Curated OER
EX-SLAVE NARRATIVES
Young scholars read narratives of ex-slaves and then in groups write and act in their plays.
Curated OER
Slaver Code of 1833
Students explore the Africane, the first slave ship to bring slaves to the area, entered the port of Mobile in 1721. In 1724 the French Code Noir was extended into the Mobile area and provided the basic laws and conditions of slavery....
Curated OER
Reach for the Stars
Students investigate the Underground Railroad. In this slavery lesson, students read books about slavery, the Undeground Railroad, and how slaves escaped the south. Students develop knowledge about coded songs and constellations that...
Curated OER
Master Spy
Young scholars explain that a code is a system of symbols, letters, words, or signals that are used instead of ordinary words and numbers to send messages or to store information. They practice deciphering a variety of secret codes used...
Curated OER
Effects of the Stono Rebellion
Fourth graders learn about a slavery rebellion. In this slavery lesson, 4th graders work in groups to review different non-violent ways enslaved Africans protested slavery. Students learn about the Stono Rebellion, read a letter...
Curated OER
Underground Railroad Code Words and Phrases
In this Underground Railroad worksheet, students read a list of code words and phrases used during the time of the Underground Railroad, 26 total.
Curated OER
Underground Railroad-Coded Messages
In this worksheet on The Underground Railroad, students are instructed to "use the code word and phrases sheet" in order to decode a set of 10 messages. Word and phrases sheet not included on this worksheet.
Curated OER
Art -- The Secret to Freedom
Fourth graders create a coded message in a quilt. In this art lesson students demonstrate the communication used by the Underground Railroad. Students work in a group to make a quilt with a code in it.
Curated OER
Making the Connection With Quilts
Fourth graders explore history of Underground Railroad in Indiana and discover how slaves were assisted on their journey using codes displayed in different quilt blocks. Students examine connection quilts have to ancestry and family...
Curated OER
Integrated Social Studies and Art Lesson
Fourth graders study the Civil War and the Underground Railroad. In groups, they create coded quilts like those used in the Underground Railroad. They review secret codes used, plan a phrase they would like to use, and paint quilt...
Curated OER
Secret Quilt Codes
Students examine how quilts helped people on the Underground Railroad. They listen to a story about Harriet Tubman, discuss quilt patterns, and create a class paper quilt.
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.
Curated OER
Comparisons, Redeeming Slavery, and Code words.
Students compare and contrast parallels between various aspects of slavery. In this anti-slavery lesson students examine types of slavery from the Holocaust to contemporary issues of slavery in the world today.
Curated OER
Go Down Moses
Fifth graders investigate the workings of the Underground Railroad. In this slavery lesson, 5th graders read personal accounts from slaves, examine secret codes of the Underground Railroad, and play a board game based on the trip many...
Curated OER
Realism in Music, The Underground Railroad
Students complete a unit of 9 lessons to learn about realism in music during the time of the Underground Railroad. In this music realism lesson, students learn about coded lyrics in the slave songs. Students complete 9 lessons using...
Curated OER
Worksheet #29 Questions - Slavery in America
In this slavery in America worksheet, students examine their knowledge through ten fill in the blank questions that relate to the aforementioned topic.
Curated OER
Music: Follow the Drinking Gourd
Fourth graders use movement to express a concept. In this interdisciplinary lesson, 4th graders listen to the book, Follow the Drinking Gourd, which demonstrates the types of 'communication' used by slaves traveling the Underground...
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...
Curated OER
The Underground Railroad as an Act of Civil Disobedience
Pupils write an essay from rough draft to final copy about the Underground Railroad. Civil disobedience is researched from a variety of sources. There is a prewriting exercise that is included in the lesson. The whole writing process is...
Core Knowledge Foundation
The Civil War
A unit covers many aspects of the Civil War. Over six weeks, fifth graders delve deep into the history of slavery, the Civil War—before, during, and after—Abraham Lincoln, women's contributions, the Emancipation Proclamation, and...
Curated OER
Mississippi Delta Blues Moves: Second in a Series of Three with Barb Hoffman and Steve Hoskins, MGM
Students complete a graphic organizer reviewing Barb Hoffman's prior instructional activity," Slave Songs (1840-1876)" as well as listen to and discuss Delta Blues music samples. Students research one Delta Blues singer and write a...
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...
Curated OER
The Underground Railroad
First graders read a book about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. In this underground railroad activity, 1st graders learn songs and code words that the slaves used to communicate with one another. Students discuss how all...
Core Knowledge Foundation
The Civil War
A student reader shares information about the history of slavery, the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln, women's contributions to the war, the Emancipation Proclamation, and reconstruction.