Black History Month
Integrating Art, Mathematics and Literacy to Motivate Reading and Writing (Virtual Tour)
Stage of Literacy Development:
Stage 3: Literacy for GrowthAges:
7-12
Grade Range:
3rd 4th 5th 6thFood Groups:
Primary: Knowledge Building, Text Structures & Genres Secondary: Motivation for Literacy
Transcript
In my program, I often integrate literature into mathematics. For example, during Black History Month I read the story, Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt and the students used their understanding of transformations to create their own 'Freedom Quilt' map. As part of our writing program, students enjoy making student created class books. Each student works on a page on whatever it is we have been learning about and then we work together to make the table of contents, the index, the glossary and a class created title page. For instance, students did research in the month of February for Black History Month on different people and the important contributions they have made in Black history. We then created this book with poetry in it about these individuals so that we can look back and learn more about how these people have made a difference in our world. Some other examples of books that we have created are books about the sports in the Winter Olympics, non-fiction books that the students had researched on their own with topics that interested them such as sports or dinosaurs, whatever it is that the students would like to choose. Also at the end of the year, students like to create books about the procedures that they do in my class each day so that they can share those with students coming into my class next year. Students enjoy seeing the books that they created in the classroom. These books are displayed year after year in the classroom long after the students are no longer in my class. Many come back asking if the books are still being read by my new students.
Related References
Activity Objective
The goal of Black History Month: Integrating Art, Mathematics and Literacy to Motivate Reading and Writing (Virtual Tour) is to encourage students to inquire about important events and people in Black history in an integrated geometry and writing activity. After reading the book Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt, students draw on their knowledge of transforming shapes to create their own 'Freedom Quilt' maps, similar to those used to guide the characters in the book to freedom. Students also research important individuals in Black history before writing poetry to be compiled in a book that is shared with future classes.
Quick Tips
Additional Comments:
- Students can write an explanation of how their quilt represents their family's story and how it can be used as a map. This will ensure that the students are not simply transforming shapes but are keeping in mind the task at hand.
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