You are on page 1of 19

UNIT TITLE: Jim Crow STREAM lesson

Grade Level/ Course: 7th grade RELA


Approximate length: 10 days

Stage 1 – Desired Results


ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS:
(Transferable big ideas, concepts, and themes)
 It is unfair and unjust to restrict or judge people based on their skin color,
nationality, or status.
 We can still find connections between art and literature that was created
decades ago and our lives today.
KEY ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 How did Jim Crow laws affect the individuals of the time?
 What made the ‘20s “roaring?”
 How can we see common elements of poetry in our class readings?
 How do poetic elements such as imagery and figurative language help us see
what the poet is trying to convey?
 How can a visual representation of a poem affect my understanding of that poem?

CENTRAL FOCUS STATEMENT:


(The central focus of this unit is that students will analyze literature and sources from the
Jim Crow era and interpret it in a way that connects to their own lives. It will center around
primary sources, samples of The Great Gatsby, and the poems of Langston Hughes. The
purpose of this unit is to expose them to literature and other writing of the time and have
them complete writing assignments that challenge them to write as if they were living
during that time. This is important because it will illustrate the impact of the activists and
writers who were prominent at the time, and it will connect to their social studies
curriculum.)

STATE STANDARDS/Established goals:


 ELAGSE7R17
 ELAGSE7R12
 ELAGSE7RL9
 ELAGSE7W2
 ELAGSE7W10
 ELAGSE7SL1
 ELAGSE7SL4
 ELAGSE7RL4
 ELAGSE7RL5

OBJECTIVES:
Students will be able to…
 SWBAT discuss specific Jim Crow laws and how they affected people living
during that era.
 SWBAT read and decipher primary sources from the Jim Crow era and see how
they affected actual people
 SWBAT see why they are called the Roaring ‘20s and what sets the time period
apart as one of prosperity.
 SWBAT research, write, and present about a specific topic collaboratively with
peers.
 SWBAT identify and use poetry terms in class discussions about poetry.
 SWBAT use imagery and figurative language to create a visual representation of
a poem.
 SWBAT think critically about a piece of art and express their opinions of it in
writing.

BACKGROUND
 Likely prior knowledge/funds of knowledge/student interests:
o Students are somewhat knowledgeable about the Jim Crow era, the
1920s, and the Harlem Renaissance.
o Students have solid background knowledge of the events leading up to
Jim Crow.
o These students have read a good amount of Langston Hughes in other
poetry units.
o Most of these students are good writers.
o They love projects where they are able to be artistic.
 Common misconceptions:
o Students are not familiar with literature of this time period besides
Langston Hughes.
o Many of these students do not often go to museums or engage in any kind
of art criticism.
o Many of my students did not know why the 1920s are called the “roaring
‘20s.”

Stage 2 – Primary Assessment Evidence


EVIDENCE

Some key formative assessments (formal or informal)


 Word web
 Jigsaw discussion
 Guiding questions
 Feature article task
Summative Assessments
 Poem illustration
o GOAL: Students will choose a poem from the Harlem Renaissance and
draw and color an illustration. They will accompany it with an artist’s
statement and a reflection of another student’s artwork.
o ROLE: Artists
o AUDIENCE: Other artists
o SITUATION: The students will set up an “art museum” using their
illustrations, and other students will observe and reflect on their
artwork.
o PERFORMANCE: Students will not necessarily speak in front of the
class, but they will display their work for other students.
o SUCCESS STANDARDS: Rubric

Objective* Day(s) How Assessed


SWBAT discuss specific Jim Crow laws and how they 1, 2 Word web,
affected people living during that era. Socratic
seminar, Jigsaw
discussion,
quick write
SWBAT read and decipher primary sources from the Jim 2 Jigsaw
Crow era and see how they affected actual people discussions,
quick write
SWBAT see why they are called the Roaring ‘20s and 3, 4 Guiding
what sets the time period apart as one of prosperity. questions from
station activity
SWBAT research, write, and present about a specific 4, 5 Feature article
topic collaboratively with peers.

