Lesson Overview:
In this lesson, students will learn about the Harlem Renaissance and some of its most important artists—including poets, painters, sculptors, photographers, and novelists. They’ll examine a poem by Langston Hughes, and then each student will research an artist from the Harlem Renaissance, learn about his or her life and work, and present one example of that work to the class.
Length of Lesson:
Eleven 45-minute periods
Notes:
This lesson is particularly suitable for grades 3-4.
Instructional Objectives:
Students will:
- learn what the Harlem Renaissance was and its significance in American history.
- examine a poem by Langston Hughes to discover characteristics associated with the Harlem Renaissance.
- use research skills to learn about a Harlem Renaissance artist or writer.
- use oral presentation and performance skills (role-playing) to communicate and demonstrate to others what they’ve learned about the Harlem Renaissance.
Supplies:
- Construction paper
- Marker
- Images of paintings, photographs, sculptures, and other visuals representative of the Harlem Renaissance. These can come from a variety of resources including books (see Teacher References), slides, and color printouts of Web pages (see Teacher Internet Resources)
- Materials for the extension activity vary depending on which artists the students choose for study. Here are some examples: pencil, paper, computer, etc. to write a poem, story, or play; art supplies for creating a painting, sculpture, or other visual art; props and costumes for putting on a play; and props and music for performing a dance.
Instructional Plan:
Part I: Introduction to the Harlem Renaissance
Prepare for the lesson by creating a Harlem Renaissance Learning Center in
the classroom (you can have students help you create it). Cut out the words
"HARLEM RENAISSANCE" in large, brightly colored construction paper
and post the words in the Learning Center. Beneath, write the following quote
from Dr. Henry Louis Gates, preeminent contemporary scholar of African American
studies, in large letters:
"Harlem was not so much a place as it was a state of
mind, a cultural metaphor for black America itself." – Dr. Henry Louis
Gates
Print out images from the Internet that capture the essence of
the Harlem Renaissance and display them all around the Learning Center, surrounding
the quote above. Click on the names of the artists below for images from the
Internet. Images should include Renaissance artists such as:
You can also include images from books and Web sites as suggested in the Teacher
References section. Students may come up with more images from their research
(see the Artists
List and Teacher's
Artist Research Guide handouts) that you can include.
Read aloud the posted quote to students: "Harlem was not so much a
place as it was a state of mind, a cultural metaphor for black America itself."
Tell students that the images displayed come from an important historical period
known as the "Harlem Renaissance." Explain that from the mid-1920s
to the early 1930s, Harlem—a neighborhood in New York City, on the northern
half of Manhattan Island—was a place where the most talented black artists (musicians,
poets, novelists, dancers, painters, sculptors, photographers, etc.) gathered to give
artistic expression to the African American experience. For the artists of this
period, creative expression was a means of liberation. Whatever their art form,
they shared a driving need to tell their stories about everything from their
roots in Africa and the American South to their strong sense of racial pride
and their desire for social and political equality.
The Harlem Renaissance represents
the first time in history that African Americans were being recognized in their
own right. Critics praised the works of black writers, and many novels, short
stories, plays, and poems about and by blacks were being published. African
American artists were making their mark in painting, music, and theater. (For
more background on the Harlem Renaissance, explore the Web sites and books listed
in the Sources section.) For more information about jazz musicians,
singers, and dancers of the period, see the lesson, Harlem: Musical Harlem.
Draw students' attention to the Langston Hughes poem, "Juke Box Love Song,"
posted in the Learning Center. You can create handouts of the poem by downloading
the text from Random
House.
Tell students that the poet Langston Hughes was a very important figure in
the Harlem Renaissance. Explain that he created a style of poetry that used
the rhythms of jazz and the storytelling techniques of blues to uniquely portray
the black experience. He was also the first African American author to make
his living solely through his writing. Prompt a discussion about the poem by
asking the following questions:
- What words in the poem paint a picture of Harlem? (neon lights and taxis)
- What are some of the sounds of Harlem? (rumble, heartbeat, drumbeat)
- Point out that Hughes uses expressive words, rhyme, and repetitive sounds
to convey the feeling and movement of a dancing couple. What words does Hughes
use to capture the feeling of dance and movement? (whirl, wrap, play) What
words does he use to convey the feeling of rhythm? (heartbeat, drumbeat)
- 4. Refer back to the quote posted on the wall ("Harlem was not so
much a place as it was a state of mind, a cultural metaphor for black America
itself."). What state of mind does the poem reflect? How do you think
Langston Hughes feels about Harlem? (proud, energized, romantic) What phrases
help you figure this out? ("wrap around you"; "make a crown";
"dance with you"; "sweet brown Harlem girl"). How does
this contrast with most African Americans' experience in the United States
prior to the Harlem Renaissance?
