African American Spirituals of the 1800s

Unit: I See Freedom

Grades

4th Grade,5th Grade,6th Grade,7th Grade,8th Grade,9th Grade,10th Grade,11th Grade,12th Grade

Author

Susan Wright

Summary

During two class periods, students learn the history of African American spiritual music, perform it, and begin to understand that historical context helps defines music.

Question

How does learning about African American spiritual music help us understand the lives of enslaved and free Africans in the 1800s?

Content Understanding(s)

History of African American spiritual music Lyrics and melodies to specific African American spiritual songs

Concept Understanding(s) Covert meanings of words Music in the context of history Singing style can add meaning depending on the rendition

Vocabulary

Call and Response, Chariot, Congregation, Covert, Falsetto, Fugitives, Hymn, Musical Phrase, Rendition, Shouts, Spiritual Songs, Underground Railroad, Work Songs

Suggested Time Frame(s)

Two 35-minute class periods

Narrative

The Fishkill Standard articles are a prerequisite to this lesson and they can be found in the Introduction lesson of this unit, I See Freedom.

Lesson 1 Procedure

Write on the board -- What do we know about African American spiritual music? As students enter the room, direct their attention to the board and allow them a minute to discuss the question with their neighbors. Elicit student responses and write them on the board.

Read aloud, "History of African American Spiritual Music." (See attachments.) Stop often to elaborate interesting points and to answer questions. Encourage student-directed discussion.

Introduce "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" by playing a CD and listening. Ask students what they noticed about the music. Distribute lyric sheets (see attachments) and teach the song line by line. When students are comfortable with the song, perform several times as a class, allowing small groups of students to improvise rhythmic accompaniment. Read the section called, "Musical Features of African American Spiritual Music," at the end of the history sheet mentioned above. Explain the covert meaning of the lyrics to "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." Perform again, trying to get in the spirit of the song.

Lesson 2 Procedure

Verbally review history and characteristics of spiritual music by asking students what they remember. Write their responses on the board. Fill in and explain what they forgot.

Sing "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" from memory.

Divide students into groups of three. Have them do the vocabulary worksheet (see attachments) together. Share all answers as a class.

Learn another spiritual of your choice. (See attachments for lyric sheets for several songs.) Distribute lyric sheets. Teach the song line by line. Ask students to imagine and describe a setting where this song would be sung. Ask students for performance ideas. Perform the song several more times, using different ideas suggested by students.

Supplies Used

1. Recordings and lyric sheets of early African American spirituals including "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"

2. Notes on history of African American spiritual music and features of African American spiritual music

3. Classroom percussion instruments

What Should Students Know At The End of This Lesson The history of and vocabulary related to African American spiritual music. How song lyrics were used as secret communication between members of the underground railroad and enslaved Africans.

What Should Students Be Able To Do at the End of This Lesson

Sing from memory two African American spirituals. Correctly complete a multiple choice worksheet on African American spiritual music.

How do you assess student learning?

Participation in class performance.

Vocabulary sheet.