On Stage Tonight. . . ., Author(s): Carole Ashbridge, Sharon Thornber - Grade Level: 11 - Subject Area: English - The Harlem Renaissance was a period of awakening in the history of the United States. It was marked by a migration of Black Americans from the south to the area of New York City known as Harlem. The creativity of the "New Negro" showed itself in the areas of literature, art, and music.

Planning Guide

Creating Learner-Focused
Schools

* Madison-Oneida BOCES- This document may not be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the District Superintendent or his designee.

Title: "On Stage Tonight. . . ."	Author(s): Carole Ashbridge, Sharon Thornber
Grade Level: 11th	School Address: P. O. Box 290 Sackets Harbor, New York 13685
Subject Area: English	School Phone/Fax:315-646-3575/1038

Unit Theme: Their Eyes Were Watching God: an introduction to THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE

The Harlem Renaissance was a period of awakening in the history of the United States. It was marked by a migration of Black Americans from the south to the area of New York City known as Harlem. The creativity of the "New Negro" showed itself in the areas of literature, art, and music. Too often we pass over this movement and only see one perspective of life in the early Twentieth Century.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Declarative	Procedural
Reasons for the Great Migration	Research strategies
Identification of literary terms	Note taking strategies
Common themes of literature, art, and music during the Harlem Renaissance	Create Works Cited Page/Bibliography
Key persons in literature, art, and music	WebQuest
Impact of the Harlem Renaissance on American Society	Effective means of presenting knowledge
Historical context of the Harlem Renaissance in New York City	Cause and Effect/Before and After the Harlem Renaissance
Synthesize and Prioritize key personalities

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

If you were a black person in the 1920’s, what feelings or events would inspire you to move from your home to New York City?
How would this period of history, the Harlem Renaissance, be different without the influence of the key individuals in the fields of literature, art, and music?
How were literature, art, and music impacted as a result of the Harlem Renaissance?
How would American society be different if the Harlem Renaissance would not have happened?

INITIATING ACTIVITY

You will be making a drastic move from home, family, and friends to an entirely different part of the country. Because you have relatively little money and are not sure how you will be traveling you can only take a few possessions with you. You are allowed one small suitcase that you can carry (no wheels, please). Pack it with what you will need to start a new life. Remember, only the essentials can travel with you. Bring your suitcase to school.

LEARNING UNIT TIMELINE

The unit should take approximately five weeks.

Week one: Introduce novel and background material

Week two: Introduce "On Stage Tonight…" WebQuest, continue with novel with classroom discussion.

Week three: Students actively engaged in completing the WebQuest in the computer lab and in the library media center. Students continue with novel.

Week four: Bring closure to novel and WebQuest

Week five: Presentations and culminating experiences

Connection to State Learning Standards

Content Area: English

Level: Commencement

Standard: ELA: Standard 1 – Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding.

Standard: ELA: Standard 2 – Students will read and listen to oral, written, and electronically produced texts and performances from American and world literature.

Benchmarks: Students will:

synthesize information from diverse sources and identify complexities and discrepancies in the information
use a combination of techniques to extract salient information from texts
make perceptive and well developed connections to prior knowledge
write and present research reports, feature articles, and thesis/support papers on a variety of topics related to all school subjects
support interpretations and decisions about relative significance of information with explicit statement, evidence, and appropriate argument
use standard English skillfully, applying established rules and conventions for presenting information and making use of a wide range of grammatical constructions and vocabulary to achieve an individual style that communicates effectively

Benchmarks: Students will:

read and view independently and fluently across many genres of literature from many cultures and historical periods
identify the distinguishing features of different literary genres, periods, and traditions and use those features to interpret the work
evaluate literary merit based on an understanding of the genre, the literary elements, and the literary period and tradition
present responses to and interpretations of works of recognized literary merit with references to the principal features of the genre, the period, and literary tradition, and drawing on their personal experiences and knowledge
use standard English skillfully and with individual style

Standard: ELA: Standard 3 – Students will listen, speak, read, and write for critical analysis and evaluation.

Standard: Arts: Standard 3- Students will respond critically to a variety of works in the arts, connecting the individual work to other works and to other aspects of human endeavor and thought.

