Our Interdisciplinary Unit: The Harlem Renaissance

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Our Interdisciplinary UnitThe Harlem Renaissance

• By
• Deyior Dunbar Yasmin Brown

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Class and Student DescriptionApril 20, 2004

• Fairleigh Dickinson High School is a school that
  is culturally and economically mixed environment
  that relies heavily on cooperative learning and
  new innovative learning strategies, such as,
  project learning. The classes are eighty-minutes
  reflecting the schools recent adoption of block
  scheduling. The class is made up of sixteen
  students that are broken up into four groups.
  These groups of four are composed of students
  with diverse learning abilities. Girls and boys
  are encouraged to work together to create a sense
  of balance and reality. The unit will
  incorporate English as well as the disciplines of
  social studies to help students find obvious
  connections between the two.

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Rationale

• Since there are a vast majority of students of
  the 21st century who do not enjoy English or
  history, we have come up with a way to include
  both of these subjects while enabling the student
  to not only learn, but to also have fun. The
  students of FDHS are giving an average
  performance when it comes to these two subjects.
  We, the teachers, know that they can do better so
  we came up with a fun and exciting project that
  will combine English and history together to
  benefit the students understanding of the subject
  matter and in the end to benefit their grades.
• We, the teachers, realized that if we had made
  this a one subject project, it may engage the
  students learning, so we tried another approach
  by combining both of the subjects to make a more
  interesting and exciting project. This project
  requires skills from both subjects. It allows
  for an equal amount of history and English to be
  used and an equal amount of both the subjects to
  be learned.
• Our students will have an exciting time with
  this project because it enables the students to
  use their individual skills. There is something
  for everyone to do in this project.

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Interdisciplinary Unit for Harlem Renaissance
April 20, 2004

• Purpose/Goal To show the impact that African
  American literature and culture has had
  on history and present day conditions.
• Objective Participants will demonstrate the
  ability to analyze historical
  figures of the Harlem Renaissance that
  have had positive influences on how we live
  today. The participants research will
  allow them to draw
• conclusions that they
  can apply to their skit and script.
• Anticipatory Using the topic that will be
  researched, the students will complete
  the first two steps of the Set KWL chart.
  (What do I know? What do I want to know?)

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Activity Students will create a play that
incorporates historic figures, events,
social and political conditions that
have had a significant effect on our
society today. The students play must
be twofold in regards to
making connections between the past (Harlem
Renaissance) and the
present. Essential 1. How has the
Harlem Renaissance influenced history in regards
to Questions literature?
2. What literacy, social, and
political figures were involved in the
Harlem Renaissance?
3. What were the effects of the
Harlem Renaissance on African
Americans and the American society as a
whole? (Look at the big
picture. Make connections. Outcome
Written typed script that accurately reflects
their historically based
performance. This will incorporate the various
forms of multi-intelligence.
Research, writing, acting, creating props, and
observation/analysis. Closure The
play will be recorded by video. This video will
be critically analyzed
to find both strong and weak points. The KWL
chart should be
completed with what the participants learned.
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Day to Day Lesson Plan

• Day 1 ?
• Anticipatory Set Using the topic that will be
  researched, the students will complete the first
  two steps of the KWL chart. (What I know? What I
  want to know?)
• Lesson Development From one what do I want to
  learn? Students will identify a topic to
  research and submit it for teachers approval.
• Closure Students will share their topic with
  class and begin to form groups of four according
  to the topic of interest.
• Day 2 ?
• Anticipatory Set Imagine you are a playwright
  and you are going to research the topic, Harlem
  Renaissance. What are some resources that you
  can use?
• Lesson Development Students will find sources
  related to their topics. They are required to
  have resources from 2 books, 1 magazine, 1
  newspaper, and 1 website.
• Closure Students will share with the class what
  they have found so far.

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DDLP continued

• Day 3 ?
• Anticipatory Set (continuation of day 2)
  Status Report on where students left off and
  where students are going.
• Lesson Development Students will continue to
  find the sources that were related to their
  topics. Again, they are required to have
  resources from 2 books, 1 magazine, 1 newspaper,
  and 1 website.
• Closure Students will continue to share with
  the class what they have found and the teacher
  will approve or disapprove the resources found.
• Day 4 ?
• Anticipatory Set Today, you are going to take
  your work a step further. While imagining that
  you are a playwright, you are also acting as a
  reporter.
• Lesson Development ONLY after the 5 resources
  have been approved by the teacher, will the
  students be able to take their work a step
  further. They will begin to do in depth research
  on the Harlem Renaissance in accordance to the
  historic and literary perspectives.
• Closure After individual research is done,
  students will go back to their groups and share
  what they have found.

