All About Harriet
Inspiration Book:
Before she was Harriet by Cline-Ransome, Lesa — Holiday House, 2017. Dewey: 973.7115; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 4.0. Moses, General Tubman, Minty, Araminta, the woman we know today as Harriet Tubman went by many names. Each represented one of her many roles as a spy, as a liberator, as a suffragist, and more.
Rationale: In college, I took a class titled “Representative Americans.” If I were teaching American history via representative biographies, Harriet Tubman would be one of those respresentatives. I don’t think a biography outside its historical context presents a complete picture and understanidng of the importance of that person. Consequently, I often include biographies in library lessons not as a genre, but part of topics covered in a class. The genre part can be part of the library lesson, but not the focus. The focus is how the biography fits into history. Oh, I do admit that I sometimes do a unit about African Americans during Black History Month and a unit about women in history during Women’s History Month--depends on what is happening in the classrooms and what the teacher wants and needs. BUT I do prefer using biographies as they fit into the context of what was happening during their life.
When would I use a biography about Harriet Tubman? When the classroom social studies unit is about the Civil War, the Underground Railroad, and/or slavery. That means I would not use this Inspiration Book as part of a library lesson until American History is part of the curriculum, and that usually occurs in 4th, 5th, or 8th grade. Even though Harriet Tubman’s life story is inspirational, movtivational, heart wrenching, compassionate, it requires a strong background of the times to truly understand the horrors of slavery and the downtrodden life slaves were forced to live. Maybe some of the current refugee stories could be complementary and bring the tragedy of human hardships and the desire for freedom into the context of the 21st century.
I like to use picture books as the focal point or motivational point for many lessons and skills. And, there are many excellent picture biographies of Harriet Tubman. I’ve listed many in the Related Books list, including more challenging biographies for older students. But, for our use here, we’ll use only the picture books. The multiple picture biographies scream out--compare me. In Grades 3-6, we compare two books, and in Grades 5-8, two books plus a video. The skill of comparison is found in Common Core in both language arts and social studies. These lessons serve as an outline to use for the study of biographies within a broader historical unit.
Grades 3-6 Meet Harriet Tubman
Background: I have had students in Grades 3-6 do many comparisons. Sometimes students take notes in two columns, each column representing one of the picture books they read, but for this lesson, we’re going to use a Venn diagram that will help students organize visually, the content found in both books as well as an individual title only. I’m assuming, in this lesson, that the students have had little practice in using Venn diagrams to organize information and little practice taking notes or voicing the comparison orally.
Preparation: Gather as many books about Harriet Tubman as possible. Collective biographies could also be useful. You may need to do interlibrary loans with the public library or other schools in your district to get enough picture book biographies.
Decide whether you want the students to work in pairs or individually--may depend on whether you have enough books.
Make copies of a Venn diagram for each student. Two-circle Venn diagram template http://www.educationworld.com/tools_templates/venn_diagram2.doc
Draw a large two-circle Venn digram on board/chalk/computer for class use.
Introduction: In social studies, your class is studying the time of the American Civil War. Who can name a person important during that time? (Accept many answers.) What was the Underground Railroad? Who can name a person who worked on the Underground Railroad? (Hopefully somebody will name Harriet Tubman.) We’re going to take a closer look at Ms. Tubman by using two resources and taking a few comparative notes using a two- circle Venn diagram. Let’s start with the Inspiration Book by listening for facts.
Read aloud:
Before she was Harriet by Cline-Ransome, Lesa — Holiday House, 2017. Dewey: 973.7115; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 4.0. Moses, General Tubman, Minty, Araminta, the woman we know today as Harriet Tubman went by many names. Each represented one of her many roles as a spy, as a liberator, as a suffragist, and more.
Ask students for a fact they heard. (I often start with the challenged learned because they may have one fact but could not tell you a second. Write that fact in one of the Venn circles. Continue around group asking for new facts until there are 5-6 in the circle.)
I have many other biographies about Ms. Tubman. We’re going to spend a little time reading one of them by yourself (or with a friend if working with a partner). Read for new facts; notice any facts that you heard in the first book. Write those facts in the appropriate space on the Venn diagram. Add the facts we did together to the other circle on the diagram.
Allow time.
Now let’s do some thinking outloud. Which source was better? Why? That’s what we’re going to discuss. Try using this format for discussion: If I ask about strengths, you might answer, Minty said ___were her strengths, but Before She was Harriet added ___these strengths.
I read Minty, too, and another strength was._______.
Or maybe I’ll ask for hardships, or adventures, or helpfulness. How would you answer to compare the book you read with the Inspiration Book?