Benchmarks: Students will:

analyze, interpret, and evaluate ideas, information, organization, and language of a wide range of general and technical texts and presentations across subject areas, including technical manuals, professional journals, political speeches, and literary criticism
make precise determinations about the perspective of a particular writer or speaker by recognizing the relative weight he/she places on particular arguments and criteria
present orally and in writing well-developed analysis of issues, ideas, and texts, explaining the rationale for their positions and analyzing their positions from a variety of perspectives in such forms as formal speeches, debates, thesis/support papers, literary critiques, and issues analysis
monitor and adjust their own oral and written presentations to have the greatest influence on a particular audience

Benchmarks: Students will:

using the language of art criticism, describe the visual and functional characteristics of works of art and interpret the relationships of works of art to another to describe the impact of the work on the viewer
demonstrate an understanding of art criticism, art histories and aesthetic principles and show their connections to works of art
read and write critiques of music that display a broad knowledge of musical elements, genres, and styles
use appropriate technical and socio-cultural terms to describe musical performances and compositions

Standard: Arts: Standard 4 – Students will develop an understanding of the personal and cultural forces that shape artistic communication the arts in turn shape the diverse cultures of past and present society.

Standard: Social Studies: Standard 1 –Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York.

Benchmarks: Students will:

identify from performances or recordings the cultural contexts of a further varied repertoire of folk, art, and contemporary selections from the basic cultures that represent the peoples of the world
analyze works of art and artifacts from United States cultures and place them within a cultural and historical context

Benchmarks: Students will:

develop and test hypotheses about important events, eras or issues in New York State and United States history, setting clear and valid criteria for judging the importance and significance of these events, eras, or issues
compare and contrast the experiences of different groups in the United States

Standard: MST: Standard 2 – Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.

Standard: MST: Standard 7 – Students will apply the knowledge and thinking skills of mathematics, science, and technology to address real-life problems and make informed decisions.

Benchmarks: Students will:

understand and use the more advanced features of word processing, spreadsheets and data-base software

prepare multimedia presentations demonstrating a clear sense of audience and purpose
access, select, collate and analyze information obtained from a wide range of sources such as research data bases, foundations, organizations, national libraries and electronic communication networks, including the Internet

Benchmarks: Students participate in an extended, culminating technology project which would require students to work effectively gather and process information generate and analyze ideas observe common themes realize ideas present results

Learning Experiences

Declarative Knowledge

What declarative knowledge should students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge?

What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Reasons for the Great Migration

Students will have studied the 1920's in social studies and be familiar with some of the events of the decade. Students will read the book Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston Students will view the video Focus on the 20^th Century: The Twenties

Lecture

Video

Web graphic organizer

Brainstorming

Homework grades and quizzes throughout the unit will be used as assessment tools.

Students will be asked to brainstorm all that they know about the 1920's including information on literature, art, music, social history, and political events. They will be asked to chart their ideas in a graphic organizer in various categories and determine which would have been factors in the "Great Migration"

See Appendix A: Web Graphic Organizer See Appendix B: Study Guide for Their Eyes Were Watching God

After viewing the video, students will add to their organizer and be able to understand the attraction of moving to a big city.

Declarative Knowledge

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Literary Terms:

Generate a minimum of ten literary terms, elements and/or techniques prevalent in the novel.

Students will be given a list of literary terms and a story map diagram to assist in locating the literary elements.

Active listening

Using the text Their Eyes Were Watching God as a primary source, students will actively engage in locating the following:

similes
metaphors
hyperbole
personification
allusion
imagery
dialect
plot
point of view
theme
conflict

As students locate these items they will provide examples and give page numbers for each example.

Declarative Knowledge

What declarative knowledge should students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge?

What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Common themes of literature, art, and music during the Harlem Renaissance

Common themes chart: Literature Art Music

Lecture

Brainstorming

Researching techniques

Note taking

WebQuest (see "On Stage Tonight…" learning experience)

Students will be asked to brainstorm all that they know about possible themes during this time period.

They will chart their themes on a graphic organizer in various categories such as literature, art, and music.

