Teach the importance of context and perspective with a unit focused on Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. The first lesson considers the role of female characters and readers, including the gender expectations of the time. The second and third lessons argue the motifs of the anti-slavery message of the novel with discussions about abolitionism and the incompatibility of slavery and Christianity.

Concepts

uncle tom's cabin, harriet beecher stowe, slavery, the united states civil war, novels, reading comprehension, female writers, women's rights, abolitionists

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Have class members construct a persuasive essay about whether or not there is enough evidence to classify Stowe as a conservative or progressive figure in the women's rights movement
• Organize literature circles for class members to discuss the main topics and elements of literature

Classroom Considerations

• The resource is designed for Virginia standards but is applicable to classrooms in any state
• Addresses aspects of Christianity as it relates to the allegory of the novel
• The second part of a three-part unit, each part of which includes three lessons; navigate the links on the page to find additional resources

Pros

• Provides all necessary discussion questions, handouts, audio files, and student reference pages
• Additional activities and lessons are attached

Cons

• None

Common Core

RL.9-10.1 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.3 RL.9-10.10a RL.11-12.1 RL.11-12.2 RL.11-12.3 RL.11-12.10a RH.9-10.1 RH.11-12.1