Meaningful Black History Month Activities for Upper Elementary Students

Black History Month is an important opportunity to move beyond surface-level lessons and help students truly understand the people, stories, and impact of African Americans throughout history. For upper elementary students (grades 3-5), the goal is to balance age-appropriate content with depth, critical thinking, and reflection. 

One of the most effective ways to do this is through Black History comprehension passages paired with reflection activities and biography writing booklets. This combination allows students to read, analyze, and then apply their learning by writing about a famous African Americans in their own words. 

Below you will hear how this approach creates meaningful learning -- and how you can use it in your classroom. 

Why Comprehension + Writing Works for Black History Month

Upper elementary students are developmentally ready to: 

• Analyze nonfiction text
• Identify main ideas and key details
• Reflect on character traits and challenges
• Make connections between past and present

 Using Black History reading passages grounds students in facts, while writing booklets help them process and synthesize information in a meaningful way. 

This structure supports:

• Reading comprehension standards
• Informational writing skills
• Social studies content knowledge
• Culturally responsive teaching

Activity 1: Black History Comprehension Passages with Purpose

Start with focused, student-friendly comprehension passages about famous African Americans. Each passage highlights:

• Early life and background
• Major accomplishments
• Obstacles or challenges faced
• Lasting impact on society

Pair passages with thoughtful questions such as:

• What challenges did this person overcome?
• Why is this person remembered today?
• How did their actions help others?

These questions encourage students to move beyond beyond facts and into critical thinking and discussion. 

Activity 2: Biography Writing Booklets

After reading, responding, and discussing students transition into writing by completing a  biography booklet of their own. This step is key for deeper learning.

A strong upper-elementary biography booklet includes:

• A title page with the person's name
• All About
• Early Life section
• Famous For (Why this person matters today)
• Fun Facts
• Timeline

This structure helps students organize their thoughts while practicing informational writing in a manageable, engaging format.

Activity 3: Student Choice for Deeper Engagement

Whenever possible allow students to choose which famous African American they want to write about. Choice increases motivation and ownership while allowing for differentiation. 

You can:

• Provide several comprehension passages and let students select one
• Assign different figures to small groups
• Rotate passages through literacy centers

This flexibility makes the activities easy to use in whole-group lessons, small groups or independent work. 

Activity 4: Meaningful Reflection (Not Just a Final Product)

To keep Black History Month meaningful, include time for reflection. Encourage students to think about: 

• How this person's life connects to fairness, perseverance, or leadership 
• What lessons we can learn today
• How change can start with one person

These reflections can be written, discussed, or shared in partner conversations.

Why This Works for Teachers

This type of Black History Month resource:

• Saves prep time
• Aligns with reading and writing standards
• Works across multiple grade levels
• Encourages respectful, meaningful learning
• Goes beyond crafts or worksheets

Most importantly, it helps students see African American history as an essential part of American history, not a side topic.

Final Thoughts

Using Black History comprehension passages paired with biography writing booklets allows upper elementary students to read, think, write, and reflect in purposeful ways. These activities create lasting understanding while honoring the lives and contributions of famous African Americans. 

When students can explain who someone was, what they accomplished, and why they matter, Black History Month becomes more than a unit --it becomes meaningful learning. 

Ready to make Black History Month meaningful and manageable in your classroom? 

This set of Black History comprehension passages and biography writing booklets gives your upper elementary students the structure they need to read deeply, think critically, and write with purpose --without adding extra prep to your plate. Perfect for grades 3-5 (I have even used it with second graders), these activities work seamlessly for whole-group lessons, small groups, literacy centers, or independent work. 

Click here to grab the resource and bring purposeful Black History learning into your classroom today. 

Save big with the classroom bundle and allow for student choice!

African Americans Included:

• Martin Luther King Jr. 
• Lydia Newman
• Dr. Daniel Hale Williams
• Bessie Coleman
• Rosa Parks
• Mary Jane Mcleod Bethune
• Dr. Charles Drew
• Garrett Morgan
• Harriett Tubman

Your students will build reading and writing skills while honoring the stories and contributions of influential African Americans --and you'll feel confident knowing your lessons go beyond worksheets and truly matter.