As students participate in the WebQuest, they will locate common themes in and among the disciplines.

Declarative Knowledge

What declarative knowledge should students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge?

What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Key persons in literature, art, and music

List of key persons in literature, art, and music

Lecture

Brainstorming

Research

Note taking

"On Stage Tonight…" WebQuest

Map visualization

Students will be asked to brainstorm all that they know about prominent individuals during this time period.

As students participate in the WebQuest, they will choose individuals whom they feel were key during the Harlem Renaissance.

On a large map of the United States, students will chart the origin of their key individuals to Harlem.

See Appendix C: WebQuest Study Guide

Declarative Knowledge

What declarative knowledge should students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge?

What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Impact of the Harlem Renaissance on American Society

Review of the Harlem Renaissance and its impact from American history class

Lecture

Brainstorming

Research techniques

Note taking

WebQuest

Students will be asked to brainstorm all that they know about the impact of the Harlem Renaissance on American Society during this time period.

As students participate in the WebQuest, they will take notes on the impact of the Harlem Renaissance on American Society.

Declarative Knowledge

What declarative knowledge should students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge?

What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Historical context of the Harlem Renaissance in New York City

Before - During - After Worksheet

Lecture

Brainstorming

Research techniques

Note taking

WebQuest

Students will be asked to brainstorm all that they know about the historical context of the Harlem Renaissance in New York City during this time period.

As students participate in the WebQuest, they will take notes on the historical context of the Harlem Renaissance on New York City.

Declarative Knowledge

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to:	What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge?	Describe what will be done.
*Synthesize and prioritize key personalities of the Harlem Renaissance:* Students will be able to identify the most important figures of the Harlem Renaissance and select six of them to include in their culminating project	WebQuest	Students will complete the WebQuest by selecting six personalities of the Harlem Renaissance who they feel most typify the movement. They will be taking notes on what each individual accomplished and why he or she would be one of the two most interesting people to showcase in the student’s culminating project from the learning experience.

Learning Experiences

Procedural Knowledge

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Research Strategies:

Students will be able to find information in a variety of sources, realizing for each task a different source might prove to be a best source for information.

Big 6 Information Problem Solving model:

Task Definition
Information Seeking Strategies

Location and Access

Use of Information

Synthesis of information

Evaluation

The library media specialist will brainstorm with the students the different kinds of knowledge that they will be expected to find in their research. This will include:

finding background information on the 1920's
identifying key figures of the Harlem Renaissance
finding common themes of the Harlem Renaissance

The library media specialist will review the types of sources available for research:

books

periodicals

Internet information

The library media specialist will review access to the information sources:

OPAC

InfoTrac

Sackets Harbor Library Web page

Procedural Knowledge

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Note taking Strategies:

Students will be able to use and synthesize information from a number of different sources

Big 6 Information Problem Solving model:

Task Definition
Information Seeking Strategies

Location and Access

Use of Information

Synthesis of information

Evaluation

The library media specialist will review with the students how to set up and use note cards:

Students will be instructed in how to make a bibliography note card.

Students will review their task and label note cards for the information that will be important to complete their research.
Students will code their note cards according to the source of information and the bibliography card.

Procedural Knowledge

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Create Works Cited Page/Bibliography:

Students will be able to transfer information from bibliography cards to a Works Cited page.

Explain how to transfer information into the correct format by using a style sheet.

The library media specialist will review with the students how to set up a Works Cited page.

The LMS will explain the components of a correct bibliographic entry to the students.
They will then take their bibliography cards and code them as to which format they should use, e.g. book with one author, unsigned periodical article, WWW site, or encyclopedia article and make sure that they have all the necessary information.
Students will sort their bibliography cards alphabetically for word processing into a Works Cited page

Procedural Knowledge

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

WebQuest:

Students will be able to follow directions of an Internet based WebQuest in order to complete the culminating project for the unit.

Guided practice Interactive whiteboard modeling of WebQuest procedures

The library media specialist and English teacher will help with a guided practice exercise in how to complete a WebQuest. Using the interactive whiteboard the teacher, LMS, and class will progress through the various steps of the WebQuest and explain what is required in each step:

Introduction
Task
Process
Information Sources
Evaluation
Conclusion

Procedural Knowledge

What declarative knowledge should students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge?

