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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students examine the work of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. In this Social Studies lesson plan, students use a true/false handout and worksheet to explore an Internet site about the Underground Railroad and its heroes....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Literature for Lesson 2 - The UnderGround Railroad

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students examine the use of the Underground Railroad. In this Underground Railroad lesson, students determine the meaning of the word slavery. They study the Underground Railroad through the use of literature and Internet websites. They...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine Harriet Tubman's contribution to the Underground Railroad. They read and discuss an excerpt from the book "The Tamarack Tree," listen to the CD for the book "Follow the Drinking Gourd," and write a journal response from...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Underground Railroad- People Get Ready...There's a Train a Comin'

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students learn about the Underground Railroad. In this Civil War and slavery lesson, students discuss how successful slaves would be moving around at night, learn the secret vocabulary used for escape routes and review background about...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Underground Railroad

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore the Underground Railroad.  In this U.S. history and technology lesson, students research an assigned topic related to the Underground Railroad, such as "abolitionist," "conductor," or "station houses."  Students design a...
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Unit Plan
Curated OER

Realism in Music, The Underground Railroad

For Teachers 5th
Students complete a unit of 9 lessons to learn about realism in music during the time of the Underground Railroad. In this music realism lesson, students learn about coded lyrics in the slave songs. Students complete 9 lessons using...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Harriet Tubman and The Underground Railroad

For Teachers 1st
First graders discuss Black History month and read a book about The Underground Railroad. For this history lesson, 1st graders discuss and answer questions as the book is read, and complete a worksheet about their feelings and reactions...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Underground Railroad

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders reflect on their knowledge of the Underground Railroad.  In this slavery instructional activity, 4th graders discuss slavery and watch a video.  Students complete a K-W-L chart after discussion and reading, as well as, a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Underground Railroad and The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students discover racism and slavery by completing a role playing activity. In this U.S. history instructional activity, students analyze documents from the Civil War era and describe the Fugitive Slave Law. Students view a video on...
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Lesson Plan
John F. Kennedy Center

Harriet Tubman: Secret Messages Through Song

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
A instructional activity all about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad introduces scholars to African American spirituals. By way of reading, speaking, and listening, learners discover, analyze, and decode African American...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music: Follow the Drinking Gourd

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders use movement to express a concept. In this interdisciplinary lesson, 4th graders listen to the book, Follow the Drinking Gourd, which demonstrates the types of 'communication' used by slaves traveling the Underground...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Underground Railroad

For Teachers 1st
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simulated Underground Railroad Experience

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders participate in a simulation activity that culminates their study of the Underground Railroad. They climb on obstacles while bells rings and older students act as conductors. They work in a darkened area with only one light...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Art -- The Secret to Freedom

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders create a coded message in a quilt. In this art instructional activity students demonstrate the communication used by the Underground Railroad. Students work in a group to make a quilt with a code in it.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spirituals

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders realize the significance in the Negro spirituals concerning the Underground Railroad. They choose a position, either for helping slaves or ignoring the slaves. They describe, in a paragraph, their position.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Runaway Slaves

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine struggles for freedom. In this Underground Railroad lesson, students listen to "Follow the Drinking Gourd" and "Freedom" to lead them into a discussion regarding freedoms . Students watch the video "The Freedom Station"...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Follow the Drinking Gourd

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students listen to the song "Follow the Drinking Gourd" and repeat what they have heard. They discuss the significance of the story and how it relates to Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. They observe a map of areas in the...
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Lesson Plan
John F. Kennedy Center

Harriet Tubman: Retelling History Through Dance and Drama

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Scholars listen to several pieces of music in preparation for a discussion about how instruments and lyrics convey emotions. With Harriet Tubman as the focus, small groups create an original song or dance. A reflection piece concludes...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Music-Follow the Drinking Gourd

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders study the song "Follow the Drinking Gourd." In this dance lesson, 4th graders listen to the book by the same name, listen to the music, and in small groups create a short dance illustrating a stanza from the song.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Underground Travelers

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students are introduced to new vocabulary associated with the Underground Railroad. Using primary sources, they evaluate the railroad's impact on society in the past and today. They also make a judgment about the morality of the railroad...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Follow the Drinking Gourd

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Students create an art project based on "Follow the Drinking Gourd," a song used to guide slaves to freedom during the Civil War. They read a picture book to learn the story of how Harriet Tubman and Peg Leg Joe led slaves to freedom.
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Lesson Plan
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National Park Service

Lesson 4: Escape

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Some enslaved people decided to run for their liberation. Using lyrics of songs they sang, young historians look at these anthems of freedom. An assessment asks them to write the story of escape from the perspective of an enslaved person. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Harriet Tubman Integrated Unit: Lesson 3

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students explore African spirituals. In this slavery lesson, students listen to and analyze the spiritual song "Wade in the Water" line by line. Students share their interpretations with their classmates.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spirituals

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine the significance in the Negro spirituals concerning the Underground Railroad. They explore the cultural, geographical, historical, physical, and Psychological aspects involved in the Underground Railroad