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The Poetry of Langston Hughes
for K-12 teachers & students

  


Lesson Plan for US History/English
6th-10th grades

Time Frame: 3-4 days (90 minute class periods)
Mr. Donn;  USA

Harlem Renaissance




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Day One:

Introduction: Provide background/History of the Harlem Renaissance


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Day Two

Poetry of Langston Hughes

  • Tell how he wrote while listening to jazz

  • Play some old (dixieland) style jazz and have students read along

  • Pass out packets of poems

  • Tell students that they need to select a poem that they are going to read to music. They get to select the music.

  • Direct students to go through the whole packet and describe in what style poems were written.

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Day Three

Presentation Day:

  • Allow each student 1 minute

  • If the song selected has words that interrupt the reading, suggest to students that they try turning down the volumn. (It works.)

  • Results in my class: I was surprised by the variety of music selected. The vast majority of students participated. Those who did not actually select a poem and set it to music listened during class to those who did. I did assign a couple of A++, a nearly unheard of success!

 

Related Lesson Plans & Background Information

Voice Among Voices (Langston Hughes Lesson Plan)

Langston Hughes, Lesson Plans and Units

Poetry Presentations in PowerPoint format

African American 20th Century Poets, Unit (1 week, slam, rap, ending activity)

Poetry Slam (Donn)

Harlem Renaissance

Presentations in PowerPoint Format & Lesson Plans 

 The Roaring 20s

A-Z Index by Book Titles 

A-Z by Author

Free Presentations in PowerPoint format

 Free Clip Art







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   Clip Art Credit: Phillip Martin
Have a great year!