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Lesson Plan Image

Her Story

Virginia Hamilton was an award-winning author whose works explored the African American experience. Students will learn about her life and work and create a drawing based on this theme.

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.

  • Paper
  • Recycled Materials

Steps

  • Step 1

    Virginia Hamilton (1936-2002) was an American author of children's books who described her work as "liberation literature." She has won numerous awards including the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Newbery Medal, the Hans Christian Andersen Award, and others. In 2010 the American Library Association established the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award to recognize African American authors for their contribution to children's literature. Have students learn about her life and work, which explores the lives of African Americans. Have them read one or more stories from her book "Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales." They might also do further research on the stories and true tales of women presented in the book, such as  Annie Christmas, a 7' tall African American boat captain of folklore or women like Millie Evans who describes her life as an enslaved woman.

  • Step 2

    Ask students to choose a character from one of her books or stories to illustrate, or to create a portrait of the author herself. When the drawing is done they might choose to frame it with recycled materials such as aluminum foil.

  • Step 3

    Have students present their artwork and discuss some of the things they learned about Virginia Hamilton and the people - real or imaginary - that she wrote about.

Standards

LA: Add drawings or other visual displays to written text to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings. 

SS: Add drawings or other visual displays to written text to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings. 

Adaptations

The book "Rap a Tap Tap" was written and illustrated by Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon, who also illustrated Virginia Hamilton's book "Her Stories." It is another recipient of the Coretta Scott King Author Award and tells the story of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, an African American tap dancer in the 1920s and 1930s. Have students look at the beautiful illustrations in the book and learn more about this celebrated entertainer.

Virginia Hamilton's grandfather was brought to Ohio as an infant via the Underground Railroad. Have students learn about this organized network of secret routes and safe houses that helped enslaved people escape to the North.