Curated OER
Map Making Exercise
Students complete a Web Quest in order to determine why Harlem was an attractive place for African Americans to live. They study a map of Harlem in the 1930's.
Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: "Theme for English B" by Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes' "Theme for English B" is featured in a instructional activity that asks pupils to first read a biography of Hughes and list things about his life they think are important. The class then reads the poem and compares what...
General Motors Corporation
Jazz
Over the history of the world, music has been at the heart of some of the greatest social and political movements. Scholars discover their musical roots as they dive into the sounds and emotions of renowned jazz players. They see how...
Pearson
Langston Hughes
An author study provides learners the opportunity to explore in depth the life of, the influences on, and the works of a single literary figure. Introduce middle schoolers to Langston Hughes with a unit that models how to approach an...
Digital Public Library of America
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Zora Neale Hurston's novel Their eyes Were Watching God has been highly praised and severely criticized for its depiction of African American folk culture. A set of primary source materials, including photographs, articles, essays, and...
Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: "Violin" by Nikki Wallschlaeger
Nikki Wallschlaeger's Violin is the featured poem in a lesson that uses music and multiple readings to delve deep into its analysis. After a writing warm-up, learners watch and listen to a video that showcases Regina Carter Quintet's...
Curated OER
Focused Learning Lesson: American History
Eleventh graders examine the 1920s which was known as the "Roaring Twenties". They identify the Harlem Renaissance, Prohibition, and the Women's Suffrage movement.
National Endowment for the Arts
Teacher's Guide: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A 10-lesson unit takes high schoolers through a novel study of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. To start, students learn about Fitzgerald's background and gain historical context that prepares them for a reading of the book. The...
Curated OER
Use of Symbolism to Convey the Author's Message - The Negro Speaks of Rivers
Students identify the literary devices, symbolism, and first-person narration in the poem A Negro Speaks of Rivers. For this poem analysis lesson, students discuss African Americans and the Harlem Renaissance. Students watch a video...
Curated OER
The American People
In this 1920's America worksheet, students respond to 14 short answer questions about the stocks, working conditions, the Harlem Renaissance, and wealth during the decade.
Curated OER
Romare Bearden and the Face Collage
Fourth graders create a collage from magazines and newspapers to create a face. After finishing the face, they use mixed media to complete the background. They write their own description and examine the life and works of Romare Beardon.
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
War and Poetry
A band of brothers or the Devil's agents? Nobel warriors freeing the oppressed or mercenaries working for the military/industrial complex? Groups examine poems from the Civil War, World War I, and World War II to determine the poets'...
Curated OER
Jazz's Beginnings
Learners examine jazz's roots and their hybridization in New Orleans in the early 20th century. They listen to ragtime and jazz recordings, then complete worksheets imbedded in this plan.
Curated OER
Good Time and Bad: Roaring 20's, Great Depression, and WWII quiz
Quiz your students on various topics related to the Roaring 20's, The Great Depression, and WWII. They'll ace any test after viewing this slide show. Tip: Turn this quiz into a game, see which side of the class is ready for the test.
Shmoop
ELA.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.7
Your pupils are beginning their research project and are having a hard time narrowing their topics down. If you’re not sure how to help them, then start here. Provided is a student dialogue that works though the issues of narrowing a...
Curated OER
Deep like Rivers: Four African American Poets of the 1920s and 1930s
Students examine work by outstanding African American poets from the time period of the 1920s and 1930s. They study aspects of American and African American social, cultural and artistic history that influenced the content of some of the...
Huntington Library
The Poetry and Prose of Langston Hughes
Eleventh graders discover the poetry of Langston Hughes. In this social issues lesson plan, 11th graders experience the views of Langston Hughes. Students read Hughes' poetry and discuss the basic theme. Students evaluate the political,...
Curated OER
The Life and Work of Jacob Lawrence
Black History Month provides a time to talk about the accomplishments of African Americans like Jacob Lawrence.
Curated OER
Racism, Gender, Ethnicity, and Aesthetics in the Art of Graffiti
Students describe how graffiti is a part of everyday culture. They develop basic vocabulary terms for thinking and writing about graffiti and make and justify judgments about aesthetics qualities in graffiti art. They compare and...
Curated OER
Landforms
Learners study how landforms affect all aspects of a community. Students work in groups to identify landforms from other works of art. In cooperative groups Learners select a work of art depicting a particular land form and create a poem.
Curated OER
Black History Web Design
Each student or student team creates a web page. Students research and make decisions for content of the page. Each web page should contain at least six images and six links, as well as any necessary commentary. Students indicate on the...
Curated OER
What Caused the Great Depression?
Analyze the many causes of major political, economic, and social developments during the 1920s and 1930s, with emphasis on the Great Depression. Read photographs from the 1920's and the 1930's, then write a brief explanation of what you...
Curated OER
Electronic Poetry Project
Students create a digital project to go with a poem. In this technology lesson, students pick a poem and create images to go with it. They make background music for the narration of their poem and attach it to a PowerPoint presentation.
Curated OER
Analyzing Photographs: From Theory to Practice
Students analyze photographic images and use cameras to document their own life. In this analyzing photography lesson, students apply formal analysis techniques to images, then create a documentary of photographic images with artist...