March 5, 2014
Dear Parents,
Our third grade students have finished their Littsie and the Underground
Railroad chapter book. After our students read a novel, we have them
complete a project. The project for Littsie and the Underground Railroad is
for the students to select one person, or place mentioned in the novel to
research. It would be helpful if students started their research at home. I
will be teaching the students how to write a one page research paper in class
next week, March11-15. Students must select their research topic from the
list on the backside of this letter, or submit a topic of their choosing to their
teacher by Friday, March 8. Students need to have all their research
completed by Wednesday, March 12, in order to start their rough draft of
their paper in class. We will work on revising, editing, and creating the final
draft in class. If students want extra credit in reading, they can take
pictures, or find photos online and create a PowerPoint of their topic to
present during their oral presentation. Students can count their research as
their minutes for reading for the week. Students can use the attached graphic
organizer to help them organize their research information. Please help
remind your child that they need to rephrase or reword the research
information to make it their own.
I appreciate your support in helping your child research their topic. Please do
not help your child write their research report. We will be working on this
during class.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Thanks in advance for your time!
Betsy Florea
florea_e@nrschools.org
Littsie and the Underground Railroad
Topic Choices to Research:
People:
Places:
Dr. Daniel Drake
Fort Washington
Mr. Nicholas Longworth
Columbia near Cincinnati, Ohio
(wife, Mrs. Susan Longworth)
The Wilberforce Settlement
Anne Belle Bailey
common schools
Dr. John Locke
Spring Grove Cemetery (many of
these historical people are
buried there)
Mr. William Proctor
Jacob Strader
Theodore Weld
Strader Wharf (Public Landing)
Levi Coffin
John Rankin
James Birney
Stephen Foster
Angelina Grimke
Elizabeth Blackwell
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Robert Duncanson
Salmon P. Chase
Other Topics:
Little Miami Railroad
Ohio Anti-Slavery Society
The Philanthropist newspaper
The Underground Railroad
Gamaliel Bailey
Abolitionist
(Use the backside of the paper to write addition information you have found during your research.)
Research Paper Graphic Organizer
Topic: _______________________________By: _____________________________________
I chose to do my research on________________________. I’m interested in _______ because
__________________________________________________________________________________.
I found this topic in chapter _________ of Littsie and the Underground Railroad.
If you choose a person, during what time were they alive? (born-death) _______________________
When was this person living in Cincinnati, Ohio? __________________________________________
Why were they in Cincinnati? __________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Why was this person important during this time? (What did they do for a career, or what were their
accomplishments?)
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
If you are researching a place or thing, during what time period was this in existence? ___________
Who is the founder(s) of the place or thing? ______________________________________________
Why was this place important? ________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
What are some interesting facts to you about this person or place? Do you have a connection?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
(Use the backside of the paper to write addition information you have found during your research.)
Name: _______________________________________________ Date: ____________________
Directions: Write your research topic in the center circle. Then, write each fact you find on your
person/place in the extending circles you create. This is called a research web.
Your topic here
(Use the backside of the paper to write addition information you have found during your research.)