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Before She Was Harriet
Before She Was Harriet: The Story of Harriet Tubman | Lesa Cline-Ransome
19 posts | 17 read | 15 to read
A lush and lyrical biography of Harriet Tubman, written in verse and illustrated by an award-winning artist. We know her today as Harriet Tubman, but in her lifetime she was called by many names. As General Tubman she was a Union spy. As Moses she led hundreds to freedom on the Underground Railroad. As Minty she was a slave whose spirit could not be broken. An evocative poem and opulent watercolors come together to honor a woman of humble origins whose courage and compassion make her larger than life. A Junior Library Guild Selection
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katemccord

“Before she was Minty she was Araminta, a young girl taught by her father to read the woods and the stars at night readying for the day.“

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katemccord

I would use this book to teach children about this historical figure. This book has a great writing style and will be a pleasure for children of all ages to hear.

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katemccord
Pickpick

This is an amazing book about Harriet Tubman and the many roles she played throughout her life. Young children will be able to easily understand this story and love the illustrations. Perfect addition to any classroom!

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Eggs
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Pickpick

Harriet Tubman‘s story is told in reverse fromUnderground Railroad back through the other parts of her life. Well done.

#Pantone2023
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#MarvellousMarchReadathon Day1
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Andrew65 This sounds excellent, stacked! 2y
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 2y
Eggs @Andrew65 🥳 2y
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Eggs @DieAReader 💙💙 2y
Clwojick Woohoo! 2y
Eggs @Clwojick 💙🤍💙 2y
74 likes3 stack adds6 comments
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Hcecrle

This is a biography of Harriet Tubman beginning at the time of which she is an older lady. It then plays out her life events back in time when she helped slaves escape on the Underground Railroad. It talks about her job as a spy and her various achievements throughout history. I would recommend reading this story to the upper elementary grades. I think it would be a great book to introduce the impact of slavery. Published in 2017.

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erzascarletbookgasm
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Pickpick

Beautiful words and illustrations to honour a strong, courageous, and heroic woman. I learnt that Harriet Tubman, in her lifetime, played many different roles, was known by different names. Lesa Cline-Ransome ingeniously tells Harriet‘s story backwards, in context of each role she held. A wonderful introduction to this amazing historical figure.

66 likes4 stack adds
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JenniferEgnor
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Pickpick

This is a book with beautiful words, and beautiful illustrations about an extraordinary woman: Harriet Tubman.

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ReaganT
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Pickpick

“Before She Was Harriet” is a great biography about the life of Harriet Tubman and the many paths she took in her lifetime toward ending slavery. It was the winner of the 2019 Audie Award for Young Listeners. This link has a read aloud from the author herself as well as some information on the book! https://www.kidlit.tv/2018/02/read-loud-harriet/ This book can be used in a lesson about slavery.

ReaganT The lesson would work well with ESOL strategy 4- Link lesson topic to students‘ prior knowledge. The audio reading would cover UDL principle 1.1- offer ways of customizing the display of information. 4y
DrSpalding Your resource is a very helpful one! Check out the readers theater page of our Google site and you will find a wonderful readers theater script to accompany this book. 4y
7 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Karissacurrier
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Pickpick

This B, RT Coretta Scott King Award Winning book is a wonderful book about Harriet Tubman. This book tells the life story of Harriet Tubman, and how she navigated through her life as a slave. #UCFLAE3414SP21

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w7sUnqTUxZgy9RD-MaT8R9GGKBJ0G2xkvvzh0mq5sTI/...

Karissacurrier The attached links include helpful tips engaging students in a RT from reading rockets, and also a RT script. The UDL Principle 5.3 discusses the practice of building fluencies which students can do while participating in a RT. The EL Strategy 16 about integrating speaking, reading and writing with a RT will engage students and improve fluency and comprehension. 4y
DrSpalding You have 10 books noted and you have continued to do a beautiful job! Keep reading wonderful books and posting. Nice variety of strategies and high-quality resources included. 4y
5 likes3 comments
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Nkaufmann
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Pickpick

#ucflae3414su20
Before She Was Harriet is written by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James E. Ransome, and has been awarded an honorary Coretta Scott King Award. This book is a biography (B) and it is about Harriet Tubman and the many great things she has done for our country. Moreover, this book not only serves as a reading lesson but a social studies lesson on an important figure in American history.

Nkaufmann I think that this book could be read with a partner (PR) with each student taking turns reading every page. The language is simple and most pages starts with “Before she was…”. This will, in turn, will help the students become more confident in their reading abilities and more fluent.

The UDL principle 3.1 regarding activating or supplying background knowledge and the EL principle 13 regarding using preview/review activities...
4y
Nkaufmann could be met by this book as the teacher could provide some general information on Harriet Tubman before having the students read this book.

