Youth Education

The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center is dedicated to telling the story of Arkansas's African American history and using those stories to encourage understanding and excite the imagination. School groups, Pre-K through 12th grade, are invited to schedule a guided tour of MTCC’s exhibits and enjoy the accompanying educational programs.

The Education Department also provides educators with resources to better teach Arkansas’s African American history through teacher workshops, lesson plans, and loan boxes.

Arkansas Black History Items

African American history is woven into the past, present and future of Arkansas. Many prominent African Americans were born in Arkansas or made significant contributions while living in the state. We are celebrating their accomplishments by offering these free classroom materials.

Loan Box

Our loan box, "Goin' North", is a free resource designed for Arkansas teachers to use in their classrooms. It is packed with reproductions of historical artifacts, guide books and other educational resources. "Goin' North" explores the complexities and effects of The Great Migration by focusing on the migrants themselves and the lives the African American migrants. The loan box is adaptable for grade levels 4th - 8th grade and is available upon request for up to two weeks. It includes a teacher's guidebook with lesson plans, student worksheets and related activities.

Lesson Plans from MTCC

The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center has created reproducible lesson plans that follow Arkansas Department of Education curriculum guidelines. Our lesson plans are for classroom use and related to Arkansas's African American history. All PDF materials listed below are free to download.

Mosaic Templars of America

This lesson plan highlights the achievements of the Mosaic Templars of America and their contributions to Arkansas history. It features cross-curricular activities. Suitable for grades K-12.

Exploring Community History: Oral History

This lesson plan introduces students to the techniques of oral history and how it can be used to record community history. Suitable for grades K-12.

Little Rock's West Ninth Street

This lesson plan focuses on Little Rock's black business district and features cross-curricular activities, including math and science. Suitable for grades K-12.

Meet the Artist: Isaac Scott Hathaway

This lesson plan reviews the nationally recognized art of African American sculptor, ceramicist, and illustrator Isaac Scott Hathaway. Hathaway created sculptures of notable African Americans from Arkansas. Suitable for grades K-12.

Lesson Plans from the Community

These plans are not produced by MTCC. They have been created by teachers or community members for us to share with the public. If you have any lesson plans that you would like to contribute, please submit a request to have them reviewed. Email the director of education and include the subject line “Contribution – Lesson Plan Sharing.”

Composers Florence Price and William Grant Still - 5th Grade

This lesson plan introduces students to Florence Price and William Grant Still as important composers with Arkansas cultural heritage for students at a 5th grade level.

Composers Florence Price and William Grant Still - High School
This lesson plan introduces students to Florence Price and William Grant Still as important composers with Arkansas Cultural heritage for students in grades 9-12.

Arkansans on Poster:

Al Bell, Arthur Porter Sr., Bass Reeves, Charles Bussey Jr., Chester W. Keatts, Clarence Hunter Sr., Daisy Bates, Derek Fisher, Edith Irby Jones, John H. Johnson, Johnnie Harrison Taylor, Joseph A. Booker, Lucius Christopher "L.C." Bates, Philander Smith College, Robert Hill, Scott Joplin, Sidney Moncrief, William Grant Still

Printed Periodic Table Poster available upon request. Please see request form at the bottom of the page.