Traveling the road to freedom through research and historical fiction
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=864
A lesson plan for grades 6–8 English Language Arts
Students learn about and discuss slavery and the Underground Railroad in this lesson that explores historical fiction and webquests. Once students have brainstormed characteristics of historical fiction, the teacher reviews characterization and explains some of the techniques authors use when developing a character. During a read aloud of Monica Kulling’s Escape North! The Story of Harriet Tubman, the class uses textual evidence to evaluate how the author characterizes Harriet Tubman. When finished reading, students brainstorm all of the questions they have about slavery and the Underground Railroad. While reading the books, students engage in conversations about the content and the writer’s techniques. Students are then divided into two groups, and each group will read a new historical fiction, using the novels not only to help them better understand the historical fiction genre and evaluate the writer’s effectiveness, but also to begin searching for the answers to their questions about slavery and the Underground Railroad. While acting in the role of one of the characters about which they have read, students independently complete the “Road to Freedom” webquest. When students have completed reading their books, the class discusses the Fugitive Slave Bill of 1850 and provides information to each other based on their readings. Finally, using all the material they have found, students write a brief piece of historical fiction that focuses on their character in the given situation. The lesson concludes with a discussion both assessing the information students learned through the activities and reflecting on their opinions about the activities. This lesson suggests several extension activities and provides multiple opportunities for reflection and assessment. Readwritethink provides handouts that explain historical fiction and guiding questions for students to use when reading a piece from the genre.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 6
- Goal 1: The learner will use language to express individual perspectives drawn from personal or related experience.
- Objective 1.01: Narrate an expressive account (e.g., fictional or autobiographical) which:
- uses a coherent organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context.
- tells a story or establishes the significance of an event or events.
- uses remembered feelings and specific details.
- uses a range of appropriate strategies (e.g., dialogue, suspense, movement, gestures, expressions).
- Objective 1.02: Explore expressive materials that are read, heard, and viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard, and/or viewed.
- analyzing the characteristics of expressive works.
- determining the effect of literary devices and/or strategies on the reader/viewer/listener.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- comparing and/or contrasting information.
- drawing inferences and/or conclusions.
- determining the main idea and/or significance of events.
- generating a learning log or journal.
- creating an artistic interpretation that connects self to the work.
- discussing books/media formally and informally.
- Objective 1.01: Narrate an expressive account (e.g., fictional or autobiographical) which:
- Goal 5: The learner will respond to various literary genres using interpretive and evaluative processes.
- Objective 5.02: Study the characteristics of literary genres (fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry) through:
- reading a variety of literature and other text (e.g., novels, autobiographies, myths, essays, magazines, plays, pattern poems, blank verse).
- interpreting what impact genre-specific characteristics have on the meaning of the work.
- exploring how the author's choice and use of a genre shapes the meaning of the literary work.
- exploring what impact literary elements have on the meaning of the text such as the influence of setting or the problem and its resolution.
- Objective 5.02: Study the characteristics of literary genres (fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry) through:
Grade 7
- Goal 1: The learner will use language to express individual perspectives in response to personal, social, cultural, and historical issues.
- Objective 1.01: Narrate an account such as a news story or historical episode which:
- creates a coherent organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context.
- orients the reader/listener to the scene, the people, and the events.
- engages the reader/listener by establishing a context and creating a point of view.
- establishes the signficance of events.
- Objective 1.02: Explore expressive materials that are read, heard, and viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard and/or viewed.
- summarizing the characteristics of expressive works.
- determining the importance of literary effects on the reader/viewer/listener.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- comparing and/or contrasting information.
- drawing inferences and/or conclusions.
- determining the main idea and/or significance of events.
- generating a learning log or journal.
- maintaining an annotated list of works read/viewed.
- creating an artistic interpretation that connects self and/or society to the selection.
- constructing and presenting book/media reviews.
- Objective 1.01: Narrate an account such as a news story or historical episode which:
- Goal 5: The learner will respond to various literary genres using interpretive and evaluative processes.
- Objective 5.02: Study the characteristics of literary genres (fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry) through:
- reading a variety of literature and other text (e.g., mysteries, novels, science fiction, historical documents, newspapers, skits, lyric poems).
- analyzing what effect genre specific characteristics have on the meaning of the work.
- analyzing how the author's choice and use of a genre shapes the meaning of the literary work.
- analyzing what impact literary elements have on the meaning of the text such as the influence of setting on the problem and its resolution.
- Objective 5.02: Study the characteristics of literary genres (fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry) through:
Grade 8
- Goal 1: The learner will use language to express individual perspectives through analysis of personal, social, cultural, and historical issues.
- Objective 1.01: Narrate a personal account which:
- creates a coherent, organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context.
- establishes a point of view and sharpens focus.
- uses remembered feelings.
- selects details that best illuminate the topic.
- connects events to self/society.
- Objective 1.02: Analyze expressive materials that are read, heard, and viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard, and/or viewed.
- reviewing the characteristics of expressive works.
- determining the importance of literary effects on the reader/viewer/listener.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- drawing inferences.
- generating a learning log or journal.
- maintaining an annotated list of works that are read or viewed, including personal reactions.
- taking an active role in and/or leading formal/informal book/media talks.
- Objective 1.01: Narrate a personal account which:
- Goal 5: The learner will respond to various literary genres using interpretive and evaluative processes.
- Objective 5.02: Study the characteristics of literary genres (fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry) through:
- reading a variety of literature and other text (e.g., young adult novels, short stories, biographies, plays, free verse, narrative poems).
- evaluating what impact genre-specific characteristics have on the meaning of the text.
- evaluating how the author's choice and use of a genre shapes the meaning of the literary work.
- evaluating what impact literary elements have on the meaning of the text.
- Objective 5.02: Study the characteristics of literary genres (fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry) through:
