African-American Lives

Several years ago, PBS presented "African-American Lives," a series where African-American celebrities traced their roots.  This fascinating series, hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.,  connects to so many content areas such as History, Science, and English/Language Arts.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aalives/2006/index.html 

When you click on the "For Educators" link, teachers can access three lesson plans:

1. Analyzing Evidence (grades 6-8):  students develop strategies for analyzing history.
2. My Place in History (grades 6-8):  students learn how individual stories reflect larger events or trends in history
3. Following the Thread (grades 9-12):  students learn about genetic lineages and various DNA tests.

~Chandra