National Endowment for the Humanities
The Music of African American History
High schoolers examine role spirituals have played in African American history and religion, examine Harriet Tubman's use of spirituals in her work, explore power of spirituals in Civil Rights Movement, and work with oral tradition,...
PBS
Hidden Messages in Spirituals
Slaves laboring in the cotton fields of the old South singing joyously may have convinced overseers that their workforce was happy and content, but in truth, these spirituals contained secret codes. After viewing a short video about...
National Park Service
Lesson 5: Coded Spirituals, Metaphor in African Spirituals
If a picture is worth a thousand words, song lyrics also can communicate many meanings. Using the lyrics of spirituals, young historians analyze them for coded messages about freedom. Resources include a chart to help individuals track...
Curated OER
Sing Out Loud: The Slave Spirituals Historical and Cultural Implications during Reconstruction
Students identify, summarize and present facts about cultural, educational and political inequalities of Reconstruction, explain hidden codes of slave spirituals and their importance in slaves' communication, and create poetry based on...
Curated OER
Down By the Riverside
Young scholars discuss the musical genre of spirituals and its influence on our musical history. They perform various songs, and read the student score for, Down By the Riverside.
Curated OER
Keep Heritage Alive
Youngsters share ideas about cultural and/or spiritual rituals by participating in a fishbowl discussion, which explores the ways rituals have changed over time. They write reflective essays about their own cultural traditions.
John F. Kennedy Center
Harriet Tubman: Secret Messages Through Song
A lesson all about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad introduces scholars to African American spirituals. By way of reading, speaking, and listening, learners discover, analyze, and decode African American spirituals. They...
PBS
Sitting Bull: Spiritual Leader and Military Leader
Sitting Bull was not expected to be a great warrior. Yet, he led the Lakota people and other tribes to several pivotal victories against the United States government when federal troops threatened their land. Using primary sources, such...
Annenberg Foundation
Utopian Promise
Scholars learn all about the Puritans in the third installment of a 16-part lesson series. After watching a video, they read and discuss biographies of Puritans and Quakers from American history, write journal entries and poetry, and...
Curated OER
The History of Rock and Roll: Part 10 - Up From the Underground - Lesson 2
Students discuss the societal roots of music from times of slavery and black spirituals, and compare it to the emergence of Rap and Hip Hop music.
Curated OER
What Does It All Mean?
Learners investigate the symbolism and meaning of samplers in American history. In this American history and sampler lesson, students examine pictures of original samplers and look at lists of the symbolism included in them. They connect...
Curated OER
Harriet Tubman
Students sing the song "Harriet Tubman" by Walter Robinson. In this African-American history instructional activity, students review code words that were used during the slave trade and listen to the song "Harriet Tubman". Students...
Healthy Native Youth
Chapter 1: Circle of Life
Volition, or will-power, is the focus of a lesson that brings forth the Native symbol, the Circle of Life, to instill the importance of responsible decision-making. Scholars take part in six activities that empower them to reflect on...
Essential Kids
The Aboriginal Flag
Whether you're celebrating Australia Day or would like to introduce your young learners to the history of Australia and its indigenous peoples, this coloring sheet is a great way to start the conversation.
Curated OER
An Ancient Revolution: The Written Word
Learners examine the Bible, one of the earliest written sources, as a compilation of narratives, and search the resources on the HERITAGE DVD-ROM for historical "proof" as well as create their own stories and scripts based on ancient...
Curated OER
Spirituals
Students review factors that contributed to the development of the spiritual, which reflects the influence of African religious and Christian traditions, and slavery. Students collect spirituals/songs of their heritage from family...
K12 Reader
Song of Freedom: Go Down, Moses
African American spirituals served as more than songs of religious praise during the years of slavery. "Go Down, Moses" is featured on a worksheet that asks readers to respond to a series of short-answer prompts about the spiritual.
Simon & Schuster
Classroom Activities for Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is the focus of three activities designed for readers of the autobiography. First, class members deconstruct the title to understand Douglass's purpose in writing. Next, scholars examine...
Curated OER
Spiritual Power of Symbols
Students examine how symbols are used in some societies to influence spirits and to protect rooms. They discuss and view examples of doors decorated with symbols, and create a door mural using African and American symbols.
Curated OER
African-American History and Culture in the English Classroom
Ninth graders identify and recognize characteristics of nonfiction in literary works, explore language and culture of Gullah people, compare and contrast purposes of spirituals and quilts in terms of their relationships to escape from...
Curated OER
A Critical Challenge Approach to Woman in New France and Huronia
Students works in groups to study the lives of women in New France and Huron communities. In this French and Indian history lesson plan, student groups research cultural attributes that existed for women in New France and Huron...
Curated OER
People of the Plains- Spiritualism
Fourth graders study cultural characteristics regarding Native American beliefs. They discuss spiritualism as it relates to respect. (respect for all things, living and dead; connection with the land, etc.) They provide examples they...
Curated OER
Public Lands: Hidden Histories
Students identify the economic, scientific, recreational, and spiritual values of public lands. They interpret First Nations quotes that demonstrate the unique relationship between First Nations and the land. Students identify important...
Curated OER
Harriet Tubman Integrated Unit: Lesson 3
Students explore African spirituals. In this slavery instructional activity, students listen to and analyze the spiritual song "Wade in the Water" line by line. Students share their interpretations with their classmates.