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Home › Classroom Resources › Calendar Activities
February 01
Take part in the African American Read-In!
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| Grades | K – 12 |
| Calendar Activity Type | Literacy-Related Event |
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Celebrate Black History Month by taking part in the National African American Read-In. Sponsored by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and NCTE, and endorsed by the International Reading Association, the goal is to document readers making the celebration of African American literacy a traditional part of Black History Month activities.
The National Director has extended the African American Read-In for the entire month of February, beginning on Friday, February 1, 2013 and ending on Thursday, February 28, 2013.
Schools, churches, libraries, bookstores, community and professional organizations, and interested citizens can make literacy a significant part of Black History Month by hosting and coordinating community Read-Ins.
Hosting a Read-In can be as simple as bringing together family and friends to share a book or as elaborate as arranging public readings and media presentations that feature professional African American writers.
To be counted as a participant, simply:
- Select books authored by African Americans;
- Conduct your Read-In(s) on the days designated; and
- Report your results by submitting the African American Read-In Host Report Card.
- 2013 National African American Read-In
This webpage from the National Council of Teachers of English is the official homepage for the African American Read-In. Included are details on the role of a host, how to submit the report card, background materials, and booklists for all ages.
- African American Read-In: Suggested Activities
This University of Minnesota resource provides a list of activities for the Read-In.
- African American Odyssey: A Quest for Full Citizenship
This Library of Congress exhibit features documents that tell the story of the African American experience, from slavery to civil rights.
- African American World
This PBS website offers an extensive collection of articles, classroom resources, and reference materials related to African American history and culture.
Grades 3 – 5 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Thundering Tall Tales: Using Read-Aloud as a Springboard to Writing
Imagination and application are key to this tall tale lesson in which students take what they know about tall tales to spin a yarn of their own.
Grades 6 – 8 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
On a Musical Note: Exploring Reading Strategies by Creating a Soundtrack
Students create a soundtrack for a novel that they have read, as they engage in such traditional reading strategies as predicting, visualizing, and questioning.
Grades 9 – 12 | Lesson Plan | Unit
Having My Say: A Multigenre Autobiography Project
Students compose a multigenre paper, modeled after the Delany sister's autobiography, Having Our Say, that includes the autobiographical narrative essay as well as an informational nonfiction piece.
Grade 9 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
A Harlem Renaissance Retrospective: Connecting Art, Music, Dance, and Poetry
Students research, evaluate, and synthesize information about the Harlem Renaissance from varied resources, create an exhibit, and highlight connections across disciplines (i.e., art, music, and poetry) using a Venn diagram.
Grades 9 – 12 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Discovering a Passion for Poetry With Langston Hughes
Through a study of Langston Hughes’ poetry, students connect his writing to his place in history.
Grades 6 – 8 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Seeing Integration From Different Viewpoints
What does the world look like through someone else's eyes? Guide students in using colorful paper glasses to examine a story of school desegregation from multiple perspectives.
Grades 3 – 5 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
Escaping Slavery: Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
Students read Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson, create a problems/solutions/events chart, and create a map with a key, compass, and landmarks surrounding their home and school.
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