National Endowment for the Humanities
The Poet's Voice: Langston Hughes and You
Middle schoolers complete a unit of lessons that explore the poetic voice of Langston Hughes. They define voice, read and analyze various poems by Langston Hughes, and complete journal entries for each instructional activity.
Curated OER
Express Yourself Lesson Seed 2
Use Langston Hughes's poem, "Words Like Freedom," to explore the concepts of freedom and liberty. Learners read the poem, determine the theme, and use the provided graphic organizer to examine the connotative and denotative meanings of...
Curated OER
Langston Hughes: Voice Among Voices
Students study Langston Hughes's poetry, short stories, and his first autobiography. They read and appreciate the candid, honest and powerful creative masterpieces of this black genius and discuss the numerous universal themes and...
Curated OER
The Poetry Archive
Students investigate the power of title and poetry in a Langston Hughes' poem. In this poetry analysis lesson, students discuss the poem 'I, Too' for its title and content. Students use the variation in English Words and Phrases website...
Curated OER
Poets Got Them Blues
Contemplate what music learners listen to and why they listen. Can they find poetry within music lyrics? Specifically hone in on blues lyrics and ruminate upon the social issues prevalent in the themes. Particular song lyrics coincide...
Curated OER
African American Poetry
Students write their own dream poems in the style of African American dream poetry. In this African American poetry lesson, students discuss the dreams of African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement and read Langston Hughes's...
Curated OER
The Leadership and Impact of Booker T. Washington
Twelfth graders explore the life and leadership of Booker T. Washington. In this Booker T. Washington lesson, 12th graders examine images of Washington, listen to audio of his voice, and his most famous speech. Students wrote responses...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: The Poet's Voice: Langston Hughes and You
What is meant by voice in poetry, and what qualities have made the voice of Langston Hughes a favorite for so many people? This lesson will lead students to learn about the qualities that make Langston Hughes's voice distinctive,...
Academy of American Poets
Poets.org: Reading Guide to Langston Hughes
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...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Langston Hughes
A lesson plan based around the use of metaphor in Langston Hughes's "Dreams" poem. A good reference for teachers looking for lesson ideas on the Harlem Renaissance.
University of Illinois
University of Illinois: Modern American Poetry: Langston Hughes: Hughes's Life and Career
Lengthy, detailed biography of Harlem Renaissance poet, Langston Hughes, from the Oxford Companion to African American Literature.
Academy of American Poets
Poets.org: Walking Tour: Langston Hughes's Harlem of 1926
Walk in the footsteps of the Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes in this online guided tour. Contains specific directions to navigate through Harlem to places he lived and visited regularly. With quotes from various works mentioning...
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Contemporary Drama: Introduction to a Raisin in the Sun
This lesson is an introduction to the play "A Raisin in the Sun" by Lorraine Hansberry, which is set in Chicago in the 1950s. It features links to two of Langston Hughes's poems that influenced the title of the play and a Lorraine...
CommonLit
Common Lit: David's Old Soul by Nikki Grimes
Grimes is well known for her award-winning books written for children and young adults. The poem "David's Old Soul" appeared in her book One Last Word, a collection inspired by poems from the Harlem Renaissance that follow the "Golden...