facts about each person. They will create a slideshow, booklet, and bulletin board celebrating Black History Month.

Assessment: Student partners will be assessed by correct information located in the database, completed slides for the slideshow and a bulletin board celebrating Black History Month.

Supporting Activities: Students will create a webbing folder of famous Black Americans that will be studied during February. In this folder, topics that the student will be reporting on may be given and recorded.

Activities while at the computer: Cooperative partners would research Microsoft Encarta to find needed data about their famous Black American. At a different time, those same partners would enter the required data into a given database. At yet another time, partners would create and save their slides to be part of the class slideshow of famous Black Americans.

Activities Prior to the computer: Create a chart of the data students will be searching for that includes: the decade the person lived, the region of the United States they are from, their major contribution, and the number of resources the group found containing information. Student partners would go to the library media center and search the database to locate books on famous Black Americans. Student partners would take notes on the items to be included in the database from resources located in the library media center. Student partners would prepare a “plan sheet” containing the information they gathered to be included in the class slideshow.

Activities Following the Computer: Student partners would create a bulletin board (“database style”) containing the information they gathered about famous Black Americans. Students can also display pictures of these persons.

Posted by Darlene Diehl, Butler Elementary, Butler, Indiana U.S.A.

Subject: Geography
Level: Elementary
Materials Required: 1/2 gallon milk/juice cartons, art supplies
Activity Time: 2 weeks - lesson times will vary
Concepts Taught: Map Skills

To introduce my students to mapping, I have them build a small city. Each child uses a half-gallon milk or juice cartonto "build" a home or small business. We decorate our buildings with construction paper, yarn, beads, or whatever we have to make them look like a home or business. We then cover a large table with paper. This becomes our city. We start by designing "city blocks" with construction paper streets and highways. We then assign "lots" to every homeand business. Each child is responsible for their own landscaping of their lot which could include a parking lot for their business. At this point we begin to incorporate other disciplines. Below are ideas we've tried,but the possibilities are endless.

• We hold an election to name our city and streets. We like to do this project around Valentine's Day. Some names the children have thought of are Romance City, Love BugBoulevard, and Romantic Freeway.

• We discuss the house numbering system used by cities, then assign each building in our city a number.

• After each building has a number, we decide what our mailing addresses would be. We write them on paper and tape them to the top of our desks. We then address our Valentine's to each other using everyone's correct mailing address. We then become mailmen and "mail" our cards into the appropriate homes and businesses.

• At times we have extra lots in our city that have not been assigned. We hold a city council meeting to decide the best uses for this land. We then develop the lots.

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