Image: https://thinkgrowth.org/14-black-inventors-you-probably-didnt-know-about-3c0702cc63d2

Are you bringing Black History Month into your class by reading about Black figures throughout history? Many classes read about the important contributions Black professionals have made to their fields, such as those by astronaut, Mae Jemison, or Bayard Rustin, the black gay civil rights leader who organized Martin Luther King Jr’s historic march on Washington. This not only strengthens reading skills, but can bolster background knowledge in fields like history, social studies and science.

Biographies of black professionals who have made important and long-lasting contributions to their fields can be found here or here or here. Once students read about their work, you may delve into a CareerKit that explores the sector of which they are a part, such as Technology, Food Production or Healthcare. You may explore the pathway to becoming a surgeon or astronaut, learn about lesser known careers, such as Surgical Tech or Food Scientist, or how to work close to home as a Community Healthcare Educator.

Connections to careers are everywhere, because the world works because of workers. We find information about careers in any section of the newspaper, in our workplaces, medical appointments, commutes and neighborhoods. Once you put on your career-colored glasses, it becomes easy to connect the dots.