This lesson is for : Grade 10:
Summary
Freshmen and Sophomore English students spend a great deal of time studying literature with themes relating to racial and social injustice. This unit immerses English 10 students in the experience of the Harlem Renaissance when black Americans were breaking through and finding their voices. As the Harlem Renaissance was, in essence, a cultural explosion, students participate fully in their exploration of Harlem Renaissance poetry, approaching it from aural and visual perspectives to more fully experience what it would have been like at the time. Students partner up and choose one of the poets/poems for analysis and write a formal poetry analysis. They are then tasked with writing a response poem in the style of their chosen poem and finding the best way to portray it through writing, sound, and images.
TIPC Ratings
Research & Information Fluency
Rating: Ideal – Explanation:
- Students use a variety of information on a variety of levels to complete this authentic task.
- Students incorporate what they have learned in other classes with information they gather
- Students use a multi-sensory approach and think critically about the impact of visual and auditory stimulation.
- Students must choose credible sources and critically analyze the information they find as well as the original poem, and create a project that synthesizes all of these elements and using digital tools.
Communication & Collaboration
Rating: Ideal – Explanation:
- The task is a collaborative project which reaches beyond the boundaries of the classroom.
- Communication between the partners and between the partners and the teacher is essential to the success of this authentic task.
- Students reflect on their strengths and weaknesses as communicators and collaborators.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Rating: Ideal – Explanation:
- Students select the most appropriate video, still images, and audio to showcase their poems.
- Students have freedom to choose which movie software would be most powerful for what they want to convey.
- Teacher facilitates a task that is authentic and meaningful.
- Students reflect on their strengths and weaknesses as critical thinkers and problem solvers.
Creativity & Innovation
Rating: Ideal – Explanation:
- Students synthesize existing and self-generated knowledge to create a video featuring a poem written by their selected Harlem Renaissance poet and a original response poem.
- Through entwining purposefully selected video and audio, students bring to life the poems of their selected poet and their original response.
Lesson Materials
