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Honoring Harriet Tubman

Honoring Harriet Tubman

Remember and honor Harriet Tubman by learning about her life and the underground railroad and depicting her in a 3-D scene.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

  • Fabric
  • Heavy Paper
  • Paper
  • Recycled Cardboard Box

Steps

  • Step 1

    Have students learn about the life and work of Harriet Tubman (1822-1913), a woman who escaped slavery and became a leading abolitionist and social activist who led missions to rescue about 70 enslaved people. What is an abolitionist? What was the Underground Railroad? Who helped the rescued slaves along their quest for freedom?

  • Step 2

    Ask students to create a 3-D scene depicting Harriet Tubman and some items pertaining to her life and work. They can use a recycled box as the base and use paper and recycled cardboard to cut out figures for the scene which can be decorated with colored pencils, crayons, paint, and craft items such as fabric scraps. A background can be formed using heavy paper.

  • Step 3

    Have students present their creations and describe the scene they portrayed. Have a discussion about bravery, standing up for what's right, and having the courage to take risks in order to help other people.

Standards

SS: Time, Continuity, and Change: Analyze the causes and consequences of past events and developments, and place these in the context of the institutions, values and beliefs of the period in which they took place. 

SS: People, Places, and Environments: Understand various perspectives and examine changes in relationship between peoples, places, and environments.

Adaptations

In 1858 Harriet Tubman was introduced to John Brown, an abolitionist famous for the raid on the federal armory at Harper's Ferry, Virginia. Have students learn about this event and the ideals and tactics Tubman shared as well as those she disagreed with.

In her later years Harriet Tubman worked to promote the cause of women's suffrage. Have students research the suffragist movement as well as some of its notable people who fought to allow women to vote such as Susan B. Anthony, Ida B. Wells, and Frederick Douglass.