black history month biography project biography report informational writing

Mrs. Nelson Teaches

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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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Biography Report Informational Writing – Black History Month Biography Project

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Black History

Civil Rights Movement Timeline

The civil rights movement was an organized effort by black Americans to end racial discrimination and gain equal rights under the law. It began in the late 1940s and ended in the late 1960s.

Rosa Parks (1913—2005) helped initiate the civil rights movement in the United States when she refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Alabama bus in 1955. Her actions inspired the leaders of the local Black community to organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Black History Month

February is dedicated as Black History Month, honoring the triumphs and struggles of African Americans throughout U.S. history.

Black History Milestones: Timeline

Black history in the United States is a rich and varied chronicle of slavery and liberty, oppression and progress, segregation and achievement.

Coretta Scott King

After her husband became pastor, Coretta Scott King joined the choir at the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church. Hear two of her friends and members of the congregation remember Mrs. King’s legacy and her voice.

When Segregationists Bombed Martin Luther King Jr.’s House

On January 30, 1956, Martin Luther King Jr.’s house was bombed by segregationists in retaliation for the success of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Brown v. Board of Education

In 1954, the Supreme Court unanimously strikes down segregation in public schools, sparking the Civil Rights movement.

How the Montgomery Bus Boycott Accelerated the Civil Rights Movement

For 382 days, almost the entire African‑American population of Montgomery, Alabama, including leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, refused to ride on segregated buses, a turning point in the American civil rights movement.

The Black Explorer Who May Have Reached the North Pole First

In 1909 African American Matthew Henson trekked with explorer Robert Peary, reaching what they claimed was the North Pole. Who got there first?

How Madam C.J. Walker Became a Self‑Made Millionaire

Despite Jim Crow oppression, Walker founded her own haircare company that helped thousands of African American women gain financial independence.

8 Black Inventors Who Made Daily Life Easier

Black innovators changed the way we live through their many innovations, from the traffic light to the ironing board.

Harlem Renaissance: Photos From the African American Cultural Explosion

From jazz and blues to poetry and prose to dance and theater, the Harlem Renaissance of the early 20th century was electric with creative expression by African American artists.

This Day in History

Pioneering Black doctor performs successful open‑heart surgery

Frederick douglass delivers his “what to the slave is the fourth of july” speech, fdr signs order banning discrimination in the defense industry, martha jones becomes first black woman to receive a u.s. patent, martin luther king jr. writes “letter from a birmingham jail”, misty copeland becomes american ballet theater’s first black principal dancer.

Black History Month Research Activities, Biography Report Templates

Print & Digital Bonus  Influential Black Leaders Research Templates Brochures.  This research template packet includes  50 Influential Individuals  that are important to history.

Total Pages: 200 (Color & BW) + Google Bonus File Size: 9 MB

Products Included in This Bundle:​

Description.

February is  Black History Month, every year we celebrate influential leaders throughout history. Your students will love using these Black History Month Research Brochures. This project contains 28 Influential Individuals & Civil Rights Activist that are important to history. After the individual brochures are completed, they can be displayed in the classroom or in a common area of the school to show off just how appreciated the women who made such a difference in the world are! Studying black history can be be very meaningful for your students!

Kindly Note:  Actual Research is not included in packet these are only research templates.

Kindly Note:  I have added these  templates  to  Google Slides  as a  BONUS  file!  Please read more below.  The slides are  NOT  editable, they are embedded into the background, they have text boxes for students to type into

Black History Month Project Includes:

• Please click preview to see brochure templates
• This product is  NOT Editable
• These are research templates-  research is NOT included .
• This is packet contains a rubric for grading research
• Blank brochure for you to study any other men/ women not on list.

Bonus Google Slides Digital Information:

• In download you will receive a  PDF  with the Teacher Notes with  LINK  to the bonus Google Slides.  SEE PAGE: 3.  You must download in Adobe PDF for link to work.