Conclude by reading Eloise Greenfield’s poem about Harriet Tubman. See Teacher Resources:
Grade Level 5-8 Moses, Leader to Freedom
Background: The basic methodology for Grade 3-6 and 5-8 are the same, with a big BUT. Grades 3-6 uses a two-circle Venn diagram and Grades 5-8 a three-circle Venn diagram. The three-circle diagram allows for more differentiation because there is more overlap (same information) between books A & B, Book A & C, Book C & B plus a section for same information in each book. Three-circle Venn diagrams involve higher level thinking and more discerning reading skills. In our case today, one of those “books” will be a video clip. I do variations of this approach regularly, changing the final product or size of Venn diagram or how the class reads the books. This lesson covers a number of days. I would use this format only if the class could be in the library three days in a row or the teacher follows through in the classroom. I would not do it three weeks in a row if I had a set schedule and saw a class only once per week. If that is the case for your library, choose another lesson--you’ll eventually find many to choose from in My Books Alive.
Preparation:
Gather sufficient copies of the Harriet Tubman picture book biographies one for every student plus a few extras. Collective biographies could also be useful. You may need to do interlibrary loans with the public library or other schools in your district to get enough picture book biographies. Save the Inspiration Book to use for the conclusion of the three part lesson described below.
Make copies of a Venn diagram for each student. Three-circle Venn Diagram Template
Select the video clip you’d like to show about Harriet Tubman. There are a number of rated videos at this site. Selected free videos
Tubman, Harriet Educational Videos | WatchKnowLearn
Introduction: In social studies your class is studying the time of the American Civil War. Who can name a person important during that time? (Accept many answers.) What was the Underground Railroad? Who can name a person who worked on the Underground Railroad? (Hopefully somebody will name Harriet Tubman.) We’re going to take a closer look at Ms. Tubman by using multiple resources and taking a few comparative notes using a three circle Venn diagram.
(If the students aren’t familiar with the 3-circle Venn diagram, take some time pointing out the overlap areas. Three hot lunch menus may work as examples.)
To learn more about Harriet Tubman, we’re going to read picture book biographies in round robin fashion. That means each will read one book, write the facts from that first book on the diagram, then pass the book to the person on the left. If the person on your right isn’t ready to give you a book, take a book from the pile in the middle of the table. Be sure to write the titles of your books on the Venn diagram page. After you’ve read the second book, record the new facts you learned, and add any duplicate facts in the overlap segment of the circles.
Another day we’ll all watch a video to complete the 3 circle Venn diagram.
Next class:
Watch the video selected to show. Allow time to complete third Venn circle.
Which source was better? Why? That’s what we’re going to discuss. Try using this format for discussion: If I ask about strengths, you might answer, Minty said ___were his strengths, but Before She was Harriet added ___these strengths, and the video added little new.
If you also read one of the books, your response might go something like this: I also read Before She was Harriet and learned this additional fact___.
(Allow about ten minutes of group discussion time, then have students write an on demand paragraph comparing and contrasting their two books and the video. If more time is needed, the classroom teacher may provide time or assign the project as homework. The next day or next meeting day, ask for volunteers to read their paragraph. Again have students add to the discussion based on their readings and observations.)
Another day:
Ask for volunteers to read their paragraph. Then add another source by reading the Inspiration Book aloud to the whole class.
Before she was Harriet by Cline-Ransome, Lesa — Holiday House, 2017. Dewey: 973.7115; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 4.0. Moses, General Tubman, Minty, Araminta, the woman we know today as Harriet Tubman went by many names. Each represented one of her many roles as a spy, as a liberator, as a suffragist, and more.
How would your paragraph change if you had had access to the information in the book that helped me generate the lesson? (Allow time for discussion. The most obvious response is that Harriet Tubman was called by different names and had many roles--most of the picture biographies only cover one or two aspects of her life.)
Related Books:
Harriet and the Promised Land by Lawrence, Jacob — Aladdin Paperbacks, c1993 p1997. Dewey: 811; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 2.9. A poem relating the dedicated efforts of Harriet Tubman to lead her fellow slaves to freedom.
Moses : when Harriet Tubman led her people to freedom by Weatherford, Carole Boston — Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children, 2006. Dewey: -E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 3.8. A fictionalized account of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery for freedom in Philadelphia, where she turns her talents to leading others along the Underground Railroad.
Minty : a story of young Harriet Tubman by Schroeder, Alan — Puffin Books, c1996 p2000. Dewey: 306.3; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 3.9. Young Harriet Tubman, whose childhood name was Minty, dreams of escaping slavery on the Brodas plantation in the late 1820s.
An apple for Harriet Tubman by Turner, Glennette Tilley — Albert Whitman & Company, 2016. Dewey: 973.7; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 4.3. After living on a plantation and picking apples without being able to eat them, Harriet Tubman achieves her dream of having her own apple trees.
A picture book of Harriet Tubman (Picture Book Biographies) by Adler, David A — Holiday House, 1992. Dewey: 306.3; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 4.3. Biography of the African-American woman who escaped from slavery to become famous as a conductor on the Underground Railroad.
Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the sky by Ringgold, Faith — Crown, c1992 p1995. Dewey: -E-; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 4.7. With Harriet Tubman as her guide, Cassie retraces the steps escaping slaves took on the Underground Railroad in order to reunite with her younger brother.
Founding mothers : women who shaped America by Carosella, Melissa — Teacher Created Materials, 2012. Dewey: 920.72; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 4.7. Examines the lives and accomplishments of some of the women in American history who helped pave the way for equal rights.
Girls who rocked the world : heroines from Joan of Arc to Mother Teresa by McCann, Michelle Roehm — Aladdin, 2012. Dewey: 920.72; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 5.5. Recounts the stories of forty-six women throughout history who impacted the world when they were teenagers or younger, covering Harriet Tubman, Coco Chanel, S.E. Hinton, Maya Lin, and others. FREE Teaching Resources available for download from Follett.
Excellent teacher guide useable for multiple books and topics.
Great African Americans in history (Outstanding African Americans) by Hacker, Carlotta — Crabtree Pub. Co., 1997. Dewey: 920; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 5.5. Profiles thirteen African-Americans from throughout history who have made significant contributions to their fields, including medicine, science, civil rights, and exploration.
Harriet Tubman (DK Biography) by Sawyer, Kem Knapp — DK, 2010. Dewey: 306.3; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 5.6. An illustrated exploration of the life of Harriet Tubman that covers her childhood, experiences as a slave, escape to freedom, work on the Underground Railroad, antislavery activism, and other topics.
I lay my stitches down : poems of American slavery by Grady, Cynthia — Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2012--811; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 5.8 A collection of poems that depict people and events throughout the history of slavery in the United States. The poems in this collection mirror the structure of a quilt, and include biblical or spiritual references, musical references,, and fiber arts references that reflect the patchwork of circumstances of enslaved people in America.
Harriet Tubman : conductor on the Underground Railroad by Petry, Ann Lane — HarperTrophy, 1996. Dewey: 306.3; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 5.9. A biography of the famous woman who worked to free her people on the Underground Railroad.
Chasing freedom : the life journeys of Harriet Tubman and Susan B. Anthony, inspired by historical facts by Grimes, Nikki — Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2015. Dewey: -Fic-; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 6.2. In this imaginative biographical story, Harriet Tubman and Susan B. Anthony sit down over a cup of tea in 1904 to reminisce about their struggles and triumphs in the service of freedom and women's rights.
Heroes of Black history : biographies of four great Americans — Liberty Street, an imprint of Time Inc. Books, 2017. Dewey: 973; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 6.4. Biographies of four African-Americans who fought for freedom and democracy, including Harriet Tubman, Jackie Robinson, Rosa Parks, and Barack Obama.
Harriet Tubman, secret agent : how daring slaves and free Blacks spied for the Union during the Civil War by Allen, Thomas B — National Geographic, 2006. Dewey: 306.3; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 6.6. Tells the story of Harriet Tubman and other slaves and free African-Americans who risked death to gather information about the Confederacy for the Union during the Civil War.
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad by Adler, David A — Holiday House, 2013. Dewey: 306.3; Int Lvl: 5-8; Rd Lvl: 6.8. Difficult last years. A biography of Harriet Tubman, describing her life born a slave, how she escaped slavery, how she became the most famous conductor of the Underground Railroad. FREE Teaching Resources available for download from Follett.
She persisted : 13 American women who changed the world by Clinton, Chelsea — Philomel Books, 2017Dewey: 920.72; Int Lvl: K-3; Rd Lvl: 6.9. Profiles the lives of thirteen American women who have left their mark on U.S. history, including Harriet Tubman, Helen Keller, Margaret Chase Smith, and Oprah Winfrey
Let it shine : stories of Black women freedom fighters by Pinkney, Andrea Davis — Sandpiper, 2000. Dewey: 323; Int Lvl: 3-6; Rd Lvl: 7.2. Presents profiles of ten African-American women whose efforts on behalf of racial justice and freedom have influenced the course of history.
Freedom like sunlight : praisesongs for Black Americans by Lewis, J. Patrick — Creative Paperbacks, 2013. Dewey: 811; Int Lvl: 5-8. Presents poems and brief biographical notes about such well-known African-Americans as: Arthur Ashe, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Louis Armstrong, Martin Luther King, Jr., "Satchel" Paige, Rosa Parks, Langston Hughes, Jesse Owens, Marian Anderson, Malcolm X, Wilma Rudolph, and Billie Holiday.
Teacher Resources:
Meet the Author/Illustrator back story and reading
Educator’s Guide from Holiday House
Selected free videos
Tubman, Harriet Educational Videos | WatchKnowLearn
Harriet Tubman
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