Black History Month in Lower 3

Date: 2nd Nov 2016 @ 8:10am

This week we are learning about Black History Month to link in with the whole school initiative to celebrate inspirational black women and men from history and present day. The inspirational person that Year 1 have chosen to learn about is Rosa Parks.

Yesterday, the children were given a red or a blue sticker, and without being told what they were for, I introduced different rules for the children. For example, the children with red stickers could sit wherever they liked; the children with blue stickers could not sit by a red sticker, so many children had to sit back on the carpet.

I introduced the idea of different benefits for the children with red stickers, for example extra playtime, more snack and an earlier hometime! The children with the blue stickers weren't happy to hear this!

Then, I told the children that it was only a joke, and none of these changes would be happening. We spoke about how different children felt, not only about themselves but about their friends who had a different sticker to them. I then told them the story about Rosa Parks, and the children listened intently; interested to learn more about this inspirational lady!

They were touched by what they heard, and their reflections and thoughts were so sensible and mature, I was so proud of them!

At the end of the lesson, every child decided they didn't want their sticker any more! So they pulled them off their jumpers, scrunched them up and threw them in the bin!

This week we will be writing reflections of how we felt, drawing portraits of Rosa Parks and writing a report on the story of Rosa Parks.

Well done Year 1!