Lesson Plan
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The Terrible Transformation: Freedom Denied

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students learn about the legal foundations for slavery and explore autobiographical writings of slaves. Students trace the development of laws that enforced the slave status of Africans and their descendants.
Lesson Plan
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African American Emigration: Turner and McNeal

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students discuss reasons why African Americans may have wanted to emigrate from the United States followig the Civil War. They complete a Venn diagram noting the differences between proposals by Marcus Garvey and Henry McNeal Turner.
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Little America in Liberia

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the history of Liberia prior to and after the influx of immigrants of African Americans. They investigate the cultural differences between the African Americans and newly-arrived Liberians.
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A Comparative Look at Migrations

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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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Spirituals

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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...
Lesson Plan
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Forest Joe Lesson Plan: Outlaw or Hero?

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students become familiar with an American legend that is unfamiliar to many. Presented with the legend of Forest Joe, a runaway slave who, much like Robin Hood, stole from the rich to give to the poor, students draw comparisons and...
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The Fugitive Slave Law and Migration

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the Fugitive Slave Law as a motivating factor for slaves to emigrate outside the United States. After discussing the relationships between fugitive slaves and North American and Caribbean countries, they write essays...
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Holding a Wolf by the Ears: Race, Economics, and the Complexity of Thomas Jefferson

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore the era of slavery when Jefferson was President. In this United States History lesson plan, 11th graders participate in a class discussion that is led by the teacher.  A PowerPoint presentation on the topic...
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Missouri's Early Slave Laws: Missouri's Early Slave Laws:

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Young scholars analyze and discuss various documents relating to slavery in Missouri in the 1830's and 1840's. They learn why some records are deemed to be of permanent, historical value to the state.
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The Importance of Freedom

For Teachers 1st
The students will become familiar with the Underground Railroad. They will gain an understanding of slaves and what it means to have little or no freedom and compare that with the rights that all Americans have now.
Worksheet
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Boombox Classroom: Migration of Music

For Students 5th - 6th
In this music worksheet, students complete two multiple choice questions about music moving from one culture to another. They write a sentence explaining why slavery is wrong. Students name types of music African-Americans brought with...
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Who is Robert M. Glass? - Black History Month

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Pupils research the role of African Americans during the each of the United States' wars. For this African American history lesson, students research information and statistics about the role of African Americans in the following wars:...
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Keeping in Touch

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students read about the Northern Migration of African Americans in the 19th century, and create an eight panel cartoon depicting the means of communication between freed slaves in the North and those still enslaved in the South.
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Home Ties

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the reasons people choose to migrate including political, economic and familial motivations. They interview family members and compare their ancestors own reasons for migration to those of African American urban migrants.
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An Early Threat of Secession: The Missouri Compromise of 1820 and the Nullification Crisis

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students analyze an interactive map of the Missouri Compromise to identify the regions and their relation to slavery. In this pre-civil war era lesson, students read primary source documents and research online to answer questions...
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The Abolitionist Movement: A Fight for Freedom

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders investigate the Civil War by identifying famous figures of the era. In this slavery abolitionist instructional activity, 6th graders read a text on the history of the Civil War and discuss heroes of the era such as Harriet...
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The Embodied Presidency

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the issue of slavery. In this Civil War lesson, 8th graders participate in a debate. Students evaluate the impact of slavery and war on the country.
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Knowledge is Power

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the distinct forms of knowledge that enslaved Africans brought with them to America or developed while enslaved. They study how political movements of the 18th century helped develop abolitionist thinking.
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Plotting Slave Population Density in Connecticut in the 1700's

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders explore slavery in the U.S. by researching the web. In this U.S. history lesson, 10th graders identify the geography of Connecticut and the overall involvement the state had in the slavery process. Students view data of the...
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Paper Vests

For Teachers 2nd
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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Angelina and Sarah Grimke: Sisters of Social Reform

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students read about Angelina and Sarah Grimke and answer comprehension questions about them. In this women of social reform lesson plan, students read about women who helped to abolish slavery, discuss having goals and ambitions, and...
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Breaking Barriers

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate racism in the 20th century by exploring U.S. History. In this Civil Rights lesson, students review the history of slavery, the Civil War and the fight for equality in the mid 1900's. Students complete Civil Rights...
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Colonization

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore why the Americas attracted Europeans, why they brought enslaved Africans to their colonies, and how Europeans struggled for control of North American and the Caribbean.
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Causes of the Civil War

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders determine how the American Civil War began. In this American Civil War lesson, 7th graders listen to a SMART Board-supported lecture about the causes of the war and watch a United Streaming video on the causes. 

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