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Asking Questions
Middle schoolers examine a painting that depicts a scene from the Underground Railroad. They discuss the painting and write journal entries and poems in response to the painting's themes and their impressions.
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Whispers of Angels: Buffalo and the Underground Railroad
What role did Buffalo, New York play in the Underground Railroad? Young historians investigate the Underground Railroad ties to Buffalo and western New York. They create a web site or multimedia presentation based on the research. If...
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Chapter 3 Test: Civil War
Although specific to a certain book, this test and review relating to the Civil War could used in any classroom. The questions asked are appropriate for students learning about this era in U.S. History. Questions could be altered, or...
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The Underground Railroad as an Act of Civil Disobedience
Students 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...
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Landmarks of the Underground Railroad
Students explore Civil Rights by reading several books in class. For this Underground Railroad lesson, students discuss The Story of Henry Box Brown and identify the location and functionality of the Underground Railroad. Students answer...
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Underground Railroad
Fourth graders read about Harriet Tubman and develop vocabulary lists. For this Underground Railroad lesson, 4th graders find similarities and differences in primary and secondary sources, create a timeline and recognize important...
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Underground Railroad: Henry "Box" Brown
Students build Henry's box. In this historical perspective lesson students listen to the story Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine about an escape using the Underground Railroad. Students also read and discuss The Deliverer of Box Brown...
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Underground Railroad
Students navigate the Scholastic Underground Railroad site and listen to journey of the Underground railroad. In this Underground Railroad lesson, students use maps and compare and contrast the differences between the North and...
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Quilting Through the Civil War and Underground Railroad
Students design a quilt. In this Civil War and Underground Railroad lesson, students discuss the Civil War and Underground Railroad. Students look at quilts from the Civil War and discover how they were used to help slaves escape....
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The House of Dies Drear
Learners read The House of Dies Drear and understand how he filled a need and helped people. In this philanthropy lesson students understand how the people who helped on the "Underground Railroad" filled a need and helped others....
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Literature Focus Unit: Civil War
Fourth graders complete a two-week unit on the U.S. Civil War and the Underground Railroad. They read the books "Follow the Drinking Gourd" and "Pink and Say," complete story maps, and dramatize a scene from "Follow the Drinking Gourd."...
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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...
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Minty, A Story of Young Harriet Tubman
Fourth graders describe the life of Harriet Tubman. They define opportunity cost. Students identify the opportunity cost of each of several choices made by Harriet Tubman. They are explained that Harriet Tubman was the first African...
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Making the Connection With Quilts
Fourth graders engage in a lesson which integrates the study of the Underground Railroad in Indiana with a Language Arts unit on quilts. They write a book report on one of the quilt books read in class and design a quilt block for the...
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Landmarks of the Underground Railroad
Eighth graders explore Louisville, KY area Underground Railroad museums. In this Underground Railroad instructional activity, 8th graders read Day of Tears by Julius Lester as well as other listed articles. Students discover how the...
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Underground Railroad
Eighth graders explore the Underground Railroad. In this American History lesson, 8th graders create a song about the railroad. Students analyze various symbols used during the Underground Railroad.
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Harriet Tubman: Dancing on the Freedom Trail
Students observe a dance interpretation about Harriet Tubman. For this art/social studies lesson, students explore how their emotions can be expressed through movement and create their own dance or dramatic interpretation.
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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...
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Bridges for All
Learners describe how the brave word of one female Quaker served as a lifeline for fugitives before the Civil War. In this research lesson, students research several examples of the philanthropic work of individuals and organizations...
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Follow the Drinking Gourd
Young scholars listen to the song "Follow the Drinking Gourd" and repeat what they have heard. They discuss the significance of the story and how it relates to Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. They observe a map of areas in...
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The Underground Railroad
Fourth graders participate in a literature circle after reading a book about the Underground Railroad. They discuss their selected book with their literature circle group, and complete a handout about their role in the circle. Students...
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Scrapbook of Freedom
Third graders create a scrapbook using personal narratives and samples of artifacts to connect to maps of geographical locations of the Underground Rail Road. they describe at least one of the feelings a child slave might have had...
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Spirituals
Fourth graders realize the significance in the Negro spirituals concerning the Underground Railroad. They choose a position, either for helping slaves or ignoring the slaves. They describe, in a paragraph, their position.
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The Underground Railroad in the I and M Canal Area
Students discuss provocative statements about the Underground Railroad and form opinions. They locate and read a selection on the Internet that either supports of discredits their written opinions. They then read a speech by John Hossack.