Visual Prompt: Duke Ellington is memorialized in this statue in Harlem, New York. Ellington was a major presence in the Harlem Renaissance and was famous for playing jazz, although he played other genres as well (classical, blues, and gospel). How does the music of an era influence a writer?

UNIT

5

An American Journey

Unit OverviewEver since the Pilgrims traveled to America, the concept of the “journey” has been part of the American experience. In this unit, you will take two journeys. First, you will experience a cultural journey by exploring the voices of the Harlem Renaissance. You will then study one voice in depth by reading Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston. A major writer of the Harlem Renaissance, Hurston takes us on one character’s journal of self-discovery.

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Unit 5 • An American Journey 341

ContentsActivities

5.1 Previewing the Unit ................................................................ 344

5.2 Developing Research Questions .............................................. 345 Informational Text: “The Harlem Renaissance,” adapted from The 1920s by Kathleen Drowne and Patrick Huber

5.3 The Historical Context of the Harlem Renaissance ................... 349Informational Text: Excerpt from “The New Negro,” by Alain LockePoetry: “To Usward,” by Gwendolyn B. BennettPoetry: “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” by James Weldon JohnsonLiterary Criticism: Excerpt from “On ‘From the Dark Tower’,” by Eugenia W. Collier

5.4 Synthesizing Facts, Interpretations, and Media Formats ................................................................. 359

5.5 Documenting Your Sources ..................................................... 362

5.6 Finalizing Research ................................................................. 364

Embedded Assessment 1: Presenting a Literary Movement: The Harlem Renaissance ........................ 366

5.7 Previewing Embedded Assessment 2 ...................................... 368

5.8 “A Unity of Opposites” ............................................................ 369Essay: “How It Feels to Be Colored Me,” by Zora Neale Hurston

5.9 The Tradition of Dialect ........................................................... 374Short Story: “Sweat,” by Zora Neale Hurston

5.10 Janie’s Return Home ................................................................ 385*Novel: Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston

5.11 Nanny’s Story .......................................................................... 388Poetry: “Mother to Son,” by Langston Hughes*Novel: Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston

5.12 Nanny, Janie, and Logan .......................................................... 392*Novel: Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston

5.13 Janie’s New Life ....................................................................... 394*Novel: Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston

5.14 Janie’s “Route of Tradition” ..................................................... 398

GOALS:• To explore the concept of

“journey”

• To analyze a writer’s complex writing and stylistic choices

• To research and synthesize information about a literary era

• To create a multimedia presentation

An American JourneyUNIT

5

Literary Termscoherence (internal, external)dialectindirect characterizationextended metaphorfolk talebook review

ACADEMIC VOCABULARYrenaissanceannotated bibliography

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342 SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 11

*Novel: Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston

5.15 Discussion Groups ................................................................... 402*Novel: Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston

5.16 The End of a Long Journey ...................................................... 404*Novel: Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston

5.17 Reviewing the Reviews ............................................................ 405 Informational Texts: Excerpts from critical reviews

5.18 Oprah Winfrey Presents ......................................................... 408*Film: Their Eyes Were Watching God, directed by Darnell Martin

Embedded Assessment 2: Writing an Analytical Essay ................... 411

*Texts not included in these materials.

Language and Writer’s Craft• Annotated

Bibliography (5.5)• Writing a Thesis

Statement (5.6)• Levels of Diction (5.9)

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Unit 5 • An American Journey 343