Summarize important events from black history including how blacks came to the U.S. from Africa; lived in shacks and worked hard with limited food; left the south on the Underground Railroad; were emancipated but continued to struggle; learned to read and farm in ways that maximized their yields; worked toward integration; and got elected to Congress and the Presidency. Children should draw their versions of each event using crayons and any other materials they choose. Spray each drawing with a fixative. Children should center and mount each drawing on a piece of newsprint, glue the products to construction paper and place them in scrapbooks.
Prepare foods such as chitlins, collard greens and hoecakes, which were typically eaten by blacks during the 1800s. Children should try each food, and replicate the food in modeling dough created by combining and kneading 1 cup of vegetable oil, 6 cups of flour and 1 cup of water. Paint the replicas. When dry, place the "food" in baggies and store in each child's scrapbook.
Have children create beds from straw and rags, then try to sleep on their beds. Photograph each child in a bed. Mount the photos on felt and place each child's photo in his scrapbook.
List famous African-American athletes, musicians/artists, dancers/actors, writers/educators, scientists/inventors and politicians/activists. Focus on one person at a time. Describe the person's contributions and play pertinent videos or audio materials. Have the class create, direct and perform a skit pertaining to the person's life. Rotate the starring roles so that each person in the class gets to play at least one famous person. Photograph scenes from each skit. Center and mount the photos on chalked card stock, created by grating chalk over a cookie sheet covered with water. Lay card stock over the water and press gently so the chalk adheres to the paper. Let dry, then spray with a sealant. Glue each mounted photo to heavy construction paper. Store at least one photo from each skit in each child's scrapbook.
Print black and white portraits of each famous person. Reduce or enlarge the portraits so each one is the same size. Have children color each portrait, then decoupage frames using construction paper and pictures obtained from websites and magazines. Cut each sheet of construction paper so its interior dimensions accommodate the portraits. The pictures should be sealed with shellac or a spray fixative, and then attached to the construction paper with PVA glue. Varnish the frames. When dry, center and glue each frame to the corresponding portrait; glue each framed portrait to another sheet of construction paper. Store each child's framed portraits in his scrapbook.