Download The Harlem Renaissance

Teacher Name: Chris Gutierrez
Subject Area: English
School: T.C. Williams
Grade/level 11
Adventure of the American Mind Northern Virginia
Alexandria Summer Curriculum Writing 2004
Lesson Plan Template
The Harlem Renaissance
or
If Renaissance Means Rebirth, Where Is the Baby?
Title of Lesson
Unit Topic
The Harlem Renaissance
Enduring
Understanding
As a result of this lesson, students will understand:

How a minority group can influence the culture of the
larger society

Content Knowledge
How authors and artists (performance and print) not only
reflect their own ideas and values but are also influenced
by the ideas and values of their times and in turn by
influence the values or conditions of society
As a result of this lesson, students will know:

Skills
The historical influences on the African-American in the
United States that led to the Harlem Renaissance.
 The names of some of the “stars” of the Harlem
Renaissance
 The location of Harlem
As a result of this lesson, students will be able to:


SOLs addressed
Length of Lesson
Overview of lesson
Be able to predict the major themes that emerged from the
Harlem Renaissance writers
Understand the historical and social circumstances that
allowed this period of history to be called the Harlem
Renaissance.
11.3 The student will read and analyze relationships among
American literature, history, and culture.
One 90 minute block
This is an introductory lesson designed to introduce the
students to the major players of the Harlem Renaissance and
to provide background information on the condition of the
African-American during the years 1900 – 1940. Students will
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complete a K-W-L about the Harlem Renaissance, read short
biographies of “stars” of the Renaissance and discuss an
article about Harlem during the 1930’s. Lesson concludes
with students predicting themes of artists’ work during the
Harlem Renaissance.
Prior Knowledge
Students must know:
 The history of the African American in the United States to
1900
 The meaning of Renaissance
Resources needed
Creative American Portraits by Carl Van Vechten
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/vvhtml/vvhome.html
Article from the WPA writers project: “The Whites Invade
Harlem”
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/ampage?collId=wpa2&fileName=21/2107/21070806/wpa
221070806.db&recNum=0 -->
</body></html>
Other resources
http://www.whitney.org/jacoblawrence/art/education.html
http://www.biography.com/ for short biographical
statements
http://www.nysegov.com/map-NY.cfm (map of New York
state)
http://www.cityguidemagazine.com/maps/cggatefold.jpg
(Map of NYC)
Handouts:
Notes on the Harlem Renaissance
Links and Thumbnails for Harlem Renaissance Artists
The Whites Invade Harlem Questions
Process of lesson
1. Preparation
 Reprint photos of Harlem Renaissance artists, authors,
musicians etc. The source is:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/vvhtml/vvhome.html
(Use the occupational index to select the desired photos
or use the attached sheet with links and thumbnails.)
 Create a folder for each photo selected with biographical
information within the folder and the picture of the
person from the Harlem Renaissance on the outside of
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the folder. Include a short biography of each person.
http://www.biography.com/
 Make enough copies of the article, “The Whites Invade
Harlem.” This article was written on a WPA writers
work project. http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/ampage?collId=wpa2&fileName=21/2107/2107080
6/wpa221070806.db&recNum=0 -->
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2. The Lesson:

As students enter the classroom have a recording of
Duke Ellington, Marian Anderson, Ella Fitzgerald or
another musician from the era playing. Have the Power
Point projecting on the screen. The pictures in the
Power Point are the same as those on the folders the
students will receive.

Divide the class into groups of four to six. Provide each
group with chart paper and a marker. Have the
students fold the chart paper into thirds. Unfold the
paper and label the first section with a K, the next with
a W and the final section with an L. Direct students to
list everything they currently know about Harlem. Allow
3 - 5 minutes. Process with the class and make a
master list.

Project the image from http://www.nysegov.com/mapNY.cfm On this map you can click on NYC.
Then show the map
http://www.cityguidemagazine.com/maps/cggatefold.jp
g (This map shows Harlem in relation to Manhattan)
Then show
http://search.eb.com/blackhistory/micro/727/91.html
or have each student bring up the image on his/her
computer. Each student will read about James van der
Zee, Harlem Renaissance photographer, and study the
picture. Note: the photo was taken in Harlem in 1932.
There are restrictions on printing this photo.
Permission is needed from the family. It is easier to
either project the image or have students bring it up on
their own computers.
After viewing the James van der Zee photo, did their
own preconceived image of Harlem change?




Distribute folders with the pictures to the students.
Each student gets one folder and each group should
have a folder representing a poet, writer, artist and
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social leader. In each folder there should be a short
biography of the person whose picture is on the folder,
(same)and any other short passage that the teacher
wishes to include. (This could be a copy of a writing by
the person on the folder or other memorabilia.)

After examining the outside of the folder students will
complete the W (What do you WANT to know) part of the
KWL chart. They should keep in mind the ultimate
objective of the unit while filling out this section. The
objectives are:
 The contributions of the Harlem Renaissance
 How authors and artists (performance and print) not
only reflect their own ideas and values but are also
influenced by the ideas and values of their times and
in turn by influence the values or conditions of
society
 How a minority group can influence the culture of
the larger society
 Be able to predict the major themes that emerged
from the Harlem Renaissance writers and artists

Students will read the short biography included in each
folder and answer the question: Who was this person
and what was this person’s contribution to the Harlem
Renaissance?
Students will have 10 minutes to share within each
group and take notes on the individual. (notetaking
guide included in notetaking folder)
 Next, students will read “The Whites Invade Harlem”
and complete the notetaking guide. (This may need to
be recorded for some students.) This could be a reprint
or the students could access the web site directly.
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/ampage?collId=wpa2&fileName=21/2107/21070806/wpa
221070806.db&recNum=0 --></body></html>
 Students will share their responses within the group (30
minutes total)
Evaluation

Students will complete the L part of the KWL chart. (5
minutes)
Next,
 Have each group of students predict at least one
theme that they anticipate will be in the works of the
authors of the Harlem Renaissance based on their
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Extension Activities


glimpses of the biographies of Harlem Renaissance
notables and the article “The Whites Invade Harlem.”
 Compile the predictions by having a member from
each group list their prediction on a chart.
 As the unit progresses, refer to the predictions as the
various literary works are studied. Were the
predictions correct?
Students can research a specific artist of the period
Students can research who coined the term Harlem
Renaissance.

Possibilities for
Differentiation
Students can research why Bill Clinton would locate his
office in Harlem
 Record “The Whites Invade Harlem” on audiotape

Number the paragraphs in “The Whites Invade Harlem”
and direct questions to a specific paragraph.

Provide a glossary for “The Whites Invade Harlem.”
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