📱 History's Calling! - Part 1

Interactive Digital Learning for Black History Month

📚 FOR EDUCATORS: Learning Objectives & Standards ▼

Grades K-1 (30-40 minutes)

  • Identify at least 3 influential Black Americans and their contributions
  • Navigate a digital interface with audio features
  • Listen to and comprehend simple biographical information
  • Understand that people can make positive changes in the world
  • Study important contributions of historical figures
  • Explore positive character traits exhibited by historical people
GSE Social Studies: Kindergarten (45.00100) - Introduction to U.S. history through important historical figures and symbols; Grade 1 (45.00200) - Study of selected historical figures and their important contributions
CCSS ELA: RI.K.1, SL.K.2, RI.1.1, SL.1.2

Grades 2-3 (45-60 minutes)

  • Describe contributions of Black Americans across multiple fields
  • Navigate digital tools independently and purposefully
  • Comprehend biographical texts and historical timelines
  • Make connections between historical figures and modern society
  • Conduct basic research and complete structured note-taking
  • Discuss contributions to sportsmanship and civil rights
GSE Social Studies: SS2H1.c (Jackie Robinson - sportsmanship and civil rights); SS2H1.d (Martin Luther King, Jr. - civil rights)
CCSS ELA: RI.2.6, RI.3.2, SL.2.1, SL.3.1, W.2.7, W.3.7

Grades 4-5 (60-75 minutes)

  • Analyze contributions of Black Americans in historical context
  • Understand obstacles overcome and lasting societal impacts
  • Conduct independent research using multiple sources
  • Create biographical summaries with proper citations
  • Make connections across time periods and fields of achievement
  • Engage in critical thinking about civil rights and social justice
  • Discuss contributions and challenges faced by historical civil rights figures
  • Explain key events and people of the Civil Rights movement
GSE Social Studies: SS4H4.a (Discuss contributions of and challenges faced by Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and Harriet Tubman); SS5H6.b (Explain key events and people of the Civil Rights movement including Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King, Jr.)
CCSS ELA: RI.4.1, RI.5.3, W.4.7, W.5.7, W.4.8, W.5.8

📱 What is History's Calling?

History's Calling is a fun phone game where you learn about amazing Historic Figures. This Month™ is offering this digital tool for the first time in 2026 centering Black Americans who changed the world!

Two ways to learn: You can choose to either call someone from the list OR receive a call from a surprise person! When you receive a call, you don't know who it will be—it could be anyone!

Either way, you'll learn: You'll hear what they said, read their story, and see important things they did. Every person is special—astronauts, inventors, leaders, artists, and heroes!

History's Calling is a fun phone game where you learn about amazing Historic Figures. This Month™ is offering this digital tool for the first time in 2026 centering Black Americans who changed the world!

How it works: You choose how you want to explore—either make a call to someone specific from the address book, or receive a call from a randomly selected historical figure. Both options teach you about their life through quotes (with audio!), biographies, and timelines.

Featured figures include: 28 influential Black Americans across multiple fields—civil rights leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, scientists like Mae Jemison and Katherine Johnson, athletes like Jackie Robinson and Muhammad Ali, and many more from different time periods.

History's Calling is This Month™'s interactive phone experience where you explore the lives of amazing historical figures. For Black History Month 2026, we're centering Black Americans who changed the world!

Interactive learning approach: Students navigate independently through a phone-style address book with two interaction modes. They can either initiate outgoing calls to figures of personal interest, or receive incoming calls from randomly selected figures. Both pathways provide comprehensive profiles including authentic quotes (with text-to-speech), biographical context, and chronological timelines.

Pedagogical innovation: The dual interaction modes address different learning needs. Student-initiated calls support agency and interest-driven exploration. Randomized incoming calls ensure broader exposure to lesser-known figures students might not select independently, creating serendipitous learning moments while maintaining engagement through the element of surprise.

Representation: The 28 featured figures span multiple fields (STEM, civil rights, arts, sports, politics, education) and time periods (19th century to present), showcasing the breadth and diversity of Black American excellence and innovation.

⏱️ Time Required: 30-45 minutes for initial exploration

🚀 Launch the Interactive Experience

Start exploring Black history through our phone-style interface

📱 Launch History's Calling!

Works on computers, tablets, and smartphones • Audio-enabled • No login required

🧭 How to Navigate the Experience

1
The Address Book

You'll see a list of people's names with pictures next to them (emojis). Each person has their name, what they did (like "Astronaut" or "Civil Rights Leader"), and when they lived.

2
Choose: Make a Call OR Receive a Call

Make a Call: Click or tap on any person's name to call them! You choose exactly who you want to learn about.

Receive a Call: Press the "Receive Call" button and someone will call YOU! You won't know who it is—it's a surprise! It could be anyone from the list.

3
Learning Their Story

Whether you call them or they call you, you'll learn:

  • 🗣️ Something important they said (a quote)
  • 📖 Their story (who they were and what they did)
  • 📅 Important things that happened in their life

You can listen to the quote being read out loud!

