Educational Lessons for High School and College StudentsÂ
​Our exhibit, Dark Testament: A Century of Black Writers on Justice, has been adapted into a flexible ​curriculum/syllabus. The Write In Extended Curriculum: Dark Testament introduces students to the history of Black writers and the specific power of the written medium. The syllabus encourages the exploration of belonging through close-reading texts and exploring the historical, political, and philosophical contexts in which they emerged. Students will analyze major themes, literary devices, and conceptions of justice in artistic production. Their studies will examine how identity is represented and interpreted across writing genres and conventions, while developing a personal style to voice representations of themselves, their communities, and contemporary issues.
​The Write In Extended Curriculum: Dark Testament provides teachers and educators with the flexibility to incorporate one or more lessons into their classrooms. Multiple lessons can be utilized for a cumulative learning experience, or lessons can also be incorporated as stand-alone lectures. Educators can select any number of lessons to implement in their classrooms or courses.
The Write In Extended Curriculum: Dark Testament ​is available in two versions: one formulated for Grades 9-12 and one formulated for Undergraduate/Graduate Studies.
Apply to ParticipateCurriculum Goals
The unit is shaped by the four themes of the Dark Testament: A Century of Black Writers on Justice exhibit: Belonging, Violence, Justice, and Joy. The primary goals of the unit are as follows:
- Deepen knowledge of Black history and racial injustice by exploring texts composed by Black Writers
- Build understanding of racial injustice in the past and present, and to build empathy for those impacted by racial injustice
- Use writing as a means of building empathy, enhancing collaboration and creativity, and working towards social justice
- To become versed in influential theories of intersectionality, critical pedagogy/literacy
- To sharpen critical thinking and close reading skills; to assess formal aspects of a text and articulate their implications
The Write In Extended Curriculum: Dark Testament provides:
- Curriculum guide
- Flexible lesson plans that can be adapted to fit the needs of a variety of courses​ and disciplines, including but not limited to English, Creative Writing, Humanities, History, Black Studies, and Ethnic Studies
- Text, media, and museum resources
- For high school: The units are aligned to the following learning standards: Common Core Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening, and Language: Social-emotional Learning Competencies; Illinois State Board of Education Social Science Standards.
- Museum staff support
What to Expect
- ​Lessons that provide students with opportunities to engage in reading, writing, speaking, listening, collaboration, and reflection.
- Variety of media, texts, and resources, including online materials from Dark Testament: A Century of Black Writers on Justice.
