Famous African American Trading Cards

• The aim of this lesson is the creation of a set of trading cards featuring famous African Americans. This lesson will allow your students to research famous African Americans and learn about their importance to American History. It will also allow them to have a little bit of fun in the classroom. It will help to broaden and deepen their perspective on American History.
  
  The prerequisites of this lesson would be a basic knowledge of American history and a basic understanding of the importance of African Americans in American culture. It will also require basic safety skills, such as the ability to use scissors and glue carefully. It will also require some basic computer skills, as they will be printing things. This exercise works best for students in high school.
  
  The materials for this lesson plan include scissors, strong cardboard, glue, Internet access, a computer and a printer. American history books focusing on the Civil War to modern times will also be important. If students don't have access to a computer or the Internet at home, they should be given access to a school computer as often as they need.
  
  The teacher will introduce the topic early in the year. The students will have at least a week to finish their task, but two weeks may also be appropriate. The students will go home and create as many African American trading cards as they can in that time. These will be brought to class on the day they are due and shared with the classmates. Each student will give a brief presentation on an African American they admire, and then they can spend the rest of the class period trading cards and talking amongst themselves.
  
  The grading of this lesson will be judged simply by how many cards the students produce. If a student produces less than 10, they should receive an F. If the student produces 10 to 19, they should receive a D, with 17 to 19 being a D+, 13 to 16 being a D and 10 to 12 being a D-. The same grading pattern is followed for higher grades, with 20 to 29 being a C, 30 to 39 receiving a B and anything above 40 garnering an A.
  
  

Jazz and Improvisation

• This lesson will teach music students all about the African American music form called jazz. The main component of jazz music that separates it from other forms of music is its improvisational nature. Your music students will learn the rudiments of improvisation and will learn how important this form of music was to American music in the 20th century.
  
  Your music students should have a moderate understanding of music theory. They should be able to read music and play their instrument competently. They should also have a basic understanding of music history, especially 20th century music. This lesson should only be taught in high school.
  
  Materials will include each student's instrument. It will also include a music history book, a music theory guide and a book about improvisational techniques and styles.
  
  Assign the chapters on jazz music from your music books. Give them term-matching assignments. These terms should include famous jazz musicians, improvisation terms, techniques and the importance of improvisation in jazz. They should also write a two- to three-page essay on the importance of African-American jazz in music history. Each student should be given a chance to briefly improvise over either pre-recorded music or music played by their classmates. Encourage each student to improvise over many different styles of jazz.
  
  The grading for this lesson will be simple. The matching assignments will be graded mathematically. Twenty questions should be used, with 19 to 20 correct answers receiving an A, 17 to 18 a B, 15 to 16 a C, 13 to 14 a D and anything below an F. The essay should be graded on information, coherency and depth of thought. The improvisational segment will be graded according to the student's playing ability. If she is able to improvise around the basic melody successfully, she should receive an A. This assignment is one that should only receive an F if the student refuses to improvise. A C should be given to any student brave enough to improvise, a B given to a student who improvises variations on the basic melody and an A given to a student who improvises coherent separate melodies.
  
  

African American Inventors

• This lesson will teach students about the importance of African American inventors throughout history. It will deepen their appreciation for the influence other races have on their culture and will broaden their knowledge of inventors. By the end of the lesson, each student should be able to name up to ten important African-American inventors and their inventions.
  
  A basic understanding of African American history from the Civil War to modern times is vital to this lesson. This lesson can be taught from about sixth grade to senior year. Students should also possess a basic understanding of the importance of inventions throughout history.
  
  Each student should have access to an American history book focusing on the Civil War to modern times. Worksheets discussing different African American inventors should also be provided for each student. They should have access to the library or Internet to find sources of information on these inventors.
  
  This lesson plan should begin with you defining inventors and inventions. This can be done to introduce the younger students to the concept, or refresh the memories of older students. Briefly discuss African American inventions and inventors with your student and give them a list of African American inventors. This list should include dozens of inventors and their inventions. Each student should be given a week to research ten inventors who interest them. They should write briefs on each inventor, including their life, the importance of their inventions and other inventions inspired by their discovery. These briefs will be turned into class after the week has passed. Oral reports can be given on these inventors, but this is optional.
  
  Grading for this assignment should be done based on the depth each student delves into their inventors. Writing about all ten of their inventors should guarantee a C. Students who go into biographical detail and who discuss the importance of their subjects' inventions should receive a B. Students who write up all ten inventors, discuss the importance of the inventions and can discuss variations on these inventions should receive an A. The depth of their research should be apparent in their reports.