4
Ending the Call

When you're done learning about someone, press the red "End Call" button. This takes you back to the address book so you can make another call or receive a new one!

👩‍🏫 Teacher Tip: Show students how to use it first! Pick someone like Mae Jemison (astronaut) or Ruby Bridges. Let them see you click her name, listen to the quote, and read the story together. Then demonstrate the "Receive Call" button—show how it picks someone randomly. After modeling both ways, let students explore on their own!
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Tip: Explore together the first time! Let your child pick someone that sounds interesting and make a call. Then try the "Receive Call" button together—it's like a surprise! See who calls you. After one or two together, let them explore more on their own.

The Address Book View: Scroll through 27 contact cards. Each shows an emoji, name, profession, and birth-death years (example: "🚀 Mae Jemison | Astronaut | 1956-Present").

Two Ways to Explore: You choose your learning path!

  • Make a Call: Select any contact to call them directly. Great when you want to learn about someone specific.
  • Receive a Call: Click the "Receive Call" button and a randomly selected historical figure will call you! Perfect for discovering new people you might not have chosen yourself.

What You'll Learn (Both Options):

  • Famous Quote: A powerful statement from this person with audio playback
  • Biography: Kid-friendly explanation of who they were and why they're important
  • Life Timeline: Key events from their life in chronological order

Navigation Tips: Try both methods! Make calls to people you're curious about, then try receiving calls to meet new figures. You can switch between methods anytime. Scroll down on each call screen to see all the information. The "End Call" button returns you to the address book.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Tip: Model both interaction modes on your smartboard. Show students how to make an outgoing call to someone they choose, then demonstrate receiving a randomized incoming call. Discuss how the randomization ensures they meet figures they might not have selected independently!

Interface Design: The phone-style interface mirrors familiar technology, minimizing the learning curve so students can focus on content rather than navigation. The dual interaction modes provide flexibility while ensuring comprehensive exposure.

Address Book: 27 contacts organized in a scrollable list. Each contact card displays:

  • Visual identifier (emoji)
  • Full name
  • Primary achievement or field
  • Birth-death years (or "Present" for living figures)

Dual Interaction Modes:

  • Student-Initiated Calls: Traditional navigation where students select which figures to explore based on personal interest
  • Randomized Incoming Calls: Students click "Receive Call" and are connected with a randomly selected figure, ensuring exposure to the full diversity of the database

Profile Structure (Both Modes): Each interaction provides multi-modal learning:

  • Audio: Text-to-speech quotes (accessibility feature)
  • Text: Biographical narrative at 4th-5th grade reading level
  • Visual: Chronological timeline with dates and events

Pedagogical Innovation: The randomized incoming call feature addresses a common limitation of student-choice models—students naturally gravitate toward familiar names (MLK, Rosa Parks, Obama). The "Receive Call" option exposes them to lesser-known but equally significant figures (Valerie Thomas, James West, Mary McLeod Bethune, Alice Ball, Percy Julian), broadening historical perspectives while maintaining engagement through the element of surprise.

👩‍🏫 Pedagogical Note: The dual interaction modes exemplify constructivist learning principles—students maintain agency (choosing who to call OR choosing to receive randomized calls) while the randomization feature provides scaffolding (ensuring comprehensive exposure to diverse figures). This balance supports both self-directed exploration and guided discovery.

🎯 Classroom Scenarios: "Receive Call" Activities

The "Receive Call" feature creates powerful whole-class learning experiences. Here are multiple pedagogical approaches:

1
Whole Class Gallery: "Who Called You?"

⏱️ Time: 35-45 minutes | 👥 Setup: Individual devices or station rotation

How it works:

  1. Introduction (5 min): Explain that each student will receive a call from a different historical figure. Nobody knows who they'll meet!
  2. Individual Exploration (15-20 min): Each student selects "Receive Call" and takes notes on:
    • Who called them
    • Their favorite quote from that person
    • One key achievement
    • Birth/death years
  3. Gallery Creation (10 min): Students create quick "contact cards" on index cards or sticky notes with the person's name, emoji, and key fact
  4. Class Mapping (10-15 min): Post all cards on a large bulletin board or wall. As students share, you collectively map out all 27 figures, noting patterns (scientists, artists, civil rights leaders, etc.)

✨ Why this works: Ensures every student meets someone different, creates a complete class picture of Black history, builds excitement through randomization, and provides visual representation of the breadth of Black achievement.

