Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Underground Railroad as an Act of Civil Disobedience

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Underground Railroad

For Teachers 6th - 7th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Underground Railroad

For Teachers 4th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Quilting Through the Civil War and Underground Railroad

For Teachers 5th - 6th
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....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Landmarks of the Underground Railroad

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Landmarks of the Underground Railroad

For Teachers 8th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Underground Railroad

For Teachers 8th
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. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making the Connection With Quilts

For Teachers 4th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Literature Focus Unit: Civil War

For Teachers 4th
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."...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The House of Dies Drear

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
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....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Underground Railroad

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Pupils research the underground railroad and create a journal as if you were either a slave running away or the "railroad operator". They then draw a map detailing the escape routes and stops of African-American slaves on the underground...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Look for Patterns: Quilts in Two Faith Ringgold Stories

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Author Faith Ringgold uses quilts to illustrate her books Tar Beach and Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad. In this integrated trio of activities, young scholars read stories, identify and create patterns, and design quilt squares of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Art -- The Secret to Freedom

For Teachers 4th
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Harriet Tubman: An Informative and Impressionistic Look

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners examine artwork depicting Harriet Tubman. In this Harriet Tubman lesson, students review her life and how she impacted the Underground Railroad. Learners view impressionistic artwork showing her life. Students then create their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Quilting: The Story of the Underground Railroad

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars explore quilting. They read and discuss the book, Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt. They research African American quilting traditions on the Internet and name three common qualities in quilts. They create a quilt...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

People and Places in Indiana's Underground Railroad

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders use an Indiana map to explain why Indiana's geographic location was important to its role in the UGR. They experience personal stories and feelings of the people involved in UGR through role-play and literature.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

All Aboard the Freedom Train!

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young historians identify Harriet Tubman, her character traits, and role as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. They create an escape map using map legends and the Cardinal directions. This plan utilizes one of my favorite video...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Racial Equality: How Far Have We Come and How Far Do We Have To Go?

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Is everyone treated fairly in America? The culminating fifth lesson from a series of five has pupils explore racial inequalities from the 1960s and decide whether or not society has changed over time. The lesson comes with a speech from...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

TE Activity: Build an Anemometer

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students determine what an anemometer is and how it measures wind speed. They decide on a place to put a wind turbine by using an anemometer. They examine the role that engineers play when using wind speed to determine a place for wind...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Decisions That Changed Our Lives: A Look At the African American Quest for Freedom and Rights

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students are introduced to the goals of abolitionists throughout history. In groups, they use the internet to discover the purpose of the Underground Railroad and why there were bus boycotts in the 1960s. They compare and contrast the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Multiple Intelligences and The Illinois & Michigan Canal

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders engage in a wide variety of cross-curricular activities designed to give them a thorough understanding of the history of the Illinois & Michigan Canal. There are a very nice set of activities included in this plan!
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Year of the Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze Korean culture from their literature piece. They investigate the theme of oppression by an occupying army. Students encounter courage, resistance movements and explore the underground railroads.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Quilts: Patterns of Our Past Leading Us Into Our Future

For Teachers K - 6th
Young scholars examine the history of quilt making. They explore the pattern, designs, and color schemes of the quilt. Students read stories about quilting. They create a story to further develop into a story quilt. Additional cross...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lines Of Connection

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
We need the help of your history detectives! After giving them a set of questions to answer, reading groups must create their own timeline of the events. Then, as a class, have each group present their timelines. What is different? Why...