Examples of Greatness: A Study of the Lives of Famous African Americans

Jeanne Munoz
Curriculum Integration Specialist

This Integrate Project meets North Carolina standards for English and language arts for 5th to 8th grade. Students use database, word processing, and presentation tools.The unit duration is 60 minutes per day for four weeks.

After participating in a class brainstorming session, students categorize famous African Americans by fields of expertise then form small groups representing each category. They receive an overview of the class project, a list of famous African Americans from that field, and a list of resources as a starting point to begin their research.

Each group creates a database of information then submits the group's database to the teacher to create one large database made up of each group's database. During computer lab time, students use the database to sort, filter, and custom filter the information to draw conclusions about the famous people.

From the list of people in their category, each student in the group chooses a person and locates a biography about that person. Using a word processor, students create diaries for their selected individual.

Groups also create presentations of their findings and participate in peer evaluations of the presentations. Students also self-assess their group work and project.

As a final project, students reflect on their thoughts about the contribution of African Americans to our history and society in an essay.

This Integrate Project includes a lesson plan that lists academic and technology standards addressed, an introductory lesson, student centered activities, and lists all the resources needed. Samples of student activities are also included.

Note: If you are using Netscape on a Macintosh, you will not be able to open the student activities that use MS Excel. Please use Internet Explorer to open these files.

A Study of the Lives of Famous African Americans Lesson (MS Word)

Student Activities
Famous African American Scientists Database (MS Excel)
The Diary of Rosa Parks (MS Word)
Famous African American Scientists Slide Show (MS PowerPoint)

©2001 Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited. All rights reserved.