Harriet Tubman & the Underground Railroad


Picture courtesy of The Library of Congress; Washington, D.C.

http://www.tubtrain.htm


by


Jamie Meyr

Introduction /Task /Resources /Process /Evaluation /Conclusion

Introduction

Choo! Choo! All aboard for the ride of Harriet's life! Harriet Tubman was born a slave, and she remained a slave until she rose up and decided to fight against slavery. A determined woman, Harriet decided it was time that she fight for freedom. That is exactly what she did, and Harriet began the long road to freedom by starting her journey on the Underground Railroad. Join me on a "mission" to find out more about Harrriet Tubman's heroic battle against slavery!!

Task

The end result of your "mission" will consist of various products. Your final project must consist of the following items:

  • Quiz Results
  • Crossword Puzzle
  • Creative Project: See details below.

Your creative project should be one of the following...

  1. Timeline of Harriet Tubman's life
  2. Quilt (cloth or paper material) representing Harriet Tubman's journey on the Underground Railroad
  3. A project of your choice: This must be pre-approved by the teacher!


Resources

You may use these resources in order to gather the information needed to finish your final project.

  • http://www.saltdal.vgs.no/prosjekt/slavrute/35.htm
  • http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1535.html
  • http://www.worldbook.com/fun/aajourny/html/bh040.html
  • http://www.worldbook.com/fun/aajourny/html/bh019.html
  • http://www.yahooligans.com {When you are in this one, go to the search box and type in the name Harriet Tubman.}
  • http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/tubman/ht1.htm {Good timeline examples}
  • http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/tubman/sketches.htm
  • http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/tubman/quiz1.htm {This is where you will take the quiz!!}
  • http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/tubman/puzzles.htm {This is where you will find the crossword puzzles!!}
  • www.quiltsbyelaine.com/html/quilts/watercol.htm
  • Carlson, Judy. Great Lives: Harriet Tubman, Call to Freedom. NY: Ballantine Books, 1989.
  • Ferris, Jeri. Go Free or Die, A Story about Harriet Tubman. Carolrhoda Books, Inc., 1988.
  • Humphreville, Frances. Harriet Tubman, Flame of Freedom. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1967.
  • Kelton, Nancy. Rebel Slave. Milwaukee: Raintree Publishers, 1977.
  • Monjo, FN. The Drinking Gourd. USA: Harper Collins, 1993.
  • Reinggold, Faith. Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky. NY: Crown Publishers, 1992.
  • Schroeder, Alan. Minty. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1996.
  • Stein, Conrad R., Cornerstone of Freedom: The Story of the Underground Railroad. Chicago: Children's Press, 1981.
  • Taylor, M.W. Black Americans of Achievement Harriet Tubman Antislavery Activist. NY: Chelsea House, 1991.


    Process

    • First you will read Minty by Alan Schroeder. This will give you an idea of how Harriet Tubman's childhood was.
    • Next, you will use the resources that are available to find information on Harriet Tubman's life.
    • You must take the quiz and do a crossword puzzle from the given websites.
    • Once you have gathered enough researched information, you must evaluate that information and decide whether or not you will use it for your creative project.
    • You may do a timeline on Harriet Tubman's life, a quilt showing the significance of the hidden messages, or a creative project of your choice that is pre-approved by your teacher.
    • A special note: My advice to you is to decide which creative project you will do. Once you know what your project is, it will be easier to examine and choose the important information from the resources.
    • You will put together your final product however you choose to do it.
    • Enjoy yourself, and have a good time doing the work!!


    Evaluation

    You will be evaluated on the final product of your unit. As stated earlier, your final product must include the quiz results, a crossword puzzle, and your creative project. Following is a break down of how you will be evaluated for each item.

    1. The quiz and crossword puzzle will be evaluated strictly on the correct answers that you have. The answers must be written clearly and neatly. These are worth 20 points each.
    2. The quilt will be graded on how neat and well organized it is. It must have a key on the back of the quilt, so I can tell exactly what each shape, color, etc. means. The quilt can be of any material that you would like to use. The quilt must also show the correct information about the Underground Railroad. This is worth 25 points.
    3. The timeline must have at least 8 dates included about Harriet Tubman's life. It must be neat and well organized. This is worth 25 points.
    4. The final product of your unit (how you will present it to the teacher) will be evaluated on creativity, accuracy of information, and uniqueness. This will be worth 10 points.
    5. This entire unit will be worth a total of 100 points.

    Conclusion

    Congratulations!!

    By the time you get to your final destination, you will have learned all about the exciting life of Harriet Tubman. Mrs. Tubman was a brave woman, and she led many people to the Underground Railroad to get away from slavery. As you reflect back on your "mission," I hope that you, too, will realize how the bravery of one woman helped to change the world forever. Thank you, and we hope to see you back soon!

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    Last updated May 1, 1999