United StatesAfrican-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.
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