Black History Month
Now, more than ever, we need to remain sensitive and cognizant of students’ well-being. Last year presented many challenges, including the fight against racism, fear of the unknown, potential loss of loved ones, loss of social connections, social anxiety, and gaps in learning. As we head Black History Month, those challenges remain, and it is, therefore, essential that we continue teaching Black history throughout the year.
We need to acknowledge the many achievements, joys, and perseverance experienced by the Black community. In turn, this will strengthen community within our classrooms and help to eradicate systemic racism. These challenges have created many opportunities to bring about change, growth, and progress. The editorial team at Britannica has been working hard to modernize our content. They’ve made significant progress in adding new content and changes to our style guide, such as using “Black” in place of “black” and “enslaved people” in place of “slaves.”
To help teach students about Black History Month, Britannica’s Curriculum Expert Team has put together a few activities and resources.
Perfect Pairings
Watch these short video clips from a previous Britannica webinar to get ideas on how to pair Britannica resources with quality children’s literature, to encourage inquiry and critical-thinking skills.
Britannica School Article:
Black History at a Glance
Explore these articles in Britannica School that provide students with a glance at African American History.
Integrating Media Literacy into Black History Month
Use these questions to encourage students to use a critical lens when analyzing media:
- What do you see?
- Identify culturally rich words that are racially charged.
- What does this ad portray to viewers? What is the message?
- Whose perspective is this from?
- Who is the intended audience?
- What perspectives are left out?
- What is the motivation behind this image?
- What does this image communicate?
Modern History Makers—Resource Packs
Take advantage of Britannica School with these curated resource packs that are filled with articles of Modern History Makers from the Black community.
We hope you and your students enjoy these activities and resources, as you continue your journey of incorporating culture and history into your curriculum! Contact us at training@eb.com.