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Lesson Plan
National Gallery of Art

The First African American Regiment

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Young historians examine a memorial sculpture of the first African American regiment in the Civil War, and then compare how the experiences of the regiment are portrayed in letters and poetry, as well as in the motion picture, Glory. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Palm of My Heart: Poetry By African American Children

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Elementary students explore African American culture by reading children's poetry. They read the book, The Palm of My Heart which features poetry by an assortment of young African American boys and girls. Students define several...
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Lesson Plan
Education Oasis

Creative Writing Unit: Analyzing, Interpreting, Discussing and Writing Various Genres of African-American Literature

For Teachers 10th - 12th
A six-week unit takes high schoolers through various works of African-American literature, including poems, plays, and short stories. The lesson plan format includes a week-by-week description of activities, goals, materials, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African American Poetry: Family and Traditions

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students are introduced to the elements of African-American poetry. As a class, they are read different types of poems to discover there are different styles of poems and practice rhyming words. They share information on their family...
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Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper: 19th Century African-American Writer and Reformer

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Although some African American abolitionists—such as Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass—are well known, others, like Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, remain in the shadows of history. Harper was a poet and activist who played an...
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Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

The African American Experience

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Disrespect can be as subtle as a frown or a turn of a head. To prepare for a study of Toi Derricote's poem "The Weakness" class members create wordless skits that demonstrate subtle or not so subtle signs of disrespect. After a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African Americans in the Civil War

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine the role of African-Americans in the Civil War. After reading a poem, they analyze and identify the difficulties faced by African Americans. In pairs, they complete a worksheet based on the poem and information.
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Interactive
Curated OER

Outstanding African Americans Activity

For Students 5th - 10th
Challenge historians to investigate influential African-Americans through this online research activity. Learners undertake this task using online links, some of which require investigative searching. Print the worksheet out first, so...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African American Poetry: Songs of Protest and Pride

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars are introduced to various time periods in history in which African Americans wrote songs and poetry to cope. In groups, they travel between different stations to listen or read poems and music from the Civil War period,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Literature and Art Through Our Eyes: African-American Artists

For Teachers 3rd - Higher Ed
Examine the contributions of African-Americans in the worlds of art and literature. Over the course of a few days, young scholars will read and analyze a poem, a short story, and a piece of art. They complete a range of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

AFRICAN-AMERICAN POETRY BEFORE EMANCIPATION

For Teachers 8th
Explore poetry written by African-Americans before emancipation. 8th graders create collages, and explain why they chose specific stanzas. They display the collages on the class bulletin board that demonstrate an understanding of the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Poetry: A View of African American Life,

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders analyze many examples of African-American poetry and examine how different poems reflect the cultural experiences of African-Americans. The poems and spirituals chosen are very effective for public presentation.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The South, the North and the Great Migration: Blues and Literature

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
Here is a complex lesson plan that interweaves the history of the Jim Crow South and the Great Migration with the study of poetry, art, and blues music from the Harlem Renaissance. The plan helps young historians develop a deep...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African American Poetry

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students write their own dream poems in the style of African American dream poetry.  In this African American poetry lesson, students discuss the dreams of African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement  and read Langston Hughes's...
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Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

Teach This Poem: "Violin" by Nikki Wallschlaeger

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
Nikki Wallschlaeger's Violin is the featured poem in a lesson that uses music and multiple readings to delve deep into its analysis. After a writing warm-up, learners watch and listen to a video that showcases Regina Carter Quintet's...
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Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

Teach This Poem: “Declaration” by Tracy K. Smith

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Tracy K. Smith's erasure poem "Declaration" challenges scholars to use their noticing skills to make connections between an engraving entitled "The Declaration of Independence" and Smith's poem. Class members record observations and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding and Appreciating Poetry: Afro-Americans and Their Poetry

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders are introduced to poems written by African-American authors. As a class, they read excerpts of poems from different time periods and discuss how and if anything has changed over time with discrimination and equal rights...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Writing a Historical Poem

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students work together to research a historical event. They create their own poems based on their research. They share their poems with the class and discuss the historical event further.
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Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

Teach This Poem: "On Being Brought from Africa to America" by Phillis Wheatley

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Phillis Wheatley's poem, "On Being Brought from Africa to America" is the focus of a activity that asks readers to consider how the poem is a critique of slavery. Groups comprise a list of words and phrases they notice as well as...
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Lesson Plan
Crafting Freedom

F.E.W. Harper: Uplifted from the Shadows

For Teachers 4th - 5th Standards
What is stereotyping, and how do we handle stereotyping in our daily interactions? Your young historians will not only have the opportunity to learn about the first African American woman to publish a short story–Frances Ellen...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genre Lesson: Poetry

For Teachers 5th Standards
Here is a terrific lesson on poetry! Learners bring in the lyrics to their favorite song. A class discussion ensues regarding what makes a song "catchy." After analyzing the alliteration of the poems, learners read the poem "This...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Poetry: A Mirror in Which to See Myself

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders focus on their self-esteem and strengths while reading poetry. In groups, they research the contributions and achievements of African-Americans and discuss how they overcame obstacles. They are read a poem, define new...
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Lesson Plan
Crafting Freedom

George Moses Horton: Crafting Virtual Freedom Through Poetry

For Teachers 6th - 8th
What is "virtual freedom"? How about "enslaved entrepreneurship"? Class members will learn about these terms and much more as they read the poems and examine the life of George Moses Horton.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper: 19th Century African-American Writer and Reformer

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate African-American author Frances Ellen Watkins Harper by analyzing her life and poetry. They explore the reformist messages communicated in her writings and evaluate the potential impact of her work.

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