Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Poet's Message-"The Colored Soldier" by Langston Hughes

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze the poem, "The Colored Soldier" by Langston Hughes to gain a greater experience of how poets use language to create meaning, influence thinking and thus become pioneers of change in American society. They work on the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Brand of Segregation - West Texas

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the concept of segregation. In this oral history activity, students conduct interviews and research primary sources to learn about segregation practices that affected African Americans. Students present their research...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating and Preserving a Tradition

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Students explore folk art and tradition. They work in small groups and produce an essay about folk art or traditions practiced in their community. Students discuss the creation and preservation of a tradition. They discuss various...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Words Have Meaning

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Students interpret and analyze art for meaning and a Maya Angelou poem for meaning. In this art and literature analysis lesson, students analyze Alison Saar's "Lost and Found" and Maya Angelou's poem "Alone." Students write creative...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Back To Africa

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students have the opportunity to examine the phenomenon and to analyze the arguments supporting the migration of African Americans to other countries in the search for equality. They simulate roles in a panel discussion on the topic.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Western Migration: Socratic Seminar

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the different experiences of the African-American migration to the West in an open-ended dialogue discussing the quote, the narrative, and the ultimate results of the western migration.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African Art and Personal Adornment

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Young scholars explore the concept of personal adornment. They view and compile a list examples and compare personal adornment in American culture to that in African culture.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gullah Contributions to South Carolina History

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Learners research the Gullah people and their impact on South Carolina. For this South Carolina history lesson, students study, locate, and color the region of Africa the Gullah people came from. Learners listen to Gullah music and watch...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

John Gary Evans and the Politics of Race

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Young scholars read letters written by Evans and Gunton regarding race relations. For this Progressive Movement lesson, students interpret the intentions and tone of the letters to understand contemporary racial beliefs. Young scholars...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What price Freedom! Civil War and Reconstruction

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders become familiar with the events of Reconstruction and the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. In this reconstruction instructional activity, 5th graders work in pairs where each student  creates a building with blocks and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Massachusetts 54th Regiment: Honoring the Heroes

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Learners use art and images analyze the Civil War. In this instructional activity on the Shaw Memorial, students engage in 3 activities, discussion, and art analysis to better comprehend the events of the Civil War. This instructional...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigating Langston Hughes

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders read and appreciate the writing of great American Authors. use technology to garner information about famous American authors. They have selected sites to explore. The information they save be used for a future Powerpoint.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lady Sings the Blues

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Young scholars explore women and music in the 20th century. In this music lesson, students study the relationship between literature and music through The Color Purple and music by Ethel Waters, MA Rainey, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Have a Metaphor

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Learners locate the literary devices used in Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. In this figurative language lesson plan, students first distinguish between similes, metaphors, analogies, personification, etc. Learners...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story - The Birth of Soul

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students analyze various kinds of music.  In this music lesson, students listen to music clips to determine the kind of music each clip is then they participate in a class discussion about the music and prepare a presentation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Quilting Our Diverse Classroom

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners explore diversity and race by creating art. In this ethnic background lesson, students discuss their family history, where their relatives lived and how it affects their life today. Learners create pieces of a quilt representing...
Lesson Plan
Akron Art Museum

Storytelling Resist

For Teachers K - 5th
The illustrations of Ezra Jack Keats in The Snowy Day inspire young artists to examine shapes in illustrations and to use these shapes to create their own watercolor resist painting.
Lesson Plan
Learning to Give

What Are Your Thoughts?

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
The varying responses of the characters in Mildred Taylor's Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry to the discrimination they experience or perpetrate provides readers with an opportunity to not only examine the feelings of the characters but...
Worksheet
K12 Reader

Her Story: Sojourner Truth

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
Sojourner Truth is one of the most prominent faces of the abolitionist movement, but what was her life in slavery like? Learn more about her early years with a reading comprehension resource that provides a short passage from...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Uniform Design

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the military by examining their uniforms.  In this design lesson, students analyze the military uniforms from different locations and time periods.  Students create new ideas for current military uniforms.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Go Nuts with Peanuts

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students learn about peanuts through online research. In this peanut lesson, students use provided links to research information on the origins of the peanut. Students collect information about peanuts also called goobers.
Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

World Literature-Teaching Asian, African & Latin American Authors

For Teachers 4th - 8th
World Literature lesson plans for high school students can lead to a greater cultural awareness and appreciation of literature.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Multigenre Research Project

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students research influences on African American literature. They research someone who has influenced the development of African American literature and create a multi-genre research project. They create a photograph poem, character...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Quilting: The Story of the Underground Railroad

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore quilting. They read and discuss the book, Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt. They research African American quilting traditions on the Internet and name three common qualities in quilts. They create a quilt block...