Algeanna L. Griffin
EDU 560- Integrating Technology
June 17, 2011
Dominican University- Summer 2011
Literacy Strategy: Analyzing poetry of the Harlem Renaissance era using the Jigsaw
strategy.
I.
Rationale
The Harlem Renaissance, also known as the New Negro Movement, was a time in
history when African Americans gained a sense of cultural identity through music,
arts, politics, and literature. The purpose of this lesson was to allow students to
analyze the poems written in this era and decode the author’s message and
compare and contrast each work. This particular assignment also requires
students to provide evidence to support their analysis. The teacher will model the
assignment with the whole class and then students will form small groups to
complete their poetry analysis assignment.
II.
Standards and Lesson Objectives
- Students will be able to analyze author’s message by connecting to prior
knowledge, inference, and providing evidence from text to support analysis.
- As a result of this lesson, the students will be able to compare and contrast the
works of Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Claude McKay, Jean Toomer and
Paul Laurence Dunbar and create reflections illustrating their findings.
ILS. 18. A. 3 – Explain how language, literature, the arts, architecture
and traditions contributed to the development and transmission of
culture.
CC.K-12.R.9- Research to Build and Present Knowledge: Draw evidence
from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection and
research.
III.
Interdisciplinary Connections
The Jigsaw strategy will support students in collaborative reading and discussion
with peers while comparing and contrasting literary works of the poets of the
Harlem Renaissance.
IV.
Materials
Internet Access (Wiki Spaces/ Youtube)
Poems
Graphic Organizers
Pen
Highlighters
History Notebook/Folder
V.
Assessing and Building Prior Knowledge
The students will visit wiki to access corkboard. The students will be asked to
independently write what they already know about the characteristics of poetry.
While on this site, the students will be asked to share why they chose that
particular word. I will then show a two minute snippet on African American life in
Harlem during the era of the Renaissance. The students will then predict how they
believe poetry played a role during this era (think pair share).
VI.
Teacher Input and Modeling
We will analyze author’s message through the poem I Too Sing America by
Langston Hughes. Before engaging in the text, I will type the title on Powerpoint
and the students will predict what they believe the poem is about. They are
encouraged to use their background knowledge on race relations of society to assist
in their predictions. After sharing predictions, I will access Youtube for a version
of I Too Sing America and pass out hard copy of poem and Analyzer Graphic
Organizer to each student. We will then discuss what the author’s message for this
poem was. Students are reminded that in order to give an answer, they must
provide an observation and evidence from the text to support their answer. I will
provide an observation and evidence to support my answer. Students are
reminded to underline support from text in green highlighter ink. The whole group
completes the Analyzer graphic organizer as a class.
I Too Sing America
My Observation
My Evidence
I too sing America
I am the darker brother
They send me to eat in the kitchen when
company comes,
But I laugh, eat well and grow strong.
Tomorrow
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--
-
The character in this
poem experiences
discrimination
because he cannot
eat with the guest.
-
Text says, “ they
send me to eat in the
kitchen when
company comes”
-
Individuals will be
judged by character
and not by skin color
-
Text says, “They’ll
see how beautiful I
am and be ashamed”
I, too, am America.
Author’s Message: The author is saying that racism in America has caused him to be
inferior, but despite that, he is still strong and full of pride because he is an American.
VII.
Student Practice of Strategy:
1. While the students are seated in their home groups, I will briefly preview the
readings for analyzing. Students will also be provided with copies of text.
o Langston Hughes: Dream Variations (1)
o Countee Cullen: Harlem Wine (2)
o Claude Mckay: If We Must Die (3)
o Jean Toomer: People (4)
o Paul Laurence Dunbar: We wear the Mask (5)
Students will count off by fives. Provide the students with a few moments to find
their homogenous groups based on their numbers.
2. Students are to report to their expert group. One student per expert group will
retrieve poem for the entire group. Each group will click their link on wiki
spaces and listen to the poem together and complete the observations and
evidence graphic organizers in interpreting the author’s message. Each group
must also provide a summary of the poem after completing the task.
3. After the expert groups have completed the task, students return to their home
group. Each member in their home group now serves as experts on their
particular reading. The students are required to discuss the readings and
observations and evidence from their reading. Each student in the home group
must take notes on Google Doc on each presenter. At the end of the
presentations, each student should have five sets of notes and questions each
representing the five authors.
