American History: Elevating Black Voices (3-5)
13 Activities
Grades 3 - 5
9 Hours 10 Minutes
Overview
This Collection is a weekly, hands-on playlist that helps learners explore how stories, creativity, problem-solving, and leadership shape communities and American history. Through engaging texts, Innovator Trading Cards, and theme-based activities in literacy, STEM, the arts, and collaboration, students discover lesser-known Black Americans whose voices and ideas have made a lasting impact. Each week introduces a new theme that strengthens reading comprehension, evidence-based thinking, creativity, and teamwork, while giving learners multiple opportunities to apply their understanding through discussion, design, and gameplay. Designed for flexible facilitation and active learning, this playlist shows that innovation happens in many ways—and that elevating diverse voices deepens our understanding of history.
For a consistent learning experience, it is recommended that this collection be completed in the sequence outlined below. This allows learners to apply the weekly themes from the Innovator Playing Cards through supplementary activities.
Week 1: Storytelling and Voice
Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)
Word Detectives
What is that Tone
Rhythm and Language
Week 2: Inventing and Problem Solving
Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)
S.INQ Mechanical Engineering Self Propelled Cars
Arm and Belt Accessories
Engineering an Upgrade (Grades 3-5)
Week 3: Creativity and Expression
Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)
The Animal Spin
Create and Perform a Scene from a Book
Clay Pinch Pot
Week 4: Leadership and Change
Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)
Playing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)
More Tools Are Better Than One
Build Your Own Obstacle Course
Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)
Literacy, History and Society
Grades 3 - 5
Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)
Mizzen Education, Inc.
3 - 5
45 Minutes
Students engage in a four-week learning experience focused on designing Innovator Trading Cards that highlight lesser-known Black American innovators—past and present—whose ideas, creativity, problem-solving, and leadership shaped American history and community life. Each week introduces a new theme aligned to a color, helping learners recognize patterns in how people contribute to communities. This activity focuses on learning about innovators, closely reading informational texts, and creating trading cards that will later be used in a collaborative game during Week 4.
This is the first of two activities in the Innovator Trading Card Collection:
Activity 1 focuses on the theme of the week, learning about the innovators and their influence, and designing the innovator trading cards.
Activity 2 focuses on facilitating the associated game to reinforce learning.
Discover Activity
Word Detectives
Literacy, Social and Emotional Awareness
Grades 3 - 5
Word Detectives
Mizzen Education, Inc.
3 - 5
45 Minutes
Discover Activity
What is that Tone
Digital Media and Communications, Literacy
Grades 3 - 5
What is that Tone
PBS
3 - 5
45 Minutes
Discover Activity
Rhythm and Language
Arts, Literacy
Grades 3 - 8
Rhythm and Language
Jazz at Lincoln Center
3 - 8
1 Hour
Discover Activity
S.INQ Mechanical Engineering Self Propelled Cars
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
S.INQ Mechanical Engineering Self Propelled Cars
OregonASK
K - 5
30 Minutes
Discover Activity
Arm & Belt Accessories
Arts, STEM
Grades 3 - 8
Arm & Belt Accessories
Rediscover Center
3 - 8
1 Hour 30 Minutes
In this activity, students will be challenged to create a wearable glove, shoulder attachment, wrist or belt attachment using cardboard and crafting techniques. They will be able to explore and/or combine materials to make a unique costume that represents themselves!
This is part 3 of the Cardboard Costumes series from reDiscover Center.
Discover Activity
Engineering an Upgrade (Grades 3-5)
STEM, Arts
Grades 3 - 5
Engineering an Upgrade (Grades 3-5)
Mizzen Education, Inc.
3 - 5
45 Minutes
Discover Activity
The Animal Spin
Arts, Social and Emotional Awareness
Grades 3 - 8
The Animal Spin
Jazz at Lincoln Center
3 - 8
2 Hours
Discover Activity
Create and Perform a Scene from a Book (Grades 3-5)
Arts, Literacy
Grades 3 - 5
Create and Perform a Scene from a Book (Grades 3-5)
Mizzen Education, Inc.
3 - 5
45 Minutes
Discover Activity
Clay Pinch Pot
Arts, Literacy
Grades K - 5
Clay Pinch Pot
OregonASK
K - 5
1 Hour
Discover Activity
Playing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)
Leadership and Teamwork, History and Society
Grades 3 - 5
Playing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)
Mizzen Education, Inc.
3 - 5
50 Minutes
In this culminating activity, learners use their completed Innovator Trading Cards to play two connected games: first, trading cards to recognize shared themes, and second, applying their learning to identify which types of innovators are best suited to solve community challenges. This activity reinforces collaboration, evidence-based reasoning, and the understanding that communities benefit from many kinds of innovation working together.
This is the second of two activities in the Innovator Trading Card Collection:
Activity 1 focuses on the theme of the week, learning about the innovators and their influence, and designing the innovator trading cards.
Activity 2 focuses on facilitating the associated game to reinforce learning.
Discover Activity
More Tools Are Better Than One
Social and Emotional Awareness, Leadership and Teamwork
Grades 3 - 5
More Tools Are Better Than One
Mizzen Education, Inc.
