Curated OER
Slave Auctions in South Carolina
Students examine primary sources in the form of auction records, create frequency charts, graphs and diagrams that they analyze to anwer questions followed by the writing of a paper that demonstrates their comprehension of the lesson.
Curated OER
Slave Narratives
Students examine the slave perspective and how it differs from stories we hear in text books. In this slave narrative lesson, students use primary source narratives to compare how slave life was expressed by the slaves to how slave life...
Curated OER
Call and Response Singing
Students investigate call and response singing. In this fine arts and U.S. history lesson, students listen to several call and response songs that were sung by African-American slaves during the period before the Civil War. ...
Curated OER
Building a Memorial to the Underground Railroad
Learners interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this Underground Railroad activity, students examine the attributes and function of the Underground Railroad in order to...
Curated OER
Breaking the Chains, Rising Out of Circumstances
Students research slavery in ancient Rome and compare and contrast it to slavery in the United States. In this slavery instructional activity, students investigate the differences of slavery in different parts of the country, write...
Curated OER
Not So Sweet
Students explore farming, slavery and cacoa farming. In this agricultural science lesson, students fill out KWL charts, create PowerPoints and do internet research. Students write letters to chocolate companies requesting them not...
Curated OER
Breaking the Chains, Rising out of Circumstances
Students research, write, and draw about Roman versus American slavery. In this slavery lesson plan, students look at the Roman portraits of slaves, its influence on Western European art, and compare Roman slavery to American slavery.
Curated OER
Torn from Each Other's Arms
Students consider how the institution of family suffered under slavery. In this slavery lesson, students watch segments of "Slavery and the Making of America". Students examine the structure of the Driggus family and discuss how...
Curated OER
Drawing Conclusions - Is This a Map of the Underground Railroad?
Young scholars complete activities to study potential maps of the Underground Railroad. For this Underground Railroad lesson, students watch a video about map collector Anne Zorela's Underground Railroad map. Young scholars complete a...
Curated OER
Reach for the Stars
Students investigate the Underground Railroad. In this slavery lesson, students read books about slavery, the Undeground Railroad, and how slaves escaped the south. Students develop knowledge about coded songs and constellations that...
Curated OER
The African Grove Theater
Students study the African Grove Theater in New York. In this African American history lesson, students examine the evolution of race relations in the United States as they research the theater and its history.
Curated OER
Frederick Douglass: If There Is No Stuggle, There Is No Progress
Students explore Frederick Douglass's method of resisting slavery. In this Frederick Douglas lesson, students read a speech given by Douglas regarding his theories of resistance. Students discuss the speech and then write their own...
Curated OER
African American Experiences: Window to the Past
Learners examine African life during slavery on the Internet. In this slavery instructional activity, students use the Internet to research slavery and create a scrapbook. Learners review pictures of slavery and label them as primary or...
Curated OER
Effects of the Stono Rebellion
Fourth graders learn about a slavery rebellion. In this slavery lesson, 4th graders work in groups to review different non-violent ways enslaved Africans protested slavery. Students learn about the Stono Rebellion, read a...
Curated OER
Am I Really Free?
Fourth graders write about slavery and freedom. In this freed slaves instructional activity, 4th graders read historical information about free blacks during slavery and explore books, objects and slave narratives to learn...
Curated OER
Underground Railroad- People Get Ready...There's a Train a Comin'
Students learn about the Underground Railroad. In this Civil War and slavery instructional activity, students discuss how successful slaves would be moving around at night, learn the secret vocabulary used for escape routes and review...
Curated OER
Finding Historical Evidence: David Brion Davis
Students study the Tran-Atlantic Slave Trade and learn to evaluate historical arguments. In this slave trade lesson, students read about the Atlantic Slave System. Students take notes on slave trade and make a timeline for the...
Curated OER
Reliving History Through Slave Narratives
Students read slave narratives and retell the stories to the class, identifying sensory details. In this slavery lesson, students discuss the importance of sensory details, then read the slave narratives looking for specific examples. ...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Slavery and the American Founding: The "Inconsistency Not to Be Excused"
High schoolers examine slavery in the revolutionary and colonial eras of the United States. In this slavery lesson, students investigate the presence of slavery in early America, the language of the Constitution, and the intent of the...
Curated OER
Diverse Voices -African American Ventures
Students explore acts of kindness through the eyes of the black community. In this philanthropy lesson, students understand that even under inhumane circumstances, people can perform for the common good. Students relate to their good...
Curated OER
Harriet Tubman
Students sing the song "Harriet Tubman" by Walter Robinson. For this African-American history lesson, students review code words that were used during the slave trade and listen to the song "Harriet Tubman". Students create movements to...
Curated OER
Runaway Indentured Servants
Students compare and contrast indentured servants and slaves. In this US history slavery lesson, students discuss the owners' perceptions of indentured servants and slaves, then view ads for runaway slaves to support their opinions....
Curated OER
Follow the Drinking Gourd
Students, after assessing a valuable history instructional activity, create an amazing and very personalized quilt. They explore how individuals helping the slaves escape to freedom, hung a quilt on their front porch to let the slaves...
National First Ladies' Library
The Debate on Slavery
Young historians research the debate over slavery; some students take the pro-slavery side and others the anti-slavery side. They take the role of a character such as a plantation owner, a legislator, a free Black, a slave, or a northern...