History posters are a great way to highlight the important accomplishments of influential people and the important aspects of historic events by using vivid graphics and concise text. Researching real people and delving into the details of important events helps students to get a more concrete and compassionate understanding of the culture, lives and diverse perspectives of people who were enslaved in America or who worked to end slavery. Giving students the perspective of those who lived during a time period helps them go beyond simply memorizing dates and names to gain a more substantial, empathetic, and realistic view of the period. In this activity, students will create a poster highlighting a key event or person from the time of American slavery.
Teachers can assign students specific people or events or give students a choice of which they'd like to research. Teachers may wish to provide resources such as books or the online encyclopedia Britannica for students to read about their person or event. Once they're completed, the posters can be printed out, laminated, and hung around the room as a visual reminder of what students have learned. Students can also present their posters to their classmates, sharing their knowledge about their person. Thus combining research, writing and public speaking skills into one powerful assignment.
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Due Date:
Objective: Research a famous or notable person that relates to the period of Slavery in America such as an enslaved person or an abolitionist OR explain, in detail, an important event that relates to the time period. Create a History Poster that highlights the important details and impact of the person or the event.
Student Instructions:
Requirements: If a person: Person’s image, name, dates of birth/death, 3-5 important events and/or accomplishments as well as images to represent your person. If an event: Event’s name, dates, 3-5 important details and its impact on history as well as images or scenes to illustrate it.
Encourage students to present and explain their posters to the class. This promotes confidence and allows peers to hear diverse perspectives and facts.
Remind students to listen actively and ask thoughtful questions after each presentation. This builds a safe, respectful environment for sharing sensitive topics.
Demonstrate by asking questions like, “Why do you think this person’s actions were important?” or “How might people have felt during this event?” This helps students look deeper and make connections.
Prompt students to discuss similarities and differences between past and present. This encourages empathy and awareness of ongoing social justice topics.
Ask students to share one thing they learned or a question they still have. This reinforces learning and helps you gauge understanding.
A Slavery in America poster activity is a classroom project where students research a historical figure or event related to American slavery and create a visual poster highlighting key facts, dates, and accomplishments. This helps students build empathy and deepen their understanding of history.
To choose a person or event, review a list of notable individuals and important events from the slavery era, considering who or what interests you most. Teachers may assign topics or let students pick based on curiosity or classroom resources.
Include the name, dates, key achievements, and images for a person, or the event name, date, major details, people involved, and impact for an event. Use clear visuals and concise text to help classmates quickly grasp the significance.
Biography posters make history more relatable by letting students explore the stories of real people, encouraging empathy, critical thinking, and deeper understanding beyond memorizing dates or names.
You can find biography poster templates online, in educational resource libraries, or through your school’s learning management system. These templates guide students in organizing their information and visuals.