Topic: Underground Railroad
Grade Level: Middle School
Lesson Length: 2 days
Objectives: Students will be introduced to the history of slavery both in ancient times and in American History.
Students will be introduced to the American slave experience, including the Middle Passage, life on the plantation, resistance and escape on the Underground Railroad.
Students will identify contributions of Harriet Tubman.
Materials Needed:
· “To be a Slave” by Julius Lester
· Dover Publications of “Underground Railroad” – a coloring book
· Form “Analyze that Document”
· Primary source: (runaway slave notice, slave narrative)
· Biography of Harriet Tubman
Procedures:
Day One
I. Introduction to Slavery: history of slavery in ancient civilizations, slavery in the Americas, enslavement of Native Americans, Indentured Servants and Africans
II. The African Slave Trade – introduction of African slaves in the Americas. Talk about the American slave experience: capture, transport, auctions, life on the plantation, UGRR, struggle for freedom
III. Read ‘Prologue’ from Julius Lester’s To Be a Slave – collection of slave narratives.
-Discussion questions: what do you think about slavery? What do you think it would be like to be owned? What do you think about the slaves’ reaction to seeing the whites for the first time? Discuss the accommodations on the slave ship and the chance of survival. Would you have wanted to survive the journey if you knew what kind of life awaited you?
IV. Group read aloud on Underground Railroad & H. Tubman-rotate paragraphs in a clockwise direction in small groups of four.
V. Students can select one copy of color page from Dover Publications The Story of the Underground Railroad. Read the biographical stories and share experiences of these historical people with your group members. Contest to be voted on by students with homework pass as prize.
Day Two
I. Worm Web Review—Great student centered review rather than simply teacher led activity. Begin with a main idea word, such as “SLAVERY” or “TUBMAN”. First volunteer may use any letter from “SLAVERY” to summarize an item they have learned. They circle the letter, create a spoke coming from it and write a phrase beginning with the letter they have chosen. Second volunteer may now use any remaining letter in “SLAVERY” or the first letter of a new word added to the web. Again, the new phrase must begin with the letter chosen. Volunteers continue in this fashion until topic is thoroughly covered (or you run out of board space!). I usually allow 3-4 writing at a time to speed up the process and to keep more students interested. This can last anywhere from 5 minutes to 25 minutes depending on the length of time available or desired.
II. Introduction to Primary Resources – discuss primary & secondary resources and examples.
-Provide examples of primary resources. I used “A Narrative of the Uncommon Sufferings,” a runaway notice and a slave auction advertisement. Evaluated and discussed the documents with questions such as: title? Type of document? Who created it? What was the purpose? What might the creator be trying to express? What are two things you learned about the time period from this primary source?
Student Assessment:
- Ongoing assessment through group discussion of Lester’s “To be a Slave”
- Students will demonstrate comprehension to their group mates by retelling the experiences of the characters from their Dover Publications book.
- Students will recall knowledge by adding to the “worm web” on the board.
- Discussion both in small and large groups.