Next week the Teaching for Black Lives study group will host a week of engagement campus-wide, in collaboration with the Harwood staff. We would like to invite all of you to participate in some fun events next week. In addition, for classrooms that have not yet received them, we will provide an offering of some new materials which we hope will help to build classroom resources (Thank you, Emily!) Feel free to use them or not, as you wish. Listed below is more information about next week’s activities.
Monday – Guides are invited to read the “13 Principles of Black Lives Matter at School” in their opening circle + discuss them as a community. Here is a link for elementary and Jr High students: Black Lives Matter Guiding Principles (Parents will also receive a link). A great article on how to discuss this topic with young children by Laleña Garcia can be found on this website: https://www.dcareaeducators4socialjustice.org/black-lives-matter/resources/early-childhood-elementary#13.
Monday is also the kick-off of our book drive on the Parent Portal.
If students bring in books they have purchased, they are welcome to bring them to their classrooms to share for the week or bring them directly to the library. A Wufoo form for parents to sign-up or donate toward the book drive will be in the Parent Portal. (Thanks for this Elora!) Jr High and Elementary students are invited to begin researching images for Thursday’s art project with Christy and Chandler. The link to Christy’s slideshow is here.
Tuesday – Guides are invited to listen to Brittany Howard’s song “13th Century Metal” with their classroom or to read the lyrics aloud in the classroom (families are encouraged to read these lyrics aloud together at home.) Each classroom is invited to reflect on these words and think about what community agreements or promises they want to make to one another. Brittany Howard is an iconic black queer blues-rock musician and multi-grammy award winner. She is best known for her band Alabama Shakes and her vows featured in “13th Century Metal” are a model for a life lived in respect, balance, and reciprocity.
Wednesday – Elementary and Jr High Students are invited to view the “We are the Dream” – documentary on HBO, it is 1hr long. Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKr8XNCVRiI
We will host 2 viewings – 9 a.m. Sr El and Jr El East and 1:30 p.m. Jr El West and Jr High.
Emily will host a 20-minute movie in the library for primary children (kindergarteners), about Garrett Morgan.
Thursday – Elementary + Jr High wheat paste public community art project with Christy and Chandler- students will bring a printed image of an artist or an artwork from the slide show, to wheat-paste on Thursday between 11 and 1. Chandler is supporting the installation piece. Details about the schedule of this will be given next week. Faculty are welcome to bring art and participate.
Friday – Join us at 10:30 a.m. for a campus-wide Dance Party in the plaza celebrating black musicians! Ruby from Harwood will MC! Jr. High, Chandler, Ruby, Ronja, and Robin will set up decorations. If your classroom would like to create portraits of influential black leaders we would love it!
Check out Harwood Art Center’s Instagram page for daily posts about local black femme artists!
Please share any great photos from your communities from this week or any of the previous ones that show how you have been celebrating black history! Questions? Feel free to ask Inga, Robin, Ben, Tanesia, Ruby, Emily, Shaina, Christy, or Chandler!
