MarcoGram February 2004 -- Black History Month: Pursuing the American Dream

Black History Month: Pursuing the American Dream
This year marks an important anniversary in the field of education -- the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, a pivotal court case in which the U.S. Supreme Court declared segregation in education to be unlawful. Join the MarcoGram in celebrating Black History Month with activities and lessons about the Underground Railroad, African-American poetry and much more. Use the warm-up activities below to help students learn about important people and events in African-American history, then scroll down for links to more lessons and resources.

Photograph of Langston Hughes courtesy of American Memory.

1. Langston Hughes (1902-1967) was an African-American novelist and poet with a strong voice. Through his writings, he aimed to draw attention to the common hopes and dreams of blacks living in America. He expressed the belief that minorities should be given equal opportunity to attain the American dream.

What is your definition of the American dream? Do you think a person's definition of the American dream is affected by their ethnic background? Do you think the American dream is attainable? Why or why not?

Ask students to conduct research on the Internet or in the library to find examples of poems, plays, songs or political cartoons that depict the search for the American dream. What are the common elements of the dream? What is the general emotion of the writer about achieving the dream -- is he or she optimistic or pessimistic? Conclude with your personal requirements for achieving your American dream, including steps you can take to reach your goal.

Explore Langston Hughes's vision of the American dream in:

"Discovering a Passion for Poetry with Langston Hughes" (9-12) from ReadWriteThink, International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English

"Quest for the American Dream in A Raisin in the Sun" (9-12) from EDSITEment, National Endowment for the Humanities

"The Poet's Voice: Langston Hughes and You" (6-8) from EDSITEment, National Endowment for the Humanities

"Varying Views of America" (9-12) from ReadWriteThink, International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English

Image © Microsoft Design Gallery Live.

2. During the 1800s, freed and enslaved blacks secretly fled the oppressive conditions in the South through the Underground Railroad, a network of people who provided shelter, food and transportation en route to freedom. While it was neither underground nor a mechanized mode of transportation, the Underground Railroad continued as long as people were willing to help those in need.

Where would you go if you needed help? (Possible scenarios include help with schoolwork, an injury or personal problems.) What might motivate one person to help another in need? What might be the benefits and drawbacks of being helpful?

Separate the class into groups of two or three students and provide each group with the name of someone who was involved with the Underground Railroad -- either someone who provided help or one who accepted help. (Biographical sketches, narratives and diaries can be found in African-American Odyssey, available through American Memory, a Partner-approved Web site.) Give each group the following assignment: Use Internet or library resources to find more biographical information on your assigned person, including how he or she took part in the Underground Railroad. Then, mark on a map some points of interest, such as where your person lived or the route he or she traveled to freedom. When all groups are finished, connect the map points with colored yarn, creating a visual representation of how a network of people worked together to help one another.

Learn more about the Underground Railroad in:

"John Brown and the Underground Railroad" (9-12) from Xpeditions, National Geographic Society

"Reliving History Through Slave Narratives" (5-8) from ARTSEDGE, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

"Slave Narratives: Constructing U.S. History Through Analyzing Primary Sources" (3-5) from EDSITEment, National Endowment for the Humanities

"Would You Have Helped Out?" (6-8) from Xpeditions, National Geographic Society

3. In the 1800s, the southern climate was perfect for growing tobacco and cotton, but the crops seriously depleted minerals from the land. Agricultural scientist George Washington Carver, a former slave, discovered that peanuts and other vegetables would give minerals back to the land, so he encouraged farmers to rotate their crops by planting cotton one year, peanuts the next. His plan helped avoid an ecological and economic disaster.

Name some crops or animals that you would find on a farm. Why might farmers grow a variety of crops or animals instead of just one type? Where on a farm might you find farmers using modern techniques, such as machines, chemicals or computers?

Plan a classroom experiment where students will grow bean sprouts under different conditions. First, have students discuss what might be the ideal situation for growing bean sprouts. Then, separate the class into two groups. Provide each group with seeds and assign the groups radically different growing environments, such as sunlamps versus a dark closet, a hot area versus drafty, etc. Remember to create a control group with perfect growing conditions, against which the groups can chart their progress. As the plants grow, ask students to use the library or Internet to research how farmers use technology to overcome similar adverse growing conditions.

Explore the use of technology on farms in:

"Crops 1: Where Does Your Food Come From?" (K-2) from Science NetLinks, American Association for the Advancement of Science

"Modern Technology and Farming" (3-5) from Science NetLinks, American Association for the Advancement of Science

"Peanuts, Pecans and Peas, Please" (3-5) from EconEdLink, National Council on Economic Education

"The Mystery of the Amazing Farmers" (3-8) from EconEdLink, National Council on Economic Education

4. During the time the Underground Railroad was active, many slaves did not have easy access to resources to learn how to read or write. To overcome this obstacle, they developed other modes of communication, such as music or art. Fabric quilts often included special designs and colors that revealed secret messages, especially to those who wanted to find safe passage through the Underground Railroad.

Do you share a secret mode of communication with a friend? What is your method of communication -- do you use words, pictures or hand signals?

Ask for a show of hands how many students know how to get to the principal's office. Select one student to explain in words the correct route. Then, ask another student to draw the route on the chalkboard without using words. Which is easier for students to understand -- the verbal directions or the picture? Ask students to draw maps to the nurse's office, gymnasium or cafeteria, without using words. Older students can draw maps to their homes, or use basic drawing software on a computer, if available. Then, students should swap maps with the person next to them and see if the they can figure out where the maps are telling them to go.

Discover how people communicate with pictures or music in:

"Escaping Slavery: Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt" (3-5) from ReadWriteThink, International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English

"Finding Your Way: The Underground Railroad" (K-2) from Xpeditions, National Geographic Society

"Follow the Drinking Gourd" (K-4) from ARTSEDGE, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

"Going Places: Handy Map" (K-2) from Illuminations, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

"Paper Quilts" (3-5) from Illuminations, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

"Quilting: The Story of the Underground Railroad" (3-5) from Xpeditions, National Geographic Society