Historical Figures that Impacted U.

S History
Garret Morgan
1877- 1963
With only an elementary
school education, he
invented an improved
sewing machine , traffic
signal, hair straightening
product, and a gas mask
later used in WWI.
Dr. Patricia Cowings
1948 - Present
She created a special suit that
warns astronauts if they are about
to get motion sickness. She also
developed a way to train
astronauts to control their heart
rate, breathing and other body
functions to keep the astronauts
from getting sick while being
weightless in space.
George Washington Carver
Approx. 1864-1954

He was born into slavery. He
taught agriculture at the
Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.
He created Peanut butter, paints
and stains, and lotion and
soups.
Lewis Latimer
1848- 1928
Only black member of
Thomas Edisons engineering
division: invented the carbon
filaments for the Maxim
electric incandescent light
bulb.
Classroom Description
o Second Grade
o Large classroom with student centered areas. Desk are
arranged in groups of four to maximize interaction.
o Urban Setting
o 10% of students are African American, the remainder
European American and one Hispanic Student.
o 15 boys and 10 girls
o African American is the selected underrepresented
group.
Link to Standards


SS.2.H.C1.3 Explore the impact historical figures have had upon
our society.
SC.O.2.1.2 Compare the lives and discoveries of scientists of
different cultures and backgrounds.
These standards help students understand the influences of the
works of various people on our society. There are many people who
helped discover and create things that we use currently everyday. I
would use this bulletin board when teaching my 2
nd
grade students
about the lives and discoveries of scientists of different cultures that
have impacted our society. This unit would be great to do during Black
History Month, but would work any time of the year. This unit allows
students to see the extraordinary contributions that African Americans
have made throughout history.
Culturally Competent Teacher
o This bulletin board will give the underrepresented group in my class
a sense of pride in their cultural and ethical groups and motivate
them to learn more about them.
o This bulletin board will help to improve the achievement gap for
under-achieving students by motivating African American students to
study so that they can become scientists and inventors too.
o This bulletin board shows students role models which helps to
encourage all students to have dreams and use their talents to
explore them. The models to emulate include one African American
woman and three men.
o This bulletin board helps students to feel accepted and valued, since
these are positive images of highly successful people.

Image Resource List
o Dr. Patricia Cowings:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/139963500892539279/
o Lewis Latimer:
http://inventors.about.com/od/lstartinventors/a/Lewis_Lati
mer.htm
o Garret Morgan: http://www.biography.com/people/garrett-
morgan-9414691
o George Washington Carver:
http://www.livescience.com/41780-george-washington-
carver.html