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Home | Learning Tools | Science Corner | Black History Month Scientist and Aviator Web Scavenger Hunt

Black History Month Scientist and Aviator Web Scavenger Hunt
Jonathan Cohen

This month, schools across the country celebrate Black History. Here is a short scavenger hunt to spark students' curiosity about African American scientists, astronauts and aviators. You will find some familiar names like Benjamin Banneker (who some consider to be the first African American scientist) and, maybe discover someone new.

Objective: At the end of the lesson the student will be able to describe the achievements of a few African American scientists.
Grade Level: 7-10+
Time Frame:45-60 minutes; more for bonus questions or extra credit

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Directions: Find answers to these questions by following the web links.

The First African American in Space

http://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?ti=05E44000


Source: NASA

  1. Who was the first African American in space?
  2. How did his education prepare him to be an astronaut?
  3. Bonus: What is his nickname?

Super bonus: The first black man in space was Colonel Tamayo-Mendez, a cosmonaut on a Russian spacecraft called Soyuz 38. He reached space in 1980, three years before Guion. What country is cosmonaut Tamayo-Mendez from?
________________________________________________________________

Inventor, Surveyor, Writer, and Publisher
This man helped plan the city of Washington D.C., and published an annual almanac during the 1790s.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/BHM/banneker/index.shtml

  1. Who was this man?
  2. What is an almanac?
  3. What are some useful facts you can find in an almanac? ________________________________________________________________

First Black Woman in Space

http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/women/TODTWD97/jemison.bio.html


Source: NASA

  1. Who was the first black woman in space?

Bonus: What is the goal of the Mae Jemison Institute at Dartmouth College?

http://www.apple.com/applemasters/maejemison/

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Bessie Coleman: The First Black Airplane Pilot

Back in the 1920s airplanes were pretty new, kind of like electric cars today. Unlike cars, they were pretty tough to fly. Prejudiced people thought that women and black people weren't smart enough to pilot an airplane. This bigoted attitude didn't stop Brave Bessie from getting her pilot's license. She traveled to Europe to study flying because no American flying school would accept an African American student in 1920. When she returned, she became famous performing daredevil stunts in air shows all around American.

http://www.gale.com/freresrc/blkhstry/colemanb.htm

  1. Where did Bessie learn to fly?
  2. Why couldn't she get her pilot's training here in the USA?
  3. Bessie Coleman was famous for her daring style of barnstorming.
    What is barnstorming?
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Pioneer of plasma transfusion and blood banking

Ever heard of blood transfusion? It is when someone who is hurt or in surgery has some extra blood put into his or her body. This African American doctor pioneered blood banks and the use of blood plasma for transfusion. He also helped create the Howard University Medical School.

http://library.thinkquest.org/10320/Drew.htm

  1. Who is the African American doctor who pioneered blood banks?
  2. What is the difference between plasma and whole blood?
  3. Why do you think blood banks are important?
    ________________________________________________________________

George Washington Carver: Pioneer of sustainable agriculture, innovator of appropriate technology

George Washington Carver is famous for inventing many uses for peanuts. However, few people today understand why his work was so important to the lives of poor farmers.

http://www.invent.org/book/book-text/23.html

  1. What is crop rotation?
  2. Why is it good for farmers to switch off between growing peanuts and growing cotton?
  3. How did George Washington Carver's chemical inventions help peanut farmers?

Go to the website listed below at the Tuskegee Institute National Historic site. Choose one of the pictures from George Washington Carver's house and laboratory that interest to you, make a quick drawing, and describe the picture.

http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/tuskegee/intro.htm

________________________________________________________________

The Real McCoy

This 19th century inventor was the son of former slaves.

http://deepcnet.usi.edu/engintech/misc/emccoy/emccoy.htm

  1. Who was this inventor?
  2. What is his most famous invention?
  3. Why was his invention so important and useful when he created it?
  4. What does the expression "The Real McCoy" mean?

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Extra Credit
Do you know other African American scientists, inventors, aviators or astronauts?
Use the web or the library to do some further research.


If you need help getting started, here are some interesting Americans to learn about: Dr. Lloyd Quarterman, Norbert Rilliuex, Prof. Mary McLeod Bethune, Lewis Latimer, Dr. Katherine G. Johnson, Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, Garrett Morgan and the Tuskegee Airmen.

 

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