Plan your year ahead with these teacher-tested multimedia units including audio and online publishing resources for students, plus lesson plans and free printables for you.
Unit Plan
Black History in America Teaching Guide
Lesson plans for teaching the Black History in America student activity, as well as ideas for incorporate the activities into your classroom or computer lab lessons.
Grades
3–5, 6–8, 9–12
Duration
1 CLASS PERIOD
Quick links to unit plan resources:
Overview
This Unit Plan supports the Culture and Change: Black History in America student activities.
Students get an in-depth look into the African American experience in this unique online activity. Through interviews, historical sketches, interactives, and the lessons provided in this teacher's guide, students learn about important individuals, study the civil rights movement and the concept of racism, and explore the history of jazz music. Culture and Change: Black History in America also includes activities that allow students to share their thoughts and feelings about topics discussed.
The various parts of this activity can be used together or independently. Incorporate them into your classroom or computer lab lesson.
Objectives
Students will:
- Gain insight into African American history from slavery to the civil rights movement
- Learn about individual people who shaped history by reading their biographies and researching the age in which they lived
- Understand the causes and effects of the civil rights movement in America
- Study the history of jazz music to gain awareness of the cultural contributions made by different groups in America
- Build nonfiction literacy skills as they read web-based articles for details and use a timeline to obtain information
- Apply critical thinking skills to answer questions regarding controversial events related to the civil rights movement
- Hone writing skills through brief essay submissions or grade-appropriate research papers
- Develop and present an oral report that includes important research points and historical facts
Supporting Books
- Black History Books and Resources
- Black History Month Book List

African American Inventors and Trailblazers Lesson Plan
Use this lesson plan with the Famous African American Inventors activity to teach students about African Americans whose innovations directly impacted culture and society.
GRADES
3–5, 6–8
DURATION
1 CLASS PERIOD

Breaking Barriers with Melba Pattillo
Students learn about instrumental figures in the civil rights movement, such as Melba Pattillo.
GRADES
6–8, 9–12
DURATION
1 CLASS PERIOD
Featured Activity

Students will learn about jazz from its beginning in New Orleans to modern jazz today through text and audio.
GRADES
3–5, 6–8, 9–12

Students learn about the speech Martin Luther King Jr. gave in 1955 at the time of the Montgomery Bus boycott.
GRADES
6–8