Black History Month
February is Black History Month. As educators, it is our role and responsibility to teach and celebrate Black History Month with our students. It is important to understand the contributions that Black heroes have made in America and their struggle for freedom and equality.
Be GLAD Strategies + Black History Month
Black History Month is an important opportunity to honor the contributions, voices, and lived experiences of Black individuals—past and present—while helping students develop deeper understanding, empathy, and critical thinking skills.
These Black History Month resources are designed to support standards-aligned instruction that centers culture, language, and student voice. These tools help educators support meaningful conversations that strengthen academic language, build historical understanding, and create inclusive classroom communities where all students feel seen and valued.
Explore ready-to-use strategies and instructional supports that make teaching Black history engaging, respectful, and impactful—this month and throughout the year.
Input Charts
Use the power of an Input Chart strategy to teach about an impactful role-model like Mae Jemison! Find the resources to teach a Mae Jemison Pictorial and Narrative Input Chart HERE !
BONUS: Watch a demo on how to teach a Mae Jemison Pictorial:
Find additional resources to teach about Oprah Winfrey here !
Big Book
Got a Big Idea? The Big Book works well to teach students the main idea of your text. The main idea of this text is to teach about prominent and courageous Black heroes who had to fight against racism to achieve their goals. If you look closely, you’ll also find some extended activities for your students!
Narrative Input Chart
The Narrative Input Chart is the perfect strategy to use when teaching about the life and impact of an important Black hero. This example celebrates the hard work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is important to highlight the achievements, and also discuss the hardships with topics such as racism and inequality that is still a struggle today.
Narrative Input Chart Link Here (also in Spanish)
Additional Input Charts
Input Charts are a creative way to teach about a Black hero. Check out these awesome Pictorial Input Charts that Be GLAD trained teachers at Rocketship Schools created a few years ago.
Input Charts (Maya Angelou, Lebron James) Click Here
Process Grids
A Process Grid can make teaching and celebrating multiple Black heroes fun and organized. These examples of Process Grids are perfect to use all year long, and especially exciting to use during Black History Month!
Social Justice Process Grid- This Process Grid teaches the foundation of the “Black Lives Matter” movement. It not only has affected Black heroes in American History, but still effects our Black brothers and sisters today. This strategy delves deeper into the foundational policies and practices our country has, and its history of how it effects our Black community members.
Additional Process Grids Click Here
Poetry
Poetry is powerful and beautiful. Check out this Poem called “Black Is Beautiful” by Ann McGovern.
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We encourage you to try these lessons with your students. Share and tag us on Social Media with what you create!
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