African-American Heroes
Grade Levels: 3 - 5
Objectives
- Students will use vocabulary related to important African Americans.
- Students will read the biographies of several famous African Americans.
- Students will appreciate the honor associated with having a stamp named after someone.
- Students will identify an important African American and write a letter recommending that this person be honored with a postage stamp.
Materials
- Postage Stamps for Heroes worksheet
- Access to African-American History websites
Procedures
- Introduce key vocabulary:
accomplishments = things people have achieved
excelled = did extremely well (at something)
honor = credit for acting well
invention = a new or original creation
obstacle = something that stands in the way of (or stops) progress
- Have students work with a partner to complete the postage stamps for heroes worksheet while they explore websites about African-American history.
- Encourage pairs to brainstorm lists of African Americans who deserve to be honored with postage stamps.
- Have students select one person and write a letter recommending this person for a stamp, citing specific reasons why the person should receive such an extraordinary honor.
- Set aside a time to share the letters of recommendation with the rest of the class and then mail the letters to the postmaster in each student's community.
Assessment
- Use students' worksheet responses and letters of recommendation to evaluate their ability to synthesize information and form opinions backed by facts.
- Find a variety of assessment techniques to use with this lesson.
Extension Activities
- Discover a huge collection of lessons and activities for Black History Month.
- Choose from a large collection of cross-curricular activities for all grade levels.
- Have students work with partners to make up their own black history quizzes and give them to each other.
Standards for the English Language Arts
Students:
- employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
- participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
National Educational Technology Standards
Students:
- are proficient in the use of technology.
- practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
Asian-Pacific-American Heritage Month
May is Asian-Pacific-American Heritage Month! Don't overlook this opportunity to study and enjoy activities about the history and culture of Asian-Pacific American communities.
The recent rash of tornadoes in Oklahoma, which killed at least two dozen people, may have your students wondering why such natural disasters occur, how they may be affected by them, and what they can do to help. Use these resources to teach the geography of Oklahoma and the Southwestern United States, to explain tornadoes, and to discuss the resulting crises with your class.
Top 10 Galleries
Explore our most popular Top 10 galleries, from Top 10 Behavior Management Tips for the Classroom and Top 10 Classroom Organization Tips from Veteran Teachers to Top 10 Free (& Cheap) Rewards for Students and Top 10 Things Every Teacher Needs in the Classroom. We'll help you get organized and prepared for every classroom situation, holiday, and more! Check out all of our galleries today.
May Calendar of Events
May is full of holidays and events that you can incorporate into your standard curriculum. Our Educators' Calendar outlines activities for each event, including: Backyard Games Week (5/23-29) and Memorial Day (5/27). Plus, celebrate Asian-Pacific-American Heritage Month, Clean Air Month, and Physical Fitness & Sports Month all May long!
Common Core Lessons & Resources
Is your school district adopting the Common Core? Work these new standards into your curriculum with our reading, writing, speaking, social studies, and math lessons and activities. Each piece of content incorporates the Common Core State Standards into the activity or lesson.

