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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

American Families: Portraits of African-American Families

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students develop a greater understanding and appreciation for their families. They increase personal self-esteem and pride as a result of studying about families through literature. They assess the importance of family values and...
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Activity
Library of Congress

Loc: American Memory: The Frederick Douglass Papers

For Students 9th - 10th
Walk into the life of Frederick Douglass, abolitionist, through his autobiography found here. Discover a time line of Douglass's life, papers he'd written, as well as his family tree.
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Unit Plan
Georgetown University

Georgetown University: Sterling A. Brown (1901 1989)

For Students 9th - 10th
Resource includes theme, perspective, form, style and audience of this famous Harlem Renaissance author's work.
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Unit Plan
Georgetown University

Georgetown University: Anne Spencer (1882 1975)

For Students 9th - 10th
Includes theme, perspective, form, style and comparison of Anne Spencer's work. Many contemporaries are named and linked.
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Unit Plan
Georgetown University

Georgetown University: Langston Hughes (1902 1967)

For Students 9th - 10th
Excellent research site on Langston Hughes. Includes theme, perspective, form, style, audience, comparison and contrast of the famous Harlem Renaissance author's work.
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Website
University of Washington

Best Site on Colleen Mc Elroy

For Students 9th - 10th
This site is from the University of Washington, where McElroy is a professor. It has biographical information, a list of her works, and other details about the writer.
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Website
Other

Wired for Books: "Their Eyes Were Watching God"`

For Students 9th - 10th
Professors discuss the book by Zora Neale Hurston. Gives insight into the style and character analysis.
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eBook
University of Michigan

Making of America Books

For Students 9th - 10th
The complete online text of "My Bondage and My Freedom" by Frederick Douglass is available through University of Michigan Digital Library Text Collections.
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Article
Other

Vanderbilt.edu."the the Black Female & Renaissannce Rena

For Students 9th - 10th
Highly detailed article concerning this famous era. Historical significance is addressed and a well-written analysis of many authors.
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Website
Howard University

Howard University: Sterling A. Brown, a Literary Tribute

For Students 9th - 10th
This tribute article discusses the author as a professor, critic and Poet Laureate.
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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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Activity
University of Illinois

University of Illinois: Modern American Poetry: Anne Spencer

For Students 9th - 10th
In-depth site on Anne Spencer including an extensive biography of this famous Harlem Renaissance poet. Detailed information on her works, education, and contemporaries. Numerous photographs. Some of her poems are also included.
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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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Unit Plan
Cengage Learning

Houghton Mifflin: Gwendolyn B. Bennett

For Students 9th - 10th
Although this site is intended for teachers in class preparation, it is information packed and has thought provoking questions at the end.
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eBook
University at Buffalo

University at Buffalo: Helene Johnson Poetry

For Students 9th - 10th
This site, which is provided for by the University at Buffalo, gives the text of three of the poems of this famous Harlem Renaissance author.
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Unit Plan
C-SPAN

C Span American Writers: Narrative of Frederick Douglass

For Students 9th - 10th
A brief summary of The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Also includes an on-line text of the work as well as links to other informational websites.
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Unknown Type
Penguin Publishing

Penguin Random House: "Frederick Douglass American Slave" [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Teacher guide for Douglass's biography features 24 pages of chapter-by-chapter study questions, quotations, and activities. Valuable post-reading activities as well as methods for eliciting student responses also included. This is a .pdf...
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Website
African American Literature Book Club

African American Literature Book Club: Alex Haley

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides a concise biography of Haley, the video [12:28] "Alex Haley Interview Roots (Merv Griffin Show 1977)" and links to six of his books.
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Website
PBS

Pbs.org: Sterling Brown, Biography

For Students 9th - 10th
PBS offers a brief, but well-written, biography of the famous Harlem Renaissance author.
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Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs: Literature & Life Givens Collection (Afr. Am. Lit)

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This PBS site explores African-American literature from its beginnings to the present. Includes an on-line study guide.
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Activity
Other

Database of Award Winning Children's Literature

For Students 4th - 9th
This is a phenomenal resource. It allows the user to create a reading list of quality children's literature based of choices such as reading level, type of book, genre, ethnicity, gender, etc. In addition, one can determine if a book won...
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Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: A Harlem Renaissance Retrospective

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this instructional activity, students work in collaborative groups to conduct Internet research and create a museum exhibit that highlights the work of selected artists, musicians, and poets of the Harlem Renaissance.
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Website
Authors Calendar

Author's Calendar: Alex Haley

For Students 9th - 10th
This website contains a essay on Alex Haley's life and works, including background information on the novel "Roots" and critical reactions to it.