Elementary School

• Martin Luther King Jr. inspires students to dream of a better country.eglise baptiste de martin luther king image by JLG from Fotolia.com
  
  As a leader in the civil rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech offers a chance for students to learn and articulate vision. Read excerpts of his speech aloud to initiate a discussion. Create an "I Have A Dream" mural as a complement activity. Students write their personal dreams for the future on cloud-shaped construction paper. The clouds are affixed to a large sky-blue length of paper with an image of Martin Luther King Jr. in the middle. A class can also construct a class recipe-poem titled "We Have A Dream." Encourage creative contributions to concoct a recipe for a great country. For example, the teacher could lead with a suggestion such as "mix in 1 cup of kindness." Write the recipe ingredients on bright colored paper framed with each student's hand-print on the periphery. The activity fosters warmth toward community and exemplifies King's ideals.
  
  

Preschool Age

• Jazz, rhythm and blues are a significant component in African-American history. Combine music and play-party games to commemorate jazz greats and dance traditions. Gospel songs, such as "Follow the Drinking Gourd" were used as code messages for escaping slaves. Jazz and blues evolved from the roots of gospel music. Teachers can read aloud picture books featuring home-made instruments used in jug bands that gave black musicians, such as Louis Armstrong, a start in music. Play recordings to introduce African-American jazz greats, and teach accompanying simple play-party steps such as Ella Fitzgerald's "A Tisket, A Tasket." For an interactive experience of the jug band, construct class-made instruments such as shoe-box guitars, paper tambourines, or oatmeal cylinder drums and lead students in a marching band parade.
  
  

Middle School

• Challenge students with hands-on knowledge of historical African-American politicians.The White House image by dwight9592 from Fotolia.com
  
  Prominent and historical African-Americans in government can be presented as a treasure-hunt challenge for older students. Teachers may introduce a roster of African-American historical figures along with brief biographies. Ask students to pull a slip of paper from a bag filled with names of the politicians. Ideally, there should be one name per student. The student is instructed to find a labeled picture of the politician hidden in the room. Once the students find their pictures, they are to trace and draw the picture on light card stock paper. After the picture is completed, the picture is cut into four pieces to fit back together as a puzzle and placed in a paper bag. Each student researches pertinent information about their subject and writes a riddle using the information without giving the answer. Students retain the answers for use in the follow-up class discussion. The riddles are placed in the bags with the puzzle pieces. At the end of studying the historical greats, students are given a classmate's puzzle to put together, and then each student can quiz the class with the riddles. The writers of the riddles may stand up to identify themselves and offer the answers, if class cannot guess the correct response.
  
  

Families

• Visit libraries for crafts, storytelling and games for Black History Month.library books image by Daughterson from Fotolia.com
  
  Families wanting to participate in hands-on activities Black History Month can visit local libraries. Libraries typically contract interactive programming, employing storytellers, dancers, and drummers along with special crafts classes in celebration of Black Heritage month. Museums showcase historical African-American artifacts along with family-oriented activities, such as wearing historical costumes and participating in cake walks.