Harlem Renaissance Unit
Culture and Curriculum Intertwined.
Upper Elementary and Middle School
(4–6 Week Sample Unit)
The Harlem Renaissance unit is a sample model demonstrating how multiple disciplines converge within a structured instructional framework.
Innovation, Identity, and Improvisation: The Harlem Renaissance
How can art, music, and literature shape economic opportunity and cultural identity?
Disciplines Integrated
Literature
History
Music (Jazz Studies)
Visual Arts
Economics
Mathematics
Technology
Week 1 – Historical Foundations
History Focus
The Great Migration
Harlem as a cultural center
Post-Reconstruction America
Reading
Selected Harlem Renaissance poetry
Excerpts from Langston Hughes
Biographical studies of artists and musicians
Writing Assignment
Students compose a reflective essay responding to:
“What does cultural expression mean to community empowerment?”
Week 2 – Jazz and Mathematical Pattern
Music Focus
Early jazz origins
Improvisation structure
Call and response
Mathematics Integration
Rhythm fractions
Beat subdivision
Pattern repetition
STEM Integration
Students visually map rhythmic patterns using geometric design software.
Week 3 – Arts and Economic Development
Business Integration
Rise of Black-owned venues
Entrepreneurship in the arts
Economic impact of creative industries
Students participate in a simulation titled:
“STEAMBarn Jazz Café”
Activities include budgeting, marketing, and ticket pricing.
Week 4 – Creative Production
Students Create:
An original spoken word piece
A jazz-inspired musical composition
Visual art reflecting Harlem Renaissance themes
A digital media presentation
Culminating Assessment
Interdisciplinary Showcase
Students present:
Historical research
Artistic performance
Business pitch
Creative expression
Evaluation Criteria
Historical understanding
Creative integration
Analytical thinking
Public speaking
Economic literacy
