By Rocio Haro
Essential Question: What risks did Harriet Tubman take to secure the freedoms of Americans?
Text Set Purpose: The purpose of this text set is to help educators facilitate student learning in answering the essential question, “What risks did Harriet Tubman take to secure the freedoms of Americans.” To fulfill California Common Core and State Content Standards, third grade students must learn about the lives of American heroes and the risks they took to secure our freedoms. This text set will help educators provide students with a variety of materials at various reading levels to answer the essential question.
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Standards:
CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy: RI.3.1, 3.3, 3.7, 3.9
CA HSS Standards: 3.4.6
Book (Picture Book -Juvenile Fiction)- Anchor Text
Under the Quilt of Night by Deborah Hopkins
AR Level 3.0
This book was selected as the anchor text because it provides a good introduction to the topic of the underground railroad. The story is divided into sections: Running, Waiting, Hiding, Traveling, and Singing. Each section provides beautiful pictures that are mainly dark and mysterious. The book provides a good example of what one young girl must go through to reach freedom in the North. Although Harriet Tubman is not mentioned in the story, educators can use this title to introduce the topic of the underground railroad and how Harriet Tubman took risks to help create the underground railroad to improve the lives of others.
Book (Graphic Novel):
Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: The Underground Abductor: An Abolitionist Tale by Nathan Hale
AR Reading Level 3.1
This book was selected to help engage all students in the class. It is at grade level and a graphic novel. Reluctant readers will find the pictures and text engaging and it is a different type of format that teachers can introduce to students. Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales are always written with lot of research in mind so students will get accurate information through a fun and colorful presentation. Activities can also be organized with the concept of art or comics in mind to help describe a story or biography. Due to the small pictures, this would be a great book club or reading circle text.
Book (Poetry):
Honey, I love and Other Poems by Eloise Greenfield
AR Level 3.5
This book was selected due to its inclusion of the poem titled, “Harriet Tubman”. The poem is catchy, empowering, and easy for at-level third grade students to read. It uses phrases that are more popular with children today that will help them make connections between a historical hero and modern time.
Book (Picture Book):
An Apple for Harriet Tubman by Glennete Tilley Turner.
AR Level: 4.3
This picture book is slightly higher in reading level than the anchor text. The book is different from other books as it provides a glimpse into the life of Harriet Tubman as a child. Students will be able to learn about how Harriet had to pick apples as a slave but later grew and picked apples on her own terms as a free American. Educators can use this story to show how Harriet was able to have gatherings and share her apples with her friends as an adult due to the risks she took to secure freedoms for all Americans.
Book (Biography):
Who was Harriet Tubman? By Yona Zeldis McDonough
AR Level 4.6
This biography is part of the Who was? Series. These books are very popular as they are interesting to read and informative for younger readers. I selected this biography for the higher-level readers in the class. Higher level readers will be able to use this text for independent research and reading.
Book (Biography):
Harriet Tubman by Erin Edison
AR Level 2.7
Many students in a third-grade class will have difficulty reading text at and above grade level. This text was selected due to its lower reading level and simple text. I selected this text for lower level readers to use for independent research and reading.
Book (Biography):
Harriet Tubman: A Photo Illustrated Biography by Margo McLoone
AR Level 3.2
This book was selected due to it being at reading level, simple text, and interesting pictures that were not included in other books in this text set. I selected this text for students in the class that are at grade level in reading. They will be able to use this text independently for research and reading.
Visual/Text Cards:
Harriet Tubman Underground: Trading Cards by the National Park Service
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tradingcardsnpsyahoocom/sets/72157632769467862/with/8474610146/
Designed by the National Park Service, each trading card includes beautiful pictures and text to describe the picture in history. This is a great addition to the text set since it will help engage students in learning about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad through visually appealing cards. The reading level of the text appears to be slightly above third grade reading level but the cards can be used during collaborative learning activities where students are paired up with higher level readers.
Dramatization Video – The Life and Work of Harriet Tubman by BBC Teach (2017) – 12 minutes https://youtu.be/PVl-JNa9Cu8
This is a great dramatization video that is appropriate for third grade students to view to help make connections to what they have been reading about Harriet Tubman and the risks she took to secure freedoms for Americans. The video uses simple language and is told in the first person which helps make it more interesting for children. This is a great addition for English Language Learners and struggling readers as it will help them learn visually or provide support for what they have previously learned.
Newspaper Article:
Abolitionist Harriet Tubman to be front and center on U.S. $20 bill by Washington Post, adapted by Newsela Staff
Date 4/21/16
Grade Level 3, Word Count 387
https://newsela.com/read/20bill-harriettubman/id/16856/
This article was selected since it covers Harriet Tubman but in our current time. It shows how her risks to secure the lives of many are now being honored by placing her image on the $20-dollar bill. The article can be modified to change the Lexile level to that of a third-grade reading level through Newsela adaptation. This article will also help students learn about how Harriet Tubman is considered a hero in American society and how we recognize her achievements and risks in modern time.
Song
“The Drinking Gourd” - Songs of the Underground Railroad by the Harriet Tubman Historical Society
http://www.harriet-tubman.org/songs-of-the-underground-railroad/
The song, “The Drinking Gourd” was sung by Harriet Tubman and the people she helped lead to freedom. The song was used a tool to remember and communicate directions and meeting locations since many slaves could not read. The song also provided directions on when to escape and where to meet. Educators can use this song to help students decipher the secret directions or instructions they were trying to communicate and understand the risks Harriet Tubman took to secure the freedoms of Americans.
