Black History Month is coming up soon and Pinna has a plethora of resources to help you cover this important topic both at home and in the classroom.
There are many ways to teach about the iconic Black heroes that have shaped our society (and there are plenty of lists outlining those resources), but we’re pretty partial to audio. It’s easy to access on any device (that’s huge since so many libraries are closed right now!) and offers a screen-free option for those that want it.
Pinna has put together a wonderful library of books and episodes to help guide and teach young listeners about this important part of our nation’s history.
Here are the audiobooks and podcasts you can find on Pinna to supplement your teaching this February.
Audiobooks
1. Rosa Refuses by Ruth Spencer Johnson
2. Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport
3. Jazz by Walter Dean Myers
4. Here in Harlem by Walter Dean Myers
5. John Henry: The Legendary Folk Hero story told by Denzel Washington with music by B.B. King
6. Follow the Drinking Gourd: A Story of the Underground Railroad story told by Morgan Freeman with music by Taj Mahal
7. Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuoso by Andrea Davis Pinkney
8. Duke Ellington by Andrea Davis Pinkney
9. Cracking the Wall: The Struggles of the Little Rock Nine by Eileen Lucas
10. 28 Days: Moments in Black History That Changed the World by Charles R. Smith
11. Allen Jay and the Underground Railroad By Marlene Targ Brill
12. A Picture book of Rosa Parks by David A. Adler
13. A Picture book of Martin Luther King by David A. Adler
Podcast Episodes
1. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls - Madam C.J. Walker read by Poorna Jagannathan (Season 1, Episode 6)
2. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls - Harriet Tubman read by Tarana Burke (Season 1, Episode 9)
3. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls - Nanny of the Maroons read by Funmilola Fagbamila (Season 2, Episode 2)
4. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls - Josephine Baker read by Ashley Graham (Season 3, Episode 10)
Implementation Ideas
- Ask your students to select a title or episode from the above to listen to independently and write a summary detailing aspects of the person's contributions or significance to history.
- Pick one of the biographical stories or episodes and have your students research further on their backgrounds, interesting facts, what else was happening in history at that time, etc.
- After listening to one of the stories, have your students take the form of a historian and ask them to come up with interview questions they may have for the person. Then, see if they can find the answers with further research!
- Create a timeline of events for each story focusing on what else was happening at the time period, or, listen to a few of the titles and episodes and create a master timeline of all the biographies and events. Who lived when, what happened first, etc.
- Listen to 5 for 5 Trivia to Black History Week (Month 10, episodes 6-10) to "test" their knowledge or learn new facts. Check out the resources tied to this podcast to create a fun game!
- Bonus: check out our recent post on educational resources to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
We’re all ears!
How are you and your young learners commemorating Black History Month? We’d love to hear from you! Find us on all our social platforms – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest – or email us at contact@pinna.fm.
