Students will select a person, persons, or event from the Pre-war to Civil War era that had a significant impact on African American and United States history. They will design a monument or a memorial and create a proposal for it.

Create a museum exhibit that will explore a specific historical time period or event through the display and analysis of historical artifacts and primary sources.

Author: Katie Frazier, Museums at W&LStudents will examine a ceramic object made by David Drake (about 1800-about 1870), an enslaved person who lived on a plantation in Edgefield, South Carolina. As an enslaved individual, Drake was denied the basic rights of learning how to read and write. Despite writing being illegal for enslaved people, David Drake was known for writing his name and poetry on the ceramics he made. He wanted to express his feelings about life, religion and his own identity as an enslaved person.  

Students will complete an IDM (Inquiry Design Model) Lesson to guide them through the social and political discrimination, segregation, and violence against African Americans during the “Jim Crow Era.” They will evaluate the effectiveness of the Reconstruction Amendments based on three supporting questions that help guide them to constructing and providing evidence for a final argument that addresses the compelling question.

Students will examine the life of a Free African American during the Revolutionary War period. This will take place as a case study into the life of Prince Hall. Prince Hall fought for more rights of African Americans during his lifetime.

Authored by Jasmine Dunbar (Virginia Beach History Museums)Students will examine the daily lives of enslaved individuals and the institution of slavery in early Virginian history and understand its connections to current societal issues of predjudice, racism, and white supremacy.

In this activity, students will compare and contrast the experiences and contributions of Harriet Tubman, Elizabeth Van Lew, and Mary “Bowser” during the Civil War era. Students will conduct a gallery walk (in-person or virtually) to gather information about these three women using a graphic organizer.

Students will examine the life of Crispus Attucks and/or James Lafayette. They will explore how both men were able to fight for their freedom as enslaved, or formerly enslaved people. Students will analyze primary and secondary sources to learn more about the life and journey of  both of these men, as well as their impact on historical events.

This three-day lesson is intended to guide students through the difficult history topic of lynching through the Billie Holliday song “Strange Fruit.”

When sharing secondary sources that tell a particular story of our past and present, consider how you might support students in enacting a critical lens to identify biases and missing or misrepresented perspectives. When sharing primary sources connected to experiences of violence or oppression, consider how you might honor students' developmental needs, as well as how you might frame sources in ways that affirm the dignity and humanity of people connected to those experiences. These resources can help.

Students will examine the Three-Fifths Compromise. They will look at how the Constitutional Convention decided to handle the issue of enslavement in legislation. Students will analyze primary and secondary sources to learn more about the development and lasting impact of this compromise.

Students will examine the impact of the Emancipation Proclamation on the lives of formerly enslaved people in Virginia. Students will analyze primary and secondary sources to gain context and knowledge about how the Emancipation Proclamation impacted individuals lives directly. Students will develop inquiries and questions about the experiences and history that they learn about through these learning activities.

Students will explore the enduring legacy of the cultures of enslaved people in Virginia by examining primary sources, engaging the research of Black historians, and connecting to their own experiences, interests, and cultures. Students document their thinking in a graphic organizer for formative assessment.

Students will explore primary and secondary sources to investigate the origin, purposes, and vitality of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

This learning experience explores one of the tenets and demonstrations of citizenship by exploring the legacy of voting in the United States, including who was allowed to vote, and who was not, as well as actions for students to take when they recognize unfairness.

During this learning experience, or series of learning experiences, students will explore the definition of a contribution, learn more about the contribution(s) of a diverse set of Virginians and ‘curate’ a student gallery that shows their contributions in their community now, and in the future.

The student or small groups will compare and contrast the major events of World War I and II, as a review activity. The student(s) will sort the responses to show the similarities and differences between the 2 World Wars and their outcomes. This Learning Experience can be implemented individually, in a small group, or “draw a random student in class” type of learning experience.