The Power of Harriet T
By Michael Miller
Study
Guide
By Mary Code, Kelsey Oke, Nick Schorse, Marta Warner
Adapted for Manitoba by Renee Gillis, Former Curriculum
Consultant, Manitoba Department of Education
For Grades 9 to 12
Costume sketch by designer Julia Tribe
Manitoba Theatre for Young People would like to thank the following sponsor and supporters:
SPOTLIGHT SPONSOR
EDUCATION SPONSOR
TOUR SPONSORS
2 Forks Market Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 4X2 | Box Office: (204) 942-8898 | Fax: (204) 943-4129 | mtyp.ca
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT HARRIET TUBMAN ............................................................................................................................... 2
MANITOBA CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS ...................................................................................................... 3
Social Studies Grade 9 .................................................................................................................................. 3
Social Studies Grade 10 (Senior 2) ............................................................................................................... 3
History of Canada Grade 11 Cluster 2, British North America.................................................................... 3
Grade 12 Global Issues: Citizenship and Sustainability .............................................................................. 4
English Language Arts .................................................................................................................................. 4
Drama ........................................................................................................................................................... 4
BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE............................................................................................................................ 5
Black History Resources ............................................................................................................................... 5
Exploring Vocabulary (Language Arts, Social Studies) ................................................................................ 5
The Play as Historical Fiction (Language Arts, Social Studies) .................................................................... 5
Glossary ........................................................................................................................................................ 6
About the Underground Railroad ................................................................................................................ 7
The Atlantic Slave Trade and the Abolition of Slavery ............................................................................... 8
Thinking about Identity and Culture (Social Studies, Language Arts) ........................................................ 9
A Change in Status (Social Studies/Drama) ............................................................................................... 10
AFTER THE PERFORMANCE ............................................................................................................................ 11
Responding to the Play (Language Arts/Drama)....................................................................................... 11
Reflecting on Leadership Qualities (Language Arts/Social Studies) ......................................................... 11
Mapping the Underground Railroad (Social Studies, particularly Grade 10 Geography) ......................... 12
A Journal of the Voyage to Freedom (Social Studies, Language Arts) ...................................................... 13
Interviewing a Historical Figure (Language Arts, Drama, Social Studies) .................................................. 13
A Biographical Poem (Language Arts/Social Studies) ................................................................................ 14
Historical Tableau of Slavery and Abolition (Social studies, Language Arts, Drama) ............................... 15
The Ethical Dimensions of History (Language Arts, and Social Studies: Grade 12 Global Issues)............. 15
MTYP’s Drama Resource Program ............................................................................................................. 16
The Power of Harriet T
by Michael Miller
Director – Cherissa Richards*
Set & Costume Designer - Julia Tribe
Lighting Designer - Dean Cowieson
Composer & Musical Director - Andrew Penner
Stage Manager – Katherine Johnston
Featuring
Harriet Tubman – Gabrielle Graham & Reanna Joseph
Musicians - Tom Keenan* & Isaac Gutwilik
*members of Canadian Actor’s Equity Association
The Characters
Two actors play Harriet Tubman at different stages of her life as well as many other characters. Two musicians
on stage perform the live soundscape and music for the show.
The Story
The play is based on the inspirational story of Harriet Tubman and her struggles against slavery. She fled slavery
in Maryland in the 1850s and risked her life to help slaves find safe haven in Canada via the Underground
Railroad. Harriet believed that if she could escape, others could too, and she worked with a network of people
who hid and guided slaves north to freedom. She was completely devoted to the idea that “all people are
created equal.”
The Writer
Michael Miller is a Chalmers Award winning playwright who has been writing plays for young people for the past
twenty years. The Power of Harriet T was his first play, originally written, directed and produced by him in his
role as Artistic Director of Theatre Fountainhead. Touch the Sky, and In the Freedom of Dreams, the Story of
Nelson Mandela were produced at the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre where he has been playwright in residence a few
times over the years. A Patchwork Quilt was produced in Great Britain, where it was short listed for the Writers
Guild award for excellence in playwriting. Michael is married to designer Julia Tribe, and they have three
children.
