Description
Have your students create a collaborative poster and learn about James Weldon Johnson in a fun, fresh, and engaging way! Through this activity, students will explore Johnson’s achievements as a writer, civil rights leader, and key figure of the Harlem Renaissance. As they work together, they’ll also strengthen their teamwork and communication skills while contributing to a unified final product.
This research biography activity is a wonderful addition to any Black History Month celebration, ELA curriculum, or American history lesson. Students will connect Johnson’s life, work, and activism to broader themes of cultural influence, leadership, and social progress.
Students will begin by researching James Weldon Johnson and gathering information about his background, accomplishments, and contributions to literature and civil rights. They’ll then record their findings in the designated sections on the poster before working together to color or paint and assemble the final display. Once completed, the six-piece poster can be printed on regular paper or cardstock and will measure approximately 28" x 15" when taped together. For long-lasting classroom use, you can laminate the finished product.
This resource includes student directions, a project rubric, and a brainstorm graphic organizer (all provided in both PDF and editable Word document formats). It also includes six blank coloring pages that come together to form one cohesive poster, a James Weldon Johnson answer key, and an example of the final project to guide and inspire your students.