Women in Jazz

Many know of Rosa Parks involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, but who were other female leaders? The lesson focuses on female Civil Rights leaders and their achievements. Scholars complete research, participate in group discussions,...

Women in power are the focus of a three-module unit that employs comic books to bring home the importance of equality and proficient media literacy skills. In module one, scholars examine gender roles in media—boosting media literacy and...

A woman in a man's war, Maria Bochkareva led a battalion of females who pledged to fight for Russia unto the death. An informative video highlights the ways her international celebrity inspired other countrymen and women to sacrifice...

During World War I, women served in the factories and on the home front to keep nations churning. The ninth lesson of a 32-part WWI series examines the role women played in the Great War and provides topics for discussion on women's...

Which countries implemented women's suffrage before the 19th amendment went into effect in the United States? Which countries still do not allow women to vote? Watch the global spread of women's rights in an interactive timeline that...

How did jazz influence Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man? Class members read some of Ellison's non-fiction writings about blues and jazz, listen to records, watch videos, and engage in student-centered discussions. They then produce podcasts...

A 12-piece primary source packet sets the tone for a study of the role women played in the origins, development, and impact of blues music. Legends like Bessie Smith, Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, Mamie Smith, and Ida Cox are featured, as are...

Zora Neale Hurston's novel Their eyes Were Watching God has been highly praised and severely criticized for its depiction of African American folk culture. A set of primary source materials, including photographs, articles, essays, and...

Students explore the present and juture of jazz. They identify terms associated with jazz and listen to contemporary recordings. They participate in a class discussion regarding jazz's contribution to and reflection of American culture...

How much of Jo's relationship with her writing is based on Louisa May Alcott's struggle to keep both her artistic integrity and her family finances afloat? Watch a short clip from a longer documentary on the author of Little Women that...