SWBAT identify and use poetry terms in class 6, 7, 8 Graphic


discussions about poetry. organizer,
poem
annotation,
poem
illustration
SWBAT use imagery and figurative language to create a visual 7, 8, 9, Poem
representation of a poem. 10 illustration

SWBAT think critically about a piece of art and express their 9, 10 Gallery walk
opinions of it in writing. reflection

*List every objective, then the day or days you will explicitly teach that objective, and then
how exactly you will assess each student on each objective. By the end of the unit, you
should be able to answer the question, “Who learned what, and how do you know?”

Stage 3 - Learning Experiences

Day 1: Jim Crow

Resources Needed: Smart board, video, list of Jim Crow laws, interactive notebooks

Standard(s)/Objective(s):
 SWBAT discuss specific Jim Crow laws and how they affected people
living during that era.
 ELAGSE7W10
 ELAGSE7R17
EQ(s):
 How did Jim Crow laws affect the individuals of the time?

By the end of the period you will be able to… talk about Jim Crow laws and the impact
they had on society at the time.

Means of collecting data/checking for individual understanding: Worksheet and class


discussion
Means of providing tailored feedback to individuals: Verbal response during
discussion

Lesson plan with labels and time stamps


Common labels:
 Intro (25 min)
o DGP
o We will create a quick word web with the words “Jim Crow” in the center
 Students will also copy our word web in their interactive notebook
and add to it as they make connections throughout the
lesson/unit.
 Discovery/instruction (25 min)
o We will look at some of the actual Jim Crow laws from Georgia, and
students will take notes on their word web over how these laws connect
to their knowledge of the time period.
http://sourcesfinding.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/jimcrowla
wsgeorgia.pdf
o We will watch a video that shows people who lived through the Jim Crow
era talking about what it was like then, and students will add to their
word web based on what they learn from these first-hand accounts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb-vJB35ZxE
o In pairs, students will share their notes and add to what they already had
written down. I will then cold-call a few students to share what they
discussed in their groups. (TPS)
 Practice/application ( 20 min)
o We will hold a Socratic Seminar over the laws and video. This should be a
student-led discussion, but I will use the following guiding questions:
 Imagine you were living at that time. What do you think it would
be like?
 Which law in particular stood out to you? Why?
 What made these laws unfair?
 In a country that is supposedly built on freedom, why do you think
laws and treatment like this were ever in place?
 After looking at these laws and first-hand accounts from people
living at the time, do you still believe America is or has always
been a free country?
 Review/closure (5 min)
o We will debrief our discussion by having students share their notes and
add to anything a student outside of their group said. We will then work
together to come up with a “thesis statement” for our discussion, and they
will write that one-sentence statement at the top of their word web.

Day 2: Jim Crow


Resources Needed: Smart board, computers, copies of Louisiana literacy test,
interactive notebooks, Primary Sources

Standard(s)/Objective(s):
 SWBAT discuss specific Jim Crow laws and how they affected people living
during that era.
 SWBAT read and decipher primary sources from the Jim Crow era and see
how they affected actual people.
 ELAGSE7R12

EQ(s):
 How did Jim Crow laws affect the individuals of the time?

By the end of the period you will be able to… Read, summarize, and discuss Jim Crow
era primary sources.

Means of collecting data/checking for individual understanding: jigsaw discussions

Means of providing tailored feedback to individuals: Verbal response to jigsaw group


discussions

Lesson plan with labels and time stamps


Common labels:
 Introduction (25 min)
o DGP
o I will give the students a literacy test from Louisiana that was given to
black and poor white voters of the time. Students will turn in their tests,
and I will “grade” one to demonstrate how easily graders could make up
answers to keep people from voting.
 Discovery/instruction (20 mins)
o I will review the definition of a primary source by asking a student to
define what that means.
o I will tell the students that they will all be reading primary sources from
the Jim Crow era in groups, and they are going to teach their sources to
each other.
o I will hand each group copies of their primary source jigsaw readings.
 Group 1- Civil Rights Act sec. 1, 2, 4, 5
 Group 2- Civil Rights Act sec. 3
 Group 3- What a Colored Man should do to Vote 1-4
 Group 4- What a Colored Man Should do to Vote 4-8
 Group 5- Atlanta Exposition Speech
o Students will silently read their sources individually.
o Students will then talk about their sources in groups and take any notes
they need to teach it to another group of students.
 Practice/application (25 min)
o Students will be re-grouped where at least one person from each primary
source group is in each new group.
o Students will have 5 minutes each present their summaries of their
primary source.
o Students who are not presenting will take notes over the other studetnts’
sources.
 Review/closure (5 min)
o I will cold-call a few students to talk about which primary source stands
out to them the most and why.

