I subbed in a sixth grade classroom this morning, and we spent an hour in the computer lab working on projects. Students are in the middle of writing papers on a famous African-American. I picked up a book that one of the students had been using as a reference, and I couldn't put it down. Ida B. Wells (1862-1931) was a journalist and Civil Rights Activist whom I have never heard of before, and her story is rivoting.
So often, we hear about slavery and the Emancipation Proclamation, and then we hear about MLK Jr. and the Civil Rights Era of the 1960's, but we do not spend much time learning about the inbetween years. To read about the discrimination and lynchings of that time, and to learn about courageous people like Ida B. Wells who fought for justice will help in my journey of understanding. I find history very beneficial in helping me understand where we are in the present.
Over the next month, as February is declared Black History Month, I encourage you to check out a few books. There are some solid children's books and middle grade books that help us to learn alongside our children and offer some very good conversation potential. Do you have any books you'd recommend?
So often, we hear about slavery and the Emancipation Proclamation, and then we hear about MLK Jr. and the Civil Rights Era of the 1960's, but we do not spend much time learning about the inbetween years. To read about the discrimination and lynchings of that time, and to learn about courageous people like Ida B. Wells who fought for justice will help in my journey of understanding. I find history very beneficial in helping me understand where we are in the present.
Over the next month, as February is declared Black History Month, I encourage you to check out a few books. There are some solid children's books and middle grade books that help us to learn alongside our children and offer some very good conversation potential. Do you have any books you'd recommend?
Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco and
ReplyDeleteThe Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson are both fantastic picture books. I love Sharon Flake's novels for middle grade kids--girls in particular. Lots of discussion potential for these books.