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Black History Month Research Project: A Step-by-Step Guide

Hello Teacher Friends! How is your 2022 going? For me, this year is just zipping by! I cannot believe it is nearly Black History Month already! Since February is so close, I wanted to take a quick minute and highlight one of my most popular resources in my TpT Store . My Black History Month Research Project is incredibly popular this time of year. This resource has helped literally hundreds of teachers and thousands of students learn the research process and commemorate important Black individuals! I’ve recently updated the entire product and wanted to break it down and show you how I use this resource in my classroom!

Black History Month Research Project

With this resource, each student will research an influential Black individual, write a biographical essay about their individual and create a visual representation of their person! While this sounds like a lot of work, I promise I have broken it down into manageable chunks for YOU and your students! Even students who struggle with reading and writing have succeeded with this project!

Phase 1: Building Research Skills

Before beginning, students need a research subject! Included in this resource is a list of over 140 Black individuals who have made significant contributions to society— including many influential women! Personally, I like to randomly assign names to students. (Actually, I usually have them pick a name out of a bowl.) I do this for a few reasons. First, I think there is value in learning about someone new that students maybe haven’t even heard of before. If given the choice, students often default to the Black figures they already know! I don’t want them to do that! Second, I like to have all my students in all my classes have different names. This way, when we display them in the hallway or classroom, we don’t have any duplicates!

After students have their research subject, it is time to learn how to research. Instead of setting my students loose on Google right away, I like to teach them the research process. This direct teaching does take a little bit of class time. However, it is totally worth it! Not only will your students’ end results be infinitely better, but they are learning foundational research skills. Research skills that they will use again and again throughout their educational careers!

In these lessons, students will learn about different types of sources, how to determine if a source is credible, and how to recognize an author’s bias.

I’ve included a “Source Credibility Checklist” for students to keep as a reference that will help them determine whether a source is a “good” source or not. I’ve also outlined a fun activity intentionally using a completely biased website! It’s a real eye-opening activity for students that shows them the need to use multiple sources and check for credibility.

Phase 2: Research & Note-taking

The next step in the Black History Month Research Project is to research! I have two Slides Presentations giving students tips for conducting thorough research and taking notes to keep track of the information they have gathered! Students can take notes on their KWL Chart. I’ve also included a Note-taking Graphic Organizer that helps students keep track of what information came from what source. Keeping track of their information will come in handy later when they create their bibliographies!

Phase 3: Writing Black History Month Research Project Essays

Following the research and note-taking process, it’s time for students to outline and draft their essays. I’ve included a suggested outline that students can use to organize their information. In the Slides, I show how to take the information from their outline and notes and turn it into paragraphs in their essays! In my class, we talk a lot about writing excellent paragraphs . Here is another resource that can help if your students are struggling with this basic building block of writing!

Also in this phase, students will work together to edit and revise one another’s essays. This collaborative process is a great way to teach students how to give and accept feedback. It is also helpful in learning how to improve one’s writing from the first draft to the published final copy!

Additionally, students will also practice citing their sources by creating a bibliography. At the middle school level, I don’t require my students to stick with MLA or Chicago styles or anything in particular. I’m most interested in them understanding that they should be giving credit to the original authors. I don’t worry too much about formatting it in a specific style. I’ve included a Simple Bibliography Guide for students to use!

Phase 4: Visual Display & Class Presentations

Finally, students will create a visual display of information for their person. There are endless options for this portion of the assignment. You could ask students to simply use a large sheet of paper, a poster board, etc. to create a visual by hand. Alternatively, I heard from one tech-savvy teacher who asked his students to create a Slide for their visual component. He compiled the Slides, set up a projector in the front of the school, and looped the Slides all throughout February to allow others in the school to learn from their research!