Day 3: Roaring ‘20s


Resources Needed: Computers, timeline of historical events, sports headlines,
pictures of typical 1920s clothing, Video of 1920s music, excerpt from The Great
Gatsby

Standard(s)/Objective(s):
 SWBAT see why they are called the Roaring ‘20s and what sets the time
period apart as one of prosperity.
 ELAGSE7RL9
EQ(s):
 What made the ‘20s “roaring?”

By the end of the period you will be able to… Give a broad overview of the 1920’s.

Means of collecting data/checking for individual understanding: Station activity


guiding questions

Means of providing tailored feedback to individuals: Verbal response during station


activity, comments on station activity worksheet

Lesson plan with labels and time stamps


Common labels:
 Introduction (25 min)
o DGP
o I will write “Roaring ‘20s” on the board and ask students to come write
things that come to mind. Students do not know a ton about the 1920s, so
they likely will not write much or what they write may not be accurate.
 Discovery/instruction (35 min)
o I will put materials for their station activity on each desk. I will then
explain to students that they will have 5 minutes at each station to look at
and/or listen to the materials and then answer the guiding questions on
their worksheet.
o Station activity:
 Station 1: Historical events
 Students will look at a timeline of major events from the
1920s on Shmoop.
 Station 2: Sports
 Students will look at pictures of sports teams at the time as
well as magazine articles about Babe Ruth.
 Station 3: Clothing
 Students will be given diagrams of typical women’s and
men’s daytime and nighttime fashion. There will also be a
feather boa and a top hat on the table to add interest.
 Station 4: Music/ entertainment
 Students will watch a Youtube video of the Charleston
(music and dance steps) and try to learn it themselves.
 Station 5: Literature
 Students will read a short excerpt from The Great Gatsby.
 Practice/application (10 min)
o Students will be given a few minutes to finish answering their guiding
questions.
o Students will discuss their answers in pairs.
o I will cold-call a few students to share their answers to each question, and
other students will add to their answers. (TPS)
 Review/ closure
o I will tell them to save their answers, and I will briefly explain the feature
article task for the next day.
 Students will be writing a magazine article based on one of the
topics we looked at in our station activity.

Day 4: Roaring ‘20s


Resources Needed: Computers, Smart board, 1920s magazine articles

Standard(s)/Objective(s):
 SWBAT research , write, and present about a specific topic collaboratively with peers.
 ELAGSE7W2
 ELAGSE7W10
 ELAGSE7SL1
EQ(s):
 What made the ‘20s “roaring?”
By the end of the period you will be able to… write an article with your classmates
about a specific aspect of life in the 1920’s.

Means of collecting data/checking for individual understanding: Rough drafts of


feature articles

Means of providing tailored feedback to individuals: Verbal and written comments on


feature article rough drafts

Lesson plan with labels and time stamps


 Introduction (25 min)
o DGP
o I will write “Roaring ‘20s” on the board like I did yesterday and students
will come write everything that comes to mind. I will then emphasize how
much more they were able to write today after their station activity.
 Discovery/instruction (25 min)
o I will explain to students that they will, in their groups, be writing a
“feature article” as if they were writing for a magazine in the 1920s.
o I will randomly assign article topics to each group- Each topic will stem
from one of our stations from the previous lesson.
o I will briefly pull up Google docs and give them a quick review of how to
use it.
o I will explain what the article should include
 It should be at least 3 or 4 paragraphs long
 The article should be factually correct and thoroughly cover their
assigned topic (although they can choose to cover one aspect of
their topic like the Charleston for music/entertainment)
 The article should mimic an actual magazine article and include
pictures from the time period.
 The article should be written in a way that is interesting and
“catchy” like an actual magazine article.
 The article should be done in Google docs or a word document and
shared with joanna.killebrew@bobcats.gcsu.edu
 Every group member must contribute equally! Possible roles
include:
 Writers (1 paragraph each)
 Editor (choose pictures, proofread/edit writing)
 Presenter (present article/ proofread)
o I will pass out examples of magazine articles for them to use as a
reference, and we will go over one as a group. We will point out parts of it
that make it catchy such as a title, hook, and colorful language.
 Practice/application (20 min)
o Students will spend the remainder of class researching and drafting their
articles in their groups. I will walk around to assist them when necessary.
Day 5: Roaring ‘20s
Resources Needed: Computers, Smart board