Have the class listen to the following online examples of jazz and blues from
three legendary Harlem Renaissance musicians:
Ask students to describe the rhythm of the music. How is it similar to
the rhythm in the Langston Hughes poem? (The rhythm of the music bounces along
in a steady beat of short phrases.) How is the music similar to the tone and
mood of the Langston Hughes poem? (They evoke the sounds and feeling of a city
at night.)
Part II: Research a Harlem Renaissance Artist
Print out and distribute to students the Artists
List handout, which is a list of various artists, photographers, writers,
poets, and playwrights from the Harlem Renaissance. Tell the class that for
each artist, writer, etc., you will give them starter resources for finding
more information about that person and their art.
Divide the class into pairs or groups, and assign each pair or group an artist
to research. Distribute the Artist
Fact Sheet to help students organize their research. When the students are
ready to research, allow for time at the computer (if possible) so they can
access the Web for research. Have each pair or group select one piece of their
artist's work (e.g., a poem, a play, an excerpt from a novel, a painting, photograph,
or sculpture) that they will share with the class.
After they complete the research process, have students prepare an oral presentation
in which they:
- share biographical information about their artist
- show or read a representative example of their artist's work
- give background information about the piece of art or writing, including
what it is about, how it reflects the artist's beliefs or feelings, and what
story, if any, it tells about the artist's life
- describe what "state of mind" (themes such as liberation, joy,
triumph, sadness, frustration, oppression) the artist reflects in his or her
work
- point out two details about the artist's work. For a painting, students
could describe the colors the artist uses. For a poem or play, they could
describe the kinds of words and expression the writer uses
Conclusion
After all the pairs have given their oral presentations, have students divide
into small groups. Within their groups, ask students to discuss how all of these
artists' works together represent the lives of blacks during the Harlem Renaissance.
Referring back to the opening quote, have students describe the "state
of mind" these works represent. Ask: How do these works of art paint a
picture or tell a story of Harlem during this period in history?
Encourage groups to use what they've seen and learned to describe what it was
like for African Americans living in Harlem in the 1920s and 1930s. Prompt students
to think about both the good and challenging aspects of Harlem residents' lives.
Ask: What was really good and exciting about life then? (Possible answers: freedom,
acceptance). What were some of the challenges people faced? (segregation, political
and social inequality).
After their discussion, have each group share their feedback with the class.
Assessment:
Use the Artistic Development Assessment to evaluate student work.
Extensions:
Extension I: Faith Ringgold Story Quilt Discussion
Link to the image of Faith Ringgold's quilt, titled Tar
Beach. Display it on a large monitor, or print it out in color, and
post it where the whole class can see.
Tell students that Faith Ringgold is a contemporary artist—an artist creating
art today. She tells visual stories in her own unique form of expression called
the "story quilt." Ask students to hypothesize about what a story
quilt is. (It is a quilt, made of pieces of fabric, which uses images and text
to tell a story about an event, place, or person.) Explain that Faith Ringgold
uses her own life and those of her family members for ideas and inspiration
for her story quilts. Integrated into the quilts' borders, which are made of
fabrics combining African and American patterns, are text panels that tell stories
about the pictures on the quilt. Prompt a discussion about this story quilt
by asking the following questions:
- How do you think the people in the picture feel?
- How would you describe the colors? (bright, vivid, energetic)
- Does this quilt illustrate something that is real or imaginary or both?
How do you know?
- Is the story in this quilt showing a time that is past, present, or future?
(As students respond, discuss the clothing, transportation, industry, and
architecture as hints to the time period.)
- Are the people rich or poor? How do you know?
- Where are these people? What time of day is it? Why are they outside?
- How might this picture reflect something in Faith Ringgold's life?
- Describe the people's relationships in this picture. Why did the artist
include them?
Extension II: Be a Renaissance Artist
Tell students that a common thread among all Harlem Renaissance artists was
a desire to tell their stories. Invite students to create a work of art in the
style of the artist they studied but drawing on experiences from their own lives.
They can write a poem or dialogue for a play, create a sculpture, paint a picture,
take photographs, etc. They should be sure to bring aspects of their own lives,
beliefs, and feelings to their works of art.
Extension III: Interview a Renaissance Artist
Invite students to imagine they are TV or newspaper reporters interviewing
the Renaissance artist that they just studied. Have each student script an interview,
and then have them work in pairs to role-play the interview for the rest of
the class.
Sources:
Print:
- Hardy, P. Stephen, and Sheila Jackson Hardy. Extraordinary People of the
Harlem Renaissance. Chicago: Children's Press, 2000.
- Haskins, James. The Harlem Renaissance. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook Press, 1996).
- Haskins, Jim. Black Stars of the Harlem Renaissance. Hoboken, NJ : John Wiley &
Sons, 2002.
- Watson, Steven. The Harlem Renaissance: Hub of African American Culture,
1920-1930. New York: Pantheon Books, 1996.
Web:
Authors:
-
Scholastic Inc.
New York, NY
