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Suggested Grade Level: 9-10
Estimated Time: Two
to three class periods
Introduction:
By exploring the life and portraits
of Frederick Douglass,
students will gain an understanding of the history of slavery in the
United States. While further examining an anti-slavery speech written
by Douglass and a modern sculpture by Richard Hunt, students will begin
to understand the concept of heroism and develop speech-writing and
speaking skills.
Lesson Objectives:
- Examine the history of the anti-slavery movement
and identify aspects of slave life in the United States
- Describe important events in the life of Frederick
Douglass
- Define the concept of heroism
- Demonstrate personal beliefs through speech writing
Key Terms:
Instructional Materials:
Procedures:
Discussion:
- Introduce students to the life of Frederick Douglass
and the history of slavery in the United States by asking them to
read chapters one and eleven of Narrative
of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Discuss
the text with students and help them put Douglass’s life into
a historical context. (For research assistance, see Books
and Media.) Ask students the following questions:
- What conditions did Douglass live in as a child?
- How did he manage to escape slavery?
- What historical events relating to slavery
happened during his lifetime? (for example, Harper’s
Ferry, the Emancipation
Proclamation)
- Based on Douglass’s writings, how would
you describe his personality?
- Have students examine and discuss the daguerreotype
of Frederick Douglass. Start the discussion by asking what visual
clues in the daguerreotype reveal Douglass’s temperament (his
pose and expression).
- Discuss the concept of a hero. Make a list of
the qualities a hero displays (strength, bravery, leadership, etc.).
Ask students to describe how Douglass’s image represents heroism.
- Show students Richard Hunt’s sculpture Hero
Construction. Ask them to think about the following questions:
- Why did Hunt call this sculpture Hero Construction?
- What elements of the sculpture suggest the
figure’s heroic status?
- Imagine his heroic deed.
Activity:
- Ask students to think like speech writers for
the figure in Hero Construction. Encourage them to imagine
what he would speak about, where he would give the speech, and who
would attend. In preparation for writing, have students read Douglass’s
speech "The
Hypocrisy of American Slavery," delivered July
4, 1852. Discuss the speech, asking students if they think it is effective
and why. Ask them to name the elements that make the speech effective
(use of interrogatives, length, etc.).
- Encourage students to write a one-page speech
for the figure in Hero Construction and ask them to read their
work aloud in small groups.
Evaluation:
Base students’ evaluation on their participation
in the discussion, written work, and oral presentations.
Follow-Up:
- Have students start an oral-history project focused
on a hero from their family, school, or neighborhood. As a class,
develop questions for students to ask their subjects and formulate
a list of people for them to interview. Ask students to write a brief
paper describing the actions of this individual and each naming the
qualities that make him or her heroic. Have students submit a photograph
of this individual that captures his or her heroic status.
Illinois
Learning Standards
English Language Arts: 1-4
Social Science: 16
Fine Arts: 25
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