Musicians & Artists of the Harlem Renaissance

Subject Area(s):

• K-12: Language Arts
• United States History
• K-12: Technology

Grade Level(s):

• 7th-8th Grade

Description:

Students will study musicians and artists of the Harlem Renaissance in order to gain an understanding of the period and its important figures.

Goals & Objectives:

Objectives:

• use of print resources (locating books, using indices)
• use of online resources (keyword searching, source evaluation)
• note taking
• citations.

Materials:

• Nonfiction and reference collection;
• Online resources, including LibGuides pathfinder, databases, and websites;
• Computers loaded with Audacity software; headset microphones.
  

Procedures:

Day 1: Teacher and librarian will introduce topic by giving a broad outline of the unit, their expectations, and the timeline for the unit. Students will be given a list of suggested figures to focus on and will be given time to browse the print collection in order to choose a person.

Day 2: Librarian will introduce the print resources, the LibGuides pathfinder, and online databases. Students will begin their research.

Days 3,4,5: Students will conduct their research in the library.

Day 6: Students will be introduced to podcasts. They will listen to sample podcasts and be given the instructions for what to include in their podcasts.

Days 7, 8, 9: students will be given class time to write. Students who need to finish up research can also use this time.

Day 10: Librarian will teach students how to use Audacity software.

Days 11 and 12: Students will record and edit their podcasts.

Days 13 and 14: Class Podfest! Students will listen to podcasts and invite other students and staff to listen as well. Final projects will be posted on the library website.

Assessment:

Teacher and librarian will develop a rubric for evaluation. Teacher will evaluate written work as well as podcasts.

Standards:

National Information Literacy Standards (K-12)

Accesses information efficiently and effectively.

• Recognizes the need for information.
• Recognizes that accurate and comprehensive information is the basis for intelligent decision making.
• Identifies a variety of potential sources of information.
• Develops and uses successful strategies for locating information.

Evaluates information critically and competently.

• Determines accuracy, relevance and comprehensiveness.
• Selects information appropriate to the problem or question at hand.

Uses information accurately and creatively

• Organizes information for practical application.
• Integrates new information into one's own knowledge.
• Produces and communicates information and ideas in appropriate formats

Pursues information related to personal interests.

• Designs, develops, and evaluates information products and solutions related to personal interests.

Appreciates literature and other creative expressions of information.

• Derives meaning from information presented creatively in a variety of formats.
• Develops creative products in a variety of formats.

Strives for excellence in information seeking and knowledge generation.

• Devises strategies for revising, improving, and updating self-generated knowledge.

Practices ethical behavior in regard to information and information technology.

• Respects intellectual property rights.
• Uses information technology responsibly.

Information Skills and Subskills (K-16)

Definition

• Identifies requirements of research task
• Determines amount/type of information needed to complete research task
• Considers potential topics

Selection

• Narrows topic to be explored

Planning

• Formulates a search strategy
• Creates a general framework for organizing information found

Exploration

• Uses indexes and search engines
• Locates and accesses information resources
• Finalizes formulation of research topic

Collection

• Selects most appropriate information sources
• Locates relevant information within selected sources
• Uses highlighting and/or notetaking skills
• Evaluates quality of information and information source
• Recognizes when sufficient information has been obtained

Organization

• Filters out irrelevant information
• Summarizes/synthesizes/classifies final information
• Organizes final information for presentation

Presentation

• Assembles organized information for presentation
• Reviews presentation for grammatical, spelling, and other errors
• Cites sources appropriately
• Presents results

Evaluation

• Assesses the efficiency of the research process
• Subject: K-12: Language Arts

National Content Standards (K-12)

Writing

• Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
• Uses the stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing

Reading

• Uses the general skills and strategies of the reading process
• Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of literary texts

Listening and Speaking

• Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes
• Subject: United States History

Era 8 - The Great Depression and World War II (1929-1945)

• Understands how the New Deal addressed the Great Depression, transformed American federalism, and initiated the welfare state
• Subject: K-12: Technology
• Understands the nature and operation of systems
• Knows the characteristics and uses of computer software programs