News and information for staff members and the Madison community
Vol. I No. 4 - February 17, 2006
Hawthorne School - Kate Lyman
My second/third grade classroom has been studying the civil rights movement
with a focus on the children that made a difference.
We read books and saw videos about children who integrated all white schools (Ruby Bridges and The Little Rock Nine) and about children who risked their safety and even their lives to join marches to gain equal rights (the Birmingham Children's March and the voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery). The students also wrote and performed a play about Ruby Bridges.
We made connections by discussing ways in which they had advocated peacefully for change in their community or school. Students planned and wrote works of historical fiction in which they "time traveled" back to an event that they had studied during the Civil Rights Movement.
As a final activity, each student chose an event from the civil rights movement to write about and illustrate. Then we made a "human time line" as students held up their drawings and formed a chronological line which extended from Rosa Parks' birth in 1913 to her death in 2005.
Shorewood Hills School
Shorewood Hills Elementary celebrates International Week the last week in
February. There will be several displays throughout the building with
pictures and brief biographies on famous scientists, inventors, educators,
athletes, artists, musicians and politicians of various cultures, including
African Americans.
Jefferson School - Molly Tormey, 8th grade
For English in January and early February, I did a unit called "Many
Voices." It looked at writings from many ethnicities and races, including
African Americans. We also discussed racism and stereotyping.
Allis School - Amy Nelson, Music
We are listening to Zydeco and Cajun music, looking at pictures of African
American musicians and their instruments, and discussing the history of
African Americans in the New Orleans area. We are also singing French
songs, since some African Americans in the US and in Africa speak French.
We are dancing to their music, playing the washboard, and learning to tell
the difference between Cajun music and Zydeco. We had a guest artist (Matt
Paulus) play the blues on his guitar, too! (3rd grade)
Hawthorne School - Amy Covey, 1st grade
"Everyone can be great because everyone can serve." Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr.
In honor of Black History Month and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., our class has joined the efforts of other first grade classrooms involved in the math intervention project to collect 100 cans of food for the 100th day of school. We will donate our efforts to the Atwood Community Center Food Bank.
Our first grade class is also planting seeds this month. We hope to grow plants to donate to classrooms for their Hawthorne community garden plot. The produce grown in these gardens is periodically donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank.
Service learning is an amazing way to honor Black History Month!
Allis School - Steve Hurst, Art
My 5th and 4th graders are viewing some wonderful videos during Art class
about the lives and artwork of famous Black artists: Jacob Lawence, Robert
Colescott, Faith Ringgold, Betye Saar, Alison Saar and Romare Bearden.
We will be doing some art projects with regards to these artists. Romare Bearden, for example, is covered through the Smart Art Projects, targeted to 4th grade students.
Toki School
For the past six years, Toki's SANKOFA Club treats students, teachers,
parents, and community members to a wonderful presentation celebrating
Black history.
Our celebration this year will be held on Thursday, February 23. There will be presentations for students throughout the school day, with the final evening performance at 6:30 in the Toki gym. The program will include poetry recitation, rap, and African drumming performances by students, as well as music by Toki's Jazz Ensemble.
SANKOFA Club provides cultural awareness to students through artistic expression. Students learn how music and visual arts reflect the culture of Black people. Club Advisors Howard Muhammed and David Soward also lead Toki's 100 Black Men African American History Challenge Bowl Team.
Also:
Gompers School
Multicultural curriculum, including Black History, is an integral part of
the year long curriculum at Gompers. Topics, persons and ideas already
studied or to be studied include:
Pamela Ferrill (gr. 5) reads the books that are nominated for the Coretta Scott King Award and makes recommendations. She shares portions of the books with her students and keeps them abreast of the process. Pictured is a display featuring Black History; it's from the bulletin board outside Ferrill's room.
Art teacher Jennifer James incorporates the work of Romare Bearden into her curriculum. Pictured is a portion of a bulletin board display from near her room featuring African American Art.
Our K-2 music performance, February 16th, includes the songs This Little Light of Mine, and Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In.
Grades K-1 studied Martin Luther King Jr. in conjunction with his day, and have since been making connections with other multicultural readings and writing.
Second grade students are in the process of studying Africa. Third grade students have enjoyed the stories of Benjamin Beneker, Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.
Fourth grade has been studying race and racism, and has considered the question of what the world would be like without Martin Luther King, Jr. The fourth grades are also studying the "I Have a Dream" speech, and talked about their dreams and how to accomplish them.
Other readings and discussions have included: Ruby Bridges (changes in school communities,) George Washington Carver (revolutionary ideas,) Rosa Parks (civil rights,) athletes/icons (Michael Jordan, Hank Aaron, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Jackie Robinson) and other important African Americans.
Jefferson School - Amelia O'Dell, Music
I am exploring the opera "Porgy and Bess," with my 8th grade General Music
class - showing a very authentic and alive picture of the black experience
in Charleston, SC during that period.
I will also be using the Black National Anthem and I Have a Dream song while talking about "freedom" for all people, for my 6th grade general music.
We are working on a Swahili song for contest in my 6th Grade Chorus. We are also working on "Follow the Drinking Gourd" for contest with the 7th grade Chorus.
Falk School - Kim Dahl, LMC
On February 6, the students and staff at Falk joined with many readers
across the country to be part of the 17th National African American Read-In
Chain. Our Read-In was simple yet wonderful.
Our celebration of diversity began with sisters Shanda James and Shawntay Smith reading a poem over the loudspeaker. Then, all over the school, classes gathered for a read-aloud by an African American author. Wherever they were, students and staff shared some great books.
First grader Jordan Bush closed the Read-In with another poem read over the loudspeaker.
We at Falk want to acknowledge that while this was a unique opportunity to be part of a big community of readers on the same day, we read books by and about African Americans all year long, not just in February.
Muir School
We are doing an all school program honoring Black History on Thursday, February 23 from 9:30-11:30a.m. An ethnic meal, being prepared by Muir families, will follow.
Last Updated: Thu Apr 13 14:17:55 2006
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