Welcome to the
EDUCATOR’S TOOLKIT
It is essential that we celebrate Black books and Black children’s book creators in our classrooms, libraries, and homes. Dr. Krista Aronson of the Diverse Bookfinder outlines why in her video Black Books Matter. Below you will find ways to engage with the books in this year’s Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival. We hope these tools find their way into your exploration of African diaspora experience.
I Am Loved
Lesson Plans
Poetry Multi-Leveled Lesson
Source: TeachingBooks.net
Read Aloud: Performance by Atiim Boykin
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Talk: Nikki Giovanni on the Legacy of Ashley Bryan
Source: Bates College Museum of Art
Art Activity: Self-Portrait Mirroring Your Strengths
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Resources: Read, Watch, Listen
Source: Ashley Bryan Center
Thank You, Omu!
Lesson Plans
Lesson Plan: Thank You, Omu!
Source: TeachingBooks.net
Art Activity: Collaging Community
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Interview: Oge Mora Tella Stories that Celebrate Black Joy
Source: The Recount
Pronunciation: Oge Mora
Source: TeachingBooks.net
Black is a Rainbow Color
Lesson Plans
What’s Your Rainbow Color
Source: Angela Joy
Black is a Rainbow Color
Source: TeachingBooks.net
Social Justice
Source: Teaching Humanity
Read Aloud: Black Is a Rainbow Color
Source: Macmillan Children’s Books
Playlist: Music to Accompany Black Is a Rainbow Color
Source: Angela Joy/Spotify
Pronunciation: Ekua Holmes
Source: TeachingBooks.net
BLUE: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky
Lesson Plans
Blue “After the Visit”
Source: Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond
Blue
Source: NEA
Blue
Source: TeachingBooks.net
Art Activity: Paper tapestry of Tones of Blue
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Interview: Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond & Daniel Minter
Source: NPR
Nana Akua Goes to School
Classroom Resources
Lesson Plan: Nana Akua Goes to School
Source: TeachingBooks.net
Lesson Plan: Nana Akua Goes to School
Source: Random House
Discussion Questions: Nana Akua Goes to School
Source: Africa Access
Read Aloud: Nana Akua Goes to School
Source: Prince George’s County Memorial Library System
Talk: Tricia Elam Walker Award Acceptance
Source: EJK Foundation
THE 1619 PROJECT: Born on the Water
Lesson Plans
Lesson Plan: Born on the Water
Source: Penguin Young Readers Group
Lesson Plan: Born on the Water
Source: The 1619 Project
Lesson Plan: Teaching Hard History
Source: Learning for Justice
Interview: Nikole Hannah-Jones & Renée Watson
Source: NPR
New Kid
Classroom Resources
Lesson Plan: New Kid
Source: Harper Collins
Lesson Plan: New Kid
Source: SLJ Classroom Bookshelf
Lesson Plan: New Kid
Source: Coretta Scott King Awards
2021 EDUCATOR’S TOOLKIT
Ashley Bryan’s ABCs of African American Poetry
Lesson Plans
Ashley Bryan’s ABCs of African American Poetry
Source: TeachingBooks.net
STEAM—for the ARTS—Poetry,
Storytelling, Song, and a Celebration of Our Shared
Humanity: The Creations of Ashley Bryan
Source: Simon & Schuster
Read Aloud:
Performance by the Community
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Dance Activity:
ABC Poem Dance with Veeva Banga
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Writing Activity: The ABC’s of Your Poetry
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Resources: Read, Watch, Listen
Source: Ashley Bryan Center
JOSEPH’S BIG RIDE
Classroom Resources
Lesson Plan: Joseph’s Big Ride
Source: TeachingBooks.net
Resources: Joseph’s Big Ride
Source: I’m Your Neighbor Books
Read Aloud:
Performance by the Community
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Craft Activity:
Creating a Big Ride with Aminata Conteh
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Movement Activity:
Performance by the Community
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Art Activity:
Friendships and Bicycles
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
SO TALL WITHIN: Sojourner Truth’s Long Walk Toward Freedom
Lesson Plans
So Tall Within
Source: TeachingBooks.net
Sojourner Truth and Equal Rights
Source: Simon & Schuster
So Tall Within
Source: Sojourner Truth Memorial
Read Aloud:
Performance by the Community
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Art Activity:
Painting a Journey of Light and Truth
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
CROWN: Ode to the Fresh Cut
Lesson Plans
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut
Source: Classroom Bookshelf
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut
Source: TeachingBooks.net
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut
