For the whole month of February, Waverly Park students embarked on a journey through the lives of several Black historical figures. Through the guidance of their classroom teachers and their library media specialist, Mrs. Heather Cocozza, the students were provided with an opportunity to view the world through the lenses of someone else. The students explored various icons through videos, research and books to learn about what adversities they overcame and how they impacted life as we know it today. Different classes took on the journeys of scientists, poets, musicians, inventors and trailblazers.
Ms. Hopkins’s 345H class learned about the inventor Garrett Morgan, who is the inventor of the first gas mask and the first traffic light. The students learned about this inventor by watching a video and learning about his accomplishments before creating their own traffic lights.
First graders took an adventure with the “George’s of Black History”. Each class learned about George Crum, the accidental creator of the potato chip, and George Washington Carver, famously named the “plant doctor.” Crum was a chef who always sought to please his clients, including one who demanded thinner and crisper potatoes with his meal – thus, the potato chip was born! Carver is known for his efforts planting peanuts and sweet potatoes to add nutrients back to soil. The students read and researched each of the icons and displayed their learning by elevating one fact about their icon.
Second graders learned about Bessie Coleman, a courageous and strong female pilot. With the support of books, videos and research, the students learned about this aero pioneer for women pilots everywhere. She never took “no” for an answer and always pushed to pursue her dreams of flying the skies. The students completed a biography sheet about her to display their appreciation for Coleman.
Third graders took to their artistic sides as they designed a collaborative poster of the 26-year-old poet laureate, Amanda Gorman. Amanda started her young life with an auditory processing disorder that affected her hearing and speech. Through these challenges she pushed herself to read more out loud and poetry is what helped her do so. The students studied Amanda and listened to some of her poems to put together facts to be displayed with her poster.
Fourth graders took to the skies with learning as they embarked on an adventure about NASA’s “Hidden Figures”. The students listened to a book about these trailblazing women and what challenges they faced all while making history. The students compiled a poster on Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, all of whom assisted in many successful and historical projects for space travel.
Lastly, our fifth-grade students were assigned different “unsung heroes” to research for this unit. Each student was assigned a different icon, using online databases and an online creative platform, Canva, to compile the accomplishments and life successes of their icons in a document. These squares were then pieced together to form a beautiful and insightful “freedom quilt” on the hallways of Waverly Park. #OwlProud #OwlLearns
Click here to view the Waverly Park embarks on journey for Black History Month slideshow.
Date Added: 3/5/2025