Lesson # 1 Overview
Title
/Standards
The Middle Passage
This lesson is intended to help students understand the life of
a slave on the Middle Passage.
State standards:
STANDARD USI.5c (continued)
The student will demonstrate knowledge of the factors that
shaped colonial America by
c) describing colonial life in America from the perspectives of
large landowners, farmers, artisans, women, indentured
servants, and slaves.
National Standards:
NCSS Theme 9: Global Connections
Big Question for
lesson
(from teaching
thesis)
What was it like to be an enslaved African on the Middle
Passage?
Specific lesson
Objectives (transfer
from above).
SWBAT:
Content
focused/action verbs
Obj 2: Analyze impact of slave trade on individual enslaved
Africans
Assessment of
Objective(s)
e.g. Obj 1=
Obj 2=
(you do not need to
formally assess all
objectives
individually – can do
them as a group if
appropriate)
Brief explanation of
scope of lesson
Obj 1: Describe life on the Middle Passage
Obj 1: students will write three words to describe each
picture of the Middle Passage
Obj 2: students will write a diary entry from the perspective
of an enslaved African on the Middle Passage.
First, students will view paintings of the Middle Passage and
(explanation of
tasks, and
assessments)
write three words to describe each one. The paintings will
then be discussed as a class. Next, students will read
passages from enslaved Africans on the Middle Passage.
Finally, they will write a diary entry from the perspective of
an enslaved African. At the end of class, students will go
around the room and say one thing they learned that they
didn’t know before.
How are you trying
to motivate students
in your opener?
What is your
closure?
Opener: students write down as many words as they can to
describe “slavery” and come up with a definition as a class.
Closure: students will state one thing they learned that they
didn’t know before. This helps them recall information from
the class period and create a personal connection with the
material.
Detailed lesson Plan
Title: The Middle Passage
Grade and Subject: 6th Grade U.S. History
Time Allotted: 42 minutes
SOL #:
USI.5c
NCSS Theme:
What is the guiding
question for this lesson?
Must be presented in the
lesson to students
How will student
understanding be assessed?
-include assessments.
9: Global Connections
What was it like to be an enslaved African on the
middle passage?
Visual Discovery (worksheet placed in interactive
notebook): students will write three words to
describe each visual
Diary entry: students will write a diary entry from
the perspective of an enslaved African on the
Middle Passage.
Closure: Students will state one thing they learned
that they didn’t know before.
Key Concepts (no definition necessary):
Middle Passage
Enslaved African
Slavery
SWBAT (as many as required by lesson):
#1 Describe life on the Middle Passage
#2 Analyze impact of slave trade on individual enslaved Africans
Materials (List and attach primary sources and additional materials-ppt and
question frames /concept maps/ Frames etc.):
Material A-PowerPoint
Material B-Visual Discovery worksheet
Material C-Primary Source for group 1
Material D-Primary Source for group 2
Material E-Primary Source for group 3
Material F-Primary Source for group 4
Just Do It (hook):
Think about it… “What is slavery?—write down as many words as you can!”
Students will brainstorm come up with a definition as a class.
Obj #
Description of Lesson Procedure
1
Begin powerpoint (Material A):
Introduce Big question, objectives
and content standards
Show slide with map of Middle
Passage. Ask students to determine
how many slaves were brought from
Africa to different parts of the
Americas.
Pass out Material B for Visual
Discovery. Show the first picture.
As a class, come up with three words
to describe the painting.
Check for Evidence of
Understanding
Class discussion/teacher
questioning:
Who many slaves were
taken from Africa?
Where in America were the
most slaves taken?
What do you see?
Who is in the picture?
What are the people doing?
What would it feel like to be
aboard the ship?
Visual Discovery
worksheet. (Material B) is
placed in their interactive
notebooks.
Show subsequent pictures, have
students think of three words, then
share as a class. Students write words
on Material B
Transition: Tell students that they will now read a firsthand account of a
slave on the Middle Passage.
2
Show the first primary source quote
Class discussion/teacher
from Olaudah Equiano on
questioning:
smartboard. Read aloud, have class
What is this person saying?
follow along. As a class, answer 2
What does this tell us about
guiding questions (What does it say?
What does it tell us about the Middle
Passage?)
the Middle Passage?
What did it feel like to be an
enslaved African?
Pass out Material C, D, E and F to
student groups
Instruct students to read the passage
and answer the guiding questions
Ask students to share their
observations with the class
Transition: Students return to their individuals seats
2
Diary Entry: Instruct students to
Diary entry is placed in
write a diary entry from the
interactive notebook and
perspective of a slave on the Middle
graded.
Passage
Closure (How does this come back to the guiding question):
That’s a wrap!--What did you learn?
Ask each student to state one thing they learned that they didn’t know before. This
requires them to draw on information they learned throughout class.
Modifications/Differentiation:
Students will be placed in mixed ability level groups. Students who are proficient readers
can help students who are struggling.
For the Visual Discovery and the primary source analysis, the teacher will first model the
correct way to analyze a painting/paragraph.
Definitions of vocabulary words will be provided to ensure understanding of primary
sources.