Resource: http://holidayhouse.com/docs/Before_She_Was_Harriet_Revised_0917.pdf

4y
DrSpalding I know you like readers theater. A student turned this book into a fabulous readers theater script. Again, another great book that could be used during social studies instruction. Expand on your use of the resources you found to complement these books. 4y
3 likes3 comments
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ShardaeP
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Pickpick

This is a biography of Harriet Tubman. It discusses all the aliases she went by through the years, as she was helping people. Most know how she was a conductor for the underground railroad, but she did so much more. #ucflae3414sp20

ShardaeP ESOL: Link lesson topic to students' prior knowledge (build off of what they already know about Harriet Tubman)
UDL: 3.2 Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships (connect to Black history and women's history)
Website: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/harriet-tubman (students can learn more about this historical Black figure)
5y
DrSpalding What a wonderful resource! If you go to the readers theater page, there is a readers theater based on this lovely book. English learner strategy 28 works beautifully with biographies. Check it out and be sure to note your English learner strategy numbers. 5y
3 likes2 comments
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abbie-cadabbie
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Pickpick

“Before She Was Harriet” by Lesa Cline-Ransome tells the beautiful story of Harriet Tubman and the many names she was known for prior to being what we know her to be. This B is a Coretta Scott King Award winning story that would make a great RA for your younger elementary students. Make sure to add this book to your classrooms to teach about our very important history! #UCFLAE3414F19 CMC

abbie-cadabbie The lesson plan would be great to pair with this story because it includes activities for before, during, and after reading. It also includes vocabulary, background information, and cause and effect charts. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Before-She-Was-Harriet-4329470 5y
abbie-cadabbie The UDL strategy I would use would be to clarify vocabulary and symbols (2.1) This would help my students become more familiar with certain concepts they may not understand while I‘m reading to them. As for my ESOL strategy, I would reinforce the key ideas I present again and again (15) This will help my students fully grasp what I am saying. 5y
DrSpalding This beautiful book was recently purchased for the CMC and I am thrilled you chose to read it. I had a student read it last semester and turn it into a readers theater script. It is on our Google site for your use. Read aloud during a social studies unit or readers theater… Students should hear the powerful story of this amazing woman. 5y
2 likes3 comments
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KPC
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B/ Coretta Scott King Award/ RA/ This is a beautiful book with beautiful illustrations. This story explains all her roles in life in a backward chronological order. She was a suffragist, a general, a spy, a nurse, Aunt Harriet, Moses, and a conductor. Activities: http://www.holidayhouse.com/docs/Before_She_Was_Harriet_Guide_Final.pdf UDL: 3.3 EL: illustrations #UCFSU19

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sydneybrooks

But before wrinkles formed and her eyes failed before she reached her twilight years she could walk for miles and see clearly under a sky lit only with stars

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sydneybrooks

This is another great book that would be great to have on the shelf all year but be sure that it gets brought out at some point in the year for everyone to see. I was personally shocked to read everything that Harriet did throughout her lifetime.

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sydneybrooks
Pickpick

This biography is uniquely written because it‘s in the style of a poem. The illustrations really bring this story to life and grab the reader with their beauty. This book also brings to light all of the many things Harriet Tubman did, and not just one or two of the things she‘s most well known for.

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audrey.wilson
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Pickpick

Before She was Harriet by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James E. Ransome, received an honorary Coretta Scott King Award. This biography follows Harriet Tubman through her life, portraying all the things she was before she became Harriet from the underground railroad. This book is excellent for an RA. The illustrations in this book are quite spectacular. I will use this book for my reader's theater, and it would work either way!

audrey.wilson I would use this book to introduce the underground railroad before teaching. Scholastic provides a fantastic lesson on the underground railroad, https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plans/teaching-content/harriet-tubman... 6y
audrey.wilson This book follows ESOL 12, teach two objectives language and content. The word in the book uses a lot of vocabulary not often heard, like suffragist and liberator. The material about the underground railroad follows the book and the lesson. UDL 7.2, optimize relevance, value, and authenticity allows this book/lesson.
6y
karamank @audrey.wilson I think this book is an excellent choice for teaching students about the Underground Railroad! I absolutely adore the creativity in the photos you took. Awesome job. (edited) 6y
cwright i was obsessed with your storytelling. this book is wonderful and i need to but it ASAP! 6y
1 like1 stack add5 comments
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LibrarianRyan
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Pickpick

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
An absolutely beautiful tribute to a heroic and fierce woman. To a woman who fought not just for her freedom, but for the freedom of others. A must have for any children‘s collection that wants to recognize strong women.

josie281 The illustrations! Wow! 6y
51 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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howlinglibraries
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Pickpick

Don‘t mind me, just sobbing over a children‘s picture book 😭💕 #weneeddiversebooks