Description
The Harlem Renaissance Unit Activity: English 11 Sem B Unit 6
Students will:
- Research, evaluate, and synthesize information about the Harlem Renaissance from varied resources
- Highlight connections across varied disciplines (i.e., art and poetry) using a comparison chart
- Demonstrate an understanding, through an essay, a multimedia project, or a museum exhibit, of the effects of the Harlem Renaissance on African Americans
STEP ONE:Preview the Harlem Renaissance Websites to learn about the Harlem Renaissance as well as conditions for black Americans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There are also some websites that will give you additional history of African Americans in earlier America. | |
WRITE DOWN 5 FACTS YOU LEARNED FROM THESE WEBSITES: | |
1. | |
2. | |
3. | |
4. | |
5. |
STEP TWO: In this unit, you have read poetry and essays from the Harlem Renaissance. |
1.Refer back to the writings from this unit: |
2.In the chart that follows, compare and contrast the writings with the following images. Please provide 3-4 bullet points in each section. a.The first box should compare the SIMILARITIES between the ART and the WRITINGS. b.The second set of boxes should point out the DIFFERENCES between the ART and the WRITINGS |
Writings | Art |
Similarities BETWEEN THE WRITINGS AND THE ART: | |
Differences: | Differences: |
STEP THREE: Answer the following questions: | |
1.What impact did the Harlem Renaissance have on African Americans? What is the significance of this period in African American history? | |
ANSWER: | |
2.What did I learn about the Harlem Renaissance by viewing it from different disciplinary perspectives (both art and writing)? | |
ANSWER: | |
3.How did learning about varied artists and poets contribute to my understanding of this time period? | |
ANSWER: | |
4.How effectively did my comparison chart convey the connections across different disciplines? | |
ANSWER: | |
5.List and describe three other concepts that you think would be enhanced by cross-disciplinary learning (outside of the Harlem Renaissance – can be other subjects, too). | |
ANSWER: |
STEP FOUR: Select ONE option from the three below: |
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a.Review the Harlem Renaissance Websites and decide on the artist, musician, or poet you would like to do your exhibit on from the options below: Option One: artist Jacob Lawrence Option Two: artist William H. Johnson Option Three: musician Duke Ellington Option Four: musician Bessie Smith Option Five: poet Langston Hughes Option Six: poet Countee Cullen b.Look over the Museum Exhibit Checklist to know what you’re going to be graded on. Each exhibit must include (but is not limited to) the following elements: Examples of the artist’s, musician’s, or poet’s work Background information on the artist’s, musician’s, or poet’s life A visually interesting backdrop for the exhibit that captures the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance A written or recorded guide to viewing the exhibit oNote: You should design the guide to enhance the viewer’s experience and summarize key elements. Think of the guide as a road map to guide viewers as they move through the exhibit. For example, you may choose to do an audio recording, giving a “tour” through the museum. |
2.Traditional option: Write a Literary Analysis Essay |
a.In this option, you will write an 800-1000 word literary analysis of a piece (or multiple pieces) from the Harlem Renaissance. b.You can use the poetry of Langston Hughes or Countee Cullen, or any other poets from the Harlem Renaissance era. c.For your literary analysis, you need to pick one literary element found in the piece (or pieces), and discuss how it affects the work(s) as a whole. Examples: symbolism, figurative language (metaphor, simile, allusion, etc.), diction, tone, mood d.Because this is an essay, proper conventions of English (spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.) are crucial to your grade. Make sure that you use spell/grammar check, and EDIT and REVISE your work! |
3.Multimedia Project Option 2: Create a Multimedia Analysis |
a.Using Prezi, EMaze, or Google Slides, create a 10-15 slide presentation where you analyze literary elements of 2 or 3 poems from the Harlem Renaissance. You should include images (connecting art with poetry) Your slides can be bullets or paragraphs, but must use proper conventions of English Your understanding of the elements you’re analyzing should be clear, and the relationship between the works you’re analyzing should also be clear. b.You can use the poetry of Langston Hughes or Countee Cullen, or any other poets from the Harlem Renaissance era. c.For your literary analysis, you need to pick one literary element found in the piece (or pieces), and discuss how it affects the work(s) as a whole. Examples: symbolism, figurative language (metaphor, simile, allusion, etc.), diction, tone, mood You should then connect the poem through one of these elements to a work or works of Harlem Renaissance era art |
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Explanation & Answer
Attached.
Harlem Renaissance
I- Facts
a. Harlem (1900-1940)- was known as the “Capital of the Negro World”
b. Romare Bearden- born September 2, 1914 in Charlotte and died March 12, 1988.
Graduated in New York University in 1935 and awarded honorary degrees and National
Medal of Arts in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan. He presented the stylized depiction
of odyssey captives from its origin in Africa to their destination in United States.
c. Denmark Vesey (1822)- led an unsuccessful slave rebellion in Charleston, South
Carolina where allegedly 35 African-Americans were caught and they were hanged.
d. David Walker (1829)- a dealer of second-hand clothing became outlawed because of
advocating resistance against slavery urging the African-American to fight for freedom.
The Southern governments were enraged by Walker’s Appeal and a reward of $1,000
was offered for his life and was later found dead without knowing the cause.
e. Nat Turner (1831)- led the slave revolt in Southampton, Virginia who killed 60 whites
by barging in their houses. In suppressing the revolt, there were 100 African-American
died and 16 were hanged.
II- Comparisons of writings with arts
Montage of a Dream Deferred and What White Publishers Won’t Print and For a Lady
I know
Writings/Arts Similarities
•
It depicts the role as slaves of the African-American in the society where they are
exploited savagely and turns them into dangerous people.
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It expresses the sentiments of the African-Americans for equal and good life.
•
It shows how Africans-Americans are prevented to achieve status in the society
compared to whites in terms of education and literature.
Writings/Arts Differences
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The African- Americans are unjustly depicted as toys that represent their social status
in the community with no genuine characterization.
•
Literary piece and other good qualities of the Negroes are not given the chance to be
revealed in the public as to the literary piece of the Whites.
•
The paintings that represent the whites are presented with lavishness, respect, and
good life compared to the cartoon paintings of the Negroes which was represented
like play toys.
III
1. What impact did the Harlem Renaissance have on African Americans? What is the
significance of this period in African American history?
Answer:
The Harlem Renaissance changed image of the African-American to the society from
being under-educated toe an educated member of the community. This helped the
Negroes to define their own culture and gave them the opportunity to be successful in
their own field such as artists, writers, or performers. This also pave way to the merging
of the Blacks and the Whites’ culture this is known as the Harmonies.
2. What did I learn about the Harlem Renaissance by viewing it from different disciplinary
perspectives (both art and writing)?
Answer
I learned that Harlem Renaissance was the time where the African-Americans were able
to freely express their personality and culture through arts and writings. And t...