Black History Month is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate diversity, promote equality and inspire your pupils with the achievements and contributions of Black people throughout history and today. To help you mark the occasion in meaningful ways, we’ve gathered a collection of creative, cross-curricular lesson ideas for KS1 and KS2 that you can use straight away in your classroom.
Spend some time exploring a timeline of important events in Black history as a class. Start by challenging children to arrange important events chronologically then discuss any people or events children are less familiar with.
You could then split the class into pairs or small groups and allocate one of the events for the children to explore further themselves. Once they have had time to do this, they can present the information to the rest of the class, helping children develop a deeper understanding of these important events.
Challenge children to research and write short biographies of inspirational Black figures. Possible people could include:
Encourage children to write a diary entry from the perspective of a key historical figure. For children in KS1, keep the task simple, focusing on feelings, experience and straightforward events. For children in KS2, challenge children to include reflections on fairness, justice or change.
Examples for diary entries could include:
Discuss the idea of peaceful protest with the class, showing children some images of protests from the 1960s, then challenge them to design and create their own posters with simple messages about fairness, kindness, equality and justice. Encourage children in KS1 to use short, powerful messages, such as ‘Fairness for Everyone’, ‘Kindness Matters’ or ‘We are all friends’, while KS2 children can include more developed ideas, like ‘Equal rights for all’, ‘Justice, not prejudice’ or ‘We all have a dream’.
After exploring some key figures in Black history, ask children to choose the person who inspires them the most. They then create a portrait of this person, using whichever style and media they wish. Encourage older children to think about how the style and media they choose will affect the overall feel of the finished piece.
Hold a class debate on fairness, justice or the importance of diversity in society. Split the case into ‘for’ and ‘against’ teams and give them some time to consider and develop arguments to support their given view. Possible statements to debate could include:
Peaceful protest is the best way to bring about change.
Fairness sometimes means giving more help to people who need it most.
Schools should do more to teach about equality and diversity.
Once children have had some time to prepare, they can then debate the statement as a class.
Introduce pupils to jazz (Louis Armstong, Ella Fitzgerald or Miles Davis), reggae (Bob Marley or Jimmy Cliff) or gospel (Mahalia Jackson or gospel choirs).
Start by playing short extracts from each genre, encouraging children to close their eyes and listen carefully, before discussing what instruments they can hear and how the music makes them feel.
You could then move on to exploring the cultural roots of these genres. Jazz originated in African American communities in the USA in the early 20th century and is famous for improvisation. Reggae began in Jamaica in the 1960s and often has themes of peace, justice and hope. Gospel is rooted in African American church music and is known for its joyous, powerful songs about faith and community.
Further creative ideas could include:
Clapping along to the beat of a reggae song
Trying a simple call and response song, like in gospel
Using percussion instruments to improvise along with a jazz track
Ella Fitzgerald
Black History Month provides an opportunity not just to look back at the past, but to celebrate contributions, achievements and creativity that continue to shape our world today. By weaving history, art, literacy, music and geography into your lessons, you can help pupils connect with these themes in meaningful, memorable ways.
Looking for fully-planned lessons that save you time?
Explore PlanBee’s Black History Month collection of ready-to-teach lessons and free resources.
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