Young scholars explore the life and works of black American playwrights to gain insight into how their works reflect and influence the black American experience.

In this online interactive reading comprehension activity, students respond to 12 multiple choice questions about Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Students may submit their answers to be scored.

Fourth graders demonstrate and evaluate the six traits of writing. They read and identify good writing and bad writing, utilize a rubric to self-evaluate their own writing, participate in a Reader's Theater, and publish a class book.

Students recognize the importance of planning for the future. They think about and project themselves into the future. Students become aware that everyone encounters challenges in life and that they can be met and obstacles can be...

Young scholars examine the time period of the Harlem Renaissance. In groups, they compare and contrast the type of art before and after the movement along with the state of society at the time. After reading a book on the topic of...

Second graders listen to background information on designated Black Americans and read some books about them. They choose one of the persons studied and create a paper vest relating the person's contributions.

Learners identify literary elements in each selection while learning about diversity and the struggle for equality in the United States. They use their knowledge to express the emotion and key literary elements in each piece through...

Students identify and discuss six traits of writing and complete some beginning drawing and writing utilizing the traits. Six lessons on one page.

Students become immersed in a compelling anecdote of the civil rights movement through the experience of constructing dramatic scripts. An added goal is to equip students, through this "hands-on" experience, to critique dramatic...

Pupils create an artistic rendering based on what they have learned from the film and the lesson.

Students will be given poems by Dylan Thomas and Langston Hughes and will determine the differing structure, style, and content of each poem. Included are detailed plans, copies of the poems, and examples of student work.

[Free Registration/Login Required] This downloadable module contains a PowerPoint lesson about how to read and perform the poem "Touch" by Hugh Lewin. A worksheet is provided that will guide students to help them reflect on the poem,...

This Washington Post article by poet laureate Robert Hass analyzes Plath's (1932-1963 CE) poem "By Candlelight," and includes the text of the poem.

Text of the short story "Reginald's Peace Poem" by H. H. Munro. (Free site registration offers some additional features, e.g., the ability to insert annotations.)

From The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes, by permission of David Higham Associates, a recording from The Dream Keeper and Other Poems and a written version of "I, Too", written by Langston Hughes are provided on this site. Multiple...

This site provides a biography of Langston Hughes, followed by several of his poems (some complete with audio clips) and a bibliography of his more influential works.

What is meant by voice in poetry, and what qualities have made the voice of Langston Hughes a favorite for so many people? This lesson will lead young scholars to learn about the qualities that make Langston Hughes's voice distinctive,...

By looking to examples of popular poetry in a variety of forms, students learn to analyze, appreciate, and synthesize poetry in the classroom. "Writing Poetry Like Pros" provides several links to poetry texts and suggestions for creating...

Lesson allows students to examine the various views of American perspective through studying three poems by diverse poets: "I Hear America Singing" by Walt Whitman, "I, Too, Sing America" by Langston Hughes, and "On the Pulse of Morning"...

This site features four different reviews of Langston Hughes' debut award winning volume of poems "Weary Blues". Compiled by the University of Illinois.

This lesson focuses on Langston Hughes and two of him poems: "Theme for English B" and "I, Too." It provides links to the two poems including an audio version of "I, Too" and a handout worksheet for "Theme for English B." It asks student...

This resource explains how to analyze a poem for its subject, narrator, tone, diction, and more. "Open" and "closed" poems are defined. Explanation are provided for "metrical feet" and "rhyme scheme" in poetry. William Shakespeare's "My...

'Birthday Letters', a collection of 88 poems by the British poet Ted Hughes, revolves around Hughes's relationship with the American poet Sylvia Plath. Read an overview and view additional resources such as articles, collection items,...