Resources
Romare Bearden Parts of a Story
- 1.RL.KID.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
- 1.RL.KID.3 Using graphic organizers or including written details and illustrations when developmentally appropriate, describe characters, settings, and major events in a story using key details.
- 1.RI.CS.6 Distinguish between information provided by pictures or other illustrations and information provided by the words in
- 1.RL.IKI.7 Either orally or in writing when appropriate, use illustrations and words in a text to describe its characters, setting, or events.
- Identify the character and setting of a story
- Discuss how illustrations contribute to a story
- Recount a story about their own life
About
Biography:
Romare Bearden was born in Charlotte, North Carolina on September 2, 1911. Like many southern African American families during the Great Migration, Bearden and his family would move to New York City and eventually settle down in Harlem. Later, Bearden and his grandparents would move to Pittsburgh where he attended high school. He then went to New York University to study education. While in college he also drew cartoons for the campus newspaper which gave him experience to become a cartoonist for other publications including The Crisis, Collier’s Magazine, and the Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper. In 1940, Bearden held his first solo exhibit which included gouache and watercolor paintings. In 1942, Bearden was drafted into the U.S. army, serving as a private in the 372nd Infantry Regiment for three years. With help from the G.I. Bill, Bearden went to Paris to study Philosophy at the Sorbonne. When the funds ran out, Bearden returned to Harlem and became a social worker until he was able to become a full-time collage artist in 1966.
Book
My Hands Sing the Blues
Vocabulary
- Main Character
- Setting
- Plot
- Illustration
Discussion Questions
- Who is Romare Bearden?
- Who does he visit in the book?
- Where does the story take place?
- What does Romare Bearden do with his grandmother? What does he do with his grandfather?
Activity Suggestions
Activity #1
Make a collage about your favorite memory
Materials
- Mixed Media or Copy Paper
- Scissors
- Magazines
- Construction Paper
- Notebook Paper
- Pencil
Instructions
- Introduce them to Bearden’s Early Morning. Explain that this a collage Bearden made and he often made artwork inspired by his family and neighbors.
- Read My Hands Sing the Blues as a class. Have students discuss the events of the book using questions above.
- Ask students to share their personal memories of visiting a relative or friends. Have they ever visited grandparents or traveled to another state like Bearden?
- If developmentally appropriate, have students write about this memory. They should describe what they did, who they visited, and where they were.
- Using magazines and scissors, students will make their own collages of this memory. If students are struggling with using scissors they can tear their images from the magazines.