Influential Individuals Included (50 Included)

Blank for any extra individuals

1. Arthur Ashe

2. Barack Obama

3. Barbara Jordan

4. Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr.

5. Bessie Coleman

6. Billie Holiday

7. Booker T. Washington

8. Gen. Colin Powell

9. Condoleezza Rice

10. Daniel Hale Williams

11. Elijah McCoy

12. Fred Jones

13. Frederick Douglass

14. Garrett Morgan

15. George Washington Carver

16. Guion Bluford

17. Harriet Tubman

18. Hattie McDaniel

19. Jackie Robinson

20. James Weldon Johnson

21. John Lewis

22. Katherine Johnson

23. Langston Hughes

24. Louis Armstrong

25. Malcom X

26. Mary McLeod Bethune

27. Matthew Henson

28. Michael Jordan

29. Michelle Obama

30. Misty Copeland

31. Martin Luther King Jr.

32. Muhammad Ali

33. Ralph Ellison

34. Robert Robinson Taylor

35. Shirley Chisholm

36. Sojourner Truth

37. Thurgood Marshall

38. W.E.B. BuBois

39. Jackie Joyner Kersee

40. Maya Angelou

41. Oprah Winfrey

42. Wangari Maathai

43. Whoopi Goldberg

44. Alice Ball

45. Evelyn Boyd Granville

46. Shirley Ann Jackson

47. Serena Williams

48. Simone Biles

49. Wilma Rudolph

50. Lisa Leslie

51. Ruby Bridges

Kindly Note:  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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BLACK HISTORY MONTH Biography Writing Project & READING PASSAGES

$ 7.50 Multi-licenses $ 6.25

• Black History Month
• Language Arts
• Social Studies – History
• Resource Type
• Primary Writing Templates

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INSTANT DOWNLOAD Files will be available for download from your account once payment is confirmed. Learn more . Please contact the seller about any problems with your order using the question button below the description.

Item description

Your students will enjoy learning about about famous African Americans as they complete these engaging black history month research projects.   Students read a short reading passage, use graphic organizers to organize information & write in expository/informative formats. All of the graphic organizers are Print & Go and easy to use, plus, this bundle can be easily differentiated to multiple student learning levels.

>> INCLUDES READING PASSAGES FOR EACH OF THE 30 PEOPLE <<

Follow the Guided Research Process and use the graphic organizers to teach your class how to navigate and organize information. Students will create Important Questions (essential questions) to provide focus to their research.

There are 30 Influential Men and Women included in this bundle. Everything you need to get your students started on a beginning guided research project!

>> NO PREP & VERY EASY TO USE <<

★  Common Core Standards

★  Guided Research Process directions

★  K-W-L Template

★  “Important Question” Anchor Chart

★  What Do I Do Now?

★  Write Down Your Sources: Computer/Books

★  Influential PeopleTemplates

★  Mini-Posters

Harriet Tubman

Ruby Bridges

Sojourner Truth

Sarah E. Goode

Bessie Coleman

Marian Anderson

Billie Holliday

Wilma Rudolph

Althea Gibson

Mary Lou Williams

Phyllis Wheatley

Sarah Breedlove Walker

Alicia Coachman

Booker T. Washington

Frederick Douglass

Jackie Robinson

Jesse Owens

Marcus Garvey

Martin Luther King Jr.

Thurgood Marshall

Benjamin Banneker

Colin Powell

Bill Pickett

George Washington Carver

Langston Hughes

Michael Jordan

Barack Obama

Louis Armstrong

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Black History Month Biographies for Upper Elementary

Black History Month is not the only time to introduce your 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students to biographies of famous African Americans and their culture and history.  However, it is a great time to celebrate the culture and teach your students about African Americans who have overcome discrimination and other obstacles to help shape American history.

Often, teachers stick with well-known African Americans like Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and Barack Obama.  While these are inspiring people with inspiring stories, there are so many other influential people to introduce your upper elementary students to.

The biographies below are some of my favorites.  They tell stories of perseverance and overcoming the odds.  My 3rd grade students used some of these biographies when completing their Black History Month Research Project every year.

