Join over a million readers as part of the in February!聽Learn more about what happens at a Read-In in the English Journal article ““.
The following links can get you started and provide resources as your students read and explore the works of these African American writers.
- ““, from , explores the people and experiences that influence the writing of Jacqueline Woodson. from 聽this lesson gives students an introduction to Jacqueline Woodson鈥檚 verse memoir, Brown Girl Dreaming.
- Christopher Paul Curtis’s The Watsons Go to Birmingham — 1963 is the focus of the lesson plan , which invites students to graph the journey of the family while exploring the plot and character development in the novel.
- Nikki Giovanni鈥檚 poem “The Funeral of Martin Luther King Jr.” is paired with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr鈥檚 “I Have a Dream” speech, taking students on a quest through time to the civil rights movement in the ReadWriteThink.org lesson . To learn more about authors with cultural backgrounds that parallel many of the lives of our students, check out , the 楼凤天堂 book that inspired the lesson plan.
- Walter Dean Myers believes that a primary cause of lack of inspiration in readers is their difficulty decoding meaning because of language and societal differences. In his article “” he explains how he strives to reach uninspired readers, particularly those living in the inner city, by writing using their language and contexts. shared how his own experiences as a reader shaped his approach to storytelling.
- Nikki Grimes stresses the power of poetry in “” from . Listen to a where her writing process and what inspires the characters in her books is shared. Also shared is her philosophy about writing for children and how her life has influenced her writing.
- Langston Hughes鈥檚 poetry is explored alongside rap lyrics and jazz and blues music in the article “.” Read more about Hughes in .
- Alice Walker, bell hooks, and Nikki Giovanni are all explored in “” from , which asserts that personal essays by Black feminist writers can be used to teach writers how to connect their personal and social identities. Learn more in the 楼凤天堂 text .
For more ideas, see the which includes more lesson plans, classroom activities, and online resources. The podcast “” provides recommendations of both old and new titles by distinguished African American authors who write for teens. Featured books range from historical novels to contemporary explorations of African American life in both urban and suburban settings.
How will you be celebrating the African American Read-In?