Students will verbally tell what the Underground Railroad was and how it was used
Students will identify how the Underground Railroad was not always secretive and passive
Students will analyze primary sources
The activity will also help students:
Identify and use primary sources
Define ‘slave’
Describe basic information about Civil War
This lesson was adapted from a submission by Demi Thomas, Teaneck Community Charter School; Teaneck, NJ
Copies of ads for runaway slaves, scanned into computer for student who is visually impaired
Journals
Video Quest/computer
Availability of braille, computer with screen reading software, iPad, large print, audio as needed
Students:
listen to a short quest about the Underground Railroad
form small groups to discuss what they learned from the video
use prior knowledge (excerpts form Book 5 History of US)
review ads for runaway slaves
discuss whether is was worth the risk to run away; would they run away or would they stay in the South and continue being a slave
return to their seats to write a short essay with the following prompt: Pretend you are escaping to the North. Write notes on your feelings during your first night of freedom while traveling. Include the following: What do you hope for? What are you afraid of? What questions do you have? Write notes in your journal
Students who are visually impaired can view the ads electronically
Provide video description as needed for the student who is visually impaired when listening to the video
Students who are visually impaired use braillewriter, computer, notetaker, or iPad to write assigned essay