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ABOUT HARRIET TUBMAN
Harriet Araminta "Minty" Ross was born into slavery in Maryland
in 1820 and spent her entire childhood working without pay at
the Brodess Family Plantation. Preferring to work in the fields,
she was able to learn from her father survival skills, herbal
remedies and geographical orientation. In 1834, as Harriet
witnessed a man escaping to his freedom, she was struck by an
iron weight and suffered a serious head injury, which caused her
health problems all her life. In 1844, Harriet married John
Tubman, a free Black man, but the marriage was not legally
recognized and she remained a slave. After many years together,
she tried to convince her husband to escape to the north with
her, where they could both live in freedom, but he would not go.
When her owner fell ill, Harriet Tubman was in a difficult
position. Owners with debts would often sell their slaves and
split up families of slaves. She fled north to find freedom with
the help of some Quakers and the Underground Railroad. After
facing many dangerous risks, she returned south to help her
niece and daughters escape to freedom. This was the beginning
of her work as a "conductor” for many rescue missions on the
Underground Railroad.
In 1850 The Fugitive Slave Act was changed to state that fugitive
slaves in the northern states were to be returned to their
owners. This meant that former slaves living in the northern United States were no longer safe. Canada had abolished
slavery in 1833, so as many as 30,000 racial refugees followed the North Star to settle in Canada. Harriet planned a new
escape route to lead to Ontario. She was based in St. Catharine’s, Ontario for eight years (1851-1858), where there was a
community of refugee former slaves. Her house in St. Catharine’s was just behind the church she attended, the British
Methodist Episcopal Church, now known as the BME Church, Salem Chapel. Harriet escorted her family and about 70 former
slaves to Canada in ten rescue missions, forging her own routes through swamps and forests at night, and using the North
Star as a guide. She later returned to the US with her family, settling in Auburn, New York. She developed a network of
abolitionist friends dedicated to social justice and ending slavery, and she became active in the women’s suffrage
movement. Until her death in 1913 she devoted her life to working for freedom and universal human rights, and she has
become an icon of social justice in the United States and Canada.
Source: adapted from http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/harriet-tubman/
Picture: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Harriet_Tubman.jpg
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MANITOBA CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
The Power of Harriet T Study Guide connects directly to Manitoba curriculum outcomes in Social Studies, English
Language Arts and Drama.
SOCIAL STUDIES GRADE 9
Cluster 4: Canada: Opportunities and Challenges
Students may make the link between Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad and contemporary social problems
such as missing and murdered Aboriginal women. They may focus their response to the viewing of the play to considering
their roles and responsibilities as citizens in a democracy and concepts of leadership in contemporary society.
The play supports the achievement of the following Grade 9 specific learning outcomes:
KI-023 Identify possible ways of resolving social injustices in Canada
KG-042 Describe Canada’s responsibilities and potential for leadership regarding current global issues
VH-010 Appreciate that knowledge of the past helps to understand the present and prepare for the future
S-105 Recognize and take a stand against discriminatory practices and behaviours.
SOCIAL STUDIES GRADE 10 (SENIOR 2)
Students may focus on creating a map of significant locations in the life of Harriet Tubman and the history of the
Underground Railroad. Interpreting and creating maps supports the attainment of the following Grade 10 learning
outcomes:
Cluster 1: Geographic Literacy
KL-010 Describe the relationship between physical and human geography.
KL-011 Locate major physical features on a map of North America.
KL-012 Locate international political divisions on a map of North America
S-204 Select, use, and interpret various types of maps
HISTORY OF CANADA GRADE 11 CLUSTER 2, BRITISH NORTH AMERICA
The play supports the development of the following historical thinking concepts:
-
Taking historical perspectives
Considering the ethical dimensions of history
It also supports the learning themes in Cluster 2, British North America (1763-1867) as students study the period of British
colonial rule in pre-Confederation Canada and Canada – US relations during that period. Students may focus on Britain’s
historical approach to slavery, Canada’s colonial laws regarding slavery during this time, and the immigration of Black
Loyalists to Canada.
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GRADE 12 GLOBAL ISSUES: CITIZENSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY
Students may make the link between historical slavery in America and issues such as modern slavery or the sexual
trafficking of women and children. Essential questions related to modern slavery include:
• What is contemporary slavery?
• Where is slavery occurring?
• What forms has slavery taken in the past? What are these forms today? What are they in Canada?
• What is the link between slavery and poverty?
• Why was the transatlantic slave trade abolished? Did slavery end after this?
• What are the legacies of the transatlantic slave trade for us in a globalised world?
• What is the link between slavery and what we buy?
• What did being an activist mean during the fight against slavery in the past? What does it mean today?
