Black History Month celebrations and Black History Month lesson plans can easily be enhanced with free Black History Month worksheets. Black history printable activities help students explore the many profound accomplishments of prominent African Americans and can be used any time of year. Click on the PDF you want to use, the download and print using the troubleshooting guide for help.
Famous African American Quotes Cut & Paste
Younger kids in preschool or kindergarten can complete this simple cut & paste Black History Month printable activity on their own, in small groups, or as a whole class. Kids need to cut out five pictures of historically significant African Americans, then paste the pictures above the quote that person said.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Big Dreams Storyboard Activity
Storyboard activities make great black history worksheets for kindergarten. Students will use this prompted storyboard to explore a big dream they have. They'll identify the dream, any obstacles in the way of achieving that dream, and the resources they can use to help them achieve their dreams. This is a great activity to accompany lessons about Martin Luther King, Jr.
Barack Obama Reading Comprehension Worksheet
Barack Obama was the first African American President of the United States of America. While you might think of history as things that happened long ago, modern history includes things that happened only a few years ago. Students in grades 2 and 3 can complete this African American reading comprehension worksheet on their own. Students will read a brief biography of Barack Obama and answer five questions about the text.
George Washington Carver Peanut Inventions Matching
Elementary students can learn about George Washington Carver, the brilliant African American inventor, and what common materials or products are made from peanuts. Carver actually created more than 300 products simply from peanuts alone. This worksheet lists a few of those products and asks students to draw a line matching the product with its purpose. The printable also includes an answer key.
Famous African Americans Crossword Puzzle
Students in middle school should be able to complete this activity where they figure out which famous African American fits each clue. You could modify the activity for upper elementary grades by writing all the famous names in a word bank on the worksheet. There is an answer key included. Some famous people included on the worksheet are Frederick Douglass, Rosa Parks, Dred Scott, George Washington Carver, and Thurgood Marshall.
Underground Railroad Map Worksheet
This printable worksheet for upper elementary students and middle schoolers maps out the ways that slaves were able to escape to where they would find freedom. Not only can students map out a slave's escape route, but each step of the journey is explained in detail.
Underground Railroad Map Activities
While the printable Underground Railroad map can be used as a reference, you can also assign a variety of activities to do on the map.
- As you go through black history lessons, ask students to circle, highlight, label, or add the routes taken by famous escaped slaves.
- Find out if there are known Underground Railroad stations in your state and add them as points on the map.
- Ask students to draw on the route they would have taken based on everything they know about this time period.
More Black History Month Activities for Kids
You have 28 or 29 days in February to cover the huge topic of black history. When you're finished with all the worksheets, try out these activities that help you celebrate Black History Month.
- Take the online Black History Month quiz to see how much you know about black history.
- Purchase a black history board game to play over and over.
- Read as many children's books about black history as you can find.
- Host a month-long movie marathon featuring movies for Black History Month that include historical events and leading African American characters.
- Honor African American senior citizens in your community at a public Black History Month celebration.
- Write biographies or present projects featuring famous black entrepreneurs.
Importance of Studying Black History
It's been said that those who don't understand history are doomed to repeat it. Whether that is true or not, studying history helps students understand just how far the country has come over the years and develop a sense of pride in what others have accomplished. The goal of these worksheets is to inspire students to dream big and to stand up for what they believe in as others before them have done.
