Black History Month 2025 Ideas for Middle School
Below you’ll find 5 fresh, easy-to-do Black History Month ideas for 2025 that are fun for you, your middle school students, and your whole community! You’ll also find a video to help you challenge the idea of Black History Month with a more inclusive approach.
Want to listen or watch instead of read? Check out the video below!
1. 📚Black History Songs for Language Arts Activities🎶
Use Black history texts and literature as reading passages to practice a variety of ELA skills. Students often read historical texts like those about Thomas Jefferson and then use them as a reading passage to practice skills like main idea or context clues. The same can be done with Black history texts.
For even more fun, use Black history songs to add music to your ELA lessons!
Song lyrics work great as reading passages for your students to practice a variety of skills while learning Black history.
If that sounds awesome to you, check out these ELA activities based on Black history rap songs here!
2. 🧠Challenging Trivia for Assembly and Announcements❓
Can you answer the challenge question in the video below? If you can, email me at ken@rapoperaforkids.com for a special prize, but you have to follow the rules in the video! No Chat GPT, no Google, no help – just you!
Trivia is a great way teach more Black history, but it has to be done purposefully. Use the ideas in the video above for assembly incentives or morning announcement challenges with trivia questions that encourage your students to think about Black history equitably.
The video above gets into the why and how of it all. If you’d like the resources mentioned in the video, check out the links below!
Black History Plays and Skits with Comprehension Questions
Black History Language Arts Activities Using Rap Songs
3. 🎤Interview Panel with Local and Historical Heroes✨
Have your students and/or staff interview Black heroes in history using biographical role-play or invite local Black figures in the community to speak.
Check out the video below for an example of how you can do this with your students!
4. 🎶Make It Musical – Songs, Dance, and Theater!🎭
Many people know of Hamilton the Musical. Now, bring that level of energy and creativity to Black history! Have your students act, dance, sing, and rap about Black heroes and events. Better yet, have them write their own songs and scripts and choreograph their own rap musicals!
Check out the song below to see how Black history can be put to rap music for students! Imagine your students performing a song like this for the whole school after doing a research project!
How about a musical with acting and performances?
See an example below with a quick skit about the history of Hip Hop and rap music!
Need help putting together a production? I’ve got you covered with Rap Opera Productions!
I’ll create the perfect rap musical performance based on your needs, student’s interests, and school’s culture. I’ll even include language arts activities to extend the production into a complete educational experience! Click here to learn more!
5. 🌍Focus on Legacy – Research Project🔍
Have your students research the legacy of Black history locally, nationally, or globally.
Marie Van Brittan Brown was a Black woman who invented the first home security system. This led to a legacy of innovations in building security in America and throughout the world. Researching these types of contributions and their broader influence on the world is an excellent way to explore the legacy of Black history.
I hope these ideas will help you, your school, and community celebrate in an engaging and equitable way that will impact your entire school year!