Essential Question: What risks did Harriet Tubman take to secure the freedoms of Americans?
Text Set Purpose: The purpose of this text set is to help educators facilitate student learning in answering the essential question, “What risks did Harriet Tubman take to secure the freedoms of Americans.” To fulfill California Common Core and State Content Standards, third grade students must learn about the lives of American heroes and the risks they took to secure our freedoms. This text set will help educators provide students with a variety of materials at various reading levels to answer the essential question.
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Standards:
CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy: RI.3.1, 3.3, 3.7, 3.9
CA HSS Standards: 3.4.6
Book (Picture Book -Juvenile Fiction)- Anchor Text
Under the Quilt of Night by Deborah Hopkins
AR Level 3.0
This book was selected as the anchor text because it provides a good introduction to the topic of the underground railroad. The story is divided into sections: Running, Waiting, Hiding, Traveling, and Singing. Each section provides beautiful pictures that are mainly dark and mysterious. The book provides a good example of what one young girl must go through to reach freedom in the North. Although Harriet Tubman is not mentioned in the story, educators can use this title to introduce the topic of the underground railroad and how Harriet Tubman took risks to help create the underground railroad to improve the lives of others.
Book (Graphic Novel):
Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: The Underground Abductor: An Abolitionist Tale by Nathan Hale
AR Reading Level 3.1
This book was selected to help engage all students in the class. It is at grade level and a graphic novel. Reluctant readers will find the pictures and text engaging and it is a different type of format that teachers can introduce to students. Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales are always written with lot of research in mind so students will get accurate information through a fun and colorful presentation. Activities can also be organized with the concept of art or comics in mind to help describe a story or biography. Due to the small pictures, this would be a great book club or reading circle text.
Book (Poetry):
Honey, I love and Other Poems by Eloise Greenfield
AR Level 3.5
This book was selected due to its inclusion of the poem titled, “Harriet Tubman”. The poem is catchy, empowering, and easy for at-level third grade students to read. It uses phrases that are more popular with children today that will help them make connections between a historical hero and modern time.
Book (Picture Book):
An Apple for Harriet Tubman by Glennete Tilley Turner.
AR Level: 4.3
This picture book is slightly higher in reading level than the anchor text. The book is different from other books as it provides a glimpse into the life of Harriet Tubman as a child. Students will be able to learn about how Harriet had to pick apples as a slave but later grew and picked apples on her own terms as a free American. Educators can use this story to show how Harriet was able to have gatherings and share her apples with her friends as an adult due to the risks she took to secure freedoms for all Americans.
Book (Biography):
Who was Harriet Tubman? By Yona Zeldis McDonough
AR Level 4.6
This biography is part of the Who was? Series. These books are very popular as they are interesting to read and informative for younger readers. I selected this biography for the higher-level readers in the class. Higher level readers will be able to use this text for independent research and reading.
Book (Biography):
Harriet Tubman by Erin Edison
AR Level 2.7
Many students in a third-grade class will have difficulty reading text at and above grade level. This text was selected due to its lower reading level and simple text. I selected this text for lower level readers to use for independent research and reading.
Book (Biography):
Harriet Tubman: A Photo Illustrated Biography by Margo McLoone
AR Level 3.2
This book was selected due to it being at reading level, simple text, and interesting pictures that were not included in other books in this text set. I selected this text for students in the class that are at grade level in reading. They will be able to use this text independently for research and reading.
Visual/Text Cards:
Harriet Tubman Underground: Trading Cards by the National Park Service
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tradingcardsnpsyahoocom/sets/72157632769467862/with/8474610146/
Designed by the National Park Service, each trading card includes beautiful pictures and text to describe the picture in history. This is a great addition to the text set since it will help engage students in learning about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad through visually appealing cards. The reading level of the text appears to be slightly above third grade reading level but the cards can be used during collaborative learning activities where students are paired up with higher level readers.
Dramatization Video – The Life and Work of Harriet Tubman by BBC Teach (2017) – 12 minutes https://youtu.be/PVl-JNa9Cu8
This is a great dramatization video that is appropriate for third grade students to view to help make connections to what they have been reading about Harriet Tubman and the risks she took to secure freedoms for Americans. The video uses simple language and is told in the first person which helps make it more interesting for children. This is a great addition for English Language Learners and struggling readers as it will help them learn visually or provide support for what they have previously learned.
Newspaper Article:
Abolitionist Harriet Tubman to be front and center on U.S. $20 bill by Washington Post, adapted by Newsela Staff
Date 4/21/16
Grade Level 3, Word Count 387
https://newsela.com/read/20bill-harriettubman/id/16856/
This article was selected since it covers Harriet Tubman but in our current time. It shows how her risks to secure the lives of many are now being honored by placing her image on the $20-dollar bill. The article can be modified to change the Lexile level to that of a third-grade reading level through Newsela adaptation. This article will also help students learn about how Harriet Tubman is considered a hero in American society and how we recognize her achievements and risks in modern time.
Song
“The Drinking Gourd” - Songs of the Underground Railroad by the Harriet Tubman Historical Society
http://www.harriet-tubman.org/songs-of-the-underground-railroad/
The song, “The Drinking Gourd” was sung by Harriet Tubman and the people she helped lead to freedom. The song was used a tool to remember and communicate directions and meeting locations since many slaves could not read. The song also provided directions on when to escape and where to meet. Educators can use this song to help students decipher the secret directions or instructions they were trying to communicate and understand the risks Harriet Tubman took to secure the freedoms of Americans.