4. Once step three is completed, students are now required to collaborate ideas on
how are these poems alike and how are they different. The home group will
then fill out the how are they alike and different graphic organizer using their
Google Doc notes. This particular exercise allows the students to synthesize the
reading materials and formulate arguments about their particular readings.
This also allows the students to interact with the other readings they may be
unfamiliar with. Lastly, the students must complete a reflection statement on
which work they enjoyed the most and why using a word document. This will be
emailed to the instructor.
VIII. Assessment
The students will be given a link to the poem Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes.
They will also receive the Analyzer graphic organizer to identify their observation
and evidence and must record the author’s message at the bottom. An extended
practice assignment would encourage students to pretend they are poets in the
Harlem Renaissance and create a poem that relate to that era.
How are they Alike? How are they
Different?
How are they alike?
How are they alike?
How are they Different?
How are they alike?
How are they alike?
How are they alike?
Reflection Statement
1.
Which poem did you enjoy the most? Explain
2.
If you could meet one of these poets, which one would you choose? Why?
3.
Pretend you are a poet of the Harlem Renaissance and create your own poem.
10 pts
5 pts
0 pts
Poem is 3 or more
Poem less than 3 stanzas. Poem is not completed.
stanzas.
Analysis is not clear or
Clear analysis is provided vague.
explaining authors
Poem reflects issues of
message.
The Harlem Renaissance
Poem reflects issues of
Era.
The Harlem Renaissance
Era.
Poetry Analyzer Graphic Organizer
Poem
Author’s Message:
My Observation
My Evidence
The Roaring Twenties
Unit Dates:
5 days
8th Grade History/Language Arts
Teacher:
Algeanna L. Griffin
Essential Questions
 How did the Harlem Renaissance
affect African American culture as
well as American culture?
 The 1920s have been referred to as
the Roaring Twenties and the Jazz
Age. What do these names suggest
about the period?
Key Vocabulary
 Materialistic
 Racism
 Expatriates
 Renaissance
 Prohibition
 Jazz Age
 Fundamentalism
 Laissez- faire economics
 Mass Media
 Speakeasies
Unit Overview
This five day unit is based on Chapter 24
of the McDougel Little American History
text. This unit covers the era in history of
the 1920s, a time of returning to normalcy
after World War I. This unit investigates
the laws of Prohibition as well as the
rebirth of the African American culture.
Standards/Objectives
Summarize how the economy grew and struggled in the 1920s.
Analyze daily life in the 1920s.
Investigate reactions to racial tensions that occurred in the 1920s
Interpret the significance of the Harlem Renaissance to African American culture.
Analyze the genres that molded the Harlem Renaissance (poetry, music, politics, and education)
ILS. 18. A. 3 – Explain how language, literature, the arts, architecture and traditions contributed to the development and
transmission of culture.
CC.K-12.R.9- Research to Build and Present Knowledge: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support
analysis, reflection and research
ILS. 14. C. 3- Compare historical issues involving rights, roles and status of individuals in relation to municipalities, states
and the nation.
ILS. 14. D. 3 – Describe roles and influences of individuals, groups and media in shaping current Illinois and United States
public policy.
Resources
Technology Integration
Internet Access (Wiki Spaces/ You
Tube)
Poems
Graphic Organizers
Pen
Highlighters
History Notebook/Folder
LCD Projector
ELMO
Head Phones
Lap Tops
Corkboard.me for anticipatory set
Internet Access for the following:
You Tube
Wiki Spaces
Corkboard
Google Docs
NETS- S Standards
1. Creativity and innovation
2. Communication and
collaboration
3. Critical Thinking, problem
solving, etc.
4. Technology operations and
concepts.
Content, Skills, Assessment
Content
a. Postwar Economics and Politics
b. The Jazz Age and Popular Culture
c. The Harlem Renaissance
Skills
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Assessment
Analyzing primary and secondary
sources
Vocabulary Practice
Interdisciplinary Projects
Readers Theatre
Problems and Solutions
Inferencing
Draw Conclusions
Compare and Contrast
Cause and Effect
Synthesis
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Section Quizzes
Chapter Test
Mapping
Document Based Questions
Essential Question extended
response
Prezi Presentations
Poetry and Music Analysis