10 Resources for Teaching Kids About Juneteenth
“From Africa’s heart, we rose
Already a people, our faces ebon, our bodies lean,
We rose
Skills of art, life, beauty and family
Crushed by forces we knew nothing of, we rose
Survive we must, we did,
We rose
We rose to be you, we rose to be me,
Above everything expected, we rose
To become the knowledge we never knew,
We rose
Dream, we did
Act we must.”
– We Rose by poet Kristina Kay
The words of this beautiful poem depict the spirit of Juneteenth – freedom, strength, and hope. This is a spirit we all hope to embody in our classrooms and teach to our students.
Juneteenth is a national holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
There are endless resources online for teaching about Juneteenth. But finding historically accurate, meaningful and age-appropriate resources takes hours. To help save you time, I have compiled a quick list of 10 high-quality resources for teaching kids about Juneteenth.
Children’s Books
First, one of my favorite resources for teaching kids about Juneteenth is children’s books. There is a magic about children’s books that cannot be found anywhere else. In these beautiful stories, children grow in knowledge and compassion.
My Favorite Juneteenth Children’s Books:
Disclosure: The book links are Amazon affiliate links. This means that I may earn commissions for purchases made by clicking the links.
Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper
In this book, students listen alongside Mazie as her father teaches about the history of Juneteenth. On this special day in American history, her ancestors were no longer slaves. You can find a video read-aloud of the book here.
All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson
This book teaches about the first Juneteenth from the perspective of a little girl. You can find a video read-aloud of the book here.
How can teachers use this Juneteenth resource in the classroom?
A great way to use these children’s books in your classroom is to lead a discussion about cultural representation and diversity. Using this graphic organizer, students could compare and contrast their life with the lives of the character in the book.
An additional way to use these children’s books is to have students create a story map. Depending on grade level, this can be adjusted to your needs.
Educational Videos
I also love using educational videos to teach kids about Juneteenth. Videos are always a hit with students! From animation to news broadcasts, there is such a wide variety of options when it comes to using videos in the classroom.
YouTube:
- What is JUNETEENTH? Why We Honor It! – Kid Explorer (3:23 min) – The “Kid Explorer” describes the history behind Juneteenth. I love this video because it explains all of the key details while keeping the content age-appropriate.
- What is Juneteenth and Why Do We Celebrate? – Brain POP (7:47 min) – This video is a bit longer, but the animation is engaging and the content is much more specific. In fact, the video goes into much more detail about segregation and civil rights.
- Note: Brain POP has great resources on its website that accompany this video including related worksheets, graphic organizers, vocabulary cards, and readings.
PBS Learning Media:
- Juneteenth: All About the Holidays (1:24 min) – This is a quick, easy-to-understand video outlining the history of Juneteenth.
- Juneteenth Jamboree Celebrations (3:52 min) – This fun video takes a closer look at the ways different communities throughout the nation celebrate Juneteenth.
- Juneteenth Jamboree History (2:59 min) – Made for older kids (grades 9-12), this video gives another quick description of the history of Juneteenth.
How can teachers use this Juneteenth resource in the classroom?
One easy way to use these videos with your students is to pair them with my ABC graphic organizer. Students watch the video closely and listen for key terms that fit different letters of the alphabet. Challenge students to fill in as many letters as they can.
You can also use these videos with a KWL graphic organizer. Before watching the video, have students complete the “What I Know” column with facts they already know about Juneteenth. Next, students complete the “What I Want to Know” column. Then, students watch the video closely, writing down facts they learn about Juneteenth in the “What I Learned” column.
Another way to use these videos is to have students complete a Venn Diagram comparing Juneteenth to Independence Day.
Primary Sources
Primary sources are great resources to teach kids about Juneteenth. A primary source is a document, artifact, or image that provides first-hand evidence about a historical subject. Primary sources bring history to life for students!
Here are some primary sources to consider:
Abraham Lincoln Papers – Library of Congress
The Emancipation Proclamation – National Archives
General Order No. 3 (The Original Juneteenth General Order) – National Archives
How can teachers use this Juneteenth resource in the classroom?
- One easy way to use these primary sources is to use these worksheets from the National Archives.
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Another simple way to use these primary sources is to have a gallery walk! First, spread several primary sources around the room. Then, have students walk around observing them and answering questions. To see an example of a lesson like this, check out my free Civil War Battles lesson.
More US History Resources
I hope you find these resources for teaching kids about Juneteenth to be helpful and engaging!
Looking for more seasonal history lessons? I’ve created activity ideas for most major holidays and seasons. Check them out below! You may also be interested in browsing my collection of free lesson plans.
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