Highlights

As part of a unit on the abolitionist movement in America in the 1800s, 6th, 7th and 8th grade low to intermediate English proficiency students in Bonnie Loriz’s social studies class studied the life and contributions of Harriet Tubman. At this point in the unit, students were synthesizing all that they learned about slavery and the Underground Railroad. By examining and interpreting various primary sources, the students were able to glean a larger understanding of the life and times that surrounded Harriet Tubman.

In this integrated Lesson Plan, Ms. Loriz focused on teaching objectives from the Virginia Social Studies Standards of Learning as well as from Virginia’s ELP Standards. The stated understanding goal for the students was that primary sources can improve our understanding of history. Students used their observation and interpretation skills as well as practiced oral and written communication skills.

In groups of three, the students were given a folder containing various prints, photographs and manuscripts obtained from the Library of Congress Web site. Students were asked to examine the primary sources and choose one which interested them the most. Each student received a “Primary Source Analysis Worksheet” which asked them to identify, describe, and interpret their primary source item through a series of scaffolded questions. Students recorded their responses individually then shared their ideas orally with their small group. Volunteers then had a chance to share their analysis with the whole class.

Through this Lesson Plan, students compared and contrasted different perspectives of Ms. Tubman’s life portrayed through prints and manuscripts. They examined her role as a freed slave, a conductor in the Underground Railroad, a wife, a Civil War nurse, a scout, and a spy. They honed their information literacy skills by examining a variety of sources to search for information and clues. They also developed their reading comprehension by decoding the text in the manuscripts. Through their primary source analysis, students emerged with a clearer understanding of Harriet Tubman’s complexity, bravery and accomplishments.