-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- Discussion Questions 1 . When is Black History Month observed ? When did Black History Month get its start ? Who was Dr. Carter G. Woodson ? What was his role in the establishment of Black History Month ? 2 . What are some significant events and milestones in U.S. black history ? Who are some of the individuals who have contributed to black history ? 3 . How does black history help to tell the story of what it means to be an American ? How have African-Americans enriched that story ? What lessons can be learned from the experiences of black history makers ? Learning Activities Use these activities to encourage your students to learn about and appreciate the history , culture and achievements of African-Americans . 1 . A Milestone in U.S. History Remind students that they have witnessed a truly historical event in their lifetime : the election of Barack Obama as the first African-American president . What will they remember about this milestone ? What do they want future generations to know about it ? Challenge students to write letters to students who will be in their place 100 years from now , describing the event and its significance for all Americans . Combine the letters into a book or a Web site , or create a video of students reading their letters . Present the finished product to your school 's historian or media specialist for archiving . 2 . Covering Black History Ask students : What if CNN correspondents had been on the scene to record key moments in black history for the entire world to see ? Organize students into small teams of reporters , and have each team select a time period in American history and a key figure or event that helped to define that time period for African-Americans . Then , have students imagine that CNN was there to cover the historical figure or event . Ask : How do you think that CNN reporters might have covered these stories ? Encourage the teams to write scripts for news stories on their historical figures and events . After students have presented their scripts , have them compare their reports to eyewitness accounts and local newspaper reports that were written at the time . 3 . Harlem Renaissance Inform students that during the 1920s and 1930s , an African-American cultural movement occurred in the United States that was known as the Harlem Renaissance . It was a literary , musical and artistic explosion that was born in Harlem , New York , and it had a profound impact on African-American culture and on the U.S. as a whole . Have your class host a Harlem Renaissance cultural fair . Direct students to online resources to learn about some of the great artists , writers and musicians who were part of the renaissance and their contribution to this cultural movement . Have each student select one of these African-American artists and design a display that tells about the life and times of the artist and the importance of his or her work . Invite guests from your school and community to attend the exhibit . Have students serve as `` roaming curators '' to instruct and interest guests in the Harlem Renaissance and the creative works of these great African-Americans . 4 . Profiles in Black History Do your students show a personal interest in science , music , politics , theater , sports or education ? Inspire them to celebrate the contributions of African-Americans by having them write profiles of African-Americans in the categories that interest them . For example , a budding young scientist might choose to profile the inventor of the ironing board , the lawn mower or the space shuttle retrieval arm , all of whom were/are African-Americans . Direct your students to online and print resources and have them conduct research on their chosen individuals . Then , encourage students to write proposals to have their selected persons commemorated in new postage stamps . Students should accompany their proposals with designs for the stamps . In their presentations , students should try to convince classmates why their profiled persons should have a stamp created in their name . Post the designs around the classroom . 5 . Local African-American History Valuable lessons in black history may be found just a few steps away in the stories and documents that can be found in local libraries , historical organizations , universities or colleges , and online . Encourage students to venture out into the community to investigate the history and contributions of black Americans in their city or town . Students might choose to use milestones in black history as a way to organize their research , gathering information on how those events impacted the community and its residents . They may also decide to profile influential black community members . Have students invite community members to a celebration of local black history . 6 . Black History Museum Celebrate black history by creating plans for a local Black History Museum . First , have students decide where the museum should be housed . Suggestions might include a school or local library , an exhibit in an existing history museum , or perhaps a virtual online museum . Next , discuss how the museum should be organized . Students may choose to categorize the content by theme , by specific time periods , by specific dates , by people or by local landmarks . Encourage students to include interactive elements and multimedia in their plans . Then , challenge students to consider what people , events or contributions to include in their Black History Museum . Ask : What messages or lessons do you want visitors to take away from the exhibits ? 7 . Not Just for February Inform students that , while Dr. Carter G. Woodson chose the month of February to recognize the accomplishments of African-Americans , black history can be celebrated all year long . Challenge students to create year-long calendars or timelines that highlight the contributions of African-American newsmakers , illustrate key events in black history , and encourage an ongoing celebration of black culture . Standards Social Studies II . Time , Continuity , and Change Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ways human beings view themselves in and over time . V. Individuals , Groups and Institutions Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of interactions among individuals , groups , and institutions . The Curriculum Standards for Social Studies -LRB- http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands/ are published by the National Council for Social Studies -LRB- http://www.socialstudies.org/ -RRB- . Resources CNN : Black in America 2 : http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2009/black.in.america/ U.S. Census Bureau : Black -LRB- African-American -RRB- History Month : February 2010 : http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/014487.html