Lesson Plan: Freedom Crossing…The Safe House
Suggested Grades: 2-3
Heather Lynn Shanks
Discipline: NYS Learning Standards
English Language Arts (ELA)
Standard 1: Language for Information and Understanding
Standard 3: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation
Standard 4: Language for Social Interaction
The Arts – Visual
Standard 1: Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Arts
Standard 2: Knowing and Using Art Materials and Resources
Standard 3: Responding To and Analyzing Works of Art
COMMON CORE LEARNING STANDARDS
Speaking and Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
Language Standards
Conventions of Standard English
Knowledge of Language
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
Reading: Literature
Key Ideas and Details
2. Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their
central message, lesson, or moral.
3. Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
Corresponding College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standard
2. Determine the central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the
key supporting details and ideas.
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a
text.
Writing
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
8. Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a
question.
Corresponding College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standard
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and
accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
OBJECTIVES
 The student will examine the exhibit, Freedom Crossing: The Underground Railroad in
Greater Niagara, at the Castellani Museum of Niagara University using Visual Thinking
Strategies (VTS).
 After reading or listening to the story An Apple For Harriet Tubman, the student will
state or explain the central message, lesson or moral of the story. [2.RL.2]
 The student will retell the story An Apple For Harriet Tubman stating how Harriet
responded to at least one challenge or major event. [2.RL.3]
 The student will make a Harriet Tubman Diorama depicting both Harriet and a safe house
using various art materials.
 Using information from various books, sources and the museum visit, the student will
answer the question “What would you put in the safe house for Harriet Tubman?” in a
proper sentence or paragraph at grade level [2.W.8]
PREPARATION
1. Resources
a. Access to the art exhibition, Freedom Crossing: The Underground Railroad in
Greater Niagara, at the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University
b. Children’s Story Book, An Apple For Harriet Tubman by Glennette Tilley Turner
c. A Part Of Our Heritage – The Underground Railroad video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCy-c4EQVWQ&feature=related
2. Teacher Materials
a. Visual Thinking Strategies (handout)
b. Information about the story with emphasis on the central message, lesson or moral
and Harriets responses to challenges or major events
c. Underground Railroad Exhibit Resource Information
3. Art Materials
a. Recycled newspaper
b. Recycled boxes and lots of cardboard
c. Paper towels
d. Construction Paper
e. White Paper
f. Coffee filters
g. Spray bottle filled with water
h. Various pieces of fabric (colors and patterns)
i. Paint brushes
j. Crayons
k. Pencil crayons
l. Markers
m. Washable tempera paint
n. School glue
o. Scissors
BODY OF LESSON
1. Anticipatory Set
a. Teacher to introduce and read the book An Apple For Harriet Tubman by
Glennette Tilley Turner
b. After the story, the teacher and class will discuss the main themes/ideas of the
book, asking students to describe the central theme, lesson, moral of the story.
c. Teacher will ask students to describe how Harriet responded to specific situations
in the book.
d. Show the students the video A Part Of Our Heritage – The Underground
Railroad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCy-c4EQVWQ&feature=related
and briefly discuss the Underground Railroad
e. Students will tour the art exhibition, Freedom Crossing: The Underground
Railroad in Greater Niagara, at the Catellani Art Museum and participate in
VTS.
2. Procedure
a. Teacher will take the students through the Freedom Crossing: The Underground
Railroad in Greater Niagara exhibition and apply VTS.
b. Teacher will ask students what the purposes of safe houses were; how safe houses
were disguised; and have a general discussion surrounding safe houses in
connection to the Underground Railroad.
c. Teacher will introduce art activity and disseminate materials.
d. Students will make a diarama of Harriet Tubman and a safe house (see Diorama
Instructions).
e. Students will complete the writing expectation, answering the question “What
would you put in the safe house for Harriet?” as per grade level expectations.
3. Accommodations
a. Teacher to provide (if possible) a copy of the book to any student while during the
class reading if required.
b. Teacher will provide visual prompts (pointing) during the viewing of the art
exhibit.
c. Teacher will provide a list of items that could be utilized in a safe house for
students if required.
d. Teacher will provide starter sentences, words or skeleton paragraphs for students
who require extra assistance.
ASSESSMENT
1. Informally
a. At the end of the session the teacher will ask students to share their artworks and
explain what he/she would put in the safe house with the rest of the class.
2. Formally
a. Teacher will ask students to restate the main ideas of the story and how Harriet
Tubman responded to at least one major event in the story.
b. Teacher will assess the written component based on grade level expectations.
EXTRA RESOURCES
1) Other Harriet Tubman Books
a. My First Biography – Harriet Tubman by Marion Dane Bauer
b. A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman by David A. Adler
c. Who Was Harriet Tubman? By Yona Zeldis McDonough
d. Escape North! The Story of Harriet Tubman by Monica Kulling
e. Harriet Tubman (Rookie Biographies) by Wil Mara
f. Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky by Faith Ringgold
g. Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman by Dorothy Sterling
h. Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People To Freedom by Carole Boston
Weatherford
i. Easy Reader Biographies: Harriet Tubman: Follow the North Star by Violet
Findley
j. Wanted Dead or Alive: The True Story Of Harriet Tubman by Ann Mcgovern
k. Time For Kids: Harriet Tubman: A Woman of Courage by Editors of TIME for
Kids
2) Underground Railroad Books
a. If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine
b. If You Traveled West In A Covered Wagon by Ellen Levine
c. Follow the Drinking Gourd by Jeanette Winter
d. Barefoot: Escape on the Underground Railroad by Pamela Duncan
e. The Underground Railroad For Kids: From Slavery to Freedom with 21 Activities
by Mary Kay Carson
f. The Last Safe House: A Story of the Underground Railroad by Barbara
Greenwood
g. Secret Signs: Along the Underground Railroad by Anita Riggio
h. The Underground Railroad: Authentic Narratives and First-Hand Accounts by
William Still
i. The Secret to Freedom by Marcia Vaughan
j. North by Night: A Story of the Underground Railroad by Katherine Ayres
k. The Drinking Gourd: A Story of the Underground Railroad by F.N. Monjo
l. Dear Austin: Letters from the Underground Railroad by Elvira Woodruff
3) Songs/Poems
a. Get on Board! Underground Railroad & Civil Freedom Songs by Kim & Reggie
Harris
b. Steal Away – Songs of the Underground Railroad by Kim & Reggie Harris
c. Harriet Tubman
i. http://www.peacecouple.com/2012/01/09/harriet-tubman-didnt-take-nostuff-peace-song-for-192012/
Lesson Adapted from: Harriet Tubman Triarama
http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/detail/harriet-tubman-triarama-lesson-plan/