Standard(s)/Objective(s):
 SWBAT research, write, and present about a specific topic collaboratively with
peers.
 ELAGSE7W2
 ELAGSE7W10
 ELAGSE7SL1
 ELAGSE7SL4
EQ(s):
 What made the ‘20s “roaring?”

By the end of the period you will be able to… thoroughly write and talk about one
aspect of the 1920s.

Means of collecting data/checking for individual understanding: Articles and


presentations

Means of providing tailored feedback to individuals: Verbal and written comments on


finished articles and presentations

Lesson plan with labels and time stamps


Common labels:
 Do Now (25 min)
o DGP
o Students will write a quick journal entry over the prompt. “If you worked
for a magazine or newspaper in the 1920s, what kinds of topics would
you want to cover and why?”
 discovery/instruction (10 min)
o Students will be given time to finish their articles in their groups.
o Presenters will run through their presentations to their group members.
o Students will be told to write down questions that arise during each
presentation as well as notes or things that they found interesting.
 practice/application (35 min)
o I will pull up each article in Google docs and project it on the board.
presenters from each group will read and present their articles.
o Students will be given time to ask questions after every presentation.
 Closing (10 min)
o Students will be asked to revisit their journals from earlier. I will ask
them if their response changed after seeing presentations about several
aspects of the era. I will cold call a few students to share their answers.

Day 6: Harlem Renaissance


Resources Needed: Smart board, Poetry for Young People: Langston Hughes books,
copies of Langston Hughes poems for exit tickets
Standard(s)/Objective(s):
 SWBAT identify figurative language in a poem and use it to interpret the poem’s
overall meaning.
 SWBAT make connections between their previous knowledge of the Jim Crow era
and the Roaring ‘20s and the art and literature of the Harlem Renaissance.
EQ(s):
 How do poets use figurative language to convey an idea or take a stand on an
issue?
 What kinds of issues did Harlem Renaissance poets address in their writing?

By the end of the period you will be able to… Briefly explain the Harlem Renaissance
and its major literary contributors and use our new poetry vocabulary in discussion.

Means of collecting data/checking for individual understanding: Class discussion,


vocabulary review, exit tickets (annotated poems, overall interpretations, textual
evidence, historic evidence)