👩‍🏫 Differentiation: For younger students (K-1), have them draw their figure instead of writing notes. For advanced learners (4-5), add requirement to explain how their figure's work connects to modern society.
2
Daily "Morning Call" Routine

⏱️ Time: 10 minutes daily for multiple school days | 👥 Setup: Whole class, teacher-led

How it works:

  1. Morning Meeting (5 min): Each day during Black History Month, project the interactive tool on your smartboard
  2. Class "Receives Call" (5 min): Click "Receive Call" as a class. Read the quote aloud together, discuss the biography, and note 1-2 timeline events on a class chart
  3. Add to Timeline (2 min): Add this person to an ongoing classroom timeline showing when each figure lived
  4. Repeat Daily: Meet a new figure each morning for the entire month

✨ Why this works: Sustainable daily routine, builds anticipation ("Who will call us today?"), creates comprehensive month-long learning arc, and develops chronological thinking through the cumulative timeline.

👩‍🏫 Extension: Assign a "Figure of the Day" expert—that student does quick 2-minute research at lunch and shares one additional fact during afternoon closure.
3
Partner "Phone Tag" Investigation

⏱️ Time: 40-50 minutes | 👥 Setup: Pairs with shared device or 1:1 devices

How it works:

  1. Partner Assignment (2 min): Students pair up
  2. Round 1 - Student A Receives (8 min): Student A clicks "Receive Call" while Student B takes notes on who called, key quote, and main achievement
  3. Round 2 - Student B Receives (8 min): Student B receives a different call while Student A takes notes
  4. Round 3 - Both Receive (16 min): Each student receives 1-2 more calls individually, taking their own notes
  5. Compare & Contrast (10 min): Partners discuss: What do your figures have in common? How are they different? Which time periods? Which fields?
  6. Share Out (6 min): 3-4 pairs share most interesting discovery

✨ Why this works: Collaborative learning, peer accountability, students meet 4-6 figures total (2 together, 2-4 individually), and analytical thinking through comparison.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Adaptation: Parents and children can do "phone tag" at home! Each person receives 2 calls, then discuss who you'd most like to have dinner with and why.
4
Station Rotation: "Call Center"

⏱️ Time: 50-60 minutes | 👥 Setup: 4-6 stations with devices

How it works:

  1. Station 1 - Receive Calls (12 min): Students receive 2 randomized calls, take notes
  2. Station 2 - Make Calls (12 min): Students choose 2 specific figures to call from address book
  3. Station 3 - Quote Analysis (12 min): Students pick favorite quote from their calls and write what it means
  4. Station 4 - Timeline Creation (12 min): Students place their 4 figures on a personal timeline worksheet
  5. Rotation: Groups rotate through all 4 stations over 48 minutes

✨ Why this works: Multiple interaction modes (receive, make calls, analyze, create), keeps all students engaged simultaneously, accommodates larger class sizes without device ratio issues, and integrates different learning modalities.

👩‍🏫 Management Tip: Use a timer with audible signal for rotations. Assign roles within station groups (note-taker, device navigator, time-keeper) for smooth transitions.
🎓 Pedagogical Note: The "Receive Call" feature is particularly powerful for whole-class activities because the randomization ensures comprehensive coverage without overlap. In a class of 27 students, each receiving one call, the class collectively meets all 27 figures—creating a complete learning community where every student contributes unique knowledge.

✨ Meet the 28 Figures

Explore influential Black Americans across diverse fields and time periods:

✏️
Maya Angelou
Poet & Author
🔬
Alice Ball
Chemist
🚀
Colonel Guion Bluford
Astronaut
🎒
Ruby Bridges
Civil Rights Activist
🌱
George Washington Carver
Agricultural Scientist
🚌
Claudette Colvin
Civil Rights Pioneer
🧪
Marie Maynard Daly
Biochemist
🎭
Ossie Davis
Actor & Activist
📖
Frederick Douglass
Abolitionist & Author
⚡
Shirley Ann Jackson
Physicist
💡
Lonnie Johnson
Engineer & Inventor
✏️
Zora Neale Hurston
Author & Anthropologist
🛸
Mae Jemison
Astronaut
🔢
Katherine Johnson
NASA Mathematician
✊🏾
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Civil Rights Leader
⚖️
Thurgood Marshall
Supreme Court Justice
🏛️
Barack Obama
44th President
🚌
Rosa Parks
Civil Rights Icon
⚾
Jackie Robinson
Baseball Pioneer
🏃‍♀️
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Olympic Athlete
💪🏾
Sojourner Truth
Abolitionist
🔭
Valerie Thomas
NASA Scientist
⭐
Harriet Tubman
Freedom Fighter
🎤
James West
Inventor
📚
Jacqueline Woodson
Author
🥊
Muhammad Ali
Boxer & Activist
🛰️
Gladys West
GPS Pioneer
📞
Marian Croak
Voice Over IP Pioneer

🎯 Ready for Part 2?

After exploring the interactive experience, continue with Part 2: Research & Create Your Own Contact where students research a new figure and complete the "Add Your Contact" worksheet activity!

Go to Part 2: Research Activity →

This Month™ Educational Resources

Standards-aligned, timely learning experiences connecting education to the calendar
Black History Month Series • February 2026

Visit month.thence.us for more interactive seasonal activities