from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
by Ann Petry
Introducing the Selection
Literary Focus: Biography and Coherence
Reading Focus: Finding the Main Idea
Writing Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer
Feature Menu
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
by Ann Petry
How much should a person sacrifice for freedom?
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
by Ann Petry
Click on the title to start the video.
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Introducing the Selection
As the fleeing slaves traveled on foot by night, they encountered many difficulties and dangers.
In 1851, Harriet Tubman led a group of eleven slaves to freedom. During the month-long journey, she struggled to avoid capture on the trip from Maryland to Canada.
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Introducing the Selection
As you read the selection, think about how the system Tubman used to lead slaves to freedom came to be called the “Underground Railroad.”
[End of Section]
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Literary Focus: Biography and Coherence
A biography is the story of someone’s life written by another person.
Biographers work hard to make their subjects come to life on the page.
I want my readers to
experience what it’s like to walk in my subject’s shoes, so I use lots of details.
Humanitarian Mother Teresa cares for an orphan in Calcutta.
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Literary Focus: Biography and Coherence
The biography writer helps us “meet” the people in a biography. We observe
• actions and motivations,
Civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. leads a peace rally.
• interactions with others.
• values, and
President and Mrs. Kennedy greet fans at the Orange Bowl in Florida.
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Literary Focus: Biography and Coherence
In nonfiction, a text is coherent if the important details support the main idea and connect to one another in a clear order.
detail 1 detail 2 detail 3 detail 4
MAIN IDEA
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Literary Focus: Biography and Coherence
A good biography has coherence. Its details come together in a logical order . . .
infant toddler child teen
. . . making the biography easy to understand.
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Literary Focus: Biography and Coherence
Biographers use details to help us feel we know the people about whom they are writing.
I feel like I know what this
person’s life was really like.
born in a farmhouse in 1823
attended a one-room schoolhouse
married childhood sweetheart at 24
became an award-winning reporter
started a newspaper
[End of Section]
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Reading Focus: Finding the Main Idea
The main idea is the central idea or message of a nonfiction text.
Main Idea
Main Idea
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Reading Focus: Finding the Main Idea
To find the main idea, look for key statements made by the writer and for details that point to an important idea.
key statement key statement
detail
detail
detail
detail
detail
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Reading Focus: Finding the Main Idea
Read the following passage, looking for key statements and details.
key statement detail
Language can be tricky. For example, the word salsa has more than one meaning. Salsa commonly describes a sauce that’s used as a dip for chips or a dressing on vegetables. The sauce ranges from mild to very hot. However, salsa also refers to a popular form of Latin American music. This music tends to be a combination of fast blues, jazz, and rock.
Looking at the key statements and details, state the main idea of the passage.
Language can be tricky. For example, the word salsa has more than one meaning. Salsa commonly describes a sauce that’s used as a dip for chips or a dressing on vegetables. The sauce ranges from mild to very hot. However, salsa also refers to a popular form of Latin American music. This music tends to be a combination of fast blues, jazz, and rock.
Language can be tricky. For example, the word salsa has more than one meaning. Salsa commonly describes a sauce that’s used as a dip for chips or a dressing on vegetables. The sauce ranges from mild to very hot. However, salsa also refers to a popular form of Latin American music. This music tends to be a combination of fast blues, jazz, and rock.
Main IdeaThe same word can
have two very different meanings.
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Reading Focus: Finding the Main Idea
To find the main idea, look for key statements made by the writer and for details that point to an important idea.
Salsa is a kind of sauce.
Salsa is a style of music.
a dip for chips
mild to hot
blues, jazz, & rock
Latin American
a dressingfor veggies
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Reading Focus: Finding the Main Idea
Into Action: As you read the biography, write down details that seem important. When you have finished, write the main idea.
[End of Section]
Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad
“It was the largest group that she had ever conducted.”
Important detail:
Important detail:
Find It in Your Reading
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Writing Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer
In this biography, Ann Petry turns historical facts into a dramatic story.
[End of Section]
As you read, record in a notebook objective, or factual, passages and subjective passages, which reveal the writer’s feelings and opinions.
Vocabulary
fugitives n.: people fleeing from danger or oppression.
incentive n.: reason to do something; motivation.
dispel v.: get rid of by driving away.
incomprehensible adj.: impossible to understand.
eloquence n.: ability to write or speak gracefully and convincingly.
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Vocabulary
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Vocabulary
Fugitives are people who are trying to escape oppression or danger.
Those who traveled the Underground Railroad were fugitives from the unjust system of slavery.
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Vocabulary
The campers became fugitives when
a. they built a campfire.
b. they set up their tent.
c. they ran away from an angry bear.
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Vocabulary
The campers became fugitives when
a. they built a campfire.
b. they set up their tent.
c. they ran away from an angry bear.
What hardships might fugitives face while escaping oppression?
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Vocabulary
To some adults, teenage activities may seem incomprehensible.
For example, they may find it impossible to understand why teens enjoy certain sports.
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Vocabulary
“I don’t get algebra,” complained Michael’s little brother. “It’s incomprehensible!”
a. easy and straightforward.
b. too difficult to understand.
c. useful and valuable.
Michael’s brother thinks algebra is
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Vocabulary
a. easy and straightforward.
b. too difficult to understand.
c. useful and valuable.
How do you tackle a subject that seems incomprehensible?
“I don’t get algebra,” complained Michael’s little brother. “It’s incomprehensible!”
Michael’s brother thinks algebra is
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Vocabulary
An incentive encourages someone to do something.
Driven by his motivation to earn a new bike, Keith promised to do his chores all summer: The incentive was enough to convince him to put in the extra work.
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Vocabulary
a. He wants to be a rock star.
b. He wants to play in the school band.
c. He wants to get his homework done early.
What is most likely Jamal’s incentive for practicing the clarinet every day?
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Vocabulary
What is most likely Jamal’s incentive for practicing the clarinet every day?
a. He wants to be a rock star.
b. He wants to play in the school band.
c. He wants to get his homework done early.
What might be a student’s
incentive to babysit after school?
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Vocabulary
Bravely picking up the lizard, he hoped the hands-on experience would drive away his fear.
Patrick wanted to dispel his fear of reptiles.
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Vocabulary
When Alexis heard some nasty gossip about her best friend, she decided to dispel the rumor. Alex decided to ____________.
a. pass along the rumor to someone else
b. refuse to listen to the gossip
c. explain why the rumor isn’t true
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Vocabulary
What’s the best way to dispel a feeling of worry?
When Alexis heard some nasty gossip about her best friend, she decided to dispel the rumor. Alex decided to ____________.
a. pass along the rumor to someone else
b. refuse to listen to the gossip
c. explain why the rumor isn’t true
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Vocabulary
LeShawn spoke with eloquence at graduation.
His impressive speaking ability brought the audience to its feet.
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Vocabulary
Because Mariella is an eloquent writer and speaker, her guidance counselor suggested that she try out for
a. the track team.
b. the band.
c. the debate team.
from Harriet Tubman:Conductor on the Underground Railroad
Vocabulary
Because Mariella is an eloquent writer and speaker, her guidance counselor suggested that she try out for
a. the track team.
b. the band.
c. the debate team.
Name someone who is an eloquent speaker.
[End of Section]
The End
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