Curated OER
Romare Bearden: Piecing Together A Viewpoint
Students examine the history of Romare Bearden and her artwork. The lesson consists of some virtual field trips and projects. The lesson is designed to be taught as either a social studies or art lesson. The teacher could also teach this...
Curated OER
What Does This Song Really Say?
Students investigate communication by analyzing lyrics from a song. In this music arts lesson plan, students discuss slavery, the Underground Railroad and African American traditions while listening to a song called "This Train."...
Curated OER
Paper Sculptures
Students create paper sculptures. In this visual arts lesson, students observe photographs of abstract sculptures and describe their observations. Students use oaktag, tape, scissors, and markers to create their own paper sculptures....
National Endowment for the Humanities
Character in Place: Eudora Welty’s “A Worn Path” for the Common Core
How do writers use the interaction between elements like characterization and setting to create meaning? Readers of "A Worn Path" create a series of comic book-style graphics of Eudora Welty's short story and reflect on how Welty uses...
Curated OER
Rediscovering Forgotten Women Writers
Women's voices are becoming more prominent in the world of literature, but for centuries, this wasn't the case. Young historians research a woman whose writings are considered to be lost, out of print, or forgotten. They develop an oral...
Curated OER
Language Arts, African Americans, Oral Tradition and the Blues
When slavery took Africans from their land, they were separated from the rich musical and oral traditions native to each country and region. While working as slaves, Africans found they had two places where they could use these musical...
Curated OER
Language Arts, Music, Poetry: Blues Style
This lesson focuses on how the blues both operates as poetry and informs the poetry of many prominent African American poets. Students consider the poetic devices and recurring themes in blues lyrics and the significance of the poetry of...
Curated OER
Hispanic Arts: Visual Arts, Dance and Music
Students observe global cultures by listening to music and watching videos. In this Latin American dance lesson, students define merengue, salsa and other dances from the Hispanic culture while listening to Latin rhythm music. Students...
Curated OER
Language Arts, Social Studies, African Americans, The Blues, To Kill A Mockingbird
African American history during the Jim Crow era includes encounters with poverty, racism, disrespect, and protest. Harper Lee develops all four of these themes in her famous 1960 novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. To help students understand...
Curated OER
Art Through the Eyes of Youth
Students take a field trip to an art gallery reflecting on the paintings they like the most. Individually, they use magazines to find pictures related to their personality. In pairs, they make a mask to represent their ethnic group and...
Curated OER
African Adventures
Students access the Internet to gather information. They record their observations of African habitats. They create either an electronic slideshow or mural to present a science experiment.
Curated OER
Harlem Renaissance
Students discover the Harlem Renaissance. In this early 20th century lesson, students use various primary sources including handouts, worksheets, maps, music, and poetry to examine aspects of African American culture. Students will...
Curated OER
Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. DuBois: The Problem of Negro Leadership
Students focus on the problem of African American leadership throughout American history. In groups, they research the life and works of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois and how they worked to promote the need for African American...
Curated OER
The Insights of American Blacks During the 19th and 20th Centuries in New Haven, Connecticut
Students examine the contributions of African Americans in New Haven, Connecticut in the 19th and 20th centuries. After being introduced to new vocabulary, they review the elements of autobiographies and read excerpts of African...
Curated OER
Quilt to Freedom
Students investigate the Underground Railroad. In this African-American history activity, students listen to the book Clara and the Freedom Quilt and use map skills to identify the various locations in the book. Students create a freedom...
National Endowment for the Humanities
From Courage to Freedom: Frederick Douglass's 1845 Autobiography
Students study slavery from the perspctive of an American slave. In this Frederick Douglass lesson, students complete the suggested pre-reading and post-reading activities included for Douglass's autobiography, Narrative of the Life of...
Curated OER
Voluntary Movement or Not? African-American Movement to the West
Students form an opinion on how voluntary African-American moves really were and then write a persuasive composition supporting their opinion. They access a multi-media narrative imbedded in this plan.
University of Wisconsin
Teaching Things Fall Apart in Wisconsin: A Resource Guide for Educators
“There is no story that is not true, . . .” And uncovering the truths in Things Fall Apart is the focus of a 68-page resource packet designed to provide instructors with a wealth of materials that enhance understanding of Chinua Achebe’s...
Curated OER
Sojourner Truth, African American Woman of the 19th Century
Young scholars examine Sojourner Truth's philanthropist acts during her life. They discover that everyone has the right to be heard by their government. They compare and contrast the woman's movement and the anti-slavery movement.
Curated OER
Say It Loud!: A Celebration Of Black Music In America - Lesson 1
High schoolers identify many careers within the music industry such as producer, A&R representative and recording studio engineer. They connect achievements of noted artists with their roles in the music industry.
Curated OER
Say It Loud!: A Celebration Of Black Music in America - Lesson 3
Students listen to many examples of Motown music and explain the relationship between the word "Motown" and the city of Detroit. They examine and identify distinctive musical elements of the early "Motown Sound."
Curated OER
Power and the Communication of Values in West African Art of the Past and Present
Ninth graders examine art from West Africa from the past and present. In groups, they compare their community to the one depicted in the artwork and note the similiarities. To end the lesson, they discuss the concept of power and how...
Curated OER
Kwanzaa Language Arts: The Tambiko
Students read or hear about famous African Americans to learn about the ways in which they exemplify one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
Curated OER
Diverse Voices-African American Ventures
Students research African-American participation in the Civil War. In this Civil War lesson plan, students read the article "Fighting Rebels with Only One Hand" and write a persuasive paragraph on whether the participation of the...