Would you like to introduce students to leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, the founders of jazz, blues and soul music, the writers of the Harlem Renaissance, and other historic figures?

MarcoPolo features some great lessons that can help teachers explore the meaning and significance of Black History Month this February.

Feel free to share this message with anyone who may be interested in these lessons or in MarcoPolo.

"Families in Bondage"
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/06neh_families.cfm
Subject Areas: U.S. History, Language Arts, Social Studies
Grade Level: 9-12
This two-part EDSITEment lesson plan draws on letters written by both enslaved and free African Americans, offering students a glimpse into slavery and its effects on African American family life.

"Harriet Tubman"
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/06kc__harriet.cfm
Subject Areas: Language Arts, Performing Arts, U.S. History, Social Studies, Journalism, Music, Visual Arts, Literature, Dance, Painting, Folk Arts
Grade Level: K-4
This ARTSEDGE integrated unit incorporates five lessons, allowing students to learn about the life and times of Harriet Tubman through music, art, dance, literature and reference materials. Lessons in this unit can be adapted to focus on other famous people -- African Americans, famous women, freedom fighters, people involved in the Civil War or the Underground Railroad and others.

"Martin Luther King, Jr. Day"
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/06nce_martin.cfm
Subject Areas: Economics, U.S. History, Social Studies
Grade Level: 6-12
In this EconEdLink lesson, students explore the history behind this charismatic man and learn about the relationship between Civil Rights legislation and the development of the black middle class.

"Learning the Blues"
http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/06neh_blues.cfm
Subject Areas: American Literature, Poetry, Art and Culture, Music, Social Studies, U.S. History
Grade Level: 6-12
This EDSITEment lesson introduces students to the blues, one of the most distinctive and influential elements of African American musical tradition. Students learn the history and evolution of the blues in relation to the African American experience, examine the structure and language of blues lyrics and compose their own blues lyrics to reflect present-day attitudes and concerns.
 

These are just a few of the numerous units offered by MarcoPolo partners that explore African American life and history. MarcoPolo features a specially designed search engine that can help you quickly find classroom-ready lesson plans that work with your existing curriculum. To find additional lessons on Black History Month, go to the search engine at http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/06mp__search.cfm and try the following search terms: African American, slavery, black history, civil rights, Martin Luther King, Jr., or others that match your classroom needs.

*********************************
Free Teacher's Guides
Teachers will find a wealth of original content and information on MarcoPolo and its partner web sites, and all content on the site is free for educators to access and use.

MarcoPolo Teacher's Guides will walk you through the MarcoPolo site and six partner web sites to give you ideas for using MarcoPolo: Internet Content for the Classroom in your current curriculum. The guides feature step-by-step tours of the MarcoPolo educational web sites, age-appropriate sample lesson plans and student handouts for each site. Request free copies of these guides at http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/06mp__order.cfm.

*********************************
Free Professional Development
The MCI Foundation provides free on-site professional development to teacher trainers nationwide. MarcoPolo training is in 46 states and has reached more than 10,000 educators to date.

Built on a train-the-trainer model, the MarcoPolo program is designed to help teachers effectively integrate Internet content into the K-12 curriculum. The Professional Development Training Program provides best practices guidelines for managing an Internet-equipped classroom. Request free training for your district at http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/06mp__rft.cfm or download free MarcoPolo training materials at http://www.marcopolo-education.org/partner/06mp__literature.cfm.

*********************************
If you do not wish to receive future updates and information about MarcoPolo, please send a new e-mail message to news@marcopoloinfo.com and type "remove BHM" in the subject field.

If this message was forwarded to you and you'd like to receive similar newsletters from MarcoPolo, please send a new e-mail message to news@marcopoloinfo.com and type "subscribe BHM" in the subject field.

is the founder and an active
contributor to the MarcoPolo partnership, providing
staff, technical support and funding since 1997.


Copyright © 2004 Verizon Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.marcopolo-education.org