Teaching Ideas
Explore jumping-off points that deepen discussions, inspire reading interest, and support connections to books and authors. Easily share and include in your instructional plans, newsletters, and social media.
Black History Month
February is Black History Month. TeachingBooks can help you celebrate, incorporate, and honor Black History any time of year!
Explore our entire African American Collection for thousands of texts representing African American cultural experiences and corresponding resources. Use filters to narrow by genre, grade level, and more.
Browse award-winning titles, such as recipients of the Coretta Scott King Book Award or the BCALA Children and Youth Literary Awards.
Incorporate and share selected resources:
Celebrate Black history and Black joy with this inspiring video book trailer for We Are Here and with the moving complete video book reading of You So Black.
Try some simple math activities for younger readers using this activity kit for Yumbo Gumbo.
Ponder fairy tales and retellings using the concept review ideas on page 2 of this activity kit for Mahogany: A Little Red Riding Hood Tale.
Inspire students with the story of the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court in this audiobook excerpt for All Rise: The Story of Ketanji Brown Jackson. Then, have students research and write about the lives and work of other “first” African Americans in our nation's history.
Practice vocabulary and expression by inviting students to choose their own words and lines just like author Zaila Avant-Garde did in Words of Wonder from Z to A. Watch the complete video reading for inspiration.
Map out “muses” with this template for older readers after listening to the Meet-the-Author Recording with Brynne Barnes about Black Girl Rising. Younger readers can fill in the “inspiration rainbow” in this educator guide. Access the author's Invitation to Imagine to create blackout poetry.
Listen to this fun audiobook excerpt for There Was a Party for Langston, then celebrate with festive cut-outs and more in these activity sheets. Have students write about who inspires them with the “Inspiration and Gratitude” prompt in these educational activities.
Explore titles on this thematic list: People Make the Difference: A Celebration of Black History Month, from Reading Rockets.
Delight and draw in readers while promoting recent titles by African American authors with book trailers such as these! Create Shelf Talkers to use in your space!
- Mystery
- The Marvellers (Middle Grade)
- The Girl in the Lake (Middle Grade)
- Kingston and the Magician’s Lost and Found (Middle Grade)
- Ace of Spades (YA)
- White Smoke (YA)
- Fantasy
- Amari and the Night Brothers (Middle Grade)
- Nic Blake and the Remarkables (Middle Grade)
- Daybreak on Raven Island (Middle Grade)
- This Wicked Fate (YA)
- Rust in the Root (YA)
- Blood Like Magic (YA)