These questions may be linked to the theme of Social Justice and Human Rights in the Grade 12 course. Refer to the
following website for further background: http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/socstud/global_issues
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
The play may be used to support the attainment of the following general learning outcomes for Grade 9 to 12 students
through learning tasks that involve listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing or representing to:
-
explore thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences
comprehend and respond personally and critically
manage information and ideas
enhance the clarity and artistry of communication
celebrate and build community
DRAMA
Learning tasks based on this play can help students to attain the following outcomes:




develop understanding of and facility with language and practices for making drama/theatre
connect drama/theatre to diverse contexts to understand the significance of the dramatic arts.
develop and use critical reflection and thinking for drama/theatre learning
generate, develop, and communicate ideas for creating drama/theatre.
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BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE
Before performance, introduce students to the key in the glossary on the next page and the historical context of the play.
Encourage students to establish a purpose for viewing the play.
BLACK HISTORY RESOURCES
The website www.blackhistorycanada.ca is a useful resource for activities, background information, and ideas. Teachers
are encouraged to download the Black History in Canada Education Guide by Lawrence Hill (author of The Book of
Negroes) from this website. This innovative guide explores important events and personalities in Black Canadian history
through discussion and interactive activities. Structured around themes of journey, slavery, human rights, passage to
Canada and contemporary culture, the guide asks students to examine issues of identity, equality and community.
EXPLORING VOCABULARY (LANGUAGE ARTS, SOCIAL STUDIES)
Before the play, invite students to create in groups of 2 or 3 a visual description using gestures, expression, speech and
words or images to explain the key terms in the glossary: What does it mean? How it is relevant to the story of Harriet
Tubman? How does it connect to today?
THE PLAY AS HISTORICAL FICTION (LANGUAGE ARTS, SOCIAL STUDIES)
Initiate a discussion about historical fiction and its value as a tool to learn about the past. Have students brainstorm to
create a table showing good examples of good and bad historical fiction (e.g., films, novels, plays, biographies, etc.).
Generate a discussion to summarize as a group the characteristics and uses of good historical fiction.
Students may make links between historical fiction they have read about slavery and abolition (for example, The Book of
Negroes, Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
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GLOSSARY
Abolitionist – A person who wanted to do away with or abolish slavery.
American Civil War – A conflict that took place in the US from 1861 to 1865, between the Northern states (Union) and the
Southern states (Confederacy). One of the issues of this war was the question of slavery, which was supported by the
Confederacy but not by the Union States.
Civil rights – the rights and privileges that all human beings are entitled to by law, especially by a country’s Constitution
Colonialism – the practice of a country exerting political or economic control over another country (i.e. the British Empire
and other European states practiced colonialism in the 19th century)
Deep South – Those states closest to the southern border of the United States comprising the old cotton belt, including
parts of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Discrimination – A difference, mostly unfair, in the way people treat each other, usually members of minority groups.
Methodists- members of a Christian group that originated in England and held to practices of social justice, missionary
work, brotherly love, and service to the poor
Overseer – Someone who supervises the work of others, in the context of slavery, a person hired by a plantation owner to
supervise the work of slaves.
Plantation – An estate or farmland used to grow large scale crops such as sugar cane or cotton, on which
Prejudice – An opinion, often unfavourable, that is made without taking the time to judge fairly, especially ill-regard
toward members of other races, religions, nationalities, etc.
Quakers – Members of a religious group also known as the Religious Society of Friends, a Christian group that practiced
peaceful principles and actively opposed slavery and war
Racism – The inferior treatment of one race by another merely because of the colour of a person’s skin. The term is often
extended to include national origin and religious beliefs.
Slavery – The condition in which a person is owned as property under the owner's control, usually for unpaid work or
service. Slavery was abolished by the British Parliament in 1833 and was made illegal in all British colonies, including
Canada, in August 1834.
Underground Railroad – a secret network of routes and safe houses used by slaves in the United States to escape to free
states in the North and to Canada with the help and guidance of abolitionists and free blacks.
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ABOUT THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
Between 1840 and 1860, before the American Civil War, many enslaved Africans followed the North Star on the
Underground Railroad to find freedom in Canada. The Underground Railroad was not an actual railroad, but a secret
network of routes and safe houses that helped people escape slavery to reach free northern states or Canada. Sometimes
there were guides available to help people find their way to the next stop along the way. Travelling on the Underground
Railroad was dangerous and required luck as well as a guide to find safe havens on the voyage.
