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Held Accountable
Students examine and draw conclusions from an excerpt from a slave narrative. They analyze excerpts from two recently discovered slave narratives.
They draw connections among the narrative excerpts and historical texts by investigating...
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The Union is Perpetual: Lincoln is Elected
Young scholars view primary documents about the race for President in the time of Abraham Lincoln. In this election lesson, students prepare arguments for and against Lincoln using an analysis sheet. Young scholars create a...
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A New Birth of Freedom: Black Soldiers in the Union Army
Young scholars use primary documents to analyze the events surrounding black soldiers joining the Union Army. In this content area reading lesson, students view multiple primary documents, analyzing and answering questions about them.
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Henry's Freedom Box
Students explore the Civil War by reading a children's book in class. In this underground railroad instructional activity, students read the story Henry's Freedom Box and discuss the plot, settings and characters. Students create their...
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When in Greece, Do as the Greeks Do
Students examine the contributions of ancient Greeks in this five lesson unit. The explorations reveal how Greece shaped our stories, our modern language, and our society. The study of the Greek myth forms the basis of this unit.
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Anthony Burns
Pupils investigate the reading of the novel about Anthony Burns. They create a KWL chart to gather and organize information. The information that is provided is used to create a presentation. Students also use journals to keep track of...
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African-American History and Culture in the English Classroom
Ninth graders identify and recognize characteristics of nonfiction in literary works, explore language and culture of Gullah people, compare and contrast purposes of spirituals and quilts in terms of their relationships to escape from...
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Finding Your Way: The Underground Railroad
Students describe the difficulties faced when tying to escape using the underground railroad. Participating in an online simulation, students attempt to escape using the underground railroad. They view maps of the routes taken by the...
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U.S. Set to Celebrate Lincoln Bicentennial
Students use a news article about the celebration of the Lincoln Bicentennial to answer questions about Abraham Lincoln and the celebration. In this current events and US history lesson based on a news article, students participate in a...
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Trains, Telegraphs, and Steamships: War’s New Weapons
Students examine the technological weapons of the Civil War. For this Civil War lesson, students research the use of trains, telegraphs, and steamships in the war. Students write newspaper articles pertaining to the new weaponry.
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Gullah Contributions to South Carolina History
Learners research the Gullah people and their impact on South Carolina. For this South Carolina history lesson, students study, locate, and color the region of Africa the Gullah people came from. Learners listen to Gullah music and watch...
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Abraham Lincoln on the American Union: " A Word Fitly Spoken"
Students consider Lincoln's perspective. In this presidential perspectives instructional activity, students explore the political thoughts of Lincoln through a series of lessons that make use of primary source analysis. They hypothesize...
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The Secret to Freedom Teacher’s Guide
Students read the story "The Secret to Freedom" and participate in active reading to personalize what they have read. In this reading lesson, students follow several writing activities and discuss their work . Students integrate...
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Aiken-Rhett House
Third graders visit the Rhett-Aiken House and discuss the people who lived there. They compare and contrast the lives of slaves who lived there. They practice using new vocabulary and examine the Gullah language and culture.
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Historical Puppet Play
Fourth graders analyze the book Train to Midnight, based on the Underground Railroad. They compose and perform a puppet play based on the book. Students perform and videotape their puppet plays.
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The Importance of Freedom
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.
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African American Contributions
Students recognize contributions made by African Americans to American society. In this African American history lesson, students research contributions made by African Americans and use a graphic organizer to organize their research....
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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...
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Digging for Treasure: Note-Taking Skills for Primary Children
Second graders study the criteria for biographies and the vocabulary that is specific person and time. They take notes, write e-mail and gather information on a famous person.
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The Experience of the Child Laborer
Students make discoveries about the child laborer through a selection of readings. They make connections between the website readings of the child laborers' personal stories and the images that they saw in the previous instructional...
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A Nation Divided
Fifth graders participate in various activities related to the Civil War. In this Civil War lesson plan students understand the events and feelings of people during the Civil War by studying primary sources, journal writing, readings,...
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The Black Snowman
Sixth graders write a paper. In this writing and retelling lesson plan, 6th graders read the book The Black Snowman and answer comprehension questions. Students learn how to write good paragraphs and how to retell a story. Students write...
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Making Connections: I Know Why Caged Birds Sing
Students discuss equality and fairness by reading a Maya Angelo poem. In this U.S. history lesson, students read the poem I Know Why Caged Birds Sing, and discuss how the era it was written in affected the words. Students...
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Poetry: A View of African American Life,
Fifth graders analyze many examples of African-American poetry and examine how different poems reflect the cultural experiences of African-Americans. The poems and spirituals chosen are very effective for public presentation.