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DDLP continued

• Day 5 ?
• Anticipatory Set (continuation of day 4)
• Lesson Development (continuation of day 4)
  Students will continue to individually, do their
  in depth research on the Harlem Renaissance in
  accordance to the historic and literary
  perspectives.
• Closure After individual research is done,
  students will go back to their groups and share
  what they have found.
• Day 6 ?
• Anticipatory Set (continuation of day 4)
  Status Report of individual research work.
• Lesson Development Students are given this day
  as a safety net so that if they had not yet
  gathered all required information from the
  previous days, they are allowed to finish doing
  so, today. For the groups who have finished the
  research part of the project, they are to start
  putting all research together to form the first
  draft of the script.
• Closure Students will share with class where
  they are at this point. At this time, they could
  either request for more time for more research or
  they can ask questions about the layout of the
  first draft of the script.

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DDLP continued

• Day 7 ?
• Anticipatory Set Today, students will now think
  about or remember what we discussed yesterday
  regarding note taking. Yesterdays discussion on
  note taking will be key component in writing your
  first drafts of the script. What are the key
  elements that are needed or required for a
  script?
• Lesson Development Students are to put all
  gathered research and/or information into one,
  creating their very first draft of the script.
• Closure Students will stay in their groups of
  four to decide on what they need to do at this
  point do they need to continue their first
  drafts or do they need to submit it to the
  teacher. Status Report from the students group
  assessment.
• Day 8 ?
• Anticipatory Set (continuation of day 7)
• Lesson Development Students are allowed this
  time to catch up on their first drafts, if this
  is already done, they can submit them to the
  teacher for some constructive criticism.
• Closure Depending on if students have submitted
  their work to the teacher, students will gather
  in their groups to determine what they need to
  revise, change, add, or drop.

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DDLP continued

• Day 9 ?
• Anticipatory Set Today, you are the ones who
  will decide what to do. Think about what you
  want or need to accomplish for the day, and do
  it!
• Lesson Development Students are the ones who
  will decide from a range of ideas on what to
  accomplish for the day. They can continue to do
  their first drafts, revise their returned drafts,
  or start making props and costumes for their
  skit.
• Closure Students will take this time to let the
  teacher know where they are in their projects.
  They will do this by sharing what they have done
  so far and by sharing their feelings about
  everything that has gone on.
• Day 10 ?
• Anticipatory Set Now that all of you have a
  corrected draft of your script, students are to
  use this time to revise, change, add, or drop
  whatever is necessary for their script to
  correspond with the requirements.
• Lesson Development Students are to work
  together in their groups in order for the draft
  to be completed.
• Closure Students are finishing up their work on
  the script and may ask questions if necessary.

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DDLP continued

• Day 11 ?
• Anticipatory Set Students are given the
  opportunity to ask for help.
• Lesson Development Students are to continue
  revisions on the script or start working on the
  various aspects of the play.
• Closure Students will share what different
  types of props and costumes they will be using
  within their play and they are able to ask for
  help in getting material for either props or
  costumes.
• Day 12 ?
• Anticipatory Set (continuation of day 11)
• Lesson Development By this time, students
  should be finished with the script and all of
  their focus should be put to working on making
  props or making costumes for play.
• Closure Students are to share with class what
  they have done so far and what they need to do in
  terms of working on the various aspects of the
  play.

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DDLP continued

• Day 13 ?
• Anticipatory Set (continuation of day 11)
• Lesson Development Students are to hand in
  their second draft of the script for editing.
  While teacher is editing, students are to
  continue working on the various aspects of the
  play that are in need of attention.
• Closure Students will receive their corrected
  scripts and they may discuss corrections with
  their group members.
• Day 14 ?
• Anticipatory Set Today, students will decide on
  what to do.
• Lesson Development Students need to decide on
  what they want to do, they can either re-write
  their script for submission for the next class or
  finish working on the construction of props and
  the tailoring of costumes.
• Closure By the end of the class, students
  should share with teacher any last minute
  questions or concerns that they may have.