Means of providing tailored feedback to individuals: Verbal guidance/correction


during class discussion and vocabulary review, comments on exit tickets

Lesson plan with labels and time stamps


Common labels:
 Introduction (15 min.)
o Daily grammar practice
o I will write “Harlem Renaissance” on the board, and I will ask students to tell me
everything they know about the Harlem Renaissance. We will create a class
word-web of the Harlem Renaissance, and we will use what students already
know to review. From there, I will fill in gaps in their basic knowledge of the era,
and I will give them the definition, “The Harlem Renaissance was an explosion of
African American art, literature, and culture that took place mainly during the
1920s in Harlem, New York and happened partially because of the great
migration of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North.
 Discovery/instruction (45 min.)
o I will tell students to turn to the poem “Harlem” in their poetry books. Students
will read it silently to themselves then we will read the poem together as a class.
o As a class, we will annotate the poem. Students will likely point out words with
which they are unfamiliar, and we will define them in class. I will ask students to
point out anything they notice in the poem and ask them why that particular
section stood out to them. We will then go over new poetry terms that will help
us add to our annotation.
 I will introduce the word “stanza.” We will then identify the stanzas and
add it to our annotation.
 I will then introduce the term “verse” and ask students to underline their
favorite verse in the poem. I will ask a couple students to share their
favorite verse and tell why that one is their favorite.
 I will then introduce the term “figurative language.” I will ask students to
name some types of figurative language with which they are familiar,
and I will ask them to speculate whether or not Langston Hughes uses
figurative language in this poem.
 We will then define simile and point out the use of simile in the poem.
We will then add that to our annotation. I will ask students to discuss
why a poet may use simile in a piece of writing.
 We will then go over the definition of alliteration and point out examples
of it in our annotations. I will ask students to think about why a poet may
use alliteration in a poem.
o Students will then turn to the poem “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes in their
poetry books. Students will read it silently and then we will read it together as a
class. We will annotate the poem using the terms we just learned. I will then
introduce new terms, and we will add to our annotation.
 We will go over the term “metaphor” and point out the overarching
metaphor in the poem. I will ask students to consider how the poem
would be different if Hughes had used simile instead of metaphor.
 We will discuss imagery next. I will ask students to point out imagery in
the poem, and we will talk about how imagery appeals to all of the
senses. I will then ask students to think about the message that the
particular imagery in this poem conveys.
 I will then go over the definition of refrain. We will point out where
refrain is used in the poem, and we will talk about reasons why a poet
would use refrain.
 We will end with defining diction. We will discuss what Hughes’ diction
in this poem does and how it affects the poem’s overall meaning.
 Practice/application (10 min)
o Students will be given copies of this poem to write on as well as “exit ticket”
forms. These forms will require students to write an overall interpretation, two
pieces of textual evidence to support their interpretation, and one piece of
historical evidence to support their interpretation.
o Students will choose one of the poems we discussed today to annotate and
interpret. Students will then annotate their poems individually and fill out their
exit ticket forms for that poem.
 Review/closure (10 min.)
o We will do a quick review of our poetry terms for the day on Quizlet.
o Students will hand me their annotated poems and exit tickets on their way out
the door. Students will be given the definition of the term and write their answer
on an individual white-board.

Day 7: Harlem Renaissance


Resources Needed: Smart board, Chrome books, Poetry for Young People: Langston
Hughes books, copies of Langston Hughes poems for exit tickets, list of Harlem
Renaissance poems with links

Standard(s)/Objective(s):
 SWBAT identify figurative language in a poem and use it to interpret the poem’s
overall meaning.
 SWBAT make connections between their previous knowledge of the Jim Crow era
and the Roaring ‘20s and the art and literature of the Harlem Renaissance.
EQ(s):
 What kinds of issues did Harlem Renaissance poets address in their writing?
 What kinds of images do you think Harlem Renaissance poets were trying to
convey in their writing?

By the end of the period you will be able to… talk about the purpose of several
Harlem Renaissance poems and use our new poetry vocabulary to discuss literature.

Means of collecting data/checking for individual understanding: Class discussion,


vocabulary review, exit tickets

Means of providing tailored feedback to individuals: Verbal guidance/correction


during class discussion/vocabulary review, comments on exit tickets

Lesson plan with labels and time stamps


Common labels:
 Introduction (20 minutes)
o Daily Grammar Practice (10 min.)
o I will hand back the exit tickets they turned in yesterday with my feedback, and
students will have a chance to ask questions. (5 min.)
o We will do a quick all-answer review of our vocabulary from yesterday. (5 min.)
 Discovery/instruction (30 minutes)
o I will tell students to turn to the poem “The Weary Blues” in their poetry book. I
will allow students to read the poem on their own, and then we will read it
together as a class. Students will be told to make note of anything they see in this
poem that we studied yesterday (stanza, verse, figurative language, simile,
alliteration, metaphor, imagery, refrain).
o I will pull the poem up on the smart board, along with our new material for the
day, and we will annotate the poem together. I will begin by asking the students
to point out how many stanzas are in the poem, and then I will have each of
them pick out their favorite verse. We will then being labeling the elements of
figurative language that we studied yesterday.
o We will then begin going over new poetry terms:
 I will introduce the word onomatopoeia and ask students to give me
some examples of swords that they’ve seen in books or poems that
mimic an actual sound. I will then scroll up to the poem and ask students
to find the example of onomatopoeia in this poem.
 I will introduce the word hyperbole and ask students to think of
examples of when they’ve used extreme exaggeration in writing or in
conversation. I will then ask students to find examples of hyperbole in
the poem, and we will add it to our annotation.
 I will introduce the term personification, and we will come up with an
example of personification together as a class, and then students will
find examples of personification in the poem.
 We will then go over connotation and denotation. This is a review for
them, so I will ask students to find a word in the poem that has a more
negative or positive connotation and compare it to the word’s
denotation.
 Practice/application (20 min)
o Students will be given copies of this poem as well as “exit ticket” forms. They
will re-read and annotate the poem on their own and then fill out the exit ticket,
which will require them to give an overall interpretation, two pieces of textual
evidence to support it, and one piece of historical evidence to support it.
o As students finish their exit tickets, I will have them pull up their list of Harlem
Renaissance poems in Schoology. I will tell them to look through the list and try
to read as many of them as possible. I will briefly explain that they will be
choosing one of these poems to illustrate and write a short essay over. I will tell
them that once they have chosen a poem they would like to illustrate, they
should write it on the top of their exit tickets, and I will have it printed for them
tomorrow in class.
 Review/closure (10 min)
o We will do a quick review of our poetry terms from today and yesterday on
Quizlet. Students will be given the definition of the term and write their answer
on an individual white-board.
o Students will hand me their exit tickets on their way out of class.

