Each Harlem Stage education program is accompanied by thoughtfully written and designed curriculum guides that serve as bridges between the classroom and the stage. Rooted in NYC’s Blueprint to Teaching and Learning in the Arts, these guides offer educators rich, interdisciplinary tools to deepen student engagement before and after each artistic experience. Each curriculum guide is created in two voices—one to equip teachers with tools for meaningful instruction, and one to invite students into a journey of exploration, reflection, and creative response.
Featuring historical context, artist biographies, guided discussion questions, vocabulary, creative writing prompts, lesson plans, and project-based learning activities, the guides empower teachers to spark critical dialogue and link performance themes to broader subjects—such as history, literature, civics, and social justice. With a focus on inquiry, identity, and creative expression, the curriculum guides support diverse learning styles while encouraging students to think deeply, feel widely, and respond artistically to the world around them.