Guest post from Mote Ambassador Leader - Alex Isaacs, EdTech Specialist in the Long Branch Public Schools District.
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We’ve reached the month of February, and I’m here to welcome you to a time of celebration, reflection, and connections, all while honoring Black History Month. In the spirit of embracing technology to have a more significant impact on school communities and enriching educational experiences for our students, I’m excited to share multiple engaging project ideas that incorporate Mote and help honor the contributions of so many African Americans in history. Educators can foster more inclusive and immersive classroom environments using these Mote-powered ideas. By leveraging the platform’s unique capabilities, all learners can share their thoughts about this month and its traditions!

Black History Month Posters with QR Mote Commentary
Appsmash your favorite design apps with Mote for this Black History Month project option. Assign or allow students to create a digital poster highlighting significant Black figures, movements, or events. Learners can also compose graphics based on a noteworthy quote from an influential African American figure while explaining what it means to them or why it is culturally significant. Encourage students to unleash creativity by seamlessly integrating design apps with Mote for a captivating Black History Month project. Check out an example of an Adobe Express graphic appsmashed with a Mote QR code to provide viewers additional context with a quick cell phone scan.

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Mote + Adobe Express Malcolm X Graphic

Interactive Black History Month Calendar

Develop an interactive, Mote-integrated interactive calendar highlighting important events and individuals in Black history. Use Mote to provide daily audio explanations of each event or person to create a more engaging and immersive experience. Teachers can also assign students one or more dates in February to have them record Mote messages explaining the day’s significance in history. A physical bulletin board calendar with Mote QR codes or a digital version with Mote audio embeds are excellent options for this classroom idea. Check out this comprehensive list of events and people to recognize for each day in February developed by the National Parks Service for ideas on how to map out this month of significant dates.

Black History Month Class Playlist

Collaborate with your students and create a music playlist featuring songs by African American artists that reflect various genres and historical periods. Select a song or songs to play throughout the month, and let students share their thoughts and connections to the music by recording Mote messages. Curating a playlist that spans eras, styles, and themes while offering perspectives through Mote audio clips helps reflect the diversity of African American artistry. It also allows teachers to tap into their students’ cultural music traditions with an inclusive representation of their diverse experiences.

As we celebrate Black History Month 2024, let’s explore ways to spark meaningful engagement and immersive learning for our students. The project ideas shared here help recognize the rich tapestry of African American history and show Mote's transformative power to student voice. From visually appealing and accessible digital posters to dynamic interactive calendars and culturally relevant music playlists, these projects help engage others in history while amplifying the voice of all learners. 

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Let’s treat this month as an opportunity to highlight African Americans' remarkable achievements and contributions while displaying the power of educational technology in enriching educational experiences for diverse learners. With this, Black History Month ideals, including inspiration, education, and celebration, can be seamlessly incorporated into the foundations of our classrooms, allowing students to share their perspectives and develop a more comprehensive understanding of other cultures. So I encourage everyone reading to “Mote more in ‘24,” try at least one of these activities with their class, and see all this edtech tool can offer you!

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