George Bonga was one of the first people of African descent in Minnesota. He was extremely successful in the fur trade. He was also an interpreter. Over the course of two days, students analyzed pictures, watched a video, and read the textbook to understand his life and his role in Minnesota's history. Students used this information to create a bubble map of George Bonga and write an essay about his life. It was also the first time many of my students had talked about race in a social studies classroom.

Hindsight is 20/20. It can be hard for students to understand how logical choices in the past can lead to negative consequences. This misunderstanding can result in shame or embarrassment about a student's race and ancestors. In this lesson, I had students sign a treaty. The very fine print said that they would agree to an extra hour of school each day. I used power, trust, incentives and tricks to get them to sign. This gave them insight and empathy related to the situations their own ancestors had to live through. Students reflected on this at the end of the lesson.

An advantage of online learning during the last year has been the opportunity to take virtual tours of museums and historical sites. As part of our focus on Black History Month, students toured the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC. They then created their own electronic displays of important African Americans in United States history. This required students to expand both their research and writing skills. To create an authentic audience, their final products were displayed in the school halls.