PBS
Their Eyes Were Watching God: The Impact of Language
Author, filmmaker, and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston was also a dialectologist. The dialogue of the characters in her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God reveals her fascination with accents and dialects. A short video from the Great...
Curated OER
Folklore in Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God
Young scholars read Zora Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God and explore her life history as well as novel analysis activities. In this novel analysis lesson, students identify elements in the novel and its overall literary impact....
Curated OER
Zora Hurston Teacher's Guide
Students explore American culture by reading classic literature in class. In this African-American history instructional activity, students read the story Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree while identifying the work and contributions...
Curated OER
Reading and Writing the Autobiography With a Study of Zora Neale Hurston
Learners explore the possible relationships between characters in a novel. They read the novel 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' and answer all the questions on each chapter so that the characters and events are familiar to the students.
Curated OER
The WPA, Zora Neale Hurston, and the Cross City Turpentine Camp
Learners read Zora Neale Hurston's essay "Turpentine" and analyze the document using the Document Analysis Worksheet. They determine the author's purpose and point of view and their effects on the text.
Curated OER
Harlem Renaissance Research Project
Students complete a group research project on the Harlem Renaissance. In this Harlem lesson, students pick from a list of topics all related to the Harlem renaissance. They create a PowerPoint presentation, topic outline, and...
PBS
Being Heard
Examine the work of contemporary authors who use their writing to express opinions about the struggle against prejudice and oppression in our society. A short lesson on the Harlem Renaissance introduces learners to the most prominent...
Curated OER
Women Writers and Dissent in 20th and 21st Century American Literature
Tenth graders read examples of writings by women authors showing their dissent. After completion of their reading, they brainstorm on why they believe female authors have criticized society. In groups, they use the Internet to research...
Curated OER
Resources for Teaching Women Writers
Twelfth graders explore, discuss and experience a wide variety of texts from around the world written by women. They analyze the different genres covered and view a lot of unique point of views from different female perspectives. Topics...
Curated OER
"Railroad Bill, A Conjure Man"
Students create questions to ask the poet, Ishmael Reed about his poetry. After the poet speaks, students are broken into groups and are to analyze a poem and report back to the class on their findings.
Curated OER
Legends and Lore
Students begin the instructional activity by responding in their journals regarding questions about their favorite fairy tales. They listen to a folk tale and answer questions based on the folk tale genre and then brainstorm aphorisms...
Curated OER
Modernism
Students engage in a study of the literature of modernism in America. They conduct research and read different texts for clarification of the genre style. Students discuss the background influences of culture that shaped modernism.
Varsity Tutors
Varsity Tutors: Web English Teacher: Zora Neale Hurston
This site provides information and activities focused around Zora Neale Hurston's life and work. Check out this site featuring links to several sites focused on Hurston's work.
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Defining and Exploring an Author's Stylistic Choices
Contains plans for two lessons that teach students how to recognize an author's use of style in literature. These plans use "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston as an example, but the basic ideas can be adapted to other...
Varsity Tutors
Varsity Tutors: Web English Teacher: Langston Hughes
This resource focuses on the works of famous African-American author, Langston Hughes.