Celebrating Black History Month through Writing

Using the RAFT Writing Technique in Middle School Classrooms

Feb 3, 2009

With Black History Month in full swing, many middle school teachers should consider using the RAFT writing technique to celebrate Black History in their classrooms.

The RAFT writing technique as a way to incorporate the history and heritage of African-Americans into middle school classrooms. And although it is used to engage students in meaningful writing, the RAFT writing technique can be used by teachers in all subject matters very effectively.

The Raft Writing Technique

The RAFT writing technique is easy to use and easy to remember, for both teachers and students. Many people who use the technique find the RAFT acronym to be quite appropriate; it has served as a “life saver” for lots of middle school students and teachers. RAFT stands for the following terms:

The RAFT writing technique is versatile. One RAFT activity can be used for the entire class, or RAFT activities can be highly individualized and differentiated. Each RAFT activity may be self-selected, or each may be teacher assigned. The flexibility of the RAFT writing technique allows teachers to use it in a way that best meets the needs of their students. If teachers are going to use the RAFT technique to assist in the exploration and celebration of Black History Month, there are several points to take into consideration.

Choosing a Role, Audience, Format, and Topic

What role are the student writers going to take? Will they be writing in first or third person? Will they be an observer, a student, an expert, or a descendant, or will they assume the role of a famous person they are researching? Might they research a famous African-American artist, doctor, scientist, musician, lawyer, athlete, politician, activist, or entrepreneur? What role will they assume as they write about their subject matter?

For whom are the students writing? Are they writing for a teacher, for their peers, for the readers of a newspaper or magazine, for young children, for a television or radio audience, or could it possibly be for their eyes only? For what audience should they gear their tone, style, and mechanics?

What format will their writing piece take? The possibilities seem endless, and a five-paragraph essay is probably the least fitting for this technique. Students might choose to write a memoir, a eulogy, poetry, journal entries, a business letter, an obituary, original song lyrics, a speech, a preface, a children’s book. What format will allow students to best showcase their creativity as well as the knowledge they learned?

What topic related to Black History Month will students choose? Will it be a concept, an event, a person, a time period, a philosophy, a team, or an idea that resonates with them? Once the topic is chosen, the role, audience, and format usually fall into place.

Middle schools are celebrating Black History Month all across the nation and all throughout the month of February. The RAFT writing technique is an excellent way for individual teachers, teams of teachers, grade levels, and even entire schools to join the celebration and encourage students to share some important history with one another.

The copyright of the article Celebrating Black History Month through Writing in Middle School Lesson Plans is owned by Amy Horn. Permission to republish Celebrating Black History Month through Writing in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.