I generally stick with a low-tech option and use large sheets of paper (my school has 12×18 sheets of paper that seem to work well). Students include the the most important facts and information about their individual. I also ask them to include pictures and a quotation on their poster. When students have finished their essays and their posters, students present their Black History Month Research Projects to the class. Afterwards, I like to display the posters in the hallway outside my classroom to allow others to learn as well!

Phew! If that sounds overwhelming, don’t worry! I’ve got you covered! This resource includes over 120 Instructional Slide s that literally walk you through the entire process! Also, if you need any help along the way, I’m just an email away!

How do you like to commemorate Black History Month with your students? I’d love to hear your ideas!

Brenna (Mrs. Nelson)

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A Black History Month Research Project for 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade

A Black History Month Research Project is a great way to help your students learn more about and celebrate the impact African Americans have made to the United States.  It's also a good way to help students learn about obstacles African Americans have had to face in this country.  But having 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade students conduct research and complete a project based on that research can be an overwhelming task.

Scaffolding this process is essential in order for your students to be successful - and for them to actually stay engaged and excited!

After I fine-tuned the process, this Black History Month Research Project was one of my students' favorite projects all year.  It included researching a famous African American, writing an essay, creating a timeline of their life, and labeling a map.  The upper elementary students remained engaged throughout the entire project and were always very proud of the outcome!

Choosing an African American Hero to Research

Part of making a Black History Month Project meaningful is exposing students to people that they might not be familiar with.  If you let 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade students choose who they want to research, you'll probably find that everyone wants to research Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, or Barack Obama.

Instead of simply letting students choose people they are already familiar with, collect a variety of biographies on different African Americans - or find some  kid-friendly biographies online.

Do whatever works for your classroom, as long as you give students an opportunity to introduce themselves to different African Americans.

How I Organized This in My Classroom

There are a lot of different ways you could do this with your students. I would always have my librarian collect enough child-friendly biographies for each student in my class.  We would sit in a circle, and each student would get one of the books.  They had about a minute to look through the book, and then everyone passed their book to the left.

After everyone had looked through every book, students would write down the top 5 people they were interested in researching.  Then, I would look through everybody's choices and assign each student their famous African American to research.

This process got students excited and gave them more ownership over the project.  However, it also allowed me some freedom to make adjustments that would help students be successful and be exposed to different people.

My students used a book from the library as their main source for research, so I wanted to make sure the reading level of the books was appropriate for each of my students.  (If you have a really well-organized classroom library checkout system, this might be easier for you!)

Scaffolding a Black History Month Essay

As all upper elementary teachers know, having students complete research and then use that to write a successful essay is much harder than you would think.

You have to teach students not to copy paragraphs straight from a book or website.  And how to organize a research paper.  And you have to motivate students so that they will actually WANT to write.

This No Prep Black History Month Research Project scaffolds the entire process so students can succeed.  And even better, it will minimize all the one on one time and help students complete their project much more independently.

But there are ways you can scaffold on your own.

1. Model the Project for Your Students

Modeling an entire project takes up a lot of class time, but it makes a huge difference in your students' success.  Plus, it will prevent a lot of student questions later.

This No Prep Black History Month Research Project has all the information you need to use Martin Luther King, Jr. in your modeling.

2. Provide a Research Page with Clear Topics

Instead of having students do their own research on note cards or a blank sheet of paper, provide a research page that tells them exactly what sorts of topics they should be researching.

Otherwise, students have the tendency to copy paragraphs and collect information on irrelevant topics.

Decide what exactly you want your students to learn about - for example, their African American's family, accomplishments, and impact - and create a research page that helps students easily organize that information.  (And, of course, this project also includes research pages.)

3. Scaffold the Writing Process

This might be one of the most important ways to help your students write a successful, organized research paper. Simply providing students with paragraph frames can make a drastic difference and give students more confidence in their writing.

This is similar to this scaffolding you can use when having students write a compare and contrast essay.   Or, use the no prep option with this already ready-to-go Black History Month Project.

