A typical undertaking for February’s Black Historical past Month is a report, poster, or presentation a few well-known individual. In a fast examine of in style lesson plan web sites for academics, I discovered dozens of “tasks” like this. College students choose a well-known Black American, from writers to troopers to civil rights motion leaders to artists and pop stars, search for some details about them and (normally) simply copy it, then show their artifact to the category.

I put “tasks” in quotes as a result of these sorts of assignments, whereas invaluable to an extent, shouldn’t be confused with project-based studying. College students may be taught one thing about their matter, however there isn’t a lot vital considering in these “dessert” tasks, or any of the six options of Excessive-High quality PBL: Mental Problem and Accomplishment, Authenticity, Collaboration, Public Product, Challenge Administration, or Reflection.

I’ve just lately written some efficiency duties/tasks, together with Kristy Taylor, for Outlined Studying’s new MS/HS United States Historical past II course. The course covers the late Industrial Revolution as much as the current, and the duties are aligned with the C3 Framework for Social Research State Requirements for grades 6-12. Previous to this course, Outlined created a number of different duties that connect with Black historical past.

In every activity, college students are given the “GRASP” framework: Objective, Position, Viewers, State of affairs, and Merchandise. Their function is career-focused, and their viewers, state of affairs, and merchandise are genuine to the true world. They’re additionally supplied with analysis questions and assets, the necessities for 2-3 merchandise, and evaluation rubrics. Lecturers are given in depth notes about the best way to facilitate the undertaking, reminiscent of the best way to launch it with an entry occasion, use formative evaluation, coach college students to guage the standard of their sources of knowledge and lengthen the undertaking to incorporate connections to real-world specialists and public audiences.

I’ll clarify the main points for one MS/HS U.S. Historical past activity I wrote, which is about Black historical past, together with the “GRASP” and a number of the instructor notes. Then I’ll summarize 5 extra duties on the subject provided by Outlined.

“Historian: Black People Transfer North: The Nice Migration”

This undertaking is a good automobile for instructing an necessary a part of Black historical past–and it focuses on what strange individuals skilled, not the same old “well-known individuals” method to Black Historical past Month. It connects the Reconstruction and Jim Crow South period to a significant growth in U.S. historical past through the twentieth century: the migration of Blacks from the South to different components of the nation from roughly 1910-1970. 

The Nice Migration could also be used as a launching level for exploring many elements of Black historical past and the civil rights motion. For instance, college students might research the Harlem Renaissance; the music of jazz and the blues; Jim Crow legal guidelines and anti-Black violence within the South and in addition in Northern cities; segregation and redlining; the roles of Black People through the World Wars; and the return of some Blacks to the “New South” in current many years. Lecturers might additionally contemplate a neighborhood historical past undertaking if their college students reside in a spot with direct connections to the Nice Migration; college students might interview household and neighborhood members sufficiently old to have reminiscences of it.

If academics want, they’ll use the next to information pupil inquiry, dialogue, and reflection:

• Important Query: Why do individuals migrate?
• Massive Concept: Individuals migrate to search out financial alternatives and larger freedom.
• Driving Query: How can we inform highly effective tales of people that skilled the Nice Migration?

Right here’s the GRASP framework for this activity as it’s defined to college students:

Objective: 

Your activity is to inform tales about part of Black historical past in the USA that many individuals don’t know sufficient about: The Nice Migration and the way it formed our nation at present. It’s good to do analysis and select what matters or occasions you suppose are fascinating or necessary, then write tales concerning the individuals who skilled these occasions.

Position:

You’re a historian who needs individuals to know extra concerning the Nice Migration.

Viewers:

You’ll write tales or create a graphic comedian for a normal viewers, to be shared on-line or maybe with an viewers to be decided.

State of affairs: 

Immediately, there are numerous Black residents of U.S. cities reminiscent of New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland, Seattle, and others. How did the Black inhabitants come to be there? After the Civil Battle, most Blacks lived in rural components of the Southern states the place they and their ancestors had been enslaved. Starting round 1910, many Blacks moved to Northern, Central, and Western states to search out financial alternative and to flee oppression. This turned generally known as the Nice Migration. You could have determined extra individuals ought to concentrate on the tales of the individuals who skilled it.

Merchandise:

• Written historic fiction story
• Graphic comedian or story

As an elective culminating exercise for the undertaking, college students might make a public presentation the place they learn their tales to an viewers. The viewers could possibly be historical past specialists, neighborhood members, dad and mom, and different college students. College students might additionally make their work public by sharing their tales on-line with a wider viewers.

You’ll be able to see the entire activity within the Course Library at DefinedLearning.com

Okay-5 Artwork Integration: Wonderful Arts and Literature course:

• Artist: Religion Ringold & Story Quilts
  College students be taught concerning the Black American painter and narrative quiltmaker Religion Ringgold and write a examine and distinction report about her and her work. They learn the brief story “Tar Seashore,” and make a paper quilt about it, and create “neighborhood quilts” to disclose to others.
• Artist: Elizabeth Cattlet’s Material Prints
  College students be taught concerning the Black American sculptor and graphic artist Elizabeth Cattler and make a presentation about her and her work, and create a t-shirt print or sculpture that sends a optimistic message to others.

MS/HS United States Historical past I course (colonial period to late nineteenth century):

• Civil Rights Lawyer: Battle Over Reconstruction
  College students be taught concerning the aftermath of the Civil Battle as they select and annotate political cartoons from the time, create Instagram posts concerning the Plessy vs. Ferguson Supreme Court docket case, and/or make a presentation about social change businesses then and now.
• Activist: Supporting Equal Alternatives After the Civil Battle
  College students discover the struggle for land equality, voting privileges, and equal entry to training through the Reconstruction Period as they create a presentation concerning the Black Senators who have been elected then, an infographic about the correct to high quality training,  and/or a social media marketing campaign about a difficulty in at present’s society that has its roots within the Reconstruction. 

MS/HS United States Historical past II course (late nineteenth century to current):

• Authorized Researcher: Separate However Equal
  College students be taught concerning the 1954 case of Brown vs. Board of Training and the 14th Modification proper to equal safety as they write captions for political cartoons of the time, create examine & distinction Instagram posts, and/or write opening & closing arguments for the Brown vs. Board of Training Supreme Court docket hearings.

I hope you’ll take a look at these tasks and train a number of not solely in February however anytime within the yr since Black historical past ought to be interwoven all through a course, not relegated to a particular month. The tasks are efficient and fascinating for college kids, enjoyable to show, and in-depth … so that they’re not only for dessert!