Black History Activities for Second Grade

Teachers can engage their second grade students with activities for Black History Month.

Americans have celebrated Black History Month each year in February since 1976. Second grade teachers can incorporate various activities throughout the month of February to educate students about African American culture. It is also a chance for the students in the class to review and acknowledge African Americans that earned celebrity status and those that made notable achievements throughout history.

Map of Africa

Trace the shape of Africa onto a large poster board. Cut it out and tape it to the chalkboard for the entire class to see. As the students learn about Africa, they can add the information to the map. For example, the Luangwa River would be drawn through Zambia, and the Moulouya River would be drawn flowing through Morocco. Students can add countries, major cities and locations of certain African tribes. African mountains and desserts can also be added. At the end of February, the map of Africa will be complete.

Harriet Tubman Coin

Read the students "Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom" by Rae Bains. Teach the students that Harriet Tubman was a hero because she secretly helped slaves get to a place where they could be free. Discuss heroes that are often commemorated on a coin, such as George Washington or Susan B. Anthony. Give each of the children a sheet of gray construction paper and have them cut out a large circle. Allow the children to look at a quarter, dime, nickel and penny to get ideas of what information is included on a coin. Then instruct the children to create a coin that would honor Harriet Tubman. The coins can be hung around the classroom, or sent home with the students.

Martin Luther King Jr. Dream Clouds

Read your second graders a book from the library on Martin Luther King Jr. Stress Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech in which he stated he had a dream for all individuals in America to be treated equally with respect and acceptance. Talk with your students about the importance of having dreams and taking steps to achieve them. Give the children time to cut clouds out of white construction paper. Allow each child to write a dream they have on the clouds. Staple the clouds to the bulletin board for the month of February.

Black History Month Timeline

Roll out a long sheet of butcher paper and tape it to the wall at a level the second graders can reach. Create a timeline that begins in the 1600s and ends with the 2000s. Teach the students about African-American history throughout the month of February. Each time a new individual or event is taught about, have the students enter it on the timeline. For example, students will want to add Eli Whitney's cotton gin in 1973 and President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. At the end of February, you can show the students all that they learned about black history by reviewing the timeline.

References

• BrainPop Jr: Harriet Tubman
• Teacher Vision: Activities for African Folk Tales
• Education: I, Too, Have a Dream

Resources

• Info Please: African-American History Timeline