Use the Research to Create a Timeline and Map

Use this opportunity to address some other social studies skills - timelines and maps!

Have students use their research to create a timeline of important events in their famous African American's life.  Then, provide students with a blank map and have them color in different states that were important to their African American.

This is a very simple way to make these skills more meaningful to students.

Presenting the Black History Month Project

There is no one right way to have students share their projects.  It really depends on how much time you have!

Here are some options:

• Have students simply turn in their projects.  You could use them to create a bulletin board or just take a grade.
• Have students create a poster with their essay, map, and timeline.  They can present it to the class, or you could make a display.
• Have a Living Wax Museum!  This takes a lot more preparation, but your students and parents will love it.  Find more information on Living Wax Museums here.

If you think this scaffolding would be beneficial to your students as well, then you might like my Black History Month Research Project – Essay, Map, and Timeline Resource.   It includes everything I used to help my students be successful – even a model using Martin Luther King, Jr. so you can show students what is expected of them!

Testimonial:

"This has made doing this research project so much easier! The best part is that samples of the completed steps are included. They always want to copy full sentences instead of making notes, and displaying the sample while they worked led to many more children succeeding without my one to one help."

You might also like these other ideas and resources for teaching during Black History Month - including a freebie!  

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Biographies of African American Changemakers

In this activity, activity overview, template and class instructions, more storyboard that activities, this activity is part of many teacher guides.

After listening to the brief descriptions of African American changemakers throughout history in the award winning books 28 Days and The Undefeated , students will choose one African American changemaker to research and then create a biography poster of important facts and visual attributes to represent that person.

These posters can be printed out, laminated and hung around the room as a powerful reminder of these notable people and their accomplishments.

Students can also present their posters to their classmates, sharing their knowledge about their person.

The posters could also be combined into a book or “dictionary” and that students could read to younger grades for a school-wide, community building activity!

Find more biography poster templates to add to this assignment if desired!

African American Changemakers Mentioned in Undefeated

• Jesse Owens (1913-1980)
• Jack Johnson (1878-1946)
• Romare Bearden (1911-1988)
• Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960)
• Jacob Lawrence (1917-2000)
• Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859-1937)
• Augusta Savage (1892-1962)
• Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784)
• Langston Hughes (1902-1967)
• Aaron Douglas (1899-1979)
• John Lewis (1940-2020)
• Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)
• Wilma Rudolph (1940-1994)
• Michael Jordan (1963-)
• Althea Gibson (1927-2003)
• Muhammad Ali (1942-2016)
• Sheryl Swoopes (1971-)
• Serena Williams (1981-)
• Reece Whitley (2000-)
• Lebron James (1984-)
• Thelonious Monk (1917-1982)
• Louis Armstrong (1901-1971)
• Billie Holiday (1915-1959)
• Miles Davis (1926-1991)
• Duke Ellington (1899-1974)
• Sarah Vaughn (1924-1990)
• Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996)
• Emmet Till (1941-1955)
• Trayvon Martin (1995-2012)
• Michael Brown (1996-2014)
• Tamir Rice (2002-2014)
• Sandra Bland (1987-2015)
• 233,000 Black soldiers during the Civil War
• Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Roberson, Carol Denise McNair (victims of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, 9/15/1963)

Additional African American Changemakers in 28 Days

• Crispus Attucks (1723–1770)
• Dred Scott (1799-1858)
• Robert Smalls (1839-1915)
• Daniel Hale Williams (1858-1931)
• Matthew Henson (1866-1955)
• Harriet Tubman (1820?-1913)
• Henry Johnson (1897-1929)
• Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919)
• Bessie Coleman (1892-1926)
• Marian Anderson (1897-1993)
• Jackie Robinson (1919-1972)
• Rosa Parks (1913-2005)
• Arthur Ashe (1943-1993)
• Little Rock Nine
• Malcolm X (1925-1965)
• Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993)
• Shirley Chisholm (1924-2005)
• Hank Aaron (1934-)
• Guy Bluford (1942-)
• Mae Jemison (1956-)
• Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)
• Oprah Winfrey (1954-)

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

Objective: Research an important person highlighted in 28 days or Undefeated . Create a poster that includes their important accomplishments.

