Tom Dula
Grade Levels: 6, 7, 8
Subject Areas: Social Studies, Language Arts, Theater Arts
View Original Documents for Tom Dula
General Overview
On May 1, 1868 Tom Dula (pronounced Dooley) was hanged for the murder of Laura Foster. The hanging followed several sensational trials including two in the North Carolina Supreme Court. Prior to the hanging Tom Dula gave one of his attorneys a note in which he said that he was the only one who “had any hand in the murder of Laura Foster.” In the 1950s a ballad entitled “Hang Down Your Head, Tom Dooley” was recorded about the events and reached #1 on the Billboard chart for 1958.
NOTE: This trial includes frank discussion of sexuality and sexually-transmitted disease that has not been included in the lesson plan material. If the teacher uses actual trial materials and publicity, such will be mentioned.
Click here to view the student page for Tom Dula.
activity 1
Time Required |
1-2 class periods (teacher’s discretion) |
Materials |
Supplementary images (online) |
Related Documents |
|
State Standards |
Grade 6 Language Arts: Goals 1,2,3,4 |
Preparation
Students should read the materials provided, including the short overview of Dula’s story, description of others involved in the story, and abbreviated events of the trial (apart of the Tom Dula pdf). Encourage students to visit the interactive map and look through original documents online.
Instructions
As a class, create a newspaper complete with masthead and articles in which the murder of Laura Foster, the trials, and subsequent hanging of Tom Dula are the focus.
The following questions should provoke discussion:
none
activity 2
Time Required |
45 minutes (teacher’s discretion) |
Materials |
Pencil and Paper |
Related Documents |
|
State Standards |
Grade 6 Language Arts: Goals 2, 4, 5.01 |
Preparation
Students should listen to The Kingston Trio's version of “Tom Dooley”, and/or refer to the printout of lyrics to the song.
Instructions
Discuss the song and its characterization of Tom Dooley as opposed to the character of Tom Dula that is given in the court testimony. Have students make a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting Tom’s two characterizations. Then discuss other fictional/non-fictional stories in which the “bad guy” has also been portrayed as a hero, possibly a character from a recent reading. Examples are Robin Hood, Rhett Butler in Gone With the Wind, and Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean.
The following questions should provoke discussion:
- Does the song disregard the facts of the case?
- When you hear the song how does it make you feel about Tom Dooley?
activity 3
Time Required |
1-2 class periods (teacher’s discretion) |
Materials |
Supplementary images and interactive map (online) |
Related Documents |
|
State Standards |
Grade 6 Language Arts: Goals 1, 2, 5 |
Preparation
Students should read the materials provided, including the short overview of Dula’s story, description of others involved in the story, and abbreviated events of the trial. They should also examine the interactive map (used as “Exhibit A” in the actual trial) online.
Instructions
Dramatize the trial scene. (Reader’s theater style or actual dramatization) This could take place as an in-class assignment or as a group project outside the classroom. Then complete the optional worksheet pertaining to the map used in the trial.
The following questions should provoke discussion:
none
activity 4
Time Required |
45 minutes (teacher’s discretion) |
Materials |
Supplementary images and interactive map (online) optional |
Related Documents |
Tom Dula Worksheet (pdf) |
State Standards |
Grade 6 Language Arts: Goals 2, 4.02 |
Preparation
Students should read the materials provided, including the short overview of Dula’s story, description of others involved in the story, and abbreviated events of the trial. Optional: They may also examine the interactive map used as “Exhibit A” in the actual trial.
Instructions
Complete the Direct vs. Circumstantial evidence worksheet based on instances from the Tom Dula trial.
The following questions should provoke discussion:
none
extension
none
Last Updated July 31 2009
