A Famous Person: Harriet Tubman Jennifer Turner Technology-Infused Lesson Plan

Harriet Tubman Mini-Unit Grade Level: 4th Subject: Social Studies Unit Topic: A Famous Person: Harriet Tubman Duration of Unit : 7 Days

Content Standards EL(4) -Use a wide range of strategies to interpret, evaluate, appreciate, and construct meaning from print materials. 4. Demonstrate literal understanding of print material 5. Interpret passages in print material. 7. Use literary analysis. 23. Know and apply principles of grammar and usage in writing, speaking, and presenting and apply mechanics in writing. TC(3-5) 14. Use the Internet to locate information. 16. Evaluate the relevance and appropriateness of electronic information sources. 17. Relate search results to class or individual assignments. SS(4) Alabama Studies 6. Identify cultural, economic, and political aspects of the lifestyles of early nineteenth-century farmers, plantation owners, slaves, and townspeople. 7. Identify reasons for Alabama's secession from the Union, including sectionalism, slavery, state rights, and economic disagreements.

Overview The students will tell what they know about a famous person name Harriet Tubman. This lesson will integrate some famous writings to encourage students to develop their questioning techniques for analysis of literature while furthering their knowledge of this era in American history. They will dress up and tell stories and about her, discuss a video, make a timeline, and map out a different route of freedom.

Lesson Overview Information Literacy Model When you are solving an information problem of answering a research question, you follow a research process or research steps.  It is like climbing steps to your answers. 

Lesson Overview Technology -Students will use pictures and print to gather information -Final projects will be presented in PowerPoint format Student assessment Teacher observation Collaboration rubric Powerpoint rubric Teacher Collaboration - Collaborate with a 4th grade teacher to put students in groups into give students background information

Objectives Students will be able to identify famous people and events of the Civil War era. Students will be able to identify hardships Tubman encountered by giving an explanation of what they would do in a similar situation. Students will be able to list as a group 2 positive and 2 negatives effects of slavery. Students will be able to create a time line with 10 historical events that occurred during Tubman's lifetime. Students will be able to correctly answer 6 of 8 questions about other famous people during the time of Harriet Tubman. Students will be able to create 2 different "routes to freedom" and identify the approximate distances and time for each route. Students will explain in writing, 3 historical facts about Harriet Tubman.

Lesson Resources Books The Value of Helping by Ann Donegan Johnson Freedom Train by Dorothy Sterling The Grolier Library of North American Biographies. (1994). Activists, Volume One. Danbury, CT: Grolier Educational Corporation. Harriet Tubman (Biography) by Harriet Tubman Videos Video - Follow the Drinking Gourd

Lesson Resources Technology Resources Materials and Equipment Computer with access PowerPoint software LCD projector Materials and Equipment Map of the United States Map of local County or State Handouts for Jigsaw

Procedures/Activities Day 1 Think-Pair-Share Have students individually think of what they know about slavery, Harriet Tubman, the Civil War, Underground Railroad, and any famous people during this era of the 1800s. In pairs, have students share what they remember and write it down. Then have the whole class contribute to a class list on the chalkboard of everything that was shared. If time permits, share the "background" portion of the Harriet Tubman mini-unit.

Day 2 Mini-Lecture/Story Dress up like a southern farmer and tell how you helped some slaves escape from the South. "I'm under the leadership of a person called Moses, only this person is a woman who is a conductor for the Underground Railroad." Explain that she accomplished much for her people. Tell of the hardships and dangers of an escaping slave or helping one and what consequences could result if caught. The time period of her popularity was between the 1850s and 1860s around the Civil War period. Tell students that you will share a story of Harriet Tubman's life then begin reading the book "The Value of Helping" by Ann Donegan Johnson. Explain where this takes place by pointing to the state of Maryland on the United States map as you read. Continue pointing out places on the map throughout the story. At the conclusion of the story, students write an explanation answering: "If I were a slave, I would...." Students explain how they feel about being a slave, explain what they would do, and explain why/how they would carry out their plan.

Day 3 Video/Discussion Introduce the video "Follow the Drinking Gourd" with an explanation of why slavery existed and why others opposed it. Continue with showing of the video. Following the video, group students (4 to a group) and have each group list 2 negative effects and 2 positive effects of slavery. Have each group share their results with the class. Also discuss if the issue of slavery alone was a good enough reason to start the "War Between the States."

Day 4 Time Line Using the following resources (story, video notes, history text, and encyclopedia), students will make a time line. Time line dates will begin at Tubman's birth (1920) and end with her death (March 10, 1913). Each student will make their own time line and include at least 10 historical dates. These dates may include events relating to famous people and their accomplishments, political events, battles, or other historical facts. Include dates from United States history only.

Day 5 Jigsaw Students will be assigned to groups of 4 students. Each student will get one of the four short biographies previously prepared by the teacher with the aide of an Encyclopedia or other current references (see Activities References for one example). The biographies will be of William Still, Sojourner Truth, Frederick A. Douglass, and James Forten. Each student will read the assigned material of their famous person. Each student then prepares a short presentation of their persons life and accomplishments. Remember that this is a verbal summary or overview and not a written paper. Each student teaches other classmates about their person. (Students may take notes as each person shares their summary. After presentations, students will be given a basic 8 question "learning experience" previously prepared by the teacher. For each famous person: A. Name the movement or organization he/she was involved in. B. Name one major accomplishment towards their goal. You may conclude with a class discussion about what they found most interesting about these people.

Day 6 Map out a route Prepare copies of your county or state map for cooperative groups (4 students to a group). When students are in their groups, they must map out a course to free territory which you will determine. Give a starting point and a final destination. (For example, begin in Salt Lake City, UT and map out a route that you could walk to get to free territory in Logan, UT.) Each group must: Draw out their route on their map. Calculate the distance for each route using the distance key on the map. (Measure distance with yarn then use mileage key to add up the total miles of the route.) Estimate how long the trip would take. (Time how long it would take to walk a mile. Multiply that time with the total miles of the route to get total hours. Also add in minutes/hours you would need to sleep or rest. Total up all the hours for the journey and find the number of days as well.) Explain why they chose this route. (Example: What barriers were in the way? Terrain too rough? Would you use roads? Is their too much traffic to risk being caught on this route?). Have groups pair-up with another group and share the results explaining why they chose their particular route. Then have each group share their route with the class, the distance and time for the route, and reasons for choosing it. Discuss what route would be the best. This activity would help students appreciate how far some people had to travel on foot to reach free territory.

Day 7 Learning Journal/Powerpoint Presentations In a learning journal, have each student write an entry telling 3 historical facts they have learned in studying Harriet Tubman's life. Explain why these facts are important. Present PowerPoint presentations

Assessment Rubric Teacher observation Collaboration Rubric Powerpoint Rubric