Day 8: Harlem Renaissance


Resources Needed: Smart board, printed poems, Cardstock paper, pencils

Standard(s)/Objective(s):
 SWBAT identify figurative language in a poem and use it to interpret the poem’s
overall meaning.
 SWBAT make connections between their previous knowledge of the Jim Crow era
and the Roaring ‘20s and the art and literature of the Harlem Renaissance.
 SWBAT create a visual representation of a poem based on their overall
interpretation of the poem’s meaning.
EQ(s):
 How do poetic elements such as imagery and figurative language help us see what
a poet is trying to convey?
 If you had to illustrate something that is important to you, how would you do it?

By the end of the period you will be able to… independently annotate a poem,
formulate an overall interpretation of that poem, and begin sketching a visual
representation of that interpretation.

Means of collecting data/checking for individual understanding: Annotated poems,


overall interpretations, class discussion, individual conferences

Means of providing tailored feedback to individuals: Comments in class discussion


and during conferences, written feedback on sketches/artist statement rough drafts

Lesson plan with labels and time stamps


Common labels:
 Intro (30 min)
o Daily Grammar Practice
o I will hand back exit tickets from the day before with feedback, and I will give
students the opportunity to ask questions.
o Students will take a quiz over our new figurative language terms as well as
poetry terms from previous units.
o When students finish, they will respond to the journal prompt “Based on what
we have read and studied about the Harlem Renaissance, what do you think
visual art from that era may be like?” This will be written on the board. Students
will write their answers in their notebooks, and then they will discuss with a
partner once everyone is finished. I will then cold call a few people to share their
answers. (TPS)
 Discovery/instruction (20 minutes)
o We will go do a gallery walk of Harlem Renaissance art and students will
answer discussion questions. We will hold a Socratic seminar with these
questions, where the desks are arranged in two semi-circles, and the inner circle
answers questions while the outer circle takes notes. Halfway through the
PowerPoint, the inner and outer circles will swap.
o We will come back together, and students will share any remarks they wanted to
make while they were taking notes. We will then make a list of common
elements of Harlem Renaissance art that we were able to pinpoint.
o I will then give students their performance task:
 GOAL: You will draw and color an illustration of a poem from the
Harlem Renaissance that will convey your unique interpretation of
the poem. Your artwork will be accompanied by an artist
statement that explains your artistic decisions and uses textual
evidence to justify your interpretation.
 ROLE: You are an artist who has been asked to create a drawing
that is to be featured in a special exhibit that celebrates Harlem
Renaissance poetry and art.
 AUDIENCE: Other artists who are featured in the exhibition will
be scrutinizing your art and determining if your interpretation of
the poem is convincing and credible enough to be featured in the
exhibit.
 SITUATION: We will set up an “art museum” in the classroom for
fellow artists to examine your artwork and read your artist
statements.
 PERFORMANCE: Your art will be featured in our mini art
museum, as will your artist statement. You will also be responsible
for looking at your peers’ artwork and determining if it is worthy
of being featured in the exhibit based on whether or not their
interpretation is convincing and adequately supported.
o I will hand out rubrics for their summative assessment (Harlem Renaissance Art
Museum), as well as written instructions. I will give students a minute to look
over it, and then we will go over it as a group. Students will then be given the
chance to ask questions.
o I will hand out the printouts of students’ poems and give them a minute to re-
read their poems to make sure they still want to illustrate it.
o After students have an understanding of the assignment, they will do an initial
annotation of their poem and write their overall interpretation of their poem at
the bottom of the page. They will be told to point out verses that stand out to
them, figurative language, and references to historical events. I will walk around
and help them if they need me.
 Practice/application (20 minutes)
o Based on their overall interpretations of their poem, students will brainstorm
possible concepts, items, and scenes they want to draw. They will write down
their ideas as well as possible colors they would use in their illustrations.
Students will brainstorm silently for a couple minutes, then they will share their
ideas with a partner. After that, I will call on a few students randomly to share
their ideas.
o Students will begin a rough sketch of their poem illustrations. They use a pencil
to lightly draw out the concepts and shapes that they associate with their poem.
 Review/closure (10 minutes)
o A couple students will share their sketches, and they will receive feedback and
ideas from myself and their classmates.
o Students will hand me their sketches and annotated poems as their ticket out
the door.

