Review: new history modules provide package of lessons

by Karel Kilimnik

The most powerful segment of the new “African and African American History” modules developed by the School District for elementary grades is the introduction included in each grade level teacher guide explaining the importance of the subject matter.

Noted historian Edward W. Robinson, Jr. states clearly that the “result of the repression of African history has deeply affected all of us.” This “cultural amnesia” needs to be addressed at all grade levels and with all students, he says.

These guides start from this strong premise, but falter along the way.

The Notebook reviewed the booklets created by the District for grades K-5, which are now part of the District’s mandated social studies core curriculum.

The District has recently published additional African and African American History guides for grades 6-8, and has also produced similarly structured “Community Voice” modules offering multicultural history of Philadelphia for elementary grades. Schools using the standardized curriculum are sent these along with their other core curriculum materials, District officials say.

Each grade level guide is a neat package of instructional materials with a standard introduction, along with several pages of background reading for the teacher, the various lessons, activity masters, and rubrics teachers can use for assessment.

The guides each provide a “Module Overview” that provides background for teachers. Suggestions for assessment of student performance include involving children in reflecting on what they learned. Notations about state-mandated content standards flank every overview page.

But there is no bibliography included in the guides to use for further research. Understanding and teaching this history necessitates more than two or three pages of background information. There may be additional references or websites listed in the core curriculum guides, but references ought to be included in these booklets to encourage teachers to read more.

For instance, in the kindergarten edition of the guide, the four-page introduction for teachers covers an overview of Africa, ancient Kemet, the West African empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai, along with a page about abolitionists James Forten and Frances Harper. The lesson that introduces Africa includes three worksheets, but no bibliography of children’s literature or different kinds of activities to do with young children.

The layout of the guide is appealing. The main text of each lesson is flanked with learning objectives, standards, and miniatures of each activity master.

A small box describes things to do for “differentiated instruction.” However, this only offers advice for “children who know” and “children who need more.” Students learn in different ways, and these different learning modalities should also be addressed.

In sum, the guides provide a convenient package to help teachers introduce this important subject matter but should be expanded to provide supplementary resources such as bibliographies.