Jennifer L. Nelson is a two-time Helen Hayes Award-winner who empowered people of all walks of life, transforming the DC arts community she called home for over 40 years. She launched the careers of numerous working performers while being a pioneer in hip-hop theater by producing one of the United States' first hip-hop theater festivals at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. This documentary is a sacred tribute to Jennifer L. Nelson and features the artists, directors, and theater company runners who worked with her over the years, recounting the impact she had on the DC theater community and the world at-large. The documentary is executive produced by Marilyn Nelson and directed by Alan W. King.

The accompanying teaching guide was developed by Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman, Ed.D.   

If you decide to implement this FREE lesson plan, give a shout-out on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook!
 

Additional Links for Teachers to Learn More Information:
The 5 Principles of Social Impact
Theatre of the Oppressed
Living Stage Theatre in DC
Interview with Jennifer L. Nelson about Living Stage Theatre
Toni Blackman and Mikal Lee on Rap and Improvisation
Article about Jennifer Nelson-1
Article about Jennifer Nelson-2
Article about Jennifer Nelson-3
 


 

The SING THE HEART OF THE MAGIC: A Jennifer L. Nelson Story Teacher’s Guide is designed to fully engage students in understanding the rich community-based work and social impact of theatre producer, director and actor Jennifer L. Nelson while also learning about important social justice concepts and terms. 

The plans are flexible and can be easily adapted for middle school, high school and college students. 

The lesson plans have been developed by Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman, Ed.D. and based on the documentary short film (above) SING THE HEART OF THE MAGIC: A Jennifer L. Nelson Story, directed by Alan W. King and narrated & executive produced by Marilyn Nelson. 

Lesson #1: What is Your Social Impact?

Lesson #2: Theatre of the Oppressed (TO) and Theatre for Social Change

Lesson #3: Hip Hop Theatre

DOWNLOAD ALL THREE LESSONS AS A PDF

This interactive lesson plan was commissioned by the Prince George's African American Museum and Cultural Center and developed by Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman, Ed.D. in 2019.

The lesson was originally designed for children in grades P-4 but can be modified for older children. This lesson plan is interdisciplinary and is useful for study of history, art, social studies, and language arts.  

If you decide to implement this FREE lesson plan, give a shout-out on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook!

Intended Outcomes:

• Students will identify the djembe drum from West Africa.
• Students will explain how the drum was used before African people were brought to the United States.
• Students will explain how the drum was used once arriving in America.
• Students will be able to identify a buffalo drum used by the Piscataway people who lived in Prince George’s County before colonization.
• Students will read the book Mariah’s Maracas and instruments from the African diaspora.

1. Capital News Service coverage of Piscataway Native people: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=komwUPOlcco) (2^nd-5^th grade teachers)
2. Ghana and the Djembe drum: https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/exploreorg/00000144-0a36-d3cb-a96c-7b3f7f180000 (pretty awesome video to show your students)
3. Maracas are descendants of the West African Kashaka. Watch a video about Kashakas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3G-F1sN_MA (this is pretty awesome and may be great to show the students)

This interactive lesson plan was commissioned by the Prince George's African American Museum and Cultural Center and developed by Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman, Ed.D. in 2019. This activity focuses on the Maryland county of Prince George's County, Md, but can be personalized to fit the needs of the learners and made relevant to their own community.

The lesson was originally designed for children in grades 2-5 but can be modified for older children. This lesson plan is interdisciplinary and is useful for study of history, art, social studies, and language arts. If you decide to implement this FREE lesson plan, give a shout-out on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook!

Intended Outcomes:

• Students will define the word “community’ and the word ‘neighborhood”, demonstrating an understanding of the ways the words are similar and different.
• Students will identify the people in their community.
• Students will identify the places in their neighborhood.
• 2-5th grade students will be able to identify Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and articulate who she is and what she does.
• 2-5th grade students will be able to describe in a letter what are the ways they would like to improve their communities.

This interactive lesson plan was commissioned by the Prince George's African American Museum and Cultural Center and developed by Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman, Ed.D. in 2019. Using the book Corey's Dreams by Aziza M., the activity breaks a large concept like goal-setting down into accessible moments where learners can identify and then reflect on their own dreams. 

The lesson was originally designed for children in preschool and kindergarten, but can be modified for older children. This lesson plan is interdisciplinary and is useful for study of art, social skills, and language arts.

 If you decide to implement this FREE lesson plan, give a shout-out on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook!

Intended Outcomes:

• Students will define a dream as a goal or hope that you have for yourself that you would like to happen during your lifetime.
• Students will create a poem that lists at least one dream they have for themselves.
• Students will read the book Corey’s Dreams by Aziza M.

This interactive lesson plan was commissioned by the Prince George's African American Museum and Cultural Center and developed by Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman, Ed.D. in 2019.

StoryQuilting is an interactive fun exercise that Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman developed in 2006 to help teach her young daughter how to read. Intergrating arts and crafts into a storytelling event, this activity is an opportunity to introduce new concepts, build a love of storytelling and give emerging readers and spellers access to the written word through arts and crafts. The lesson was originally designed for children in grades P-4 but can be modified for older children. This lesson plan is interdisciplinary and is useful for study of history, art, social studies, and language arts.

If you decide to implement this FREE lesson plan, give a shout-out on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook!

Intended Outcomes:

• Students will design quilt squares out of construction paper that tell a personal story.
• Students will read Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold.
• Students will create a story quilt out of the individual quilt squares they design.