Source: National Geographic 2011 (http://tce-live2.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/cache/media/62778b7a-e28f-4fe496c6-ec4011ee3af2_thumbnail_600_600.jpg)
The "railroad" actually began operating in the 1780s, but became known as the Underground Railroad in the 1830s. The
organization used railroad terms as code words. Those who helped people move from place to place were known as
"conductors" and the fleeing refugees were called "passengers" or "cargo." Safe places to stop to rest were called
"stations." Conductors were also abolitionists—people who wanted slavery abolished. They were Blacks and Whites, men
and women. Many of them were Quakers or Methodists, religious groups who supported Abolition. Some of the
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conductors and others associated with the railroad became famous for their efforts: Harriet Tubman, Mary Ann Shadd,
William Still, and Josiah Henson are but a few.
Places had code names to help keep the routes secret. Detroit, from which most refugees left the United States, was
known as "Midnight." The Detroit River was called "Jordan," a biblical reference to the river that led to the Promised Land.
The end of the journey also had a code name, such as "Dawn." People could communicate without being specific: "Take
the railroad from Midnight to Dawn." The refugees arrived in many places across Canada, from Nova Scotia to British
Columbia, but most came to what is now southwestern Ontario, to places such as Windsor, Fort Erie, Chatham and Owen
Sound.
It is impossible to know for certain how many slaves found freedom by way of the railroad, but it may have been as many
as 30 000. The railroad's traffic reached its peak between 1840 and 1860, especially after the United States passed The
Fugitive Slave Act, a law that allowed slave hunters to pursue and capture enslaved persons in places where they would
legally be free. It resulted in several attempts to kidnap escapees in Canada and return them to former owners in the
Southern States.
Source: http://www.blackhistorycanada.ca/
Picture: http://cdn.history.com/sites/2/2013/12/underground-railroad-hero-H.jpeg
THE ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE AND THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY
From the 16th to the 19th century, many European nations engaged in the Atlantic Slave trade by buying,
transporting, and selling slaves, especially black Africans, to America as unpaid labourers. In 1807, the United Kingdom
passed a law to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire, in particular the Atlantic slave trade, but it did not abolish
slavery itself. It was not until 26 years later that slavery actually became illegal in the British Empire and its colonies, with
the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833.
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THINKING ABOUT IDENTITY AND CULTURE (SOCIAL STUDIES, LANGUAGE ARTS)
How do people react and feel when they are forced into a foreign environment where they may not know the accepted
conventions and patterns of behaviour?
Procedure:
Ask students to gather in groups of four to five. Students must decide together on a “cultural norm” that identifies their
group members. A simple example might be that after they finish a sentence, they must bow, or when they finish
speaking, they must clap, or only women are allowed to answer a question directly. Their cultural norm MUST be a secret
rule known only to their group.
Each group then chooses someone to send as an ambassador to another group. Ambassadors then ask the group they are
visiting several questions. As a class, the teacher and students can determine these questions ahead of time. The object is
to guess what each other’s cultural norms or conventions are.
Once the ambassadors have visited their groups, they return to their original groups. The students then reveal what they
thought the cultural norms were for each group.
The teacher then leads a discussion on the idea of being identified as belonging to a specific group. What are some of the
accepted conventions or unwritten rules that we accept and practice in our culture? As a group, the students may then
generate a definition of culture.
Debriefing Questions after the role play:
How did it feel for the ambassadors to visit groups of people whose cultural norms they did not know?
How did it feel as a group member when the ambassadors didn’t have the same cultural norms as your group? How did
the ambassadors behave in the groups they were visiting? How did group members behave toward the ambassadors?
How can cultural diversity be seen as a valuable social characteristic? How can it sometimes be seen as threatening?
How do you think the southern slaves felt when they first entered Canada? Have we studied any other people in history
who may have had similar feelings to those of the refugee slaves?
Extensions: The activity can be extended into a study of contemporary Canadian citizenship, focusing on how newcomers
to Canada may feel when they arrive in Canada and how discrimination can sometimes be an automatic way of excluding
new members from society (systemic discrimination)
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A CHANGE IN STATUS (SOCIAL STUDIES/DRAMA)
This activity explores differences in power and requires the students to act and observe distinctions between high status
and low status through role play.
Procedure:
Tell students that they will engage in a role play to explore the consequences of status and power in society. Characters
will have differing levels of power ranging from 10 as the highest level to 1 as the lowest.
