Field Trips
- Grade Level:
- Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
- Subject:
- Social Studies
- Common Core Standards:
- 6.SL.1.a, 6.SL.1, 6.SL.1.b, 6.SL.1.c, 6.SL.1.d, 6.SL.2, 6.SL.3, 7.SL.1, 7.SL.1.a, 7.SL.1.b, 7.SL.1.c, 7.SL.1.d, 7.SL.2, 7.SL.3, 8.SL.1, 8.SL.1.a, 8.SL.1.c, 8.SL.1.b, 8.SL.1.d, 8.SL.2, 8.SL.3, 6-8.WHST.9
- State Standards:
- College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards: D2.His.5.6-8. Explain how and why perspectives of people have changed over time
Title: The Real Harriet Tubman: Separating Myth from Facts
Goal: The goal is to provide students an opportunity to reflect on their recent visit to Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center
Background: Harriet Tubman is best remembered as one of America’s most famous conductors on the Underground Railroad. Born into slavery in early 1822 in Dorchester County, Maryland. Tubman gained international acclaim during her lifetime as an Underground Railroad agent, abolitionist, Civil War spy and nurse, suffragist, and humanitarian. Suffering under the last and disabled by a near fatal head injury while enslaved, Tubman rose above horrific childhood adversity to emerge with a will of steel. Owing her success to unique survival techniques honed in the forests, fields and marshes of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Tubman transcended victimization to achieve personal and physical freedom from her oppressors.
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards: D2.His.5.6-8. Explain how and why perspectives of people have changed over time
Resources for Instruction: medium size sticky notes and copy of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park: Information Booklet or access to http://www.harriettubmanbiography.com/harriet-tubman-myths-and-facts.html
Instructions:
1. Wall of Ideas - ask students to share one thing they learned about Harriet Tubman from the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center. To write their one thing on the small sticky note. As students complete the task, collect them as begin posting them on a wall in the classroom.
2. Gallery Walk (in silence) – Ask students to review the class response, give students some time to review. Ask for a few volunteers to sort the sticky notes and group them.
3. Content - Using the HTUGRR Information Booklet, ask students to call out (aloud or on sticky notes) any myths that made it to the wall.
4. Synthesis – Facilitate a discussion on how and why perspectives of people change over time (i.e. more attention to underrepresented Americans like slaves, new research, more research, expanding source materials) and there are many ways to learn about the real Harriet Tubman.
Additional Resources:
Materials
Information about the new visitor center and resources on Harriet Tubman's life and legacy.
Download Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center Informational Booklet
Last updated: December 21, 2016