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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.
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A Comparative Look at Migrations
Students examine two narratives on migration, and provide and compare the migration of African Americans at two distinct points in history. They write an essay detailing the similarities and differences they have found.
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The Northern Migration
Students assume the role of a Nineteenth Century African American who is contemplating participating in a Northern migration, and write a letter to a loved one explaining the reasons for their decision.
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Is this the Promised Land?
Learners explore the "broken promises" such as overcrowding, poverty, housing, and broken wage promises that African Americans encountered as a result of moving north during the period of 1916-1930. They create journal entries.
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Artistic Symbols
Students compare and contrast symbols used in African and Plains Indian art. For this visual arts lesson, students compare symbols of 2 cultural groups found in their art. Students write a description of what items might have been left...
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Abuela's Weave Teacher's Guide
Students read and response to the book, Abuela's Weave. In this African-American literature lesson, students discuss pre-reading questions, that focus on family traditions and make predictions about the text. Students read the text and...
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Comparing African, American, and European Folktales
Pupils listen to John Steptoe's story, "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters," and then identify similarities and differences between an African, a Native American, and a European folktale.
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Romare Bearden-Style Collages
Young scholars create collages in the style of African American artist Romare Bearden. They define the word collage, study African American artist Romare Bearden, view examples of collages by Romare Bearden, and create a collage...
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Using Oral Traditions to Improve Verbal and Listening Skills
Students examine the role of stories in African and African-American cultures. This lesson plan is written for students with visual impairments. They
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The Struggle Against Segregation
Middle schoolers use vocabulary related to the history of segregation in the United States. They study about the history of segregation in America and recognize the challenges and prejudice that many African Americans faced in the 1950s....
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Breaking the Chains: Rising Out of Circumstances
Study history through photographs. In this visual arts and history lesson, young scholars learn to analyze photographs to discover details about life during the Civil War era. Students write journal entries as if they are the...
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An Analysis of Jim Crow Laws and their Effects on Race Relations
First graders analyze the role of the Jim Crow laws on race relations. As a class, they are segregated based on the color shirt they have or some other simple criteria and wear either a square or circle sticker representing the majority...
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Walking the Line
Students participate in activities that engage all learning styles (such as picture walks, tracing lines, movement/theatre technique) as an introduction to the art element of line and its importance to art.
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Mood in Music
Students portray the mood of a piece of music in a drawing. In this mood in music lesson, students discuss how music creates a mood. Students listen to Vivaldi's "Four Seasons," "The Wreck of The Wreck of the Edmund...
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African Folktales
Students read African folktales. In this literature lesson, students share prior knowledge about South Africa, Morocco, and Nigeria. Then students work in groups to read an assigned African folktale and answer response questions about...
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American Literature and the Civil War
Students prepare for and respond to literature selections. This package includes fourteen lessons from the American Literature, The Civil War and Its Aftermath: 1845-1880 series, each covering a different reading selection. Pre-reading...
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Cinderella Stories - Native American Cinderella Stories
Learners examine a Native American Cinderella story. In this Cinderella lesson, students listen to and compare Rafe Martin's, The Rough Face Girl, to other Cinderella stories. They complete the associated worksheets, role play scenes...
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Economics Lesson: The Real McCoy
Students research the origination of the expression "The Real McCoy." In this economics research lesson plan, students read the book The Real McCoy. Students examine Elijah McCoy and his invention of the oil cup and how it relates to the...
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Say It Loud!: A Celebration Of Black Music In America - Lesson 1
High schoolers identify many careers within the music industry such as producer, A&R representative and recording studio engineer. They connect achievements of noted artists with their roles in the music industry.
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Say It Loud!: A Celebration Of Black Music in America - Lesson 3
High schoolers listen to many examples of Motown music and explain the relationship between the word "Motown" and the city of Detroit. They examine and identify distinctive musical elements of the early "Motown Sound."
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Thurgood Marshall Makes a Difference
Students find information about the life and legal career of Thurgood Marshall, including the NAACP and its causes. They comprehend the issues and context of the Brown v. Board of Education case that Marshall argued before the U.S....
Maryland Department of Education
A Raisin in the Sun and Dreams Deferred
To conclude a study of A Raisin in the Sun and to prepare for a visit to the Lewis Museum, class members analyze Langston Hughes' poem "Harlem." Learners then draw connections to characters in the play and to their own experiences...
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Picturing America: Images and Words of Hope from Romare Bearden and Langston Hughes
A carefully crafted three-day lesson integrates poetry and visual art. By analyzing and comparing Langston Hughes' poem "Mother and Son" and Romare Bearden's collage "The Dove," readers explore the theme of hope. The lesson activates...
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Mini Masks: Ceramics
Masks have been used for many reasons throughout human history. They are also great subjects for art projects! Included here are instructions, background information, and all the supplies needed to create mini masks in your class.