History Through the Lens of Hollywood: Harriet
In this two-part class we will discuss Harriet Tubman, her life, the Underground Railroad and the fight to end slavery as well as watch the movie Harriet.
Whitney E Davison
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(251)
What's included
2 live meetings
1 hrs 50 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
This class is part of my series entitled History Through the Lens of Hollywood. In this series, we take a look at a historical event and how it is portrayed in Hollywood. On the first day of the class, we learn all about the historical event as it pertains to history. The students then go off on their own and watch the movie over the course of the week between classes. There is a study guide they are asked to fill out while they watch the movie. This study guide helps to guide the upcoming conversation and also helps the student pay attention to the historically important parts of the movie. During the second class, we discuss the movie. We focus on the historical components of the movie and what we learned from it, but we will also discuss any liberties or inaccuracies the producers may have taken with the movie and why that may have happened. We do this so the students begin to learn how to critically think about the information they are given. In this class, we will spend the first-class learning about Harriet Tubman. We will look at her life as a slave, her escape north, and then focus predominantly on her work as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. We will also look at her life during the Civil War when she was a spy for the Union and her life after the Civil War. As we learn about her time as a conductor on the Underground Railroad we will also learn about how the Underground Railroad worked. We will also learn about slavery and how it worked in America during Harriet Tubman's lifetime. After the first class, the students will go off and watch Harriet on their own and fill out the accompanying study guide. We will then meet for the second class. During the second class, we will discuss the movie and its historically significant parts. We will stick to the above topics, but use the movie to further our discussion and understanding of the topic. In both classes, I will incorporate class discussion, question and answer, games, activities, and break out-groups. My classes are very interactive and engaging so come with me to visit one of the most amazing women in American history.
Learning Goals
During this class we will gain a better understanding of:
Slavery in America
Harriet Tubman's life
The Underground Railroad
Abolitionist Movement
Other Details
Parental Guidance
This movie and the class are about slavery. We will be discussing the act of slavery, the racism embedded in it, and the practices of slavery. I am very careful to make sure it is age-appropriate, however, I am also truthful about what our history was like. I do not sensationalize, but I also don't sugar coat information. That said the movie is very tame compared to other slavery movies and we will focus more on the acts of escaping then the horrors that occurred while enslaved.
Supply List
A study guide will be provided the first day of class. You will need to access a showing of Harriet. This movie can be streamed on most streaming services. I know it can be rented on Youtube or Amazon.
1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined March, 2020
4.9
251reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
In college, I received my Bachelor of Art in History, with a focus on elementary education. After college, I spent the next 20 years as a teacher in a brick and mortar school. I started out in the elementary setting teaching all of the subjects, but I quickly moved up to middle school where I spent a few years teaching English. Over the last decade, I was exclusively a 7th and 8th-grade history teacher. I taught Ancient History and American History. I feel very comfortable in this area and pride myself on making, what can be considered a dry subject, interesting, engaging, and relevant to the elementary and teenage person.Reviews
Live Group Class
$24
for 2 classes1x per week, 2 weeks
55 min
Completed by 5 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-14
3-10 learners per class
