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Virtual Pajama Party

We hosted a Virtual Pajama Party on Saturday, October 17, 2020. This online event for kids aged 8–12 focused on Jackie Robinson and the book The Hero Two Doors Down.

Watch a recording of the pajama party and learn more about the program in the details below.

Overview

  • We learned about Jackie Robinson, including his barrier-breaking career in baseball, but also his lifelong commitment to civil rights work through civic engagement and advocacy.
  • Participants read the historical fiction book The Hero Two Doors Down in advance. The book was written by children’s author Sharon Robinson, about a real episode in her father Jackie Robinson’s life.
  • Ms. Robinson read a section of her book and answered audience questions.
  • Hands-on activities were provided in advance of the pajama party, as well as during the party.

Hands-on Activities

These at-home activities make connections to topics like sports, African-American history, and civil rights. They include a variety of writing activities, art, historical documents, and visual sources. While the suggested age range for the pajama party was 8-12, younger siblings were invited to participate and activities support multi-age learning.

 

    Activity 1: Welcoming Strangers

    Select art or writing activities surrounding ideas of welcoming others and feeling welcome or unwelcome. Watch the video to learn about the activities, and use the following links to view the historical photographs shared in the video:

    Activity 2: Heroes

    Choose art or writing activities about heroes. Watch the video for instructions, and access the historical photographs and comic book referenced in the video here:

    Activity 3: Making Mistakes and Making Changes

    Select art or writing activities about making mistakes and learning how to make better choices. Watch the video for instructions. Use the following links to view the historical photographs and letter shared in the video:

     

    Activity 4: Standing Up Against Discrimination

    Activity 4 was shared during our live program with Ms. Sharon Robinson on October 17th, and featured the following National Archives documents:

     

     

    A Pajama Party Snack

    Watch Archivist of the United States (AOTUS) David S. Ferriero share a recipe for a ballpark favorite: nachos! 

     

     

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