This February Let’s Teach Empathy and Acceptance BY PARKER PORTFOLIO WORKS · PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 7, 2017 · UPDATED FEBRUARY 8, 2017 I can’t believe it is February already! The first month of 2017 seems to have just flown. And now here I am, already into week two of month two. Looking at the significant dates of this month, I can’t help but think empathy and acceptance should be the primary themes for February. Teachable Moments in February The month of February is Black History Month. And, of course, many of us will celebrate Valentine’s Day this month, too. It is also American History, Heart Health, and Children’s Dental Health Month. And, let’s not forget Random Acts of Kindness Day on February 17.
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This February Let’s Teach Empathy andAcceptanceBY PARKER PORTFOLIO WORKS · PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 7, 2017 · UPDATED FEBRUARY 8, 2017
I can’t believe it is February already! The first month of 2017 seems to have just flown. And nowhere I am, already into week two of month two. Looking at the significant dates of this month, Ican’t help but think empathy and acceptance should be the primary themes for February.
Teachable Moments in FebruaryThe month of February is Black History Month. And, of course, many of us will celebrateValentine’s Day this month, too. It is also American History, Heart Health, and Children’s DentalHealth Month. And, let’s not forget Random Acts of Kindness Day on February 17.
While it’s not random, I have a little act of kindness to share. I’ve put together these resources tohelp you make the most of your teaching opportunities in February. I hope you enjoy them!
In this article you’ll findresources for:
Heart Health MonthValentine’s DayTeaching Empathy and KindnessPresidents’ DayU.S. HistoryBlack History Month
Heart Health Resources From a FriendFirst, let me introduce one of my friends, Sarah Winchell. She’s a great teacherwho loves sharing her love of science with her students. Last year around this time,she published a set of resources for American Heart Month on her blog, Science isfor Kids.
Sarah’s shared reviews along with links to several resources and printables that you can use foryour students in the classroom or your children at home to teach them about their hearts andstaying fit.
Valentine’s Day Crafts and PrintablesSpeaking of hearts, Valentine’s Day isalmost here. If you are looking for a lastminute idea to celebrate, I recommend a visitto TeachersPayTeachers.
At the TPT site, you’ll find teacher-createdprintables for just about any subject or age-group. Each teacher chooses what to chargefor the resources he or she has created.
You’ll even find quite a few items that arefree. The website has created a specialsection dedicated to Valentine’s Dayprintables.
If you need Valentine’s Day craft ideas thatare super easy to implement, PBS.org haseverything you need. From simple papercreations to more complicated designs, you’llfind lots of inspiration in the PBS.org Craftsfor Kids section. So sweet!
Teaching Empathy andAcceptance on Valentine’s Day
Now, on a more serious note—Valentine’s Day is supposed to befun, but we all know it can be stressful for some of our kids.Sometimes the excitement of a holiday can cause even our kindestchildren to forget the needs of others.
As parents and instructors, we should be prepared with gentlereminders and redirection so that everyone has a happy Valentine’sDay.
These Clifford-themed Valentine’s lessons from the ScholasticTeachers website offer a fun way to introduce the topic of kindnessto your younger students using a familiar character.
For students of all ages, you’ll find lesson plans and resources forteaching kindness and empathy on Valentine’s Day and every day at Character.org.
Additionally, you can find a comprehensive list of ideas and resources for teaching empathy onValentine’s Day in this Edutopia Valentine’s Day article.
Studying the United States and its Presidents
The third Monday of February is Presidents’ Day. In 2017, that day falls on February 20. TheHistory Channel is ready to celebrate with a video presentation of interesting facts about theWhite House set to music.
The History Channel website includes several other resources, including short videos aboutsome of our nation’s past presidents.
Also, the National Education Association’s website hosts an extensivecollection of resources that you can incorporate into your Presidents’Day instruction. These materials include audio and video resources,quizzes, lesson plans, and background information about U.S.presidents and the presidency.
Finally, the National Archives website is awonderful place to look for teaching materials about theU.S. Presidents and U.S. history. On the NationalArchives website, you can search for and view primarysource documents related to some of our country’s mostsignificant events.