Day 9: Harlem Renaissance


Resources Needed: Smart board, sketches, annotated poems, Cardstock paper,
pencils, markers/colored pencils

Standard(s)/Objective(s):
 SWBAT identify figurative language in a poem and use it to interpret the poem’s
overall meaning.
 SWBAT make connections between their previous knowledge of the Jim Crow era
and the Roaring ‘20s and the art and literature of the Harlem Renaissance.
 SWBAT create a visual representation of a poem based on their overall
interpretation of the poem’s meaning.
EQ(s):
 How do artists draw inspiration from words?
 How can a visual representation of a piece of literature affect my understanding
of it?

By the end of the period you will be able to… take elements of a poem such as
imagery, metaphor/simile, other figurative language, historical context, and the
poet’s purpose and translate it into a visual representation of the poem.

Means of collecting data/checking for individual understanding: Artwork and artist


statements

Means of providing tailored feedback to individuals: Verbal comments on artwork


and artist statements

Lesson plan with labels and time stamps


Common labels:
 Intro (10 minutes)
o Daily Grammar Practice
o I will hand out sketches and annotated poems from yesterday, and students will
be given a few minutes to ask questions about the feedback written on their
annotated poems.
 Practice/application (70 minutes)
o This will be a work day for their poem illustrations. The desks will be arranged
in tables with art supplies (paper, pencils, markers/colored pencils) in the
middle of each table.
o Students will spend half of the remaining class period (about 35 minutes)
working on their illustrations. This will be silent work time so that students can
concentrate on interpreting and illustrating. I will walk around and be available
to answer questions and guide students in interpreting their poems.
o The other half of the class period will be spend writing artist statements.
Students will be given a flowchart that outlines what they should write in their
artist statement as well as the rubric they were given yesterday. Students should
work quietly and independently, but I will walk around the room to answer
questions.
 Review/closure
o Students will hand me their artwork and artist statements as their exit ticket.

Day 10: Harlem Renaissance


Resources Needed: Smart board, student artwork and artists’ statements

Standard(s)/Objective(s):
 SWBAT identify figurative language in a poem and use it to interpret the poem’s
overall meaning.
 SWBAT make connections between their previous knowledge of the Jim Crow era
and the Roaring ‘20s and the art and literature of the Harlem Renaissance.
 SWBAT create a visual representation of a poem based on their overall
interpretation of the poem’s meaning.
 SWBAT think critically about a piece of art and respond to it in writing through a
critical lens.
EQ(s):
 What makes two artists interpret the same thing differently?
 What lessons can be learned from observing other people’s artwork, and how can
those lessons help me be a better artist?

By the end of the period you will be able to… observe several pieces of art, analyze
your likes and dislikes, and put those thoughts into writing.

