Curated OER
Slavery Crossword
In this crossword puzzle worksheet, students read the clues related to slavery. Students then complete the 6-word crossword puzzle about slavery.
Curated OER
Debt Slavery and Children in India, A Case Study
Students examine the child labor situation in India. Using the internet, they research the conditions these students work under and how they are part of the debt slavery system. They read the Human Rights Watch and determine if this is...
Curated OER
Slavery in America at the Time of the Civil War: Sources
Learners discover how to use primary and secondary sources in research. In this Civil War instructional activity, students conduct research on slavery as they distinguish between primary and secondary sources regarding the same events.
Novelinks
Nightjohn: Anticipation Guide
Set the stage for Nightjohn, Gary Paulsen's young adult novel about slavery set shortly before the Civil War, by asking readers to indicate whether they agree or disagree with several statements that are connected to issues raised by the...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave, Written by Himself
The narrative works of Frederick Douglass engage learners in the topic of slavery. They will experience American history in a new way, a Douglass expresses his thoughts in his own words. Pupils then interpret this literary work.
Mr. Nussbaum
Abraham Lincoln Reading Comprehension—The Middle Years (Part 3)
How did Abraham Lincoln begin to change the minds of American citizens? Join him in his quest with a reading passage about Lincoln's experiences as a congressman and public denouncement of slavery. The resource contains reading...
Huntington Library
A House Divided: Slavery and the Civil War
What efforts were made by Abraham Lincoln to preserve the Union, and how did the Emancipation Proclamation signal a shift in the aims of the Northern states? Young historians answer these questions by analyzing primary sources and...
Curated OER
Slave Narratives: Constructing U.S. History Through Analyzing Primary Sources
Learners access oral histories that contain slave narratives from the Library of Congress. They describe the lives of former slaves, sample varied individual experiences and make generalizations about their research in journal entries.
Curated OER
Images of Slavery
Pupils locate, examin, and compare visual depictions of slavery with written accounts. They compare artists' conceptions (prints, book illustrations, paintings, and newspaper depictions) with early photographic images of slavery.
Curated OER
West Indies and The Caribbean: Sugar & Slavery
Students study the state of the world before the slave trade. They explain the geography and economics of the slave trade. They explore primary sources and how historians use these sources to create historical interpretations.
Curated OER
Woodlawn Plantation
Fourth graders engage in a series of pre and post visit activities to the Woodlawn Plantation in order to enhance their learning experience there. Writing and art activities are part of the lesson plan.
Smithsonian Institution
African American Music: Let’s Sing and Play Clapping Games
Two lessons focus on making a beat. Using popular African American music of its time, scholars listen and analyze the rhythm then recreate it with hands drums, and cups.
Smithsonian Institution
Singing for Justice: Following the Musical Journey of “This Little Light of Mine”
Scholars go on a musical journey to discover the origin, importance, and evolution of the song, "This Little Light of Mine". Class members boost their voice talents and clap to the beat while learning the lyrics in both English and Zulu....
Curated OER
Mount Rushmore
How did those faces get on that mountain, and why did they choose those particular presidents? Learn about Mount Rushmore's construction and the history behind the men represented on the mountainside with a short reading passage and set...
Curated OER
A Wolf by the Ear
Students examine Thomas Jefferson's complex and contradictory relationship with slavery.
Curated OER
Torn from Each Other's Arms
Students consider how the institution of family suffered under slavery. In this slavery instructional activity, students watch segments of "Slavery and the Making of America". Students examine the structure of the Driggus family and...
Curated OER
Slavery in Colonial America
Students examine the experience of the middle passage of slaves. They review slave songs and discuss their common themes. They develop a monologue in which they integrate a fragment of an actual slave song into a poem they have written.
Curated OER
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Christmas Bells
Students read and analyze the anti-slavery poem, "Christmas Bells" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. They discuss the content and form of the poem, write an essay, write an original poem, examine how this anti-slavery poem was converted...
Curated OER
Of Human Bondage
How does the particular point of view in a situation affect the way it is presented? Focusing on perspectives on slavery during the Civil War, middle schoolers use research to write narratives from the points of view of their historical...
Curated OER
Decision Making: Who Was Right?
Help your class explore the question "Is it ever right to disobey a law?" With a strong base of knowledge about the Civil War, anti-slavery movement, and Underground Railroad, your class explores civil disobedience in Marshall, Michigan...
Curated OER
The Importance of Storytelling
Learners 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.
Reed Novel Studies
Elijah of Buxton: Novel Study
Most think Elijah in Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis gets famous for being the first African American child born free from slavery. However, his true fame comes from his adventures to capture a thief. Readers study Elijah's...
Curated OER
Reading Questions: Alex Haley's "My Furthest Back Person: The African"
Based on Alex Haley's moving essay "My Furthest Back Person: The African," these 11 questions support comprehension and prepare readers for discussion of the text. Use this tool, and the essay, as a nonfiction addition to units on...