Black History Month 2022 at Chandler School

Throughout the month of February, our Chandler students have engaged in a wide variety of learning experiences to honor Black History Month.
We are excited to share a few highlights throughout the lower and middle school: 
 
In Kindergarten, both classes focused their storytime on celebrating the beauty of Black joy. They used read alouds to teach and discuss various aspects of Black culture, ranging from music to hair to visual art. 
Some of the book titles the kindergarteners read together include: 
  • Parker Looks Up by Jessica Curry and Parker Curry 
  • Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews 
  • Little Melba and her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown and Frank Morrison
  • I Love My Hair by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley 
  • Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry
  • Hair Twins by Raakhee Mirchandani 
  • Straight Hair, Curly Hair by Augusta Goldin 
  • I am Enough by Grace Byers 
This month, the classes also continued their identity study focused on hair. They utilized read alouds to access a deeper understanding of self identity for the children in their classrooms. Children had the opportunity to choose which type of hair follicle they identified with from the book “Straight Hair, Curly Hair". After reading the story children were seen gathered around tables with mirrors and magnifying glasses exploring their own hair identity. 
 
In First Grade, students spent time this month learning about figures in Black History who have made a big difference in our world. One of the people students learned about was Jackie Robinson - the first Black athlete who was allowed to play Major League Baseball. Students read and learned about Jackie Robinsons’ life, including his contributions both on and off the baseball field. In the upcoming weeks, the first graders will create their own baseball jersey and identify Jackie's character traits that helped make him who he was. The students will also have the opportunity to make their own connections to Jackie and think through ways they can make a big difference in our world. 
 
During their unit on Civil Rights and Changemakers, Third Grade began by learning about Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream Speech”. Students were asked to memorize a line from the famous speech and then recited the speech in Johnson Courtyard. In addition to studying Dr. King, the third graders also engaged with several read aloud selections including: 
  • March On: The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World by Christine King Farris
  • Ayanna the Brave by Spencer Kayden
  • Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges
  • Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman by Kathleen Krull 
As a culmination to this unit, the third grade is working on an interdisciplinary writing and social studies project focused on an African American Hero who is an example of Black Excellence and Black Joy. After selecting the hero of their choice, the students will have the opportunity to research their hero's early life, accomplishments, and legacy and write an "All About" book detailing their learning. They will design the book's cover with watercolors and include pictures as well as text. 
 
During the Historical Film Elective in Middle School, students engaged in viewing a series of documentaries highlighting Black Excellence. The first, entitled Zion, tells the impactful story of Zion Clark, a high school wrestler who was born without legs and finds success wrestling against his able-bodied peers.  The second, Summer of Soul, is described as a “powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion.” It tells the story of the Harlem Cultural Festival and features concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension and more. The students were excited to hear great music while also learning about what led up to this concert series and the summer of 1969.
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