MrDonn.org - The Poetry of Langston Hughes - Harlem Renaissance Lesson Plan Illustration

Harlem Renaissance
The Poetry of Langston Hughes
Mr Donn's Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan for US History/English
6th-10th grades
Time Frame: 3-4 days (90 minute class periods)
Mr. Donn; USA

Harlem Renaissance


Day One: Introduction: Provide background/History of the Harlem Renaissance

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.

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 volume. (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!

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