Teaching Strategies
Honoring Black History in the Classroom
Black history is American history.
A culturally responsive curriculum that integrates the stories of history-making Black Americans is essential for students of all backgrounds. Teaching Black history works to affirm the identities and experiences of Black students, and honest, accurate, and age-appropriate resources for all children can provide a foundation of empathy and cultural literacy that can prepare them to be active participants in a diverse democracy.
Race and racism can be difficult subjects to talk about, especially with young children. And at a time when school closures are contributing to even greater educational inequity, particularly for students of color, creating a safer, more inclusive and culturally responsive curriculum is as important as it’s ever been. See our blog post Helping Kids Understanding the Black Lives Movement for advice from experts on how to talk about race and racial identity.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a collection of resources from BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr. These lessons, including biographies of barrier-breaking civil rights activists, artists, and more offer vital context for the progress this country has seen and, as 2020 laid bare, all the progress that’s yet to come.
The following topics can support you in integrating Black history and antiracist education into your teaching both during Black History Month and all year long.
For Kindergarten–Grade 3
People to Know
Biographies are an effective and engaging way to explore history. Everyone loves stories, and biographies provide students with opportunities to relate to and empathize with people whose experiences shaped history.
Martin Luther King Jr.
He had a dream! Watch to discover what it was and how this Civil Rights leader paved the way for generations to come.
Ruby Bridges
Imagine the bravery it took to integrate an all-white school. That’s just what this young activist did when she was only 6 years old!
Rosa Parks
Discover the story of this courageous activist who sat down in order to stand up for equal rights.
Harriet Tubman
Learn about this courageous abolitionist’s life and her work on the Underground Railroad.
Jackie Robinson
Explore the story of a barrier-breaking ballplayer who brought his message of equality to America.
Eloise Greenfield
Learn how Eloise Greenfield uses rhythm to make her poems and stories come alive.
For Grades 4 and Up
The History of Institutionalized Racism in America
There is much about U.S. history that is challenging to talk about, especially with children. However, it’s crucial that we provide an accurate picture that takes into account people of different backgrounds and experiences. With these topics, kids can explore historical events and time periods that changed the course of history for African Americans.
Slavery
Explore the rise and abolition of the African slave trade, and its lasting effect on the United States.
Reconstruction
Learn how Reconstruction policies affected people in the South, including liberated slaves.
Jim Crow
Slavery may have ended with the Civil War, but the Confederacy’s defeat marked the beginning of a new kind of oppression.
Activism Then and Now
For as long as institutionalized racism and anti-Blackness have existed, people have been organizing and fighting for freedom, justice, and equality. Building background about these movements provides kids with context for understanding why and how people continue to work tirelessly for these rights.
Civil Rights
Learn about the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s—what it is, why it’s important, and how its legacy continues.
Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka
“Separate but equal?” Explore where this phrase comes from and learn about segregation, civil rights, and the famous trial case, Brown vs. Board of Education.
Black Lives Matter Protests
This movie provides context for the protests against racial injustice, as well as background on the movement.
People to Know
Fannie Lou Hamer
This activist’s courage and persistence helped secure passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, an important victory in the fight for equal rights.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Explore the inspiring life of this Civil Rights activist, and discover how his non-violent protests led to Supreme Court decisions banning segregation.
Jackie Robinson
Discover #42—the great athlete and pioneer for social justice who led the way to ending segregation in baseball.
Malcolm X
While Martin Luther King Jr. championed nonviolent protest and equality for all, Malcolm X took a more forceful approach.
Muhammad Ali
Discover the story of this champion boxer and beloved activist who grew up in the shadow of the Jim Crow South, and was shaped by its injustices.
Tuskegee Airmen
As the first Black military pilots, these true American heroes battled Nazis abroad and discrimination back home.
Other Resources
Primary Sources
First-hand accounts have the power to bring history to life and are an effective way to authentically and meaningfully connect to history. Many topics in our Black History collection include access to primary sources as part of BrainPOP’s Primary Source feature. These resources range from newspaper clippings and essays to photographs and archival videos, like this one of Maya Angelou reciting a poem at the 1993 U.S. Presidential inauguration:
Lesson Ideas
Looking to build a full lesson on one of these topics? You can find lesson plans and other teaching resources for each topic on BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr. by clicking the “Lesson Ideas” button at the top of any topic page.
Creative Projects
When children actively participate in a lesson and exercise their creativity, they’re more likely to stay engaged and internalize what they’ve learned. Students can create their own short films with our Make-a-Movie feature, code a museum exhibit in honor of their favorite figure from Black history with Creative Coding, and more.
Recursos en español
Esclavitud
Protestas de Black Lives Matter
Reconstrucción de E.U.
Jim Crow
Brown contra Consejo de Educación
Derechos Civiles
Jackie Robinson
Malcolm X
Martin Luther King Jr.
Motown
Muhammad Ali
Ressources en français
Esclavage
Mouvement des droit civiques
Malcolm X
Martin Luther King
Mohamed Ali