What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Effective means of presenting knowledge

Culminating activity: "On Stage Tonight…"

Lecture

Brainstorming

Research techniques

Note taking

WebQuest

As students participate in the WebQuest, they will have taken notes, researched, and answered questions on the study guide which will focus towards the culminating activity.

Procedural Knowledge

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Cause and Effect/Before and After the Harlem Renaissance:

Students will understand the effects of the Harlem Renaissance period on American history and literature.

Graphic organizers:

Cause and effect
Before and after

As students progress through their research they will record on a large graphic organizer both cause and effect and before and after concepts related to the Harlem Renaissance. Students will be responsible for recording at least one of these concepts during the course of the unit and it will be a ticket out of class activity.

Learning Experiences

Extending and Refining

What knowledge will students be extending and refining? Specifically, they will be extending and refining their understanding of…

What reasoning process will they be using?

Describe what will be done.

They will be extending their understanding of cultural diversity, minority contributions to literature, art, and music, and the impact of the Harlem Renaissance on American society.

Comparing
Inductive Reasoning
Analyzing Perspectives

Students will compare individuals and themes through the WebQuest.

Students will know the impact and the contributions of the key individuals in literature, art, and music.

Students through the reading of Their Eyes Were Watching God will gain a greater awareness of the Black experience and perspective of this time period.

Blueprint for

Performance Task Vignette

Title of task: "On Stage Tonight…"- a display recognizing writers, artists, and musicians of the Harlem Renaissance	Recommended grade level(s): 11
Curriculum areas: English	Approximate time frame: Two weeks
Developed by: Carole Ashbridge & Sharon Thornber	Resources/materials: computer network, Internet, library materials, computer presentation software, audio visual materials

Learner Outcomes/Content Standards/Benchmarks

ELA #1	ELA #2	MST # 2
Read and present research reports, feature articles, and support papers on a variety of topics related to school subjects Support interpretations and decisions about relative significance of information with explicit statement, evidence, and appropriate argument	Identify the distinguishing features of different literary time periods and traditions Present responses to and interpretations of works of recognized literary merit with references to the principal features of the genre, the period, and literary tradition	Access, select, collate, and analyze information obtained from a wide range of sources Prepare multimedia presentations demonstrating a clear sense of audience and purpose

Description of the task using a prompt format (FATP-form, audience, topic, purpose)

The students are given the charge of presenting a celebration of the Harlem Renaissance at the local playhouse. They need to select and showcase six personalities of the time period for their presentation. "On Stage Tonight…" will give the students an opportunity to read literary selections, exhibit artwork, and hear recordings of these personalities. The display may be presented electronically as a slide show, videotape, or live demonstration.

The topics are key personalities and their contributions to literature, art, and music during the Harlem Renaissance.

The audience will be the students’ peers and invited faculty members.

The purpose is to provide students with a guided way to creatively use the knowledge that they have amassed during this unit. The project is intended to bring alive an era in the history of the United States which had a major impact on our culture’s literature, art, and music. It is hoped that students will come away from the performance task with a greater appreciation of the contribution of Black Americans to literature and the arts.

Student products/performances

Hyperstudio or Power Point presentation	Video tape showcase of Harlem Renaissance personalities	Live performance "On Stage Tonight…"

Criteria for evaluating student products/performances
Clear, organized, accurate information	Logical and complete presentation	Polished presentation: shows student has rehearsed the final project
Use of standard English	Creativity in performing task

Planning Guide

Unit: "On Stage Tonight. . . ."

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

What knowledge will students be using meaningfully? Specifically, they will be demonstrating their understanding of and ability to…

What reasoning process will they be using?

Describe student's products and performances and the criteria for evaluation.

Students will demonstrate their ability to use computers for participation in a WebQuest that will enlighten their knowledge of the Harlem Renaissance.

Decision Making

Students will choose from a list of key individuals on the WebQuest to present their culminating activity. Not all students will choose the same individuals and partners will not be allowed to choose the same person.

Invention

Students will create a display featuring the key individuals and works of these individuals.

Investigation

Students will investigate key individuals and contributions of these African Americans during the WebQuest.

Products/Performances

Displays could consist of :

Computer Slide Show
Video / Audio Tape
Poster Collage
Original Artistic Rendering

Students will display throughout the classroom their choices for the presentation "On Stage Tonight. . . . "

Products will include examples of key individuals in the areas of literature, art, and music.

Products will also include samples of the student's choice that reflects a work by the key figures in each of the disciplines.

Criteria for evaluation: See Appendix D

The enclosed rubric will be used for evaluation.

Rubric:

Elements/Scale: WH (1) -CT (2) - C (2) - P (2)

See Appendix D

Work Habits

(1)

Complex Thinking

(2)

Content

(2)

Presentation

(2)

Excellent

Always on task

Took work seriously

Self-disciplined use of time

Maximum effort

Worked towards goals with partner

Clear understanding of the activity

Extensive and full research

All study guide questions answered in complete sentences

Thorough understanding of the concepts and content

No factual errors made

Clearly, effectively, and convincingly communicates main ideas

Smooth, polished, dynamic, unique, and creative

Visual aids exceptionally presented - generates high interest

Communicated main ideas clearly

Outstanding effort

Good/Strong

Almost always on task

Took project seriously

Satisfactory effort / use of time

Needed a few prompts / reminders

Worked towards goals with partner

Demonstrates a good understanding of the activity

Solid research, some small gaps

Focus evident as developed by the student

Not all study guide questions answered correctly

Satisfactory understanding of the most important concepts and content

No critical factual errors made

Usually smooth and polished

Creativity evident but not fully extended

Visual aids interesting, easy to see and understand

Communicated main ideas

Showed effort

Fair / Adequate

Some time wasted

Not serious enough about project

Could make a stronger effort

Needed prompting often

Helped some by partner

Not fully explored or developed

Activity focus not clear

Ideas not extended

Missing answers for study guide questions

Partial understanding of the most important concepts and content

Although critical factual errors are made, the overall presentation is informative

Attempted polish with obvious weak areas

Creativity not extended

Somewhat interesting

Related to purpose

Generally supported main ideas

Showed fair effort

Needs Improvement

Usually off task

Wasted time

Little or no visible effort

Required constant prompting

Little or no partner interaction

Not enough research

Student ideas missing

Does not address goal of the activity

Does not demonstrate critical thinking skills

Partial understanding of some of the concepts and content, but the overall presentation is not informative

Rough, not polished

Creativity lacking

Visual aids messy, hard to understand, disorganized

Unrelated to purpose

Showed little effort

APPENDIX A:

Web Graphic Organizer: Center Circle - Great Migration or Harlem Renaissance

Branches of Web: Reasons for the Great Migration: Literature, Art, Music, Social History, and Political

APPENDIX B:

The study guide for the novel Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston was developed from Novel Units, PO Box 1461, Palatine, IL 60078.

APPENDIX C:

The Harlem Renaissance WebQuest is located in the learning experience section under the title "On Stage Tonight…"This study guide may be used and altered to suit individual teaching styles. Please verify all links prior to use. Hard copies of the links on the WebQuest would assist teachers with the validity of student responses from the WebQuest.

APPENDIX D:

Check those which apply and then multiply by the weight of the assessment column. For example: Work Habits: 1 x number of check marks x 4=?

1 x number of check marks x 3=?

1 x number of check marks x 2=?

1 x number of check marks x 1=?

Do the same for Complex Thinking, Content, and Presentation columns. The remaining columns are weighted twice, so be sure to multiply by two. Add the columns to establish a numerical grade.

APPENDIX E:

Student Self-Reflection sheet containing the learning experience, the WebQuest, and the culminating activity.

Have You Considered These Yet?

Learn to Learn Skills: Students receive one on one instruction on the use of Internet resources, library resources, and presentation software.

Assessment Modifications: Individualized instruction for students with learning disabilities; modification of project requirements; consideration during assessment.

Unit Schedule/Time Plan: This unit will take an extended period of time considering the students will be reading Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. It will be scheduled for about five weeks, one-half of a grading period.

Written Overview: