Grades 9-12


Duke Ellington
Lesson #3
The Jazz Age: The Harlem Renaissance

Explore the music, dance, visual art and literary works created during this time of cultural rebirth in Harlem, New York City. Come travel to a place where African-American artistic expression flourished, leaving its impact on society and the world. Sing and dance the Lindy Hop and experience one of America’s most celebrated artistic treasures.


Objective

  • By listening, singing and dancing, students will experience works of selected artists of the Harlem Renaissance.

Activity

  1. Brief power point presentation with musical clips and visuals
  2. Sing selected jazz songs from the period
  3. Poetry and Dance ("Lindy Hop")

Prep Period
Before coming to the class, use the following links to prepare for the lesson:

Teacher Follow-Up
Materials with activities and suggestions for further studies given at the conclusion of the class.

Student Activity

  • Compile a list of works by Duke Ellington recorded and/or written during the Harlem Renaissance between the years 1925 and 1935.

National Standards

Music

  • Standard 1: Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
  • Standard 4: Composing and arranging music with specified guidelines
  • Standard 6: Listening to, analyzing and describing music
  • Standard 8: Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
  • Standard 9: Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
Dance
  • Standard 2: Understanding Choreographic Principles, Processes, and Structures
Visual Arts
  • Standard 4: Understanding the Visual Arts in relation to history and cultures
English and Language Arts
  • Standard 8: Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
  • Standard 12: Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
United States History
  • Era 7: The Emergence of Modern America (1890-1930)
    Understands how the United States changed from the end of World War I to the eve of the Great Depression
Technology
  • NT.K-12.5 Technology Research Tools