Pupils Go Digital to Celebrate Black History Month

Pupils at a Sussex primary school are using dynamic digital content to celebrate Black History Month and expand their understanding of  the culture, history and achievements of black people in Britain and around the world.

Harbour Primary School in Newhaven is hosting a series of special Black History Month lessons and activities using new digital resources from Discovery Education. The videos, books and activities are designed to help children explore the achievements of black people everywhere, while learning about the struggle for racial equality through inspirational figures from history.

Established in the UK in 1987, Black History Month is dedicated to celebrating and educating people about black history and culture. New Harbour Primary School headteacher Lyn White explained why marking the event is important for the whole school community.

“Black History Month is an opportunity to shine a light on exceptional people whose stories have often been ignored. Using Discovery Education’s engaging digital resources, we’ve been able to bring these stories to life for our pupils while teaching them about themes such as fairness and equality.”

Harbour Primary school pupils began their Black History Month celebration by watching a Discovery Education video about Rosa Parks, who helped launch the US civil rights movement in the 1950s when she refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus. The children were inspired to write diary entries as Rosa and to take part in a class discussion about discrimination and standing up for others.

Next, the children used digital resources to learn about Walter Tull, an important figure from British history. A professional footballer, Tull joined the army at the start of the First World War and became the first black officer to lead white soldiers into battle. He was tragically killed in action in 1918. Year 6 pupils held a special assembly to celebrate Walter Tull’s story.

“Walter Tull inspired me and probably many others”, said Year 6 pupil Sofia, aged 10. “He chose hope and determination rather than giving up. An historic hero! He made me think about how far I can go. Walter was incredible.”

“I think that the Walter Tull story is an inspiring story that will always be in my head”, said Oscar, aged 10. “He went through really hard times but channelled this into determination and came out the hero he was.”

Lyn White, Headteacher said:

“The children are really enjoying their Black History Month celebrations and learning about inspiring people like Rosa Parks and Walter Tull. We’re looking forward to discovering more about black history in the coming weeks, using Discovery Education’s digital resources to help our pupils celebrate and understand the impact of black heritage and culture.”

Discovery Education Espresso is an award-winning digital learning service for primary schools. With an expansive treasury of high-quality digital resources which can be applied to any lesson, Espresso helps teachers to deliver interactive learning experiences that spark curiosity, make classroom activities livelier and give every pupil the opportunity to have their “light bulb” moment.

Discovery Education Espresso offers a vast array of Black History Month themed resources, spanning all primary key stages and subjects and including video, text, audio, images and interactive activities.  Schools interested in a trial of the service can request one here.