3 - 5
45 Minutes
Discover Activity
Build Your Own Obstacle Course
Leadership and Teamwork, Health and Wellness
Grades 3 - 5
Build Your Own Obstacle Course
Nickelodeon + Mizzen Education
3 - 5
1 Hour
Obstacle courses are fun for all ages. They allow for creativity and get youth moving in inventive ways. In the 6th activity of The Nickelodeon Our World: The Play Lab Module, youth explore different types of movement as they build and navigate obstacle courses.
This is activity 6 of 12 in the Nickelodeon Our World: The Play Lab Module.
Discover Activity
American History: Elevating Black Voices (3-5)
American History: Elevating Black Voices (3-5)
Grades 3 - 5
9 Hours 10 Minutes
Overview
Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)
Literacy, History and Society
Grades 3 - 5
Designing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)
Mizzen Education, Inc.
3 - 5
45 Minutes
Students engage in a four-week learning experience focused on designing Innovator Trading Cards that highlight lesser-known Black American innovators—past and present—whose ideas, creativity, problem-solving, and leadership shaped American history and community life. Each week introduces a new theme aligned to a color, helping learners recognize patterns in how people contribute to communities. This activity focuses on learning about innovators, closely reading informational texts, and creating trading cards that will later be used in a collaborative game during Week 4.
This is the first of two activities in the Innovator Trading Card Collection:
Activity 1 focuses on the theme of the week, learning about the innovators and their influence, and designing the innovator trading cards.
Activity 2 focuses on facilitating the associated game to reinforce learning.
Discover Activity
Word Detectives
Literacy, Social and Emotional Awareness
Grades 3 - 5
Word Detectives
Mizzen Education, Inc.
3 - 5
45 Minutes
Discover Activity
What is that Tone
Digital Media and Communications, Literacy
Grades 3 - 5
What is that Tone
PBS
3 - 5
45 Minutes
Discover Activity
Rhythm and Language
Arts, Literacy
Grades 3 - 8
Rhythm and Language
Jazz at Lincoln Center
3 - 8
1 Hour
Discover Activity
S.INQ Mechanical Engineering Self Propelled Cars
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
S.INQ Mechanical Engineering Self Propelled Cars
OregonASK
K - 5
30 Minutes
Discover Activity
Arm & Belt Accessories
Arts, STEM
Grades 3 - 8
Arm & Belt Accessories
Rediscover Center
3 - 8
1 Hour 30 Minutes
In this activity, students will be challenged to create a wearable glove, shoulder attachment, wrist or belt attachment using cardboard and crafting techniques. They will be able to explore and/or combine materials to make a unique costume that represents themselves!
This is part 3 of the Cardboard Costumes series from reDiscover Center.
Discover Activity
Engineering an Upgrade (Grades 3-5)
STEM, Arts
Grades 3 - 5
Engineering an Upgrade (Grades 3-5)
Mizzen Education, Inc.
3 - 5
45 Minutes
Discover Activity
The Animal Spin
Arts, Social and Emotional Awareness
Grades 3 - 8
The Animal Spin
Jazz at Lincoln Center
3 - 8
2 Hours
Discover Activity
Create and Perform a Scene from a Book (Grades 3-5)
Arts, Literacy
Grades 3 - 5
Create and Perform a Scene from a Book (Grades 3-5)
Mizzen Education, Inc.
3 - 5
45 Minutes
Discover Activity
Clay Pinch Pot
Arts, Literacy
Grades K - 5
Clay Pinch Pot
OregonASK
K - 5
1 Hour
Discover Activity
Playing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)
Leadership and Teamwork, History and Society
Grades 3 - 5
Playing Innovator Trading Cards (3-5)
Mizzen Education, Inc.
3 - 5
50 Minutes
In this culminating activity, learners use their completed Innovator Trading Cards to play two connected games: first, trading cards to recognize shared themes, and second, applying their learning to identify which types of innovators are best suited to solve community challenges. This activity reinforces collaboration, evidence-based reasoning, and the understanding that communities benefit from many kinds of innovation working together.
This is the second of two activities in the Innovator Trading Card Collection:
Activity 1 focuses on the theme of the week, learning about the innovators and their influence, and designing the innovator trading cards.
Activity 2 focuses on facilitating the associated game to reinforce learning.
Discover Activity
More Tools Are Better Than One
Social and Emotional Awareness, Leadership and Teamwork
Grades 3 - 5
More Tools Are Better Than One
Mizzen Education, Inc.
3 - 5
45 Minutes
Discover Activity
Build Your Own Obstacle Course
Leadership and Teamwork, Health and Wellness
Grades 3 - 5
Build Your Own Obstacle Course
Nickelodeon + Mizzen Education
3 - 5
1 Hour
Obstacle courses are fun for all ages. They allow for creativity and get youth moving in inventive ways. In the 6th activity of The Nickelodeon Our World: The Play Lab Module, youth explore different types of movement as they build and navigate obstacle courses.
This is activity 6 of 12 in the Nickelodeon Our World: The Play Lab Module.
Discover Activity
Copyright © 2026, Mizzen Education, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to empower, uplift and support out-of-school time educators.
Copyright © 2026, Mizzen Education, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to empower, uplift and support out-of-school time educators.