Since 1976, February has been observed as Black History Month in the U.S. It's a time to honor the historical and current day contributions and achievements of African American people.
This printable crossword, for your middle-grader, highlights the inspiring words of ten influential African Americans, including civil rights activists such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., the first female African American astronaut, Mae Jemison, and modern-day role models, including Oprah Winfrey and Michael Jordan. The crossword activity can be a great conversation-starter for you and your child, and a way to share the stories of these change-makers.
Take some time to read through each quote with your child to discuss what he thinks it means and what he finds inspiring in the words. You might also talk about the contributions of the person each quote is attributed to, or search online to research together those you are unfamiliar with.
Be aware, this crossword might be a little different than others your child has completed previously — each clue features a moving quote, however, each quote is missing a single word. The missing word provides the answer to the given clue. Even though your child might not already be familiar with each quote, he will likely be able to determine the best word from the word bank using reading comprehension and logic skills.
To print a copy of the crossword, click on the image below.
As a learning extension, challenge your child to choose one person from the list to research and find out five interesting facts about him or her, or another inspiring quote. For those interested in discovering more about Black History Month, check out this themed collection of books for middle graders and these great titles about the Civil Rights movement.
