1. Pro Caring Day on 2/7/18 : Middle School /1st Block Today’s Agenda
2nd and 4th Blocks:
Attend a variety of performances by your talented peers!
Majors will all perform in at least one of the three pro caring days this school year, which are all early release days.
Report to your teacher for attendance and then you will go to each performance with your class.
1st and 3rd Blocks:
Arts infused pro caring lessons

2. Black History Month Celebration through Music
Today, we will celebrate Black History Month and Pro Caring Day by exploring the many contributions of people who are black through music and art.
Activity #1: Popcorn Reading: Students take turns reading the biographies of women on the following slides.

3. Popcorn Reading: Biographies
Rosa Parks ( ) – “First Lady of Civil Right”; refused to give up bus seat in the front for a white passenger
Harriet Tubman ( ) – Abolitionist, Union spy for Civil War; rescued slaves using Underground Railroad
Sojourner Truth ( ) – Born Isabella Baumfree; abolitionist and women’s rights activist; most favorite speech “Ain’t I a Woman?”
Phyllis Wheatley ( ) – First African-American in US to have her poetry published
Ida B. Wells ( ) – Journalist, newspaper editor; documented lynching in US
Madame CJ Walker ( ) – Businesswoman; made fortune with line of black women hair care products
Mary McLeod Bethune ( ) – Started school for African-Americans in Daytona Beach, FL, eventually became Bethune-Cookman University
Zora Neale Hurston ( ) – Harlem Renaissance author; best known for 1937 novel Their Eyes Were Watching God
Toni Morrison (1931) – Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winning author; best known for The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, Beloved
Dorothy I Height ( ) – Teacher, administrator; president of National Council of Negro Women; awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal
Maya Angelou (1928) – Autobiographical writer and poet; most acclaimed book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings; teaches at Wake Forest University

4. Biographies Continued
12. Aretha Franklin (1942) – Known as “Queen of Soul”; 20 No. 1 Singles; 18 Grammys
13. Ella Fitzgerald ( ) – American jazz and song vocalist; known as “First Lady of Song”
14. Marian Anderson ( ) – Concert singer, performed on steps of Lincoln Memorial thanks to Eleanor Roosevelt; first black person to perform at Metropolitan Opera in NY
15. Shirley Chisholm ( ) – Politian, educator, author; first black woman elected to Congress; first major party black candidate for US President
16. Althea Gibson (1927 – 2003) – First African-American woman to be a competitor in tennis; first to win Grand Slam of Tennis; known as “Jackie Robinson of Tennis”
17. Oprah Winfrey (1954) – Television host, actress, producer, philanthropist; best known for self-titled talk show; ranked as richest African-American of 20th century
18. Coretta Scott King ( ) – Helped lead Civil Rights Movement and Women’s Movement; wife of Martin Luther King
19. Wilma Rudolph ( ) – Considered fastest woman in world in the 1960s; first American woman to win 3 gold medals in track and field
20. Mae Jemison (1956) – First African-American woman to travel into space aboard Endeavour
21. Fannie Lou Hamer ( ) – Civil rights leader; organized Mississippi Freedom Summer for SNCC
22. Michelle Obama (1964) – First African-American First Lady of the United States; earned JD from Harvard Law School

5. Silent Reading of “Check It Out – Black History” lyrics by Adam Dovico -To the beat of "Check It Out" by Nicki Minaj and Will.I.Am.
Sit up in the front like my name was Rosa all these people mad because she’s not supposed “ta” Harriet comin’ through yeah underground with slaves Over 300 she saved Here with Sojourner and “Ain’t I a Woman?” She’s a former slave and she fought for equal rights Sometimes when I read and think Phyllis Wheatley Her work will live on with time [Chorus - Will.I.am] It’s Black history it’s so astounding years of Amazing women It’s Black history it wasn’t easy It’s Black history (Black history, hey) Hey check it out check it out (x10) yeah yeah I`m feeling it now check it out (x3) [Will.I.Am] Step up in the party like my name was Ida B Writing journalism is impressive to me Madame CJ Walker’s biz stays mighty busy If you a teach you get Bethune Uni Zora’s always writing cause she’s fly fly fly Toni they can't touch her cause she’s writing Bluest Eye Earning Medal of Freedom like Dorothy I. Recite Maya’s poem wise [Chorus - Will.I.am] It’s Black history it’s so astounding years of Amazing women It’s Black history it wasn’t easy It’s Black history (Black history, hey) Hey check it out check it out (x10) yeah yeah I`m feeling it now check it out (x3)

