ON THIS DAY...IN BLACK HISTORY!
WHAT?
important things to know!
All facts have been verified by at least three different credible sources.
We all know that everything that's on the internet isn't true. The requirement I had for every fact is that I should be able to find it on at least three sites that included publications, city archives, or direct source sites about the fact. (For example, if it is a fact about an astronaut, I knew that I should be able to find it on NASA.gov.) If I couldn't verify it using my requirement, I didn't include the fact.
Birthdays and Death dates are not included.
Each fact is a fact about an actual event. I want to be able to extend learning as much as possible with each fact. I wanted each fact to include an actual event or action that students can learn and be given the opportunity to extend their learning.
There are a variety of topics included!
The goal is to make students' curious for more information. Learning opportunities are extensive for each fact. Enough information is given, with the opportunity for more information to be learned if students are given time to "research", (Please see my "Tell Us Something We Don't Know" routine below.) Also, it provides the opportunity for specific questions to be asked to direct students' thinking.
On This Day...In Black History gives a Black History fact for each day of the month. I originally came up with the idea to create this for my students when I decided that I wanted them to practice with Parts of Speech and sentence structure. I wanted this practice quick and something repetitive for them to do daily. I am for embedded learning always! I"m always looking for ways that my students can learn something new or relevant, while practicing something else. I decided that rather than using random sentences about nothing, I would use Black History related facts. It just made sense at that moment to create a fact relevant of the day since I wanted my students to practice everyday.
Each set includes:
A PDF set of the graphic organizer sheet with each fact - The graphic organizer is a modified K-W-L (Know, Wonder, Learned). This is the most convenient option for printing off the set and giving students a copy for a monthly journal/folder.
A PPT of the graphic organizer sheet with each fact - The graphic organizer is a modified K-W-L (Know, Wonder, Learned). This is the most convenient option if you use Microsoft or Teams Classroom or personal use. For my students, I assign the Powerpoint as an assignment. Each day they are able to go in and fill out their organizer for that day without submission. If I want to check, I'm able to go in every day and look at what they've done.
A Google Slides version of the graphic organizer sheet with each fact - The graphic organizer is a modified K-W-L (Know, Wonder, Learned). This is the most convenient option if you use Google Classroom.
An image of each Graphic Organizer Sheet if only individual dates/sheets are used and embedded into a different platform or presentation, assigned, or printed.
Square image in color - This is the convenient option for embedding the post on a Morning Slide, presentation, site, etc. It is also the most convenient for quick referencing.
WHY?
SELF-EXPLANATORY! But, I'll also explain. Black History is 365 days, not just 28 days a year. Many times, when Black History is taught it is general and incorporates those familiar names and it is a reteaching of what students have already learned in previous years. There are so many Black activists, inventors, scientists, etc. that did amazing things and many students do not even know about. When I created these I intentionally avoided birthdays and/or days of death. I wanted to make sure that each date provided an actual fact about something that happened and provided the opportunity for students to extend their learning about a variety of things.
HOW?
The beauty of using "On This Day" is that it can always fit in and go as deep as you choose. Like I stated, I originally created these as a result of having relevant sentences for my students to practice Parts of Speech and sentence structure. However, it has done much more.
At minimum, I post "On This Day" on our Welcome Screen and my students have it in their pre-lesson routine to "mark it up".
What I do most days is post the fact and have students write one question they have about the fact. IT HAS BEEN THE BEST THING! From there I have serval options:
I can answer my students' questions in that moment and provide additional information.
I can save my students' questions and incorporate readings or activities about the situation at a later date.
I can encourage my students to find out the answer to their question when they have time. I have a routine in my class I call "Tell Us Something We Don't Know!" In this routine, my students understand that other people might know the information they found. However, it motivates them to research and read to really try to find an interesting fact. The Goal is for it to be something that I've never told or taught them. On certain days, I restrict the topic they're telling about. This is a perfect extension to "On This Day" facts. I tell them to tell me more about a specific fact or any fact that week.