Curated OER
A Lesson on Reconstruction Legislation and Amendments
Learners study the legislation and Amendments of Reconstruction period in America. In this Reconstruction lesson, students work in groups to dissect the Black Codes, an article in the US Constitution, as well as the 13th, 14th, and...
Curated OER
Freedman's Journal: "We Wish to Plead Our Own Cause"
Students examine selected passages from The Freedman's Journal. In this African American history lesson plan, students read and discuss excerpts from The Freedman's Journal. Students investigate how the African American newspaper served...
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Desmond Tutu
Sixth graders examine the contributions of Desmond Tutu and the history of apartheid in South Africa. They listen to the book "The Story of Ruby Bridges," listen to a lecture and analyze a timeline, conduct an interview, and participate...
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A Comparative Look at Migrations
Students explore and compare and contrast the migrations of African Americans in the United States in the decades before and after the Civil War.
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Off Times of Slaves on the Sea Islands
Sixth graders explore the aspect of slave life on the Sea Islands. They explore the Gullah language, folk tales, music and games during the "off" times of slaves. Students read and interpret Gullah folk tales. They recognize music in the...
Digital History
The Slave Trade
When studying the slave trade in early American and world history, use this document to expose your learners to the abhorrent conditions that existed on slave ships. Read through two first-person accounts of the enslavement process,...
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The Long Walk Of Nelson Mandela
High schoolers are introduced to the influences, philosophies and accomplishments of Nelson Mandela in the context of South Africa's political history. They read summaries, define vocabulary, develop guidelines for creating laws and...
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The Emancipation Proclamation Through Different Eyes
Students examine how various segments of the American population viewed the Emancipation Proclamation. They read the Emancipation Proclamation, analyze key terms and statements in the document, and participate in a debate.
Library of Virginia
Life as a Liberated People
Imagine having no control over your life and then suddenly having to provide for yourself. Such was the challenge faced by many American slaves after emancipation. Class members are asked to consider these challenges are they examine...
Curated OER
Harriet Tubman Integrated Unit: Lesson 3
Students explore African spirituals. In this slavery lesson, students listen to and analyze the spiritual song "Wade in the Water" line by line. Students share their interpretations with their classmates.
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City Upon a Hill: Urban Centers and African-American Migrants
High schoolers examine why fugitive slaves migrated to cities and towns rather than rural areas. In this lesson, students consider the social, economic, and political benefits provided by cities and towns in comparison to rural areas.
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Streams of Time Lesson Plan: Visually Organizing the History of the Atlantic Slave Trade
Students, after reading the Transatllantic Slave Trade, create a color coded triple-timeline to help them explain the chronological streams that flow through the essay.
Curated OER
RELIGION AND THE ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE
Students examine the political and religious factors that influenced English, Spanish, French, and Dutch colonization of the Americas, and the economic characteristics of the early Spanish and Portuguese empires in the Americas.
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ANTICIPATORY SET
Students are be able to analyze primary sources (photographs and speeches) and write a definition of American Democracy. They are shown a photograph of Martin Luther King Jr. by Ben Fernandez, students are asked what is happening in the...
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Linking the Past with the Present
Fifth graders explore how Africans built South Carolina into an economic giant. They write an expository paper explaining how Africans and their descendants built the rice empire along the Carolina coastline. They write a persuasive...
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Anti-Slavery and Reform-Related Sources
Fifth graders use primary sources to explore events witnessed by ordinary people. In this primary documents lesson, 5th graders answer critical thinking questions based on their documents. Students recognize the...
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The Supreme Court and the Fourteenth Amendment
Students examine the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment. In this Reconstruction Era instructional activity, students read and analyze 4 Supreme Court decisions regarding the Fourteenth Amendment and determine how the decisions...
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Realism in Music, The Underground Railroad
Students complete a unit of 9 lessons to learn about realism in music during the time of the Underground Railroad. In this music realism lesson, students learn about coded lyrics in the slave songs. Students complete 9 lessons using...
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Langston Hughes: Dream Variations
Students examine African-American communal life. In this Langston Hughes lesson, students read poetry by Hughes in order to gain insight into the Harlem community. Students select artwork that represents their community.
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Paper Vests
Second graders listen to background information on designated Black Americans and read some books about them. They choose one of the persons studied and create a paper vest relating the person's contributions.
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John Brown Lesson Plan
Students investigate John Brown. In this U.S. history slavery lesson, students view a PowerPoint presentation about John Brown. Students discuss the North's and South's reaction to John Brown's raid, and determine whether...
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Lesson Plan: The Black Press
Learners examine the history of the black press. In this media awareness lesson, students watch videos and conduct research regarding the history of the black press in America. Learners explore media careers as they read provided...
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Spirituals
Students review factors that contributed to the development of the spiritual, which reflects the influence of African religious and Christian traditions, and slavery. Students collect spirituals/songs of their heritage from family...
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Voluntary Movement or Not? Africian-American Movement to the West
Ninth graders, in groups, determine reasons for African-American migration to the west