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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: "Learning to Read" by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper

For Students 5th - 6th
A learning module that begins with the poem "Learning to Read" by Francis Ellen Watkins Harper, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or assigned online...
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Akron at Night by Teri Ellen Cross Davis

For Students 7th - 8th
Teri Ellen Cross Davis is a poet who draws upon small, personal moments to explore large themes. Common subjects in her poetry include the experiences of women and people of color in America. This poem is from her 2016 collection Haint....
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Website
Academy of American Poets

Poets.org: Jean Toomer

For Students 9th - 10th
A brief biography of Jean Toomer with links to his some of his poetry.
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eBook
Other

Rita Dove and "Straw Hat"

For Students 9th - 10th
A short bio is provided along with Rita Dove's poem "Straw Hat". Links provided to other sites with information about, and poetry by Dove.
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Primary
CommonLit

Common Lit: "Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes

For Students 6th - 8th
This is the full text of the poem "Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes. It includes a short bio of Langston Hughes and a focuses for the reader: As you read, take notes on the metaphor and larger message presented in the text. [Free...
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: Web Guides: A Guide to Harlem Renaissance Materials

For Students 9th - 10th
Presents the Library's resources as well as links to external web sites on the Harlem Renaissance, and a bibliography.
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Website
Academy of American Poets

Poets.org: Langston Hughes

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides a biography of Langston Hughes, followed by several of his poems (some complete with audio clips) and a bibliography of his more influential works.
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Handout
Other

Usps: Ella Fitzgerald: First Lady of Song

For Students 9th - 10th
Celebrate Black Heritage Month by studying this extraordinary vocalist who transcended a troubled childhood to become an American treasure. Create a musical timeline of the noteworthy events in Ella's life. Explore her sensational lyrics...
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Article
Other

Guernica: Tracy K. Smith: Our Best Selves Are Reserved for the Page

For Students 9th - 10th
An interview with Tracy K. Smith, the 2017 U.S. Poet Laureate, where she discusses writing a memoir, her poetry, and David Bowie. (Published June 28, 2016)
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Website
Eserver

E Server: Anti Slavery Literature Project

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
The Antislavery Literature Project is a collaborative electronic publishing venture that provides educational access to the literature and history of the antislavery movement in the United States that is crucial to understanding African...
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Activity
Other

Uncle Remus

For Students 9th - 10th
This site offers a collection of 35 "Uncle Remus" stories, written by Joel Chandler Harris. In addition, many of Harris's songs and poems are gathered here, and some analysis of his work.
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Website
Authors Calendar

Author's Calendar: Langston Hughes

For Students 9th - 10th
Langston Hughes is known mainly for his rhythmic poems set to music. This site gives an in-depth look at his background, including biographical information, what he wrote about, who influenced him, and his level of success.
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Activity
Shmoop University

Shmoop: Parsley

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about the poem, Parsley, by African American poet, Rita Dove. This site goes into detail examing the poem and its signifciance.
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Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Poetry of Liberation: Amiri Baraka

For Students 9th - 10th
Poet and playwright Amiri Baraka is featured in this brief biography for his radical views and contributions during the Black Arts Movement in America. See "Amiri Baraka Activities" for related resources.
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Unit Plan
Shmoop University

Shmoop: Africa

For Students 9th - 10th
This poem by Maya Angelou taps into the black pride movement during the twentieth century. This site gives an excellent analysis of the poem and its important themes.
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Primary
Academy of American Poets

Poets.org: "The Idea of Ancestry" by Etheridge Knight

For Students 9th - 10th
The text of Etheridge Knight's poem, "The Idea of Ancestry."
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Handout
Encyclopedia Britannica

Encyclopedia Britannica: George Moses Horton

For Students 9th - 10th
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features George Moses Horton, an African American poet who wrote sentimental love poems and antislavery protests. He was one of the first professional black writers in America.
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Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Booker T. Washington and w.e.b. Du Bois

For Teachers 6th - 8th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart compares and contrasts the African American leaders of the late 1800's and early 1900's. It includes Venn Diagrams, quotes, pictures, and poetry.
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Unknown Type
My Hero Project

My Hero: Paul Laurence Dunbar

For Students 3rd - 8th
Use this resource to learn about what makes African-American writer, Paul Laurence Dunbar, heroic in the eyes of others. This article includes information on his life and poetry, as well as "related links" to further related information.
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Handout
Encyclopedia Britannica

Encyclopedia Britannica: Alice Walker

For Students 9th - 10th
Biographical information on American writer Alice Walker whose novels, short stories, and poems are noted for their insightful treatment of African-American culture. Her novels, most notably The Color Purple (1982), focus particularly on...
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Handout
Encyclopedia Britannica

Encyclopedia Britannica: Henry Dumas

For Students 9th - 10th
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Henry Dumas, an African-American author of poetry and fiction who wrote about the clash between black and white cultures.
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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
ibiblio

Ibiblio: Margaret Walker

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a site devoted to the life and times of the African American poet Margaret Walker. Among the numerous links found on the page are links to full texts of 16 poems, questions from an audience, a panel's discussion of her poetry, a...
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Handout
Academy of American Poets

Poets.org: Reading Guide to Langston Hughes

For Students 9th - 10th
This guide discusses Langston Hughes's body of poetry, as well as briefly analyzing characteristics in several individual poems. The site also offers an interview with writer Afaa Weaver regarding Hughes's works, discussion questions, a...

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