Means of collecting data/checking for individual understanding: Performance task,


discussion

Means of providing tailored feedback to individuals: Comments during discussion,


written feedback on performance task

Lesson plan with labels and time stamps


Common labels:
 Intro (20 minutes)
o Daily Grammar Practice
o Students will have a few minutes to put finishing touches on their artwork and
artist statements.
 Discovery/instruction (25 min)
o We will have a very brief discussion about museum etiquette, where I
emphasize the importance of staying quiet and not touching the “artwork” in our
Harlem Renaissance art museum.
o Students will lay their artwork on their desks along with their artist statements.
They will then take out a notebook and something to write with so that they can
take notes about the other artwork they see in the “museum.”
o I will briefly explain the format for their reflections. I will tell students that they
will pick another student’s work to reflect critically over, citing evidence from
their poem, illustration, and artwork to justify what the other student did well
and what they would have done differently.
o Students will then get up and do a “gallery walk” of other students’ artwork and
artist statements. They will take notes as they look at other students’
illustrations and read their artist statements. (15 min.)
 Practice/application (10 minutes)
o After our gallery walk, we will have an open discussion about what they thought
and what they learned from this experience. Students will share what they
wrote in their notes and respond to other people’s comments on their artwork.
o I will give students my final comments and tell them what I think they as a group
did well and what I think they could do better.
 Review/closure (15 minutes)
o Students will write a reflection over one other student’s artwork. Students
should follow the rubric for this part of their reflection, and they should
remember to include both praise and criticism.
o Students will hand me their reflections as their ticket out the door.
Harlem Renaissance “Art Museum” Assignment

Criteria Exceeds Meets Expectations Barely Meets Does Not Meet


Expectations Expectations Expectations

Artist’s statement The student explains The student explains The student explains a The student explains
(30 points) all aspects of his or her most aspects his or her few aspects of his or his or her illustration
illustration in great illustration in detail her illustration in vaguely and does not
detail and always uses and uses a good some detail and uses include evidence from
evidence from his or amount of evidence some evidence from his or her poem or
her poem or from his or her poem his or her poem or knowledge of the time
knowledge of the time or knowledge of the knowledge of the time period.
period to justify all time period to justify period to justify a few (6 points)
artistic decisions. most artistic decisions. artistic decisions.
(30 points) (22 points) (14 points)
Illustration The student’s The student’s The student’s The student’s
(20 points) illustration clearly illustration mimics or illustration only illustration does not
mimics Harlem clearly attempts to somewhat mimics or mimic Harlem
Renaissance art and mimic Harlem attempts to mimic Renaissance art and
incorporates all Renaissance art and Harlem Renaissance only incorporates a
aspects of the incorporates most art and incorporates few aspects of the
student’s poem in an aspects of the student’s some aspects of the student’s poem.
interesting and unique poem in an interesting student’s poem. (5 points)
way. way. (10 points)
(20 points) (15 points)

Reflection The student’s The student’s The student’s The student’s


(20 points) reflection includes reflection includes reflection includes a reflection does not
several details from some details from the few details from the include details from
the artwork and artwork and artist’s artwork and artist’s the artwork and
artist’s statement he or statement he or she statement he or she artist’s statement he
she chooses and chooses and includes chooses and includes or she chooses and
includes a balance of both meaningful either only meaningful does not include any
both meaningful critique and praise, critique or praise. meaningful critique or
critique and praise. although it may not be (10 points) praise. (5 points)
(20 points) balanced
(15 points)
Use of poetry The student The student usually The student The student rarely
vocabulary consistently uses uses poetry vocabulary sometimes uses uses poetry
(20 points) poetry vocabulary to to describe his or her poetry vocabulary to vocabulary to describe
describe his or her chosen poem and that describe his or her his or her chosen
chosen poem and that of his or her chosen poem and that poem and that of his
of his or her classmates. of his or her or her classmates.
classmates. (15 points) classmates. (5 points)
(20 points) (10 points)
Neatness The student’s artwork The student’s artwork The student’s artwork The student’s artwork
(10 points) and writing are very and writing are fairly and writing are and writing are very
neat, and it is obvious neat and he or she somewhat messy, and messy, and it is
that he or she put a lot obviously put some it is not obvious that obvious that he or she
of time and care into time and care into this he or she put time and did not put time or
this project. project. care into this project. care into this project.
(10 points) (7 points) (3 points) (1 point)

You might also like