6 Biographies of Notable African Americans Your Students Might Not Know

1. madam c.j. walker (born sarah breedlove).

She also established several beauty schools that provided African Americans women with good jobs and encouraged African Americans to start their own businesses. Madam C.J. Walker used her wealth and influence to promote equal rights and fair treatment of African Americans. She was - and is -  an inspiration to many people.

2. Wilma Rudolph

She was born small and sickly. When Wilma was 4, she got polio. Most people who got polio during this time period either died or were permanently crippled. But not Wilma!

She was determined to overcome her disabilities and she eventually became the fast woman in the world - the first American woman to win 3 gold medals in a single Olympics!

Save yourself some time, stress, and over 40% those first weeks of school with this back to school bundle. It includes:

• No Prep Emergency Sub Plans
• No Prep Beginning of the Year Fun Packet
• A Classroom Procedure Review Activity
• An Interview a Friend Activity
• What I Wish My Teacher Knew About Me
• Back to School Ice Breakers & Writing Prompts
• Classroom Procedures Checklist

3. Bass Reeves

Note: His life as a Deputy U.S. Marshal required violence and the use of guns, and this book includes that part of his life.

4. John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie

He was born into a poor family with an abusive father, and he very angry as a child.  Eventually, he turned to music instead of fighting.

Dizzy wrote and played music in a way that had never been done before. Many people believe he is the best jazz trumpeter of all time. He helped shape jazz and bepop into what it is today.

5. Ann Cole Lowe

Ann's mom was a seamstress, and she taught Ann how to sew at a young age. When Ann was 16, her mom died, and she took over the family business. Ann's skill as a seamstress grew, and she eventually began designing one-of-a-kind dresses and became a sought after fashion designer.

6. Phillis Wheatley

Phillis was brought to America from Africa on a slave ship. She was bought by John and Susanna Wheatley. The Wheatleys taught her to read and write. They encouraged her love of reading and writing poetry. Phillis became the first African American to publish a book of poetry.

Your 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade students might also like these inspirational picture books about people that have overcome obstacles in their lives.

Or, check out these other Black History Month Ideas, including a free Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks printable.  

Never Stress Over Sub Plans Again!

Make copies, find a fiction book, and you'll be ready for any emergency that comes your way!

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Hispanic Heritage Month Biography Research Writing Activities Templates Project

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Description

Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, AAPI Month, Women's History Month made simple! Are you searching for an inspiring and captivating method to honor significant leaders in your classroom? Look no further than this easy prep Biography Report Template Lapbook Project, perfect to use to study leaders and other exceptional heroes.

This tool can be applied to any biography and is an exceptional toolkit for your students to research and learn about influential personalities.

• Print & digital options
• Color and bw printing options
• REQUIRED: students will need to complete the lap book: file folders, or large construction paper (I include directions how to fold inside).
• Grading rubric
• Student planning graphic organizer
• Front: person's name and original illustration or picture to showcase person / DOB
• Front: is famous for…
•  center: important words: quote or saying and flip book: early life, adult life, 3 achievements
• inside side 1: important life details and character traits
• inside side 2: major life events and illustration
• back: life achievements, legacy and works cited

WATCH THIS VIDEO RESOURCE IN ACTION HERE!

PERFECT FOR:

To celebrate any important and influential Leaders of the World and History.

• United States Presidents
• Black History Month
• Hispanic History Month
• Women's History Month
• Inventors History Month
• Asian History Month
• and so much more!

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OUR BIOGRAPHY PROJECTS!

This product is NOT Editable and in English Only. If you have questions do not hesitate in emailing me at: Ladybug Shop Email

PLEASE PREVIEW BEFORE PURCHASING

Thank you for visiting  The Little Ladybug Shop, I would love for you to become a follower. The Little Ladybug Shop followers receive new product information and discounts on any new items!

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.

Women's Black History Month Biography Research Activities Project Templates

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