Harlem Renaissance Unit Schedule 2009-2010
Day 1
*Pick up Harlem Renaissance Packet:
*Intro to Harlem Renaissance,
READ the cover of the packet, and the Harlem Renaissance Characteristics
*Homework: Read “Sweat” pages 25-31
Day 2
Music log, portfolio
In-class discussion “Sweat”
Read Shange and Giovanni poetry page 56
Taking a look at Jim Crow laws
*Homework: Read “The Ethics of Living Jim Crow”
Day 3
*In-class discussion of “The Ethics of Living Jim Crow”
-Read Langston Hughes poem page 7
-Read Dunbar poetry page 46
-Art Display activity
Homework: Read “Blood Burning Moon” pages 16-24
Day 4
In-class discuss “Blood Burning Moon”
Small group work
*Homework: Read the prologue to Invisible Man pages 1-7
Day 5
In class discussion of the Prologue to Invisible Man
Music Log
*Read Countee Cullen poems on page 8, Langston Hughes poems page 7, and “If We Must Die” on page 60
*Homework: Read “On Being B lack” pgs 49-51
Day 6
*In class discussion of “On Being Black” and Harlem Renaissance characteristics.
-Read “A Bronzeville Mother Loiters in Mississippi. Meanwhile, a Mississippi Mother Burns Bacon”, pgs 57-60 and discuss Emmett Till
**Music Logs Due
**Day 7 Harlem Renaissance Portfolio’s due at the beginning of class.
Harlem Renaissance Portfolios
Due Day 7
55 points possible
Your packet contains works by authors published during the Harlem Renaissance, and works by authors influenced (and in some cases mentored) by those writers. We will devote some class time to discussions and related assignments in response to the works; however you will need to write your responses outside of class. Your personal responses will be collected in a short portfolio, the components of which are as follows. This portfolio will be your final assessment for the Harlem Renaissance Unit.
1. Design a front cover with a meaningful title.
2. Include a one page (minimum) personal response to three of the short stories/essays of your choice, and two of the poems of your choice. Your responses may be a set of thought-provoking questions with answers, a commentary, a poem, a song, a letter, a drawing, a picture-word collage, or an original story of your own. Each response may take a different form, or you may choose to unify your entries by using the same form for each (i.e. all commentaries, all poems, all visuals). Whatever the form of your responses, each must clearly show direct links to the works. If your response is in a visual form, provide an explanation of a short paragraph (1/2 page) describing what you are trying to convey and how you are trying to convey it on the back of the art piece.
3. Create and overall, one page typewritten, response to your study of the African American literature in this unit; this should summarize your experience reading and considering the works in the packet as well as anything else that was covered in class. This response should be the first entry in your portfolio, but the last thing you write.
4. Create a personal poem for the last entry in your portfolio. This poem may be modeled on one in the packet, it may be a ‘found poem’ created from the Du Bois and or Wright essays, or simply an original poem containing vivid imagery, metaphors, similes, and other literary devices. Give your poem a creative title. It should be at least ¾ of a page long.
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The Harlem Renaissance Portfolio Evaluation Criteria:
Use this checklist to make sure you portfolio is complete and meets the requirements of the assignment.
___Submitted on time- 5 points
___Cover and title -5 points
___Overall response (first entry, typed) -10 points
___Responses to three short stories—meaningful with direct links to the works- 15 points
___Responses to two of the poems—meaningful with direct links to the works- 10 points
___Original poem—with title and creative use of literary devices- 5 points
___Overall quality: neatness, care and obvious detail and work investment- 5 points
