Barbara Simpson
Grade 4 Social Studies: A Survey of African-American History
The Wheeler School
Providence, RI
Essential Questions: Who was Phillis Wheatley? What connection does she
have to slavery in New England? What was her childhood as a slave like?
How does her life compare/contrast with the life of Venture Smith? How do
both of their lives connect to/differ from the lives of other slaves in New
England?
Overview/Goals: Through the use of primary and secondary sources, the
students will piece together the life of Phillis Wheatley. In addition, they
will compare/contrast her life with that of Venture Smith and other slaves in
New England, finding similarities and differences between them.
Primary Sources: 1) Phillis’s first published poem, “On Messrs. Hussey
and Coffin,” from the December 21, 1767 issue of the Newport Mercury;
2) Maps of Senegal/Gambia (West Africa) and Boston, MA during the
1700’s
3) Front illustration and title page from Poems on Various Subjects,
Religious and Moral by Phillis Wheatley, Negro Servant to Mr. John
Wheatley, of Boston, in New England, published in London in 1773, as well
as dedication page, preface, John Wheatley’s letter, and “To the Publick,”
declaring that Phillis’s work as her own, verified by 18 prominent
Bostonians
4) “On Being Brought from Africa to America, 1768,” “To the King’s Most
Excellent Majesty, 1768” and “To the Right Honorable William, Earl of
Dartmouth…” from Poems on Various Subjects
5) Quote of Phillis on her attainment of freedom, October 18, 1773
6) Letter to her friend, a slave named Miss Obour Tanner of Newport, about
the death of her mistress, Susannah Wheatley, written in Boston on March
21, 1774
7) “To His Excellency, General Washington,” a poem written in Providence,
RI on October 26, 1775, her letter to George Washington on the same date,
and George Washington’s response
8) Phillis Wheatley’s obituary
9) “Ocean,” a long-lost poem just recently rediscovered after 226 years and
published in the Washington Post, February 11, 1999; it was bought at
auction for almost $70,000
Secondary Sources: 1) A Voice of Her Own: The Story of Phillis Wheatley,
Slave Poet by Kathryn Lasky
2) African Americans Who Made a Difference: 15 Plays for the Classroom
2) Phillis Wheatley, A Revolutionary Poet by Jacquelyn McLendon
3) The Collected Works of Phillis Wheatley, edited by John C. Shields
4) Phillis Wheatley: Legendary African-American Poet by Cynthia Salisbury
5) Phillis Wheatley: Slave and Poet by Robin S. Doak
Lesson Implementation:
Day 1:
1) Read the picture book, A Voice of Her Own: The Story of Phillis
Wheatley, Slave Poet by Kathryn Lasky, aloud to the class. Bring
up discussion and answer questions as warranted.
2) In partners, students brainstorm similarities/differences between
Phillis Wheatley and Venture Smith.
Day 2:
1) Make master list from student groups’ ideas of
similarities/differences between Phillis Wheatley and Venture
Smith.
2) Make colonial hornbook of master list: similarities on one side of
the hornbook; differences on the reverse side.
3) Hand out the readers’ theater play, “Phillis Wheatley, A Poetic
Voice.” Review/read for homework.
Day 3:
1) Perform readers’ theater play, “Phillis Wheatley, A Poetic Voice.”
2) Discussion after performance. Read aloud Phillis’s letter to George
Washington and his reply.
Day 4:
1) Share PowerPoint presentation of primary source documents #1-4,
including maps of places where Phillis lived. Engage in discussion
throughout. Describe my discovery of Phillis’s first published poem at
the Rhode Island Historical Society Library during my summer
institute.
2) Discuss Phillis receiving her freedom and her quote testifying to it.
Day 5:
1) Distribute handout of Phillis’s letter to Obour Tanner. Let kids
attempt to decipher/read it before giving transcription and reading it
together. Discuss the meaning of the letter and what it tells us about
Phillis.
2) Describe Phillis’s final years and death; show her obituary from a
Boston newspaper.
3) Tell about recent discovery of a long-lost poem, “Ocean.”
Day 6:
1) Hand out timeline of Phillis’s life. Review together.
2) Assessment: Students will write an epitaph for Phillis’s
tombstone, (she was buried in an unmarked grave at an unknown
location) based upon their knowledge of her (also using time line
and hornbook notes). Sample epitaphs will be shown, including
Caesar, a slave buried in my hometown of North Attleboro. The
students will choose from various colonial epitaph designs.
Day 7:
1) Discussion of how Venture Smith’s and Phillis Wheatley’s lives
were similar/different from other slaves’ lives in New England.
Possible follow-up activities:
1) At conclusion of slavery unit, writing own poems about slavery,
possibly with quill pens, like Phillis. They could also write
additional poems, like odes to a hero, etc. as Phillis did.
2) Field trip to Old South Meeting House in Boston to partake of the
program, “Slave to Poet: Phillis Wheatley” and to view Phillis
Wheatley monument at the Commonwealth Avenue Mall.
Another possibility is visiting the Old Granary Burial Ground,
where John Wheatley is buried, as well as other spots along the
Freedom Trail, and a walk along King Street (now called State
Street), where Phillis lived during her childhood and young
adulthood.