February is Black History Month, one of the many times of year when it’s important to recognize and reflect on the deep history of Black Americans and to celebrate their achievements, past and present.
To help educators honor and celebrate Black history — this month and every month — check out these resources from Black educators in the TPT community that you can add to your lesson plans throughout the year. You’ll find resources that celebrate Black mathematicians and scientists, recognize the leadership of Black Americans in movements for justice and equality in the United States and Canada, and more.
Resources for Teaching About Black History
Teach your students about Black history, culture, and leaders by adding these resources to your Black History Month lesson plans.
Black History Month Resources for Elementary School
These Black History Month resources for elementary school cover English Language Arts, social studies, and STEM. Your students will read and learn about Black leaders and complete activities that help them apply their new knowledge.
Black History Month ~ Inventions by Cara’s Creative Playground
Grades: K – 1st | Writing
Celebrate the accomplishments of Black inventors with this creative ELA and STEM resource. Students will practice their handwriting while reading about impactful and fun inventions made by lesser known Black Americans.
Black History Month by Latoya Reed
Grades: K – 2nd | English Language Arts
Teach your students about Black history while developing their vocabulary, writing, reading, comprehension, fluency, and art skills with this creative tri-fold. This activity can be used for anything from homework, to literacy centers, to group work.
1st Grade: Alice Ball by Silloh Curriculum
Grade: 1st | Social Studies
This interactive history resource focuses on Black chemist Alice Ball. In addition to discussing her accomplishments, it tests reading comprehension skills and includes a color-by-code math activity.
Black History- Inventors NOW DIGITAL! by Education With an Apron
Grades: 1st – 3rd | Reading, African History
No matter how you teach — virtually, in-person, or a little bit of both — you can use this digital slideshow and the accompanying activities to help your students learn more about the innovations of Black Americans.
Canadian Black History | Picture Book Responses | Print and Digital by BrowniePoints
Grades: 1st – 3rd | English Language Arts, Reading
Expand your students’ understanding of Black history by including a lesson about Canadian Black history. These read-alouds also include comprehension checks and response pages to help students develop their skills and knowledge.
Serena Williams Close Reading Passages | Black History by Teach Me T
Grades: 2nd – 3rd | Social Studies, Reading
Meet all of your students’ varying needs with this no-prep, differentiated reading passage and questions set about living legend and sports icon Serena Williams. This social studies and ELA lesson can also help teach your students about the SEL skill of perseverance.
Black History Biography Posters and Articles by Two Sharp Pencils
Grades: 2nd – 4th | English Language Arts, U.S. History
Have your students take an in-depth look at the lives of ten important Black leaders by reading detailed biography articles and completing a poster. These posters can then be made into a bulletin board display!
Black History Lapbooks | Biographies by Making It Work Education
Grades: 2nd – 5th | English Language Arts, Social Studies
Use these interactive lapbooks to have your students research 31 famous Black Americans, from both the past and present. Included in this project are timeline, pocket, and card templates, as well as writing sheets, graphic organizers, and cover pages.
Black History Month Biographies and Activities | Printable & Digital by Tanya G Marshall The Butterfly Teacher
Grades: 4th – 6th | English Language Arts, Social Studies
This resource set includes nonfiction reading passages and questions about six Black leaders and figures who have had a large, positive impact on American history. This resource also includes an engaging, interactive activity students can complete with Easel by TPT™.
African Americans in STEM | STEM 4 Justice by Route 22 Educational Resources
Grades: 4th – 6th | Math, Science
Level up your STEM lessons with this resource focused on 10 Black Americans involved in STEM-related fields. Broken up into pairs themed around inventions, math, space, astrophysics, and chemistry, each category includes a literacy and a math activity for students to complete.
Black History Month Resources for Middle School and High School
If you’re looking for Black History Month activities for older students, try adding these resources to your lesson plans. You’ll find resources that explore Black History through music, social studies, writing, English Language Arts, and speech therapy.
Black Mathematicians Music Video by Music Notes
Not Grade Specific | Math, African History
Honor and celebrate some of the Black pioneers of mathematics by streaming this video resource for your class. This creative music video is an engaging way to deliver information and is sure to have your students singing along in no time.
History of Jazz Music Reading Comprehension Passage Activities by Rap Opera for Kids
Grades: 5th – 7th | English Language Arts, U.S. History
Explore jazz music’s African heritage, its roots in New Orleans, and the Jazz Age of history! These activities will keep your students’ attention by using song lyrics as a reading passage while they learn about jazz music history and practice reading skills. Easily incorporate them into independent activities or complete them together as a class lesson using PDFs or Easel.
Black History Month Comprehension Digital or Print with BOOM Cards & Worksheets by BVG SLP
Grades: 5th – 8th | Social Studies, Speech Therapy
This resource includes 16 reading passages about prominent figures who contributed to Black and American history. The unit addresses comprehension, vocabulary, use of context clues, use of text evidence, and more. It can be used in your speech therapy or history classes as a print, digital, Boom Learning, or Easel resource.
Resist-Revolt-Reform: Enslavement and Resistance Project by Fannie’s RAW Content Market
Grades: 5th – 9th | Social Studies, African History, U.S. History
Through this research project, students will learn more about the rich history of the African Diaspora as well as how Black people exercised many forms of resistance in order to fight for change and liberation — in the United States and around the world.
Black History Month – Mikaila Ulmer by J Shannon Literacy
Grades: 6th – 9th | English Language Arts
Students are often taught about famous historical figures, but what they may not know is that there are people of their generation, who look like them now, who are currently making history. With this lesson, inspire your students by showing them Black people who are making history today!
For more ways to incorporate Black history into your lesson plans year-round, check out our Black History Month resource guide.
This blog, originally published in 2021, has been updated for 2023.
