Bruce-Monroe ES @ Parkview (DCPS), a dual language English/Spanish school, adopted the theme “Black is Beautiful” for the month of February and used a school-wide read aloud to start a discussion around this phrase of historic significance.

Cesarina Pierre borrowed copies of the Jacqueline Woodson’s book The Day You Begin / El día en que descubres quién eres and encouraged all of the teachers in her school to use it in their classroom for Black Lives Matter in Schools Week of Action. Fifth graders and first graders used the book in a visual art and poetry unit. Students painted self-portraits and wrote “I Am” poems based on the book.

In first grade, Kelley Padilla read the book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes to her students. The children discussed self-confidence and how the illustrator portrays the main character’s confidence using self-portraits and a lot of color. Then students created their own self-portraits.

Kindergarten teachers at Bruce-Monroe read Zetta Elliott’s book Milo’s Museum to their students. The students then created their own Kindergarten class “People’s Museum”, which is proudly on display in the hallway at the school.