Curated OER
The Importance of Storytelling
Students examine how African Americans escaping slavery used storytelling to communicate. They listen to and read the lyrics for the song, Follow the Drinking Gourd, view the Reading Rainbow video, and write and illustrate their own story.
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Runaway Ads
Fourth graders distinguish between primary and secondary sources while creating an underground railroad presentation. In this underground railroad lesson, 4th graders research the underground railroad using copies of primary and...
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Harriet Tubman
Students study the contributions of Harriet Tubman. In this service learning lesson, students explore the work of Harriet Tubman as a conductor on the Underground Railroad.
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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...
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Quilt to Freedom
Students investigate the Underground Railroad. In this African-American history lesson, students listen to the book Clara and the Freedom Quilt and use map skills to identify the various locations in the book. Students create a freedom...
Project B.A.S.I.C. Child Development Specialist and Child Care Consultation
Better Attitudes and Skills in Children
Little kids often have very big feelings, and need help expressing them. A set of social emotional lessons provide tangible ways for young elementary learners to visualize their emotions, focus on clear communication, and channel their...
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Literature Circles
Fourth graders work in groups in order to motivate one another to develop reading comprehension and literacy skills. The skills are built through the sharing of fine literature. They maintain a reading log to keep accountable for the...
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Escape to Freedom
Learners read 'They Called Her Moses," create a wanted poster for Tub man, compose a journal entry imagining they are William Still, and in groups, create a newspaper depicting the incident of the runaway slaves and events from the time...
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Steps to Freedom
Students complete discussion and reading comprehension activities for the novel Almost to Freedom by Vaunda Micheax Nelson. In this African American history lesson, students discuss the Underground Railroad and complete a reading...
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1856-1865: Abolitionists and the Civil War
Middle schoolers discover philanthropic acts of the Civil War era. For this service learning lesson, students research Underground Railroad literature, Reconstruction Amendments, and acts of philanthropy during the Civil War era.
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Harriet Tubman: Civil War Spy
Add engaging new material to Harriet Tubman and Civil War curricula with a crisply designed, two-page reading about the famous abolitionist. The text details a military raid she led against the Confederate army, informs readers about Tom...
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Images of Slavery
Middle schoolers analyze the ways slavery shaped social and economic life in the South after 1800, methods of passive and active resistance to slavery; escaped slaves and the Underground Railroad, and the ending of the Atlantic slave trade.
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Utilizing Art, Literature and Film to Teach Black History
Fifth graders are introduced to different aspects of African-American history through literature, art, and films. As a class, they are read a story about the Underground Railroad, identify the main characters and put the events into...
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Follow the Drinking Gourd
In this reading comprehension learning exercise, students read the story Follow the Drinking Gourd and then answer short answer questions about it. Students complete 6 questions.
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Year of the Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi
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.
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Color My World
Young scholars examine colors and describe how colors contribute to the way a person may feel after listening to several books. Students also survey class for favorite colors and graph results, as well as discover how different colors...
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Freedom Fighters
Students are introduced to the concept of segregation and explore its affects on society. They participate in a role-play about segregation, read books about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., create self-portraits, sing songs and participate...
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Freedom Train North
Fourth graders conduct a novel study of the book Freedom Train North. They identify the parts of a story that include beginning, middle, and end. Students also recognize the setting, plot, and theme after reading a part of the book daily.
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Glad to Meet You, Newfane
Students brainstorm a list of important community locations or buildings. We take pictures of inside and outside and include the history of each. They describe the service or product it provides, the date originated, etc. They build a...
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Human Rights and Discrimination
Fifth graders create a KWL chart on discrimination and human rights. While reading different stories, they take notes on each character in the books. To end the instructional activity, they discuss the forms of discrimination today and...
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I Have A Dream - Pastel Drawings
Discuss the meaning of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech, explore figurative language, and read about Harriet Tubman and her courage. After the discussion, learners analyze painter/author Jacob Lawrence's use of...
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Lines Of Connection
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...
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Minty
Students investigate, read, and discuss about other famous Afro-American leaders. Students compare/contrast slaves home, activities, etc. with that of Afro- Americans today. Students create a time line to post on the wall of Harriet's...
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Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
Third graders read the story, "Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt" and discuss slavery. After answering questions about the story, 3rd graders sing "Follow the Drinkin' Gourd" and explore the clues in each verse that allowed the slaves to...