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Lesson Plan
Education Oasis

Creative Writing Unit: Analyzing, Interpreting, Discussing and Writing Various Genres of African-American Literature

For Teachers 10th - 12th
A six-week unit takes high schoolers through various works of African-American literature, including poems, plays, and short stories. The lesson plan format includes a week-by-week description of activities, goals, materials, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Black History Lesson Plan: Gwendolyn Brooks

For Students 1st - 3rd Standards
Learn more about the work of Gwendolyn Brooks with a language arts lesson. Young learners read an informational passage about the acclaimed poet before attempting a shape poem of their own.
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

The Impact of a Poem's Line Breaks: Enjambment and Gwendolyn Brooks' "We Real Cool"

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars analyze the Gwendolyn Brooks use of enjambment in her poem "We Real Cool." In this poetry analysis activity, students define common poetic devices and the examples of enjambment in the poem. Young scholars discuss the poem...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gwendolyn Brooks

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine the contributions of the author Gwendolyn Brooks. They create a journal, read and discuss poems by Brooks, write a poem about themselves, and create a timeline of their own lives.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

The Bean Eaters Questions

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
In this reading comprehension learning exercise, students respond to 4 short answer and essay questions based on the poem "The Bean Eaters."
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Poems with Tone and Mood

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Learners examine the use of tone in poetry. In this literature lesson, students read "We Real Cool," by Gwendolyn Brooks and use the provided graphic organizer to chart the poem's tone and mood.
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Website
Poetry Foundation

Poetry Foundation: Gwendolyn Brooks (1917 2000)

For Students 9th - 10th
A biography of Gwedolyn Brooks, the first African American woman author to win the Pulitzer prize. With career information and links to many of her poems, some with audio. Listen to podcasts about her work and read articles about the...
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Lesson Plan
Poetry Foundation

Poetry Foundation: Dream in Color: Resource Guide for Elem School Teachers [Pdf]

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Explore a wealth of poems, lesson plans, and classroom activities to help elementary school students discover the diversity in African-American poets and create their own voice in poetry. PDF (requires Adobe Reader).
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Website
Academy of American Poets

Poets.org: Gwendolyn Brooks

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a webpage devoted to the poet and author Gwendolyn Brooks. It provides biographic information, a list of all her works, and links to several of her poems.
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Website
Academy of American Poets

Poets.org: Gwendolyn Brooks

For Students 9th - 10th
The Academy recognizes this prolific writer and her works as part of the Harlem Renaissance. Content includes the full text of several of her poems, as well as a selected bibliography of her poetry, prose, and letters.
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Website
University of Illinois

University of Illinois: Modern American Poetry: Gwendolyn Brooks, Biography

For Students 9th - 10th
Detailed account of the writer's life. Contains references to contemporaries, influences and motivations in her career.
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Website
University of Illinois

University of Illinois: Modern American Poetry: Gwendolyn Brooks

For Students 9th - 10th
A rich resource, this site offers biographical, critical and historical information related to Brooks and her work.
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Website
Cengage Learning

Houghton Mifflin: Gwendolyn Brooks, Literary Analysis

For Students 9th - 10th
Here you will find theme, perspective, form, style, and contrast comparison. Good research material!
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: Impact of a Poem's Line Breaks:gwendolyn Brooks' "We Real Cool"

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this lesson plan, students will consider The Impact of a Poem's Line Breaks: Enjambment and Gwendolyn Brooks' "We Real Cool". Worksheets and other supporting materials can be found under the Resources tab including a video of a young...
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Lesson Plan
Utah State University

A Mini Unit of Gwendolyn Brooks

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Nice lesson plan for grades 5-6 that explores poetry and personal expression through the work of Gwendolyn Brooks. Has lots of activities but could easily be modified for time. Has nearly everything you need to do the activity!
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Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Gwendolyn Brooks, Poet [Pdf]

For Teachers 2nd - 4th Standards
"Gwendolyn Brooks, Poet" is a one page, biographical passage about Gwendolyn Brooks, an African-American poet from Chicago. It is followed by an open-ended question which requires students to provide evidence from the story; it includes...
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Unit Plan
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Gwendolyn Brooks, Poet [Pdf]

For Teachers 4th - 7th
"An African American Poet" is a one page, biographical passage about Gwendolyn Brooks, a famous African American poet. It is followed by an open-ended question which requires students to provide evidence from the story; it includes...
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Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: Responding to Gwendolyn Brooks' "We Real Cool"

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Contains plans for five lessons based off Gwendolyn Brooks? ?We Real Cool? where students imagine they are the characters in the poem fifty years later. In addition to objectives and standards, this instructional plan contains links to...
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Website
Academy of American Poets

Poets.org: Illinois Poets

For Students 9th - 10th
This overview for Illinois includes information on the poet laureate for the state. Other sections include featured poets (Gwendolyn Brooks and Carl Sandburg) and poems specifically about Illinois.
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Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Becoming Visible: Gwendolyn Brooks

For Students 9th - 10th
Writer Gwendolyn Brooks is presented in this biography for her contributions to African American literature. Click on "Gwendolyn Brooks Activities" for related artifacts and activities.
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Website
National Women's Hall of Fame

National Women's Hall of Fame: Gwendolyn Brooks

For Students 9th - 10th
The National Women's Hall of Fame offers a biography of renowned black American poet Gwendolyn Brooks.
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Sadie and Maud

For Students 9th - 10th
A learning module that begins with the poem "Sadie and Maud" by Gwendolyn Brooks, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online through free...
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Handout
Black Past

Black Past: Brooks, Gwendolyn

For Students 9th - 10th
A short biographical encyclopedia entry about Gwendolyn Brooks, prize-winning black poet.
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Home

For Students 7th - 8th
A learning module that begins with "Home" by Gwendolyn Brooks, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online through free teacher and student...