Lesson Plan: Evolution of Black Love in Art

 Erin Eiland

April 27th, 2025

Dr. Harris

Lesson Plan: Evolution of Black Love in Art

Writing Proposal:

Senior year is a critical point in any student's life. It is a time when children turn into young adults who have to be equipped with the right knowledge to succeed in this world outside of academics. Success in the world goes beyond academic achievement; it also depends on the ability to understand and navigate interpersonal relationships. It is important to not just teach academic-related material but also about healthy relationship dynamics. Struggle love is overrepresented in the black community which causes many children to grow up thinking that is all they can obtain. That is why teachers must introduce a new perspective of love, a healthy love.

Starting by introducing untraditional ideas in texts such as Sula and Heartbreak Years will broaden students' perspectives on what they can choose for their lives. Sula is about a woman who despite all of the backlash she gets from her community for living her life according to her rules, continues to do so with pride. Heartbreak Years is a memoir centered on a woman named Minda. Throughout her life, she was told she needed a man to have a happy ending and believed it. For many years she battled with the fact that her life was not going the way she thought it should because she did not get a job in corporate America and did not have a man by her side. The life she was leading was not fulfilling the expectations society put on her. After many years of thinking a man would swoop in and fix all her problems she finally realized that it is okay not to live according to the story that was ingrained in her mind throughout her life. These stories should be shared with students who are soon going to go off on their own. It should be known that one does not have to live one's life by the books of anyone else. The seed that students can create whatever story they want for their lives should be planted. If students can realize that they are the masters of their own stories, then they can recognize that they do not have to follow down the path of struggle love that black media presents. 

Students will then be presented with the video Love Stories You Need to Hear. The video is about people being interviewed in both platonic and romantic relationship dynamics that are healthy. This will show students it is also possible to obtain that same healthy dynamic. Through many class discussions and worksheets that encourage students to critically think and reflect on their own lives, they will start to know a new love Knowing love is an act of liberation because with love one can set oneself free of the old unhealthy patterns. In the video, some expressed how important self-love was on their journey to finding healthy love. To allow oneself to receive and give love not only to others but themself, is an act of liberation. 

Heartbreak Years touches on the topic of dealing with trauma. This is important because many people face trauma throughout their lives without acknowledging it. This book addresses the effects trauma has on a person. Many families do not talk about the negative impact of unresolved trauma. Reading this story can help the pain be acknowledged because the pain can fester in a dark room leading to unhealthy coping mechanisms. Heartbreak Years shows the raw pain of hurt while still inspiring readers to make it to the other side of the tunnel. This is a crucial topic. After all, some students will connect to this aspect of the book because not everyone feels like they can find love or hope on the other side of the pain from trauma.

This unit will provide students with a space for open discourse about their new ideas of love and what it means to them. The goal is for students to turn their new ideas of healthy love into an artistic project of what positive black love can be. Despite all of the negative representations of black love and societal expectations, the students can create their narratives of love. This unit will inspire students to think about the radical idea that they can represent the idea of healthy black love despite the negative ideas society pushes onto them. This unit will hopefully plant the seed that love can be theirs in this 12th-grade class. 

Lesson objective:

1. Have a general understanding of “Heartbreak Years”

2. Engage in discussions that express diverse viewpoints while respecting others opinions.

3. Apply concepts learned in class to critically analyze their own experiences.

4. Create original artwork that expresses untraditional/underrepresented love in their community. 

5. Make connections between concepts explored in class and their own life experiences.

Lesson goals:

1. Inspire students to recognize the power they have to shape their own narratives of the love they envision through art that reflects and uplift their community.

2. Gain insight on the characteristics and dynamics of healthy love.

3. Promote creativity and critical thinking through various art forms and discussion.

4. Fucilate a safe space for discussion.

Text & Films:

1. Sula-Showcases multiple complex characters that are cast as the outcast from the small community at the Bottom. Sula is the main character that explores the idea of a woman going against societal expectations. Despite the major backlash she received she stood strong in who she was and the choices she made throughout the book. 

2. Heartbreak Years- A memoir about a woman named Minda, who grew up to believe she was supposed to get married to have a fairytale ending. Minda goes through many trials and errors focusing on how she coped negatively by drinking after she experienced SA. She goes through many difficulties in her romantic relationships until she comes to the realization that she does not have to conform to society's expectations that women have to find a man.

3. Love stories you need to hear- A series of interviews given to people in platonic and romantic relationships. The Pairings have healthy love dynamics. Which is not represented that often in the black community. They expressed the importance of having self-love because if it were not for that they would not have found healthy relationships.