Source: Responsive Reads
Read Aloud:
Performance by the Community
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Art Activity:
Shaping Your Own Crown
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Movement Activity:
A Statue of You
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A HOLE IN THE SKY
Classroom Resources
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky
Source: TeachingBooks.net
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky
Source: Disney Hyperion / Educators
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky
Source: Disney Hyperion / Activity
Read Aloud:
Performance by the Community
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Writing Activity:
Creating Characters
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
THE RED PENCIL
Classroom Resources
Lesson Plan: The Red Pencil
Source: TeachingBooks.net
Lesson Plan: The Red Pencil
Source: TeachingBooks.net
Lesson Plan: The Red Pencil
Source: Classroom Bookshelf
Resources: The Red Pencil
Source: I’m Your Neighbor Books
Read Aloud:
Performance by the Community
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Writing Activity:
Object Writing: The Poetry of Things
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
YOUR NAME IS A SONG
Classroom Resources
Hearing the Melodies of
Classmates with Your Name is a Song
Source: Classroom Bookshelf
Lesson Plan
Source: Read Across America
Lesson Plan & Family Discussion Guide
Source: The Innovation Press
Name Pronunciation Guide
Source: Anti-Defamation League
Resources: Your Name is a Song
Source: I’m Your Neighbor Books
Read Aloud:
Performance by the Community
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Art & Movement Activity:
Dance Your Name
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
+ Alliance Theatre
Art & Movement Activity:
Sing Your Name
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
+ Alliance Theatre
2020 EDUCATOR’S TOOLKIT
BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD
Lesson Plans
STEAM for the Arts: Poetry, Storytelling, Song, and a
Celebration of Our Shared Humanity: The Creations of Ashley Bryan
Source: Simon & Schuster
Lesson Plan: Story Map
Source: Teaching Books
Lesson Plan & School Wide Celebration
Source: Coretta Scott King Book Award Blog
Creator Read Aloud & Interview:
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Dance Activity: Show Claw Slide
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Art Project: Bird Claws & Bird Puppers
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Short Film & ELA Visual Art Guides
Source: Kane Lewis Productions
GOING DOWN HOME WITH DADDY
Lesson Plans
Cross Curriculum
Source: Peachtree Publishing
Discussion Questions
Source: Peachtree Publishing
Story Map
Source: TeachingBooks
Creator Read Aloud & Interview:
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Art Project: Mighty Family Tree
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Arts Integrations Activity: Recipe for Me!
Source: Portland Ovations
AUNTIE LUCE’S TALKING PAINTING
Creator Read Aloud & Interview:
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
OVERGROUND RAILROAD
Classroom Resources
Lesson Plan: Story Map
Source: TeachingBooks
Educator Ideas: Take a Ride Through History
Source: BookPage
Discussion Guide
Source: Holiday House Books
Creator Read Aloud & Interview:
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
SING A SONG
Classroom Resources
Lesson Plans
Source: Kelly Starling Lyons
Activity Guide
Source: Kelly Starling Lyons
Author Audio Interview
Source: TeachingBooks
Creator Read Aloud & Interview:
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Video: Celebrate the Legacy of Lift Every Voice & Sing
Source: Kelly Starling Lyons
WHEREVER I GO
Classroom Resources
Educator Guide
Source: I’m Your Neighbor Books
Arts Integration Activity: Everybody Do!
Source: Portland Ovations
Creator Read Aloud & Interview:
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Art Project: Woven Crown
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
WHEN STARS ARE SCATTERED
Read Creator Read Aloud & Interview:
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
Video: Introduction to the Graphic Novel
Source: Penguin Random House
Arts Integration Activity:
Source: Portland Ovations
MAGNIFICENT HOMESPUN BROWN
Read Creator Read Aloud & Interview:
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
LITTLE BIRD’S FLOCK
Creator Read Aloud & Interview:
Source: Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival
BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD BOOK COLLECTION
Classroom Resources
Arts Integration Activities
Source: Portland Ovations