Black History Activities for Middle School
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated April 07, 2024
The month of February is Black History Month. With January slowly coming to a close, it is the perfect time to celebrate the history, culture, and contributions of African Americans! To help you celebrate Black History Month with your learners, I have shared one of my very favorite Black History Activities for Middle School. I hope you can find some ideas to help you celebrate African American history during the month of February – and throughout the year!
On the hunt for some no-prep resources to help celebrate this important month in your classrooms? Click on the image or button below to see all of the Black History Month resources available in my TPT shop!
For additional ideas to incorporate Black History based activities into your classroom, check out our upper elementary activities and favorite short stories for Black History Month.
Black History Activities for Middle School – Close Reading
Is Close Reading a strategy that you have implemented in your Middle School ELA classroom? I was first introduced to this reading comprehension strategy at a professional development workshop a few years ago, and it has since become a huge part of my teaching practice.
Repeated readings and annotation of complex text has helped to deepen student understanding and allowed students to make real life connections to what they are reading. Instead of rushing through text, as my students often do, students learn that some texts require multiple readings to fully understand. When we read something for the first time, we may notice some things, but not all; sometimes texts require a second or third look to really grasp what is going on. We, as teachers, need to show students that certain texts are worthy of that level of attention.
To begin, I have students choose a key figure from black history that they would like to learn more about. I have a long list of figures they can choose from, including Jackie Robinson, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr, and others.
While reading, students annotate the text using a detailed annotation guide. They underline key words, circle sections they don’t understand, and write notes in the margin. I love using different colored pens and sticky notes for this, as well as annotation symbols.
After annotating, students complete first, second, and third reading questions to go along with the text. Each set of questions dives a little deeper, helping students to really understand the text.
Later, I have students complete some different graphic organizers on their chosen figure, to really cement their understanding. These make great classroom displays!
Interested in seeing these close reading resources in action? Check out the video below!
Looking for more information on close reading? Check out our complete close reading guide!
For detailed information and tips for incorporating reading strategies into your classroom curriculum, check out our reading strategies tips!
Interested in grabbing these resources for your learners?
Click on the images below to go directly to my Teacher Pay Teachers store. I have a wide variety of different Black History activities for middle school available!
Looking for some free Black History Activities for Middle School?
Click here or on the image below to download a FREE close reading activity for Black History Month! This resource contains a close reading unit on George Washington Carver – complete with comprehension questions, graphic organizers, close reading activities, and more!
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