A Social Studies Lesson
LeeAnn M. Hostler
Education 608
Fall 2001
The Underground
Railroad
Fourth Grade
Social Studies Lesson
Objectives
* Students will listen to a story
about the Underground
Railroad
* Students will locate the path of a family’s journey
along the Underground Railroad
* Students will create a persuasive letter to slaves
still living on plantations.
* Students will understand the purpose of Spirituals
on the Underground Railroad
* Students will compare and contrast two Spirituals
Objectives (Cont.)
* Students will create movements
to illustrate a song
* Students will identify what
makes a person brave
* Students will determine how
they can be brave
* Students will demonstrate their
understanding of terms related
to the Underground Railroad by
completing a crossword puzzle.
Materials Needed
* The story, “Journey to
Freedom” by Courtni
Wright
* map of the United States
* map of underground
railroad routes
* map of free and slave
states
* The story, “Learning
About Bravery from the
Life of Harriet Tubman”
* paper
* crossword puzzle
* music and lyrics to the
songs:
“Train is A-Coming”,
“Hey Dum Diddle”,
“Go Down Moses”,
“Swing Low, Sweet
Chariot”
“Harriet Tubman”
Web Sites
http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/tubman/tubman.html
- timelines, quizzes, character sketches, poems and crossword puzzles
http://exchange.co-nect.net/teleprojects
- virtual journey on the Underground Railroad for students grades 4-10
http://education.ucdavis.edu/NEW/STC/lesson/socstud/railroad/contents.htm
- information, narratives, literature, music, maps and links
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/wpa/wpahome.html
- narratives of former slaves
http://www.cr.nps.gov/aahistory/
- tour of historic places that played role in helping slaves escape to
Web Sites Cont...
http://www.undergroundrailroad.org
- current news, historical research, video clips, links and others
resources
by the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
http://www.appleseedrec.com/underground/sounds.html
- provides samples of music popular with slaves
during the Underground Railroad along with lyrics
and notes on their meaning
http://www.cob.motevallo.edu/student/wilsonsv/gpsir.htm
- explanation of the meaning, purpose and content of
a spiritual. It features the unforgetable lyrics to Go
Activity #1
* Teacher will read aloud the book
“Journey to Freedom”
* Students will map the course the family took
from Kentucky to Lake Erie using a United
States Map
* Students will pretend that they are Joshua and
write a letter to the slaves that he use to live
with in Kentucky. They will try to convince
these slaves to run away on the Underground
Railroad.
Activity #2
* Students will analyze the maps of the
Underground Railroad routes and the
U.S. free and slave states (see next 2
slides)
* Based on the information on these
maps, students will plan an
escape route along the
underground railroad.
Activity #3
* Introduce Spirituals to the class
- spirituals originated during slavery as expressions
of
freedom and codes for messages
- spirituals usually have religious meaning and a
rhythm
* Play several songs to the class
* While listening to songs, have class clap and
use call and response.
* Compare and Contrast the songs:
Activity #4
* Teach the Song “Harriet Tubman” by
Walter Robinson to the class (see next
slide)
* Teach movements that correspond with
the chorus to the entire class
* In small groups, have students make up
movements to the two verses
“Harriet Tubman”
by Walter Robinson
Verse 1
One Night I dreamed I was in slavery, bout
1850 was the time
sorrow was the only sign, there’s nothing
about to ease my mind.
Out of the night appeared a lady leading a
distant pilgrim band
First mate, she cried pint her had, make
room aboard for this young woman.
Verse 2
Hundreds of miles, we traveled onward
gathering slaves from town to town
Seeking all the lost and found and setting
those free that once were bound
Somehow my heart was growing weaker, I
fill by the wayside sinking sand
Firmly did this lady stand, she lifted me up
and took my hand
Chorus
Come on up, I’ve got a lifeline
Come on up to this train of mine
Come on up, I’ve got a lifeline
Come on up to this train of mine
They said her name was Harriet Tubman
And she drove for the Underground
Railroad
Chorus
Come on up, I’ve got a lifeline
Come on up to this train of mine
Come on up, I’ve got a lifeline
Come on up to this train of mine
They said her name was Harriet Tubman
And she drove for the Underground
Railroad
Activity #5
* Read the story “Learning About Bravery from
the Life of Harriety Tubman” by Kiki Mosher
* Discuss with class what
makes a person brave
* Have the class write an
essay about how they can
be brave in some part of
their lives
Activity #6
* Complete a crossword puzzle based on
the words learned throughout the unit
(see next slide)
The Levi Coffin
House:
an important stop
on the Underground
Railroad
Across:
2) people who are owned by someone else
4) practice of allowing some people to own other
people
5) slavery
6) time when people fight against those in power
7) songs sung by slaves to express freedom
8) to be beaten by a piece of leather
9) a person who helped to free slaves
Down:
1) harmful
3) a large piece of land
where a family lives
and grow crops
Methods of Evaluation
1) Class discussion of topics
2) Creation of a persuasive letter
3) Explanation of reasons behind escape
route
4) Creation of an essay about how to be
brave
5) Ability to compare and contrast two songs
6) Demonstration of movements based on a
song
Book List
Mosher, Kiki. Learning About Bravery
from the Life of Harriet Tubman. Rosen
Publishing Group, New York, 1996.
Wright, Courtni C. Journey To Freedom.
Holiday House, New York. 1994