The National Archives site also features specialcollections and education tools to make the job ofteaching U.S. history easier.
The History of a People and a Nation
Of course, African-American or Black History takes a leading role during the month of February.
Now more than ever it is important for all students to understand our nation’s full history. Thathistory includes the suffering and accomplishments of all of its people. It is through knowing oneanother that we move toward greater empathy and acceptance.
Below are just a few of the great resources available to assist you in providing your students witha view of history from many perspectives.
Google.com created the Google Cultural Institute to gather and curate cultural resourcesfrom around the world.
This month, in recognition of Black History Month, the Institute is highlighting a collectionof “artwork, artifacts and stories” from places across the United States about black historyand culture. Poets, sculptors, choreographers, activists, and others are all profiled in thecollection.
I was not familiar with many of the people featured on the website and appreciate that a morepowerful light is now shining on their accomplishments.
The depth and breadth of information about individual African-American cultural leaders inthis collection provide an opportunity for each of your students to find someone who uniquelyinspires him or her.
The Google Cultural Institute’s Black History and Arts Collection isn’t limited to justbiographies, though. The collection includes videos and still photos of important historicevents and locations, too.
Using the Google Maps explore feature, your students can visualize standing in front of Little
Rock Central High School or walking across the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
Expansion idea:
Observing events through different media lensescan become a jumping off point for your students todecide how they would choose to report animportant event.
Would they take photos of the action?
Or would they write a short story based on whatthey witnessed?
Perhaps they would create a painting or a collage expressing the emotions evoked bywitnessing the event?
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Authorized by Congress in 2003, this Smithsonian Institution museum opened its doors forthe first time in the fall of 2016. February 2017 marks the first time that the National Museumof African American History and Culture will be open to the public during the celebration ofBlack History Month.
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of African American History and Culture Architectural Photography Alan
Karchmer/NMAAHC
If you are fortunate enough to visit the museum in person during the month of February, youcan look forward to a series of movie screenings and other presentations. On February 26, aconcert celebrating black composers will be performed live and streamed via webcast fromthe museum.
Past video streams from the museum are available for viewing at UStream.tv. To view thesevideos, you’ll have to register for a free account.
In addition to the webcasts, themuseum has shared images ofmuch of its collection online. Via thewebsite, you can conduct a searchfor specific items or tour thecollection by topic, time or region.
Lewis W. Hine. A gelatin silver print of teenage students working in a science
lab at the Manual Training and Industrial School for Colored Youth in
Bordentown, NJ.
The National Museum of AfricanAmerican History and Culture is avaluable resource that took over adecade to come to fruition.
I am sure you and your students willfind many ways to explore and enjoyall that it has to offer.
Awesome Stories: AfricanAmerican History
Awesome Stories is a website filled with stories and study materials related to differenttopics. The name of the site is a little misleading. The site has a lot more than just stories.Perhaps that is why they called it “awesome.”
For most topics on the Awesome Stories website, you can also find videos, images, andaudio recordings, too. Accessing the site is free, but premium memberships allow for access
I visited the site without signing up for a membership and found an ample supply of in-depthand visually rich materials to study. The African American History collection includescoverage of Bloody Sunday and the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. Additionally, thecollection includes a review of the ten most significant events of the civil rights movement. Ialso found a biography of Antwone Fisher, and much more.
Logging in as a visitor to the website, I wasable to view the stories and extra materialssuch as specific learning tasks. TheAwesome Stories’ specific learning taskseach included a link to reference materialsand indicated the Common Core StateStandard(s) that the task addressed.
Just One More…I’ve mentioned Wonderopolis before, but I wanted to give the website another shout-out. TheWonderopolis site provides a great launching point for exploration of a wide range of topics.
History topics explained at Wonderopolis include Who was Malcolm X, How Do Quilts TellStories, and What is a Civil Right. The site has several Wonders dedicated to dentistry,including What is a Cavity and Who Invented Dental Floss.
Happy February!I hope you enjoy teaching and learning with these resources during the month of February. I’llcontinue to share my new finds each week via my Twitter account @FindLearnShare.
If you have a teaching resource that you’d like to share, send me a link! I love discovering newinformation and ideas.
