Lower School Classroom Chronicle

Our fourth grade Social Studies unit on the Black Panther Party leverages the fact that conditions in Oakland proved seminal to the growth of a national movement. A highlight for students, teachers, and parents is the way that this study comes to life through field trips and guest speakers, which is the hallmark of Community Engaged Learning. Every year, we learn.

This year we took a walking tour of West Oakland, visiting places like the bronze bust of co-founder Dr. Huey P. Newton and the women’s mural at the home of Ms. Jil-Christina. The same week we visited the Black Panther Party Museum in Downtown Oakland and stood on the courthouse steps where the Panthers stood almost 60 years ago. The power of our parent community connected us with Emory Douglas, Minister of Culture for the Black Panther Party, and we were honored to welcome him into the classroom to hear about his first hand experience in the Party.