Slavery is a serious topic that can be challenging for middle schoolers to study. Young scholars can see firsthand through primary sources what occurred during that time period in the United States. The third of five lessons provides...

Students view and analyze various artists' representations of slavery. They create their own illustrations of slavery.

Can't travel to Richmond for your Civil War unit? This plan creates an authentic experience, using primary sources and the essential question: Over What Was the Civil War Fought? Historians examine the Appomattox Marker, the site of Gen....

Young scholars investigate slavery in America circa the American Revolution. They will examine point- of view and perspective as they research a variety of informational resources. While this is designed to be used with the PBS video...

Learners explore the institution of slavery through analyzing several artist's perceptions and representations. Students develop their own illustration of slavery.

Young scholars write a personal account of slavery seen from the eyes of a slave trader, a slave plantation owner, a fugitive slave, or a working slave.

Sixth graders examine the use of slavery in the United States. Using a map, they draw the route of the Tecora and Amistad voyages. Individually, they write an essay describing their opinions on whether the Africans on the ships should be...

Students acquire background information and act out a play about slavery.  In this play lesson, students become the characters in history to gather information about slavery.

Young scholars analyze primary and secondary sources to explore slavery and emancipation, and write letter or diary entry from point of view of slave Hannah Harris or plantation owner Robert Carter. Students then dramatize their creative...

Students determine the factors that were considered when purchasing slaves at market or through the purchase of an estate. They examine the Arkansas Slave Code and share its content through a group activity.

Examine the role of slaves,, slave owners, and abolitionists during the Civil War with a study of the history of the Underground Railroad. Through the many links learners research the people involved and the heroes of the movement....

Discuss the history of slavery by analyzing historic photography depicting slavery. Learners write fictional stories based on these photographs. This is a creative and motivating way to launch a discussion of these topics. 

Students learn how slaves communicated with each other.  In this slavery and freedom lesson plan, students learn how slaves used quilts as maps, learn what different quilt patterns meant, draw a picture for their class freedom quilt...

Students complete pre reading, writing, during reading, and interdisciplinary activities for the book The Last Day of Slavery. In this reading lesson plan, students complete journal entries, go over vocabulary, answer short answer...

Eleventh graders examine how slavery was related to the economic development of New York.  In this American History lesson, 11th graders analyze the primary and secondary sources on the New York Slave Market.  Students create a...

Social studies learners explore slavery in the American colonies from 1607 to the Revolutionary War. In groups, they explore a PBS website and a virtual museum. Using these websites and other online resources, learners create their own...

Students examine different perspectives of slavery. They write a personal account of slavery as a slave trader, a plantation owner, and fugitives and working slaves. They role-play these roles for the class.

Students locate on a map the places in Africa where the majority of slaves came from. They express their own personal thoughts and feelings about slavery.

Young scholars investigate the personal accounts of slaves in the United States. They participate in various activities according to grade level to examine the role of slavery in the South.

Fourth graders study slavery escape routes of the Underground Railroad on maps, read an account of an escape and then write narrative essays about a fictional slave's escape.

Students explain the goals and methods of the abolitionist movement. They identify key leaders in the movement. This lesson has adaptations for elementary through high school. Links are provided for resource readings.

Students identify hardships encountered by students born into slavery through the interpretation of songs and images.

Students examine Thomas Jefferson's complex and contradictory relationship with slavery.

A reading of a New York Times review of the movie Beloved launches research into how the Civil War affected the lives of people living during this period. Creative thinkers select a person from an included list of historical figures and...