​rethink.

Lesson Overview:

 

The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned the 1920s.   It was a blossoming time in African American culture particularly in the creative arts and most influential movement in African American literary history.  There are many photographs taken documenting the Harlem Renaissance that starkly contrast preview images students have been exposed to from the slave days.  Students will discuss the similarities and differences or compare and contrast images from the two times then create a biography of themselves as if they were one of the people in the photographs.

 

 

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Learn about the Harlem Renaissance.

• Gain a sense of the radical changes that were being brought about by the African American people.

• Understand the basic facts about the times.

• Create a biography using a visual prompt.

           

Teaching Approach

• Arts Integration

 

Teaching Methods

• Hands-On Learning

• Compare and Contrast

• Discussion

 

Assessment Type

• Determined by teacher (Ours will be a completion and accuracy of point of view assessment)

 

 

Preparation: (materials and resources needed, prior knowledge necessary, staging of the classroom, etc.)

• Teacher Background

• Since the students will be examining contrasting photographs, teachers may want to begin the lesson by talking to students about what they should be looking for.  Preface this activity by asking students what details they believe are important and how facial expressions play a role in the mood of a photo.

 

Prior Student Knowledge

• Students should be familiar with the slavery that existed in the United States at one point in history and The Great Migration of African Americans from the South to the North in order to make something for themselves.  Students should be familiar with the cruel treatment that slaves were treated with and the injustices that they faced even once they were freed.

• Student understands the components of a biography

• Physical Space

• Classroom

 

Grouping

• Large Group Discussion

• Individualized Writing Assignment

 

Staging

• Copies of photographs

• Paper and pencil

 

 

Instruction:

1. Discuss with the students what photography is used for and what we should look for when analyzing one.

            What is a photo?

            Why do we take them?

            What mood does the image convey?

            How are the people in the photo dressed?

            What are their surroundings?

2. Make sure students have a good understanding of how the people felt and what the mood of the times were. 

3. Tell the students that the Harlem Renaissance was a time for change for the African American people and a blossoming time for the African American culture.  Give students an overview of important milestones of the Harlem Renaissance and what it meant in for American history.

4. Discuss with the students what they see in the photographs and their thoughts, feelings and opinions on them.  Help the students to generate ideas so that they can write accurate biographies from an alternate point of view (choosing to be someone in the photograph).

5. Tell the students they will be creating their own biography from the point of view of someone in any of the photographs presented in class.  Discuss with students what makes a good biography

6. Distribute materials to students.  Remind students that this is individual work so for the most part the classroom should be quiet.  Students are; however, free to discuss with members at their tables what they are going to write, why, etc.

7. Have students share their biographies with the class.  Invite students to discuss with the class who they chose, what they wrote and why they wrote that.  Promote class discussion in order to further knowledge about the Harlem Renaissance.

8. Have students discuss their works as well as their classmates works and discuss their findings and overall opinions on the topic.  Using the closure activity, ask each students to evaluate his/her own work as well as his/her classmates based on the guiding questions we talked about in class.

 

 

Standards:

1.5.4.A: Write with a clear focus, identifying topic, task and audience.

1.5.4.F: Use grade appropriate conventions of language when writing and editing.

8.3.4.C: Explain how continuity and change in the U.S. history have influenced personal development and identity.

8.3.4.D: Distinguish between conflict and cooperation among groups and organization that impacted the history and development of the United States.