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DDLP continued

• Day 15 ?
• Anticipatory Set Students should submit their
  last and complete copy of the script.
• Lesson Development After students have
  submitted their final copy of the script, they
  are to put the finishing touches on their props
  and costumes.
• Closure Students are to share with the class
  what they need to accomplish before play
  rehearsal on the following Monday. Students may
  even want/need to meet outside of class to get
  ready for the play rehearsal.
• Day 16 ?
• Anticipatory Set Students, are you ready to
  show all of your hard work?
• Lesson Development Students will participate in
  a rehearsal for the play. This activity is being
  done to show if all students are ready for their
  performances on Wednesday and Thursday.
• Closure After everyone has gone through the
  practice run of the play, all students will
  critique one anothers performances and give each
  other tips on what needs to be improved.

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DDLP continued

• Day 17 ?
• Anticipatory Set Today is where you will show
  off all your hard work, again, but this time it
  will be a dress rehearsal.
• Lesson Development Students will participate in
  a dress rehearsal for the play. This activity is
  being put into effect to show if props and
  costumes are in good shape for the performance on
  Wednesday and Thursday.
• Closure After everyone has gone through the
  dress rehearsal, all students will critique each
  others props, costumes, and performances so that
  they can see what is in need of being improved
  for the last minute. (If students need to
  improve on any aspect of the play, then they have
  to meet with their group outside of class, on
  their own time.)
• Day 18 ?
• Anticipatory Set CameraLightsAction!
  Performance time has finally arrived! Places
  everyone! Students, the time has come!
• Lesson Development Two of the four groups are
  to perform today. While a group is performing,
  the other three groups are playing the part of
  the audience. One of the two teachers is
  filming, while the other is taking notes and
  filing out the skit assessment rubric.
• Closure After the two groups have performed,
  the performers are allowed to give a brief
  statement about themselves and how they
  liked/disliked the play that they were involved
  in.

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DDLP continued

• Day 19 ?
• Anticipatory Set (continuation of day 18)
• Lesson Development (continuation of day 18)
• Closure (continuation of day 18)
• Day 20 ?
• Anticipatory Set Take a breath, its all over!
  Students are allowed to see themselves on the big
  screen. (Students watch the video that was taken
  of them while they were doing their performance.)
• Lesson Development Today, the students will be
  put in the shoes of Cisco and Ebert, the critics
  they are reviewing the play and analyzing it.
  After this is done, students will share with the
  class, in a respectable manner, what they have
  analyzed and what they have learned from watching
  the film.
• Closure Students will be able to step out of
  their roll as critics and return to average high
  school students at Fairleigh Dickinson High
  School, where they will be entitled to a pizza
  party.

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Project Time Plan
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STATUS REPORTa check completed or handed in
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(No Transcript)
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Points
Criteria
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NJ Standards for Harlem Renaissance

• ENGLISH STANDARD 3.2
• (WRITING) ALL STUDENTS WILL WRITE IN CLEAR,
  CONCISE, ORGANIZED LANGUAGE THAT VARIES IN
  CONTENT AND FORM FOR DIFFERENT AUDIENCES AND
  PURPOSES.
• ENGLISH STANDARD 3.3
• (SPEAKING) ALL STUDENTS WILL SPEAK IN CLEAR,
  CONCISE, ORGANIZED LANGUAGE THAT VARIES IN
  CONTENT AND FORM FOR DIFFERENT AUDIENCES AND
  PURPOSES.
• HISTORY STANDARD 1.5
• ALL STUDENTS WILL IDENTIFY THE VARIOUS
  HISTORICAL, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES AND
  TRADITIONS WHICH HAVE GENERATED ARTISTIC
  ACCOMPLISHMENTS THROUGHOUT THE AGES AND WHICH
  CONTINUE TO SHAPE CONTEMPORARY ARTS.
• HISTORY STANDARD 6.5
• ALL STUDENTS WILL ACCQUIRE HISTORICAL
  UNDERSTANDING OF VARYING CULTURES THROUGHOUT THE
  HISTORY OF NEW JERSEY, THE UNITED STATES, AND
  THE WORLD.

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Harlem Renaissance Resources

• http//www.teachers.net
• http//school.discovery.com/schrockguide/index.htm
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• http//memory.loc.gov/
• http//digital.nypl.org
• http//edweb.sdsv.edu/webquest/webquest.html
• http//www.besthistorysites.net/index.shtml