Famous African Americans Teacher Page

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This project was designed to be done in January or February to support classroom activities revolving around the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and Black History Month.

The activities can be done independently by each student on the computer or can be printed out and read and written as a whole class. Teachers may choose to have some students do their work on the computer while others are doing the activities at their desk. Students can then rotate so that each have the opportunity to do some of their writing on the computer and some by hand at their desk.

Click on the links for each African American to read the directions for the individual activities.

| Harriet Tubman | Jackie Robinson | Rosa Parks |
| Ruby Bridges | Martin Luther King, Jr. | Oprah Winfrey |

Harriet Tubman Teacher Procedure

Optional Reading

  • Escape North! The Story of Harriet Tubman Written by Monica Kulling
  • Follow the Drinking Gourd Written by Jeanette Winter
  • Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson
  • A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman by David A. Adler
  • Young Harriet Tubman: Freedom Fighter by Anne Benjamin
  • Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman by Alan Shroeder
  • Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky by Faith Ringgold

* You may want to use some of the links on the students’ page as shared readings.

Optional Activities & Informational Sites

Jackie Robinson Teacher Procedure

Optional Reading

  • A Picture Book of Jackie Robinson Written by David Adler
  • Jackie Robinson (Welcome Books) Written by Philip Abraham
  • Young Jackie Robinson, Baseball Hero Published by Troll Books
  • Jackie Robinson and the Story of All-Black Baseball Written by Jim O'Connor
  • Jackie Robinson (Wonder Books Level 2 Biographies) Written by Cynthia Fitterer Klingel

Optional Activities & Informational Sites

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Rosa Parks Teacher Procedure

Where to Write To Mrs. Parks

Mrs. Rosa Parks
The Rosa & Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development
65 Cadillac Square, Suite 2200
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 965-0606
http://www.rosaparks.org

Optional Reading

Books for Kids: http://www.imahero.com/bookstore/africanam/rosaparks_bookstore.htm

Optional Activities & Informational Sites

Read more about Rosa Parks
http://teacher.scholastic.com/rosa/index.htm

Read what others kids have said they have learned from Rosa Parks
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngkids/9802/rosaparks/digest.html

Color a Rosa Parks picture
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngkids/9802/rosaparks/digest.html

Rosa Parks Cloze Activity
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/history/us/aframer/parks/cloze.shtml

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Ruby Bridges Teacher Procedure

Optional Reading

  • The Story of Ruby Bridges Written by Robert Cole.

Optional Activities & Informational Sites

Optional Writing Assignment

Have your class write to Ruby Bridges at:
The Ruby Bridges Foundation
P.O. Box 127
Winnetka, IL 60093 or at:
info@rubybridges.org


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Martin Luther King, Jr. Teacher Procedure

Optional Reading
  • Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King Written by Jean Marzollo
  • Martin Luther King, Jr: A Picture Story Written by Margaret Boone-Jones
  • Meet Martin Luther King, Jr Written by James T. DeKay

Optional Activities & Informational Sites

 

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Oprah Winfrey Teacher Procedure

The Oprah Book Club has helped restore a love of reading in our society. For this project, students and teachers can choose between 2 projects. The first option is for children can read their own book and write a review for it. The second choice is for the entire class to read the same book (or have it read to them) and each child writes their own review.

If the second option is chosen, the book needs to be read to the class before the children do the Oprah Activity page.

Suggested Book for Read-Aloud:

The Other Side
by Jacqueline Woodson
Recommended in 2001

From the Publisher: Clover has always wondered why a fence separates the black side of town from the white side. But this summer when Annie, a white girl from the other side, begins to sit on the fence, Clover grows more curious about the reason why the fence is there and about the daring girl who sits on it, rain or shine. And one day, feeling very brave, Clover approaches Annie. After all, why should a fence stand in the way of friendship?

Optional Activities & Informational Sites

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