Historica-Dominion Institute
Underground Railroad - Secondary
This is a one-day activity to explore the Underground Railroad and its impact on Canadian immigration. Class members explore the government's immigration policies in the past and present. It requires viewing a short video clip and...
Scholastic
Harriet Tubman Follow the North Star
Honor Black History Month with a spotlight feature on Harriet Tubman. After learning about the path the Underground Railroad followed, scholars imagine themselves on it, and share their experience and feelings through writing.
Curated OER
Freedom Quilts
Fifth graders create a Freedom Quilt and learn how many African Americans escaped to freedom. In this Underground Railroad activity, 5th graders complete a KWL chart on the Underground Railroad, read a book about the Underground...
Curated OER
Voyage to Freedom - What Does It Mean?
Fifth graders investigate the Underground Railroad by creating a quilt. In this U.S. History lesson, 5th graders discuss the history of slavery through a class "word splash" and by reading an Underground Railroad map online. Students...
Curated OER
Integrated Social Studies and Art Lesson
Fourth graders study the Civil War and the Underground Railroad. In groups, they create coded quilts like those used in the Underground Railroad. They review secret codes used, plan a phrase they would like to use, and paint quilt...
Curated OER
Making the Connection With Quilts
Fourth graders engage in a lesson which integrates the study of the Underground Railroad in Indiana with a Language Arts unit on quilts. They write a book report on one of the quilt books read in class and design a quilt block for the...
Curated OER
Making the Connection With Quilts
Fourth graders explore history of Underground Railroad in Indiana and discover how slaves were assisted on their journey using codes displayed in different quilt blocks. Students examine connection quilts have to ancestry and family...
Curated OER
Literature Focus Unit: Civil War
Fourth graders complete a two-week unit on the U.S. Civil War and the Underground Railroad. They read the books "Follow the Drinking Gourd" and "Pink and Say," complete story maps, and dramatize a scene from "Follow the Drinking Gourd."...
Curated OER
Harriet Tubman
Students investigate Harriet Tubman. In this African-American lesson, students read the book A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman and discuss how she was a conductor of the Underground Railroad. Students identify the leadership qualities she...
Curated OER
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 their...
Curated OER
Signs in the Stitching
Students exercise their creativity by designing an original quilt and a written explanation of its meaning. They use primary sources to develop an understanding of Underground Railroad routes through Indiana.
Curated OER
Henry's Freedom Box
Young scholars explore the Civil War by reading a children's book in class. In this underground railroad lesson, students read the story Henry's Freedom Box and discuss the plot, settings and characters. Young scholars create their own...
Curated OER
The House of Dies Drear
Learners read The House of Dies Drear and understand how he filled a need and helped people. In this philanthropy lesson students understand how the people who helped on the "Underground Railroad" filled a need and helped others....
Curated OER
The Underground Railroad
Middle schoolers use vocabulary related to the Underground Railroad. They identify key facts related to the Underground Railroad, evaluate their personal responses to the Underground Railroad and make a judgment about the morality of the...
National First Ladies' Library
Riding the Underground Railroad
Young historians explore the underground railroad and life as a slave during the Civil War. After internet research, they discuss the hazards of travel as a slave and the benefits of freedom. Individually, learners write a short story...
Scholastic
Harriet Tubman: Moses of Her People
Who was Harriet Tubman, and what was her place on the Underground Railroad? Recall the bravery and achievements of this extraordinary figure with a short, engaging informational text and crossword puzzle.
Curated OER
The Underground Railroad
First graders read a book about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. In this underground railroad lesson, 1st graders learn songs and code words that the slaves used to communicate with one another. Students discuss how all...
Curated OER
Slavery and the Underground Railroad
Third graders discover racism in our country by investigating the Internet. For this abolitionist movement lesson, 3rd graders define the Underground Railroad and participate in an activity by logging on to an on-line History website. ...
Curated OER
How Did Slavery Impact Our Nation?
Fifth graders closely examine the effects of slavery on American society giving special emphasis to the issue of social injustice, the life of Harriet Tubman, the underground railroad and the achievements of Abraham Lincoln during this...
Curated OER
Time of Slavery
Young historians learn about abolitionists, The Civil War, Frederick Douglas, and so many more details about slavery in this highly engaging presentation. Teachers could use this as a whole class review and discussion tool.
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Underground Railroad
Students research the underground railroad and create a journal as if you were either a slave running away or the "railroad operator". They then draw a map detailing the escape routes and stops of African-American slaves on the...
Curated OER
Underground Railroad Code Words and Phrases
In this Underground Railroad worksheet, students read a list of code words and phrases used during the time of the Underground Railroad, 26 total.
Curated OER
Underground Railroad Research Report
Fourth graders complete a research paper on the Underground Railroad. They use internet and traditional resources to gather information from a list provided by the instructor. They use their information to write their paper. Students...