 

Assignments:

1. Quizzes- to ensure students are actively engaging with the text as well as comprehending it.

2. Evaluating the Concept of Love- promotes critical thinking by encouraging students to analyze media content and reflect on their personal experiences.

3. Love Stories You Need to Know video notes- ensure that students are engaging with the video content while making personalized connections to it.

4. Brainstorm facilitates group collaboration while contributing ideas toward the progress of their art project.

5. Art project- promote creative expression while integrating the units into their artistic projects. While empowering them to recognize they can create their own radical idea of black love or create their own narrative of black love. 

6. Reflection- encourage students to reflect on the unit and provide constructive feedback to improve future instruction.

Activities:

1. Introduction to unit- Give a lecture to introduce the new unit to the students. Topics in Sula and Heartbreak Years will be presented to the class. It will also include black media's overrepresentation of struggle love. After this, there will be information packets provided at each desk section. This will help students explore the introduction points further. They will move around to different desk sections in small groups.

2. Class Discussion- The intent is for students to have open discussions sharing their opinions surrounding love and how love is shown in black media and art. This discourse will promote critical thinking.

3. Watch both “Love Stories You Need to Hear” videos- The purpose of watching this video is to broaden students' perspective on love by showcasing healthy platonic and romantic relationships. 

4. Field trip to the Black Love Festival- Black Love Fest is an annual festival that is open to all who love black people. The festival features live music performances, art installations, student art exhibits, and workshops. Their mission is to create a space that displays a radical vision for a future centered on Black Love. 

5. Art gallery walk- Create a display of students' completed artwork that features references to love. The class will walk through the gallery while writing down their interpretation of the art. At the end of the walk, students will share their interruptions with the class. Then students will briefly explain the concept of their art  pieces to the class.

Course Schedule

Week	Date	Assignment	Activities	Objective	Reading Schedule “Heartbreak Years”
1	10/14/2025		Introduction to unit	1. Give a lecture to introduce the new unit to the students. Presentation will include topics in Sula and Heartbreak Years. It will also include black media's representation of struggle love. After this there will be information provided at each desk section. This will help students explore the introduction points further. They will move around to different desk sections in small groups.
1	10/16/2025	Heartbreak Years Quiz 1	Class Discussion	1. Students will take their first quiz over “Heartbreak Years” to ensure they are reading the book, and to gauge their understanding of the book. 2. . The class will have a discussion based on what was explored in the previous class. Students will be able to ask questions and voice their opinions.	Page 3-61
2	10/21/2025	Evaluating the Concept of Love	Mini class discussion	1. Students will complete the concept of love worksheet. 2. The class will have the chance to voice their opinion of love in the media and how it shows up in their life.	Page 63-117
2	10/23/2025	Heartbreak Years Quiz 2, Love Stories You Need to Know video notes	Watch both “Love Stories You Need to Hear” videos	1. Students will take their second quiz over “Heartbreak Years” to ensure they are reading the book, and to gauge their understanding of the book. 2. Students will complete the video notes provided.	Page 119-164
3	10/28/2025	Brainstorm  notes	Brainstorm in small groups	1. Students will break off into small groups to brainstorm ideas for their art projects. They will also be given one worksheet to complete as a group.	Page 165-206
3	10/30/2025		Black Love Festival field trip	1. Students will attend the Black Love Festival for their field trip.	Page 207-222
4	11/4/2025	Heartbreak Years Quiz 3, Art project		1. Students will take their third and final quiz over “Heartbreak Years” to ensure they are reading the book, and to gauge their understanding of the book. 2. Students will then start working on their art projects.
4	11/6/2025	Art project		1. Students will have this period to finish wrapping up their art projects.
5	11/11/2025		Art gallery walk	1. The class will walk through the art gallery they created. Each group/individual will briefly explain their art and the thought process behind it.
5	11/13/2025	Reflection		1. Students will complete the reflection sheet providing feedback for this unit.

Assignment links:

Love Stories You Need to Hear-

“Love Stories You Need to Hear” Notes

Evaluating the Concept of Love-

Evaluating the Concept of Love

Brainstorm Notes-

Brainstorm Notes

Reflection-

Reflection

Citations:

Boody, Shan. “Love Stories You Need to Hear Before 2025.” YouTube, 30th December 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HU-a1ZlLHQ. Accessed 5th April 2025.

Boody, Shan. “Love Stories You Need to Hear (PART 2).” YouTube, 27th January 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QEwi1G7uo8. Accessed 5th April 2025.

Honey, Minda. The Heartbreak Years: A Memoir. Amazon Publishing, 2023.

Morrison, Toni. Sula. Vintage, 1998

Black School. “Black Love Fest.” Black Love Fest, 17th July 2017, https://www.blacklovefest.org/faqs. Accessed 20th April 2025.