6. Song Continued
[Will.I.Am] Check this classroom out It got me feelin’ proud feelin’ proud just learning like this [Nicki Minaj] Fr Frank-“lun” RESPECT some Yep Ella sung Concerts by Marian Anderson We are one Can’t let undone Shirley Chisholm why yes I would vote some Althea Gibson racquet cause she hit some Seeing Oprah getting money in abundance Coretta got respect for her strong stance Feeling cool breezes by Wilma Rudolph Look to the sky when Jemison takes off All so glamorous Feeling amorous Exclamation just for emphasis And these women worked cause they demanded more Went up against the hate and fought in war And today we can now all go through the same door [Will.I.Am] Oh, they just had to end it they on the battlefields refusing to submit they in the streets making protest people holla Women’s equal rights means we getting same dollar Fannie Lou reforming and Michelle Obama Rewrite books in color so tell this to your daughter Used to be horror Slavery and torture Now I’ma lawyer You a real doctor [Chorus - Will.I.am] It’s Black history it’s so astounding years of Amazing women It’s Black history it wasn’t easy It’s Black history (Black history, hey) Hey check it out check it out (x10) yeah yeah I`m feeling it now check it out (x3)

7. “Check it Out – Black History Month” Video Clip
Watch video of middle school students singing and performing “Check it Out – Black History Month” written by Adam Dovico:
Discussion Questions
What is the main message of these lyrics?
Which phrase in this song is most powerful to you? Why?
Is there a woman that you think should be added to this song? Who is it and why should she be added?

8. Group Activity
Students develop their own creative songs, poems, raps, spoken word, dance or visual art celebrating Black History Month. Allow students to present their creations to the class.

9. Pro Caring Day on 2/7/18 : High School /1st Block Today’s Agenda
2nd and 4th Blocks:
Attend a variety of performances by your talented peers!
Majors will all perform in at least one of the three pro caring days this school year, which are all early release days.
Report to your teacher for attendance and then you will go to each performance with your class.
1st and 3rd Blocks:
Arts infused pro caring lessons

10. Using Art for Activism
Background /Introduction Statement: “Strange Fruit” is a poem that was written in 1937 by Abel Meeropol, an English teacher who was white and Jewish from New York City. Meeropol wrote “Strange Fruit” as a protest against lynching, which involved execution without trial, usually by hanging, and mostly of people who were black. Billie Holiday recorded “Strange Fruit” as a song in 1939 and it became her best-selling record. “Strange Fruit” was also recorded by Nina Simone in 1969.

11. Silent Reading: Students silently and independently read lyrics to “Strange Fruit”. Read Aloud: After silent reading, one student volunteers to read it aloud.
Strange Fruit
Southern trees bear strange fruit Blood on the leaves and blood at the root Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees
Pastoral scene of the gallant south The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh Then the sudden smell of burning flesh
Here is fruit for the crows to pluck For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop Here is a strange and bitter crop

12. Activism Through Dance
Watch video of So You Think You Can Dance video of “Strange Fruit”, choreographed by Travis Wall and sung by Nina Simone at the following link:
Discussion Questions:
What do the words “Strange Fruit” refer to in the song lyrics?
What images and/or emotions come to mind when reading the poem? Do they differ when viewing the dance?
How does the music in the song contribute to the overall effect?
What was the message in the dance piece?
Meeropol and Wall took different approaches and intentions with “Strange Fruit”. What were they?
How can you use your art for activism?

13. Group Activity: Activism through Art
Since Meeropol and Wall have different messages in their art (Meeropol spoke out against lynching while Wall showcased the history of the treatment of Blacks and ended with his view of how White and Black people now get along), students may choose what message they want to promote.
Directions for Group Activity: Create a form of art (music, poetry, song, dance, visual art) to speak out against injustice, celebrate the accomplishments of people who are black, or to spread hope of how the world should be. Students may share their creations with the class.

14. Pro Caring Day – 2/7/18 – 3rd Block
Using Affirmations to Promote a Positive Climate
Opening Statement: In order for the Daily Affirmation to work, it is not only important to say it, but to also believe it. Today you will create your own positive affirmations for yourself and classmates.
Teachers and students will recite NWSA’s Daily Affirmation, written by Ms. MsCloud:
I have a gift.
I am talented.
I’m a doer, not a quitter.
I matter to others and to myself.
That is why I will be good to others and good to myself.
I am a leader! I will walk in my excellence!

15. Sticky Swap
On a post-it note or on a half sheet of paper, students write their own line to the affirmation. This statement should be a positive, uplifting reminder.
Once finished, students will have 20 seconds to swap papers with as many students as possible.
When the time is up, several students will have the opportunity to read aloud their peer’s line.
Repeat the swap and read aloud at least two more times.
Play “I Believe I Can Fly”, by R. Kelly while the students swap at the following link:

16. Create Your Own Affirmation!
You will each create your own affirmation poster!
It should have seven lines of positive, uplifting reminders.
You may use art supplies to make it colorful and creative.
You also have the option of writing your affirmation as a poem or song.
Students may take turns sharing their affirmations

17. Peer Affirmations Groups of 4 or 5 students sit together.
Students write their names on separate pieces of paper so that there is only one student’s name on the top of each piece of paper.
Group members pass their papers around to each other.
Each group member will write sincere intrinsic compliments on every other group member’s paper.
When students receive their own paper again, it will include positive messages from all of their group members.