Divide students into groups of five. In each group, one student is assigned to be King/Queen, and one student is assigned
to be a Servant. The King/Queen is always a Level 10 status and the servant always a Level 1.
The King/Queen has just learned that a visiting royal family will be dining with them tonight. However, the meal the
kitchen staff has prepared contains fish, and one of the royal guests is allergic to fish. Therefore, the kitchen must fix the
problem immediately.
The King/Queen does not talk directly to the Servant. The message must pass through a chain of power and status. Just
below the King/Queen is the Royal Advisor. Below the Royal Advisor is the Head of House. Below the Head of House is
Chief of Kitchen Staff. Below the Chief of Kitchen Staff is the kitchen servant. Assign these roles to students from each
group.
The activity proceeds as a string of conversations between two people. First, the King/Queen calls the Royal Advisor and
scolds him or her for allowing the mistake to be made. In this exchange, the King/Queen is Level 10 status and the Royal
Advisor is Level 1 status. Next, the Royal Advisor calls the Head of House, and passes the blame. Now the Royal Advisor is
Level 10 status and the Head of House is Level 1 status. Next, the Head of House calls the Chief of Kitchen Staff. Now the
Head of House is Level 10 and the Chief of Kitchen Staff is Level 1. Finally, the Chief of Kitchen Staff calls upon the kitchen
servant. In each conversation, students change status roles, since the Royal Advisor is a Level 1 when talking to the
King/Queen, but Level 10 when talking to the Head of the House.
After the role play, debrief with students as to how they felt in each situation – when they had more power, and when
they had less. How did their ways of interacting change when they had more power or less power? How did it feel to be a
level 10 status as opposed to a level 1 status?
Encourage students to make connections between this role play and life in slavery, and ask students to establish a
purpose or a question they want to explore as they view the play.
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AFTER THE PERFORMANCE
RESPONDING TO THE PLAY (LANGUAGE ARTS/DRAMA)
Procedure:
Using a Think-Pair-Share, facilitate a discussion about the students’ views and feelings after seeing the play. Encourage
each student to express and justify his or her opinions, first with a partner, then with the class. Consider these questions:
-
How did the company create a world onstage that took the audience to many different places? What did you see and
hear that helped you to imagine these places?
-
How effectively did the performers play several roles? Was it always clear when the actors were playing Harriet and
when they were portraying a different character?
-
This play used a lot of music – how did that contribute to the story and the emotions of the characters?
-
What do courageous people like Harriet teach us about how to make choices in our own lives?
REFLECTING ON LEADERSHIP QUALITIES (LANGUAGE ARTS/SOCIAL STUDIES)
As one of the most successful black women to act as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman became
an icon and a hero. She was able to guide many people to freedom, including many members of her family. Her actions
inspired others to seek freedom and use the Underground Railroad. She received the nickname “Black Moses” because
she led her people to freedom as did Moses in the Bible.
Procedure: Ask students to think of a famous contemporary or historical leader or positive role model whom they respect.
This person might be an actor, scientist, athlete, musician, activist, politician, artist, etc.
Students research their chosen role models and identify six ways in which they show qualities of leadership. They explain
why they consider these persons to be positive role models.
Students then create a visual display or a short scenario that presents their chosen role model. They may also pair up to
conduct interviews, with one person taking the role of interviewer, and the other in his or her role as leader or role
model.
Ask students to rank the leadership characteristics they observed, with the most important at Number 1, and the least
important at Number 6. Then ask them to compare their lists with 2 or 3 other students, so as to come to a consensus
about the most important leadership characteristics. Encourage students to notice that different people have very
different leadership styles and can be role models in different ways. Ask them to make the distinction between people
who are merely influential because of their fame, wealth, political power, media appeal, or beauty and people who are
influential because of their character and achievements.
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MAPPING THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD (SOCIAL STUDIES, PARTICULARLY GRADE 10 GEOGRAPHY)
This activity teaches students about the Underground Railroad geography and its routes from the Southern states to
Canada.
Materials:
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Online access to maps of United States and Canada, and Google Maps
-
Pencil and paper
-
Internet access to take National Geographic’s “Route to Freedom” interactive game at
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/underground-railroad-interactive/
Procedure:
-
Each student will visit the National Geographic website and take the online journey called “Route to Freedom” by
following the link: http://education.nationalgeographic.com/underground-railroad-interactive/
-
Have the student make notes as they go through the decision steps, recording the names of the communities and
people mentioned along the journey.
