Learning to Read Student Center

LEARNING TO READ by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper 1872Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825-1911) was the child of free African-American parents. She attended the Academy for Negro Youth until she was 13 years old. In her adult life, Harper helped slaves escape through the Underground Railroad (a network of routes and safe houses used by slaves in the 19th century) and wrote for anti-slavery newspapers.As you read, take notes on the obstacles the students face while learning to read.(1) Very soon the Yankee1teachersCame down and set up school;But, oh! how the Rebs2did hate it,—It was agin’ their rule.[5]Our masters always tried to hideBook learning from our eyes;Knowledge didn’t agree with slavery—‘Twould make us all too wise.But some of us would try to steal[10]A little from the book,And put the words together,And learn by hook or crook.I remember Uncle Caldwell,Who took pot-liquor fat[15]And greased the pages of his book,And hid it in his hat.And had his master ever seenThe leaves up on his head,He’d have thought them greasy papers,[20]But nothing to be read.And there was Mr. Turner’s Ben,Who heard the children spell,And picked the words right up by heart,And learned to read ‘em well.[25]Well, the Northern folks kept sendingThe Yankee teachers down;And they stood right up and helped us,Though Rebs did sneer and frown.And, I longed to read my Bible,[30]For precious words it said;But when I begun to learn it,Folks just shook their heads,And said there is no use trying,Oh! Chloe, you’re too late;[35]But as I was rising sixty,I had no time to wait.So I got a pair of glasses,And straight to work I went,And never stopped till I could read[40]The hymns and Testament.3Then I got a little cabin—A place to call my own—And I felt as independentAs the queen upon her throne..1"Yankees" are people from the northern Union states. During the Civil War, Union states fought against Confederate states.2. "Rebs" is short for "rebels." The term refers to Confederate sympathizers, who, during the Civil War, fought to maintain Southern society (including slavery).3. The Christian Bible is divided into two sections, the New and Old Testament. Read the following Poem: Question 1 Complete the chart below by telling the context of each unfamiliar word or phrase, its possible meaning, and the clues that led you to the definition. Unfamiliar Words Context Possible Meaning Clues knowledge didn't agree with slavery (line 7) leaves up on his head (line 18) picked the words right up by heart (line 23) I was rising sixty (line 35) Read lines 9 and 10 from the poem. But Some of us would try to stealA little from the book,Why did the poet choose to use the word "steal" in line 9? The poet wanted to indicate that it was against the law for slaves to become educated. The poet was a crook. The poet felt it was easy for a slave to learn to read. The poet wanted to show that the slaves would steal books from each other. Which of the following best summarizes the perspective from which the poem is told? A slave girl reflects on her childhood when she was denied the right to an education. She describes the great risks that she and other slaves took in order to learn. A speaker, who was once a slave, describes how she managed to escape so that she could attend school in the North. The narrator, a slaveholder, describes her childhood growing up on a plantation in the South. The speaker, a former slave, describes the extreme brutality she experienced under the hand of Mr. Turner, the slave master. This Question has two parts:Part A:Which of the following best describes the author's most likely purpose for writing this poem? To warn other slaves about certain dangerous escape routes. To teach other slaves how to avoid getting caught with papers and books. To spread awareness about the injustices of slavery and the benefits of education. To incite a rebellion against Mr. Turner and other slave holders. Part B:Choose a quote from the passage that best supports your answer to Part A? "And put the words together and learn by hook or crook" "He'd have thought them greasy papers, but nothing to be read." "Then I got a little cabin, a place to call my own." "Knowledge didn't agree with slavery-T'would make us all too wise." "LEARNING TO READ" WITH FRANCES ELLEN WATKINS HARPER'S "AUNT CHLOE" Watch the following video Read the lines from the poemAnd I felt as independent as the queen upon her throne.Which sentence below best describes the meaning of the metaphor in these lines from a poem? The poet is comparing the power someone has having the ability to read as being equal to someone with as much power as the queen of a country. The speaker is comparing the teaching of the South with the teaching of the North. The poet is describing the power a ruler of a country has. The speaker is describing her favorite book to read about a queen. This question has two parts: Part A: Which of the following best describes the speaker's feeling about eventually learning how to read? The speaker feels scared that the slave masters will find out and hurt her. The speaker feels powerful because she can access knowledge on her own. The speaker feels unsure about how education will affect her future. The speaker feels resentful toward the Yankees that set up schools. Part B:Which of the following quotes from the poem best support your answer to Part A? "Our masters always tried to hide learning from our eyes" (line 5-6) "They stood right up and helped us/ Though the Rebs did sneer and frown" (line 26-27) "But when I began to learn it/ Folks just shook their head." (line 31-32) "The queen upon her throne." (line 44) How does the speaker's point of view influence how she describes her "experience" trying to learn to read as an adult. She sees the challenge as normal and goes to school to learn. She wants to learn to read so much she doesn't let the thought of giving up influence her even as an adult learning to read and realizing it may be difficult. She doesn't have any books, so she must learn to read the Bible. She can't read and realizes she will not ever be able to read. How might the poem be different if were told by the slave owners' point of view? It might explain why slave owners would not want to allow slaves to educate themselves. It might give a different reason as to why education was not important. It would show that the slave owners wanted the slaves to have an education. It would tell why slave owners did not feel like education was important for anyone. What two lines in these two stanzas reflect the speaker's point of view that when you learn to read you gain power and independence. So, I got a pair of glasses, And straight to work I went. And never stopped till I could readThe hymns and Testament. Then I got a little cabin- A place to call my own. And I felt as independentAs the queen upon her throne. This question has two parts.Part A: Read stanza 8 from the poem. Then answer the question that follows.(29) And, I longed to read my Bible(30) For precious words it said:(31) But when I begun to learn it,(32) Folks just shook their heads, simile metaphor personification idiom Part B: What is the message the speaker of the poem is trying to get across in line 30? The speaker of the poem is using figurative language to say we need to read our Bibles. The speaker of the poem is using figurative language to say reading is hard. The speaker of the poem is using figurative language to express that once you learn how to read, the words you learn are valuable. The speaker of the poem is using figurative language to express we should all read.