Student Instructions:

• Choose a famous person.
• Using 28 Days , Undefeated and other school resources, conduct research on a famous person or event and take notes using a graphic organizer.
• On the poster, include your person’s name and dates of birth, death and major accomplishments in sequence.
• Add appropriate scenes, characters, and items to illustrate your poster.

Requirements: Person’s image, name, dates of birth/death, 1-3 major accomplishments, 1-6 illustrations

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 6-12

Difficulty Level 2 (Reinforcing / Developing)

Type of Assignment Individual

Type of Activity: Biographies

• [ELA-Literacy/W/9-10/2] Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content
• [ELA-Literacy/W/9-10/6] Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically
• [ELA-Literacy/W/9-10/7] Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric .)

Black History 6-8

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Black History Month Biography Research Bulletin Board

$ 5.95 Original price was: $5.95. $ 4.95 Current price is: $4.95.

Black History Month Research Bulletin Board: Celebrate Black History Month  with this Research Bulletin Board using these Influential Black Leaders Teach-Go Pennants®. This packet includes templates of 50 Influential Individuals who significantly impacted history. These organizers are perfect for showcasing these great leaders and displaying their achievements for everyone to see.

Products Included in This Bundle:​

Description.

Black History Month Biography Research Bulletin Board: Celebrate Black History Month  with this Research Bulletin Board using these Influential Black Leaders Teach-Go Pennants®. This packet includes templates of 50 Influential Individuals who significantly impacted history. These organizers are perfect for showcasing these great leaders and displaying their achievements for everyone to see.

• Zip file: file 1 is pennants, file 2 is optional head toppers for leaders
• Print & digital options included, see page 3 & 4 for digital info.
• Color and BW options available
• Clickable Table of Contents
• Leader Toppers in color and bw options
• Grading Rubric included
• Blank Pennants for you to study any other men/ women not in list.
• Actual research is  not included  in this packet; these are only research templates.

LEADERS INCLUDED:

*Blank for any extra individuals your student would like to research

• Arthur Ashe
• Barack Obama
• Barbara Jordan
• Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr.
• Bessie Coleman
• Billie Holiday
• Booker T. Washington
• Gen. Colin Powell
• Condoleezza Rice
• Daniel Hale Williams
• Elijah McCoy
• Frederick Douglass
• Garrett Morgan
• George Washington Carver
• Mae Jemison
• Harriet Tubman
• Hattie McDaniel
• Jackie Robinson
• James Weldon Johnson
• Katherine Johnson
• Langston Hughes
• Louis Armstrong
• Mary McLeod Bethune
• Matthew Henson
• Michael Jordan
• Michelle Obama
• Misty Copeland
• Martin Luther King Jr.
• Muhammad Ali
• Ralph Ellison
• Robert Robinson Taylor
• Shirley Chisholm
• Sojourner Truth
• Thurgood Marshall
• W.E.B. BuBois
• Jackie Joyner Kersee
• Maya Angelou
• Oprah Winfrey
• Wangari Maathai
• Whoopi Goldberg
• Evelyn Boyd Granville
• Shirley Ann Jackson
• Serena Williams
• Simone Biles
• Wilma Rudolph
• Lisa Leslie
• Ruby Bridges
• Kamala Harris (Added 2/2021)

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT OVER 200 TEACH-GO PENNANTS™

If you have questions do not hesitate in emailing me at:  Ladybug Shop Email

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All rights reserved by  Jacqueline Ortiz ©The Little Ladybug Shop  . This product is to be used by the original downloader ONLY. Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, department, school, or school system is prohibited. This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Intended for classroom and personal use ONLY.

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