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Display a map of the United States and Canada on a computer screen.
-
Ask students to use Google Maps to determine and mark each of the locations on the map. Ask students to
conduct research to determine the distance, the terrain and the topography of the areas covered in their voyage.
-
Ask students to present their maps with a description of their voyage – the places, the challenges, the weather,
the obstacles encountered, and the overall distance travelled on the Underground Railroad. Ask students to be as
realistic as possible, by adding a legend to include images of forests, mountains, swamps, etc., and by taking into
consideration factors such as climate, distance, and population distribution.
Extension: Have the students choose one of the names of the people they met along the journey and research their
contribution to the Underground Railroad.
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A JOURNAL OF THE VOYAGE TO FREEDOM (SOCIAL STUDIES, LANGUAGE ARTS)
Materials:
-
Access to a computer to use these websites or other pertinent and reliable sites:
National Geographic’s “Route to Freedom” http://education.nationalgeographic.com/underground-railroadinteractive/
Museum of African American History, Underground Railroad
http://ugrronline.com/
Procedure:
-
Ask students to select an identity/role (a child, a mother or a father) to take on as they travel through the
Underground Railroad. Ask each student to choose a realistic name and create a brief biographical profile of his or
her identity.
-
Have the students consult one of the recommended websites to take an online journey to freedom from slavery,
or to gather information about the voyage. Ask students to make notes of their experiences, fears, and challenges
along the “Route to Freedom” from their character’s point of view at each step along the way.
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Invite students to create a realistic travel log of their voyage to summarize their experience as a refugee from
slavery and as a newcomer in an unknown society.
Extension: Grade 12 Global Issues students may research and create a similar journal of the voyage of an economic or
political refugee leaving Africa to cross the Mediterranean to reach a destination in Europe.
INTERVIEWING A HISTORICAL FIGURE (LANGUAGE ARTS, DRAMA, SOCIAL STUDIES)
Procedure:
Tell students that they will be participating in an interview scenario. Ask for examples of interviews they have witnessed
or read about. Identify components of a good interview (e.g., probing questions, thoughtful responses, etc.)
Brainstorm with the class some interesting or useful questions that can be asked when interviewing any highly successful
person. Ask students to pair up to create a scenario in which one person takes on the role of Harriet Tubman (or another
historical figure of the period), and the other acts as an investigative journalist.
Encourage students to prepare questions for Harriet as a young woman before she escapes the plantation, questions for
Harriet during her escape (when she is alone in the forest), questions for Harriet after she successfully escapes to
freedom, and questions for her after she has escorted others to freedom.
Emphasize that responses to the questions must all be historically accurate and realistic, based on their research. Ask
students to concentrate on historical perspective-taking by putting themselves in the place of the people who lived in that
time.
After the interviews, generate a debriefing discussion to encourage students to express what they learned about historical
perspective taking.
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A BIOGRAPHICAL POEM (LANGUAGE ARTS/SOCIAL STUDIES)
This activity explores character by examining both internal factors and external factors that influence a person's life. The
goal is to have students create a bio-poem about Harriet Tubman or another significant character in the Underground
Railroad or during that period of history.
Procedure:
Using chart paper or a computer program, ask students to create a list of the influences on Harriet Tubman’s identity (or
another selected historical figure). Include the internal factors (personality traits, goals, beliefs, experiences) and the
external factors (life circumstances, social and financial position, historical facts, other people) that influenced this
person’s identity.
Invite students to use their lists to create a realistic bio-poem about the historical figure following this model, or creating
their own style:
Name of person
I am........................... and .............................. (insert two character traits)
I wonder about .................................
I hear ................................................
I see ...............................................
I touch ............................................
I want ............................................
I live in .................................................
I face ................................................ (insert challenge or obstacle)
I accept that ....................................( name a force or factor outside of your power to control)
I am helped by ................................
I am inspired by ......................................
I am ......................................................
I understand ...................................................
I say ............................................................
I dream..................................................
I try .....................................................
I am ..............................(repeat first line or name)
Extension: Students might create a short role play involving historical figures they researched, or characters in historical
novels such as The Book of Negroes or Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
Source: This activity has been adapted from Chapter 5 of The Big Six Historical Thinking Concepts, Peter Seixas and Tom Morton
(2013), Toronto: Nelson Education.
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HISTORICAL TABLEAU OF SLAVERY AND ABOLITION (SOCIAL STUDIES, LAN GUAGE ARTS, DRAMA)
Invite students to gather information on the groups and individuals involved in the historical fight to end slavery:
plantation owners in the South, slaves, freed slaves, conductors in the Underground Railroad, Quaker and Methodist
missionaries, Abolitionists, etc.
Explain to students that they will gather in small groups (4-6) to create a historical tableau about the abolition of slavery
movement of the 1800s. A tableau is a still-life scene from history, with or without props, in which a narrator introduces
the historical characters, who will then strike and hold a pose that expresses their feelings and their role for or against
abolition. The characters may interact, and make gestures, but generally they do not makes sounds or use words. Advise
each character in the tableau to plan ahead carefully, and to hold their dramatic pose for several seconds after the
narrator introduces them.
After the scenario is complete, invite the spectators to respond to the tableau. Did the group convey realistic feelings and
values of the people of the time? What technique best served to give a plausible interpretation of the slavery period and its
abolition? Did the audience remark any anachronisms or historical errors in the scene? What does this activity tell us about
interpreting the past?
Source: This activity has been adapted from Chapter 5 of The Big Six Historical Thinking Concepts, Peter Seixas and Tom Morton (2013), Toronto: Nelson Education.
THE ETHICAL DIMENSIONS OF HISTORY (LANGUAGE ARTS, AND SOCIAL STUDIES: GRADE 12 GLOBAL ISSUES)
Reflecting on the ethical dimensions of history is one of the historical thinking concepts, and this learning task may also be
used to support the Grade 11 History of Canada course.
Begin by presenting to students the following definition from Article 3, of the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, and
Punish Trafficking in Persons: “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the
threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position
of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over
another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the
prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery,
servitude or the removal of organs.”
Source: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime https://www.unodc.org/unodc/index.html?ref=menutop
Place students in teams to discuss the similarities between the historical slave trade and contemporary human trafficking.
Students may consult a website on modern slavery such as the following to obtain information on the topic:
http://www.endslaverynow.org/
http://humantraffickingsearch.net
Ask students to summarize their comparison of the historical slave trade and contemporary human trafficking and
generate a discussion about what citizens and nations can do to overcome discrimination and modern forms of slavery.
Discussion questions: Does the fact that human slavery is today considered to be a crime mean that we have overcome
slavery? What are the causes and consequences of human slavery? What are the best tools to fight modern trafficking?
Are there any lessons to be learned from the past? Should nations built on slavery be carrying out retribution for actions of
the past? What ethical positions are defensible by nations and citizens in the light of what has been learned from the past?
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MTYP’S DRAMA RESOURCE PROGRAM
Creativity, Confidence, Awareness. Workshops at MTYP foster creativity, confidence and social awareness. With the help
of our skilled and experienced instructors, we offer a range of programming that is unparalleled in Manitoba.
MTYP's Drama Outreach Program provides a number of different ways to bring a fresh approach to your curriculum. We
offer:

A number of drama workshops, as well as the opportunity to customize a dramatic workshop to meet any of your
educational needs.

Professional development for educators. With the implementation of the new Manitoba Arts Curriculum a
growing number of educators are inquiring about professional development possibilities here at MTYP.

Satellite programs and residencies. One of the most rewarding ways to encounter the art of theatre is to work on
a long-term project. MTYP provides the opportunity to set up a weekly course, or an in-school residency for
students of any age.
Play-related Workshops: Theatre for Living
Theatre for Living gives workshop participants the opportunity to experience theatre as a language to express feelings,
ideas, and relationships. An invaluable resource to explore challenging topics within The Power of Harriet T such as human
rights, discrimination, respect, leadership and more. Guaranteed to incite dialogue and empower your students to deepen
their understanding of key issues and themes presented in the play.
Drama Workshop Price List
Workshops for Students age 4-18 (groups of up to 25)
At MTYP: $85 per hour
At your school: $170 (first two hours) + $75 each additional hour (minimum 2 consecutive hours)
Workshops for Professionals (groups of up to 25)
At MTYP: $125 per hour
At your workplace (minimum 2 consecutive hours): $250 (first 2 hours) + $100 each additional hour
To book your workshop, please call or email:
Theresa Thompson, Drama Outreach Coordinator
(204) 947-0394 ext 227
Email: [email protected]
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