Mentor Texts for Black History Month

Happy Super Bowl Sunday to all of you!!  I must say that February has always been a fun month of teaching for me.  It was a jam-packed month of all types of special events with Groundhog's Day, Valentine's Day, President's Day, sometimes the Olympics, and one of my favorite's - Black History Month!  I think part of the reason I like it so much is that I learn so much about myself and my students during this time.  Here are a few mentor texts that are my go-tos!

1. Papa's Mark
    Summary: This story is a sweet tale of a father and his son.  His son teaches him to write his name so that he can vote for the first time that African Americans were allowed to vote.

2. Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad
    Summary:  A story that captures the trials and tribulations people went through to escape to the North, this book shares about a man who literally shipped himself in a box.  I always did a follow-up activity with the students in a taped off area the size of Henry's box so they could very temporarily feel what it was like to be boxed up.

3. The Other Side
    Summary:  Jacqueline Woodson crushes it again with this great book.  With symbolism at the forefront, a fence segregates the whites from the blacks.  More specifically, it separates two girls who decide the fence won't stop them from becoming friends.

4. The Patchwork Quilt
    Summary: A classic story with great themes that shows how a Quilt can tell a story.  What kind of quilt would your class create?

These are just a few of my favorites that highlight a wonderful month!  What other books do you use for Black History Month?  I love to find new ones!

Gotta run, but have a wonderful week!  We're anticipating another snow storm this week in Indiana, so who knows what school will look like!