Poetry as Sound and Object

Classroom Activities

It is essential to design interactive activities for students with diverse reading abilities and learning behaviors. This also encompasses most of the District of Columbia’s Common Core State Standards: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

1. Notice and Wonder - Students will be given a few minutes to observe Langston Hughes’s Black Misery illustrations and Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series As they observe, they ask themselves open-ended questions such as: What do you notice from the illustrations or paintings? What do you feel about the illustrations or paintings? What do you think or wonder about the illustrations or paintings? What can you infer from the illustrations or paintings? They will write down all their responses in a graphic organizer prepared beforehand by the teacher. Afterward, they will discuss their findings with their peers.
2. Stop and Chat - When setting up the stations around the classroom, it is essential to create distinct stations with clear prompts or questions and provide any supplies needed for each station ahead of time. Brief the students on the activity and how the stations will work. Clearly outline the expected norms and behavior during the activity. Emphasize the importance of actively listening and engaging with the content at each station. This method empowers students to take an active role in their learning. Questions about Claude McKay’s poem “America” and Langston Hughes’s Black Misery are posted across the room as students walk from one station to the next. They stop at one station, read and answer the question, and share their answer with their partner.
3. Buddy Reading - Introduce students to the poems “America” and Black Misery, as well as the informational text “Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists: Jacob Lawrence.” Using contextual clues, guide students in understanding the cultural and historical impact of the poems and the informational text, both in the past and the present. Following this, students will participate in buddy reading, taking turns reading the poems and informational texts aloud to each other. They will then answer thought-provoking questions and provide evidence using the RACE Strategy. To assist them in organizing their ideas and responses, the teacher will give a graphic organizer. Students will collaborate with their partners to share insights and ask questions about the poems' emotional, social, and cultural aspects. Finally, students will compose free-form poems reflecting on their interpretations of the poems and the informational text.
4. Art Poetry—Research prominent poets of the Harlem Renaissance and their notable works to gain a foundational understanding of poetry and its historical context. Next, select one or more poets from the Harlem Renaissance period and study their poems in depth, considering the themes, style, and impact of their work. Then, create visual art inspired by poetry, which could involve painting, drawing, or any other visual medium that captures the essence of the poems. Students share their interpretations and reflections on their art poetry. Finally, the visual art created as part of the project will be displayed in the classroom.
5. Field Trip/Virtual Field Trip—Begin by exploring virtual tours and online exhibits related to these historical periods. Plan to visit some museums and historical sites such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture, The Phillips Collection, and The National Art Gallery, which provide students with an immersive encounter with the era's art, literature, and history.
6. Role-playing - Introduce the concepts of the Harlem Renaissance and the Great Migration to the students. Provide a brief overview of the historical context, key figures, and the impact of these events on African American culture and society. Assign roles to the students based on prominent figures from the Harlem Renaissance and individuals involved in the Great Migration. Students study and familiarize themselves with the characters they are portraying. Students understand their assigned figures' backgrounds, experiences, and contributions. Develop role-playing scenarios that reflect the experiences of the